Great Days Outdoors - February 2019

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HUNTING & FISHING IN ALABAMA & THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE

20

FEATURES 8

8

WHEN DO CRAPPIE SPAWN AND HOW TO CATCH THEM BEFORE AND DURING THE SPAWN

By John E. Phillips

14

TWO TROPHY SPECKLED TROUT LURES AND HOW TO FISH ‘EM

By Capt. Patric Garmeson

16 20

SMALL GAME EXTENSION

By Greg McCain

24 26 29

LAND LOAN RATES: WHERE ARE WE GOING?

By Daily Thomas

WILD HOG HUNTING: HOW TO HUNT HOGS AT NIGHT

By Rhett Hooper

44

IN EVERY ISSUE Bets 6 Best

by William Kendy

FAST ACTION AND GOOD SQUIRREL DOGS

By Tony Kinton SIMPLIFY YOUR EARLY SPRING BASS FISHING LURES

By Charles Johnson

47

34

New Gear for Outdoorsmen

by Great Days Outdoors Staff

36

The Gun Rack .410’s for Turkey’s

38

From the Commissioner Consider Mobile-Tensaw Delta For Late-Season Hunting

FISHING OUTLOOKS 52

Pier and Shore

by David Thornton

40

Hunting Heritage Post-Season Scouting and Mentoring

54

Gulf Coast

by Mike Thompson

42

From the Director Recharge Your Batteries With Some Woods Therapy

56

Regional Freshwater

by Alex Granpere

60

Prime Feeding Times, Moon, Sun, and Tide Charts

64

Pensacola Motorsports Trophy Room

44 14 47

Paddle Fishing Paddleboards - Another Way To Get On The Water And Into The Fish

by Ed Mashburn Camphouse Kitchen

by Hank Shaw

66 68 69 70

4 FEBRUARY 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Great Days Kids Corner Classifieds & Fishin' Guides Fishing Tips

by Joe Dunn Boot-Eatin’ Dogs

by Jim Mize

PROPERTY PHOTO HERE

PROPERTY PHOTO HERE

Uniontown High Fenced Investment Perry County, Alabama, 604.33 +/-Acres PROPERTY TEXT HERE This personal hunting tract and timber investment is located on County Road 65 in Uniontown,

MaliBama Lake & Lodge Trophy High Fence Washington County, Alabama, 480 +/-Acres PROPERTY TEXT HERE This tract has it all: scenic lakefront lodge, trophy deer, turkey, quail, and dove hunting, plus

AL; 29 minutes from Demopolis, 40 minutes from historical Selma, and about an hour and 30 minutes from Montgomery. This property features timber and hardwoods, well managed and stocked lakes, and a beautiful completely furnished lodge on level topography. The high-fenced is stocked with world class northern and native deer and the lakes are stocked with bass, bream and crappie. Additional features of this tract are the large food plots planted with corn and soybeans, abundant county road frontage, great internal road system, and a shop with all the equipment one would need to operate the farm. The property has electricity, water, septic, natural gas, and phone. This is a turn key opportunity ready for its new owner!

Alabama Listings COUNTY Autauga Autauga Autauga Autauga Autauga Baldwin Baldwin Baldwin Baldwin Baldwin Barbour Barbour Barbour Barbour Barbour Bibb Bibb Bibb Blount Blount Blount Blount Blount Bullock Butler Butler

ACRES 317.65 47.5 10 5 5 1995 546 492 120 116 704 346 200 179 111 98.6 30 24 144 84 5.46 3.76 2.02 106 395 54

Butler Calhoun Calhoun Calhoun Calhoun Calhoun Chilton Chilton Choctaw Choctaw Choctaw Clarke Clarke Clarke Clarke Clarke Clay Clay Clay Clay Clay Cleburne Cleburne Cleburne Coffee Coffee

10 102 100 26.91 12.34 3.5 636 221 107 25 19.37 526 220 210 80 54 160 117 80 42 40 80 57 56.48 254 6

COUNTY Colbert Colbert Colbert Conecuh Conecuh Conecuh Coosa Coosa Coosa Coosa Coosa Crenshaw Crenshaw Crenshaw Cullman Cullman Cullman Dale Dallas Dallas Dallas Dallas Dallas Elmore Elmore Elmore

ACRES 158 36 25 85 37 6.29 440 151 100 62 45 1251 270 134 876.25 289 175 340 600 463.54 205 184 140 2000 264 213

Elmore Elmore Escambia Escambia Escambia Escambia Escambia Etowah Etowah Etowah Etowah Fayette Fayette Fayette Fayette Fayette Franklin Franklin Franklin Franklin Franklin Greene Greene Greene Greene Hale

90 50 671.6 83 79 40 27 275 167.3 57 55 260 232 160 155 140 608 563 552 250 118 2291 90 1 0.72 186

COUNTY Hale Hale Hale Hale Henry Jefferson Jefferson Jefferson Jefferson Jefferson Lamar Lamar Lamar Lamar Lamar Lauderdale Lauderdale Limestone Lowndes Lowndes Lowndes Lowndes Lowndes Macon Madison Marengo

convenient isolation... all less than an hour from Mobile and 45 minutes from I-65. The property has been under game fence for over 10 years, stocked with strong genetics and intensively managed for trophy bucks, and it shows. The mature whitetail here rival some of the largest in the country. Enjoy an intricate and improved road and trail system, including a full perimeter road, large established game fields, and strategically placed stands and shooting houses throughout the property. The 3.5 acre fishing lake with covered pier is stocked with bass & bream, just steps from the waterfront lodge, which has wrap around porches, 3 bedrooms & 2 baths (including a large master suite), fireplace, large den with cathedral ceiling, and renovated kitchen.

ACRES 114 96 92 88 104.5 400 330 245 125 94 373 255 220 104 92 76 30 1.36 1398 1181 783 656 567 930 100 772

Marengo Marengo Marengo Marion Marion Marion Marion Marion Mobile Mobile Mobile Mobile Mobile Monroe Monroe Monroe Monroe Monroe Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery Morgan Perry Perry

163 125 100 387 325 120 94 60 1800 260 249 200 192 790 378.49 325 271.5 129 623 435 399 310 275 150 604.33 200

COUNTY ACRES Perry 189 Perry 140 Perry 82 Pickens 837 Pickens 513 Pickens 450 Pickens 430 Pickens 370 Pike 352.8 Randolph 407 Randolph 329 Randolph 78 Randolph 60 Randolph 52.4 Russell 1403 Russell 711.35 Russell 692.31 Saint Clair 296 Saint Clair 155 Saint Clair 100 Saint Clair 83 Saint Clair 72 Shelby 458 Shelby 253 Shelby 163.82 Shelby 127

Shelby Sumter Sumter Sumter Sumter Sumter Talladega Talladega Talladega Talladega Talladega Tallapoosa Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Walker Walker

43.56 740 350 213 188 75 1314 1015 882 723.5 120 46 300 163 153 144 128 233 65

COUNTY ACRES Washington 1287.41 Washington 1261 Washington 480 Washington 313 Washington 240 2365 Wilcox 25 Wilcox 2.5 Wilcox 0.5 Wilcox 0.5 Wilcox 279 Winston 84 Winston 2.31 Winston 0.99 Winston 0.5 Winston

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 5

BEST BETS

BEST BETS FOR FEBRUARY These are our top targets for hunters and fishermen this month!

VOLUME 23, ISSUE 2 FEBRUARY 2019

BY WILLIAM KENDY

TRY A PUBLIC LAND HUNTING ADVENTURE IN THE MOBILE-TENSAW DELTA

For a new late season hunting experience take a shot at Mobile-Tensaw Delta. The 260,000 acre Delta offers opportunities to harvest a last minute whitetail, small game as well as feral hogs. See the article “Consider Mobile-Tensaw Delta for LateSeason Hunting” by Alabama Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources Chris Blankenship in this issue. Blankenship identifies specific wildlife management and “Forever Free” lands, access points, considerations and shares expert tips on how to be more successful and have a safe and memorable hunt.

PRE-SPAWN CRAPPIES Even though February weather may be a little bit cold pre-spawn crappie fishing can heat things up. Crappies are in a “transition zone” and depending on the weather and water temperature can start moving from deep water to shallow spawning water and will be found somewhere in the middle. Trolling is the name of the game and allows you to cover and more water and structure at multiple depths with different baits, lures and presentations The best offerings are minnows and/or jigs in different colors and styles.

PUBLISHED BY: Great Days Outdoors Media, L.L.C. PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Joe Baya ASSISTANT EDITOR: Bill Kendy CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Wendy Johannesmann OFFICE MANAGER: Lisa Williams MARKETING COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST: Abby Scioneaux ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Samatha Hester

CONTRIBUTING FREELANCE WRITERS: Chris Blankenship Daryl Bell Alex Granpere Craig Haney Charles Johnson Ed Mashburn Doug Max Greg McCain

John E. Phillips Corky Pugh Chuck Sykes Mike Thompson David Thornton Jim Barta Jim Mize Deneshia Larson

Patrick Garmeson Hank Shaw Joe Baya Don Green Babe Winkelman Bobby Abruscato J. Wayne Fears

Great Days Outdoors (USPS 17228; ISSN 1556-0147) is published monthly at 951 Government Street B, Mobile, AL 36604. Subscription rate is $24 for one-year, $40 for two-years, and $55 for three-years. Periodicals Postage Paid at Stapleton, Ala. and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Great Days Outdoors 951 Government Street B, Mobile, AL 36604 SUBSCRIBERS: All subscriptions begin the first issue for the month following receipt of payment, if payment received by the 15th. Great Days Outdoors assumes no responsibility for delivery after magazines are mailed. All delivery complaints should be addressed to your local postmaster.

CONTACT US: EDITORIAL | JoeBaya@GreatDaysOutdoors.com ADVERTISING | SamHester@greatdaysoutdoors.com SUBSCRIPTIONS | Accounting@GreatDaysOutdoors.com

FEBRUARY SURF FISHING OFFERS GRAB BAG OF FISH February offers the hardier fisherman a mixed bag including Pompano, Redfish, Whiting and even Sheepshead. The fish are closer to the shore and, as the water warms up, will be in the “troughs” between sandbars.

Best baits are sand fleas (mole crabs), live shrimp, pompano jigs and two or three hook pompano rigs. Most fishermen will have a two rod setup with 12 to 15 pound monofilament (40-50 pound braid) one rod for fishing further out and other for closer inshore.

6 FEBRUARY 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Great Days Outdoors Media c/o Container Yard 951 Government Street B, Mobile, AL 36604 877. 314. 1237 info@GreatDaysOutdoors.com www.GreatDaysOutdoors.com All rights reserved. Reproduction of contents is strictly prohibited without permission from Great Days Outdoors Media, LLC.

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When Do Crappie Spawn and How to Catch Them Before and During the Spawn

8 FEBRUARY 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

FISHING

You may be surprised to know that some crappie spawn into the summer.

BY JOHN E. PHILLIPS Photos by John E. Phillips

Although several different factors determine when crappie spawn on any body of water, Nick Nichols, Chief of Fisheries for Alabama’s Department of Conservation, says that crappie, both black and white, traditionally spawn when the water temperature is in the high 50s or low 60s.

Nichols explains, “In some areas, the black crappie will spawn a few weeks earlier than the white crappie. Another factor to consider about the crappie spawn is that crappie like to spawn right on the edge of light penetration into the water. For instance, if crappie are spawning in 6 to 8 feet of water in a clear body of water, and a big rain event occurs, crappie may move up and spawn in 2 to 3 feet of water to remain on the edge of the light penetration down into the water. The clarity of the water, the water temperature and the conditions on various types of water all influence when crappie spawn. But the major factors seem to be water temperature and light penetration.”

WHAT NATIONAL CRAPPIE FISHING PROS KNOW ABOUT THE SPAWN Ronnie Capps of Tiptonville, Tennessee, winner of many championship crappie tournaments across the United States, says that, “Generally black crappie spawn first each year in the lakes we fish. But the white crappie always seem to wait for 59 degree water temperature before beginning their spawning. I’ve learned that rising water and that 59 degree water temperature mean that crappie will move into the more shallow water to spawn. On stable lakes, the male crappie will move-up in the water column to find structure where the females can spawn.”

“A cold front that moves in during the spawn brings wind, waves and rain – factors that don’t exist when the weather’s stable. The waves cause baits to jump, which generally may keep crappie in many places from biting. I’m convinced the colder temperatures don’t impact your crappie catching during a cold front as much as the wave action does, since it affects the fisherman’s ability to control the bait.”

Kent Driscoll of Nolensville, Tenn., another national crappie-fishing pro, says in February, “The crappie are starting their spring migration, moving from deep water, up the creeks and near the spawning flats to prepare for the spawn. A large number of crappie will be moving to the north ends, more specifically the northwest ends of most lakes, since these sections of the lakes often heat-up first.”

WHERE TO LOCATE PRESPAWN CRAPPIE You can catch some nice-sized crappie in the pre-spawn, if you know where to look for them. Here are recommendations from tournament fishermen across the nation.

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 9

When Do Crappie Spawn

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* Identify “Waterfowl De-Watering” Areas. On water systems with de-watering areas for waterfowl, during the prespawn, the water from these duck ponds will drain back into the river or lake. Warmer than the main body of water and often loaded with nutrients that draw baitfish, this water attracts large numbers of fat, prespawn crappie.

Fish the areas where this water re-enters the main river or lake. Look for shallow bays, beaver ponds or big shallow sloughs cut off from the main river. During the prespawn, crappie move into these places first searching for the correct water temperature to spawn. You’ll find the most crappie in shallow, warm-water bays just before the spawn. * Sight-Fish for Prespawn Crappie. Before crappie begin the spawn, you’ll locate them wherever you find large schools of shad. If you live on a lake or a river where you can see seagulls diving on shad, you’ll have pinpointed a productive place to catch prespawn crappie. Crappie below the school will force the shad to the surface where the birds will attack them. Fishing jigs or minnows under diving birds will allow you to locate and catch plenty of crappie. On a warm day, you can spot the schools of shad on the surface, even if you don’t see a bird diving on them. Often, crappie will come from their deep-water haunts to feed on those surface shad.

If you’re not breaking off jigs, straightening hooks, busting your line and losing your leads, you’re not fishing where the crappie are during the prespawn.

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* Use Bass Fishermen as Birddogs. Sometimes bass fishermen build brush shelters at the mouths of creeks on points. During the prespawn, crappie often will hold on these brush shelters on points that lead into creeks where they’ll spawn. When you hear bass fishermen reporting strikes on points with no success, more than likely they’ve had crappie instead of bass attack there. In the prespawn, look for crappie on brush piles in 10 to 20 feet of water on major points leading into creeks. * Find Crappie in the Mouths of Creeks. Before crappie move up into the creeks to spawn, they may suspend in large schools in the mouths of creeks and in open water 50 to 200 yards from the mouths of creeks. To catch these crappie, either troll or cast jigs through the schools. Once you start to catch crappie, drop a buoy to pinpoint the school, and cast to it. When the crappie quit biting, use your depth finder to relocate the schools, and change the color of your jig to continue to catch crappie from that same school . * Troll the Ledges. During the prespawn, crappie frequently hold on underwater creek ledges close to the spawning

When Do Crappie Spawn

grounds. By using your trolling motor to move very slowly along the edge of a creek channel, you may catch large numbers of big crappie when you troll jigs. * Locate Shallow-Ditch Crappie. You’ll also find crappie during the prespawn in little ditches only a foot or two deep coming off creek channels and leading into spawning areas.

Crappie will move into these ditches and hold there waiting on the right water temperature to spawn. * Fish for Dock Crappie. Lake residents may show you where to find productive brush piles that hold crappie in the prespawn. If you notice a dock that either has poles on it or pole holders on the front, there’s a very good chance you’ll find a hot, prespawn crappie spot in front of that dock.

Most lakeside residents will build brush shelters about a pole’s length from the ends of their docks in 8 to 15 feet of water. These brush shelters will hold crappie throughout the prespawn. * Hunt Cover, Not Crappie. During the prespawn before the crappie move shallow, you’ll catch crappie under stumps, roots and brush that you won’t spot on your depth finder.

For this reason, search for cover. Even if you don’t see any crappie, begin to fish through and around the underwater cover. Many times you’ll take a good number of big crappie on spots where you never actually see the fish. * Catch ‘Em Deep. During the prespawn in deep, clear lakes like Smith Lake in north Alabama, you may find crappie in

water 30 to 40 feet deep. These fish often hold on underwater humps or ledges and in large, tight schools. Use your depth finder to locate the schools, and then fish vertically with either minnows or jigs. When the crappie quit biting minnows, switch to jigs for bait, or, change to minnows if you’ve used jigs. If you don’t have minnows, change the color and/or style of jig you’re fishing. Crappie become color-wise relatively quickly. To catch a limit of keepers, you may have to change colors several times to make the fish continue to bite.

Capps explains that, “I have caught spawning crappie later and deeper at Alabama’s Smith Lake than in lakes where the water rises in the spring. I’ve found the type of lake, the depth of the water and the clarity of the water, besides water temperature, all affect when and where the crappie will spawn.” * Troll Minnows Simultaneously at Two Depths Along Creek Channels. Place a 1/4-ounce sinker on the end of your line.

Then 18 inches above the sinker, tie a 6 to 8 inch loop in the main line. Put the end of the loop through the eye of the hook and then over the point of the hook. Next, pull the loop back to the eye of the hook. This technique will hold your hook in place and away from the main line. Move 18 inches up from the first loop, and tie a second 6 to 8 inch loop in the line.

Attach a hook in the same manner as before. Bait both hooks with minnows, lower the lead down until it touches bottom, reel it up 6 to 12 inches off the bottom, and put one or two rods out using this type of rig on each side of the boat.

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 11

Everything You Want to Know about Hunting Bama’s January and February Bucks

Using your trolling motor, slowly move your boat along the breakline of an underwater creek channel. Keep one side of the boat on the deep-water side of the breakline and the other side of the boat on the shallow-water side of the breakline. * Fish Rough Stuff. To catch prespawn crappie, you’ll often have to fish in some of the thickest cover you can find in deep water. Many crappie fishermen will fish the outside edges of that cover. However, if you want to catch the most and the biggest crappie, fish right through the heart of the thick stuff. As one old timer once told me, “If you’re not breaking off jigs, straightening hooks, busting your line and losing your leads, you’re not fishing where the crappie are during the prespawn.” * Find Underwater Highways and Railroads - Many manmade lake impoundments encompass underwater places where railroads and highways once crossed creeks and rivers.

If you locate those old roadbeds, you may discover prespawn crappie holding on them. In addition, underwater bridges, bridge pilings and other vertical structure will provide places 12 FEBRUARY 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

for crappie to concentrate near almost any depth of water where they feel comfortable. Remember the drastic water changes usually present on either side of bridge pilings, since engineers often construct pilings on the edges of underwater creek channels. * Fish Concrete, Prespawn crappie will look for warm water close to deep water. Concrete bridges, locks, dams and piers catch the heat from the sun and transfer that heat into the water. Often you’ll catch crappie where you find concrete.

Many anglers have had success taking crappie during the prespawn near a concrete loading dock on the edge of a creek channel. If you build a brush shelter next to the concrete, you’ll have one of the most productive spots on the lake or river to catch crappie during the prespawn. * Catch Discharge Crappie. If you can locate a creek or an area of the lake with a warm-water discharge coming from a factory or a plant, you’ll also find the most prespawn crappie there. The fish will move into these warm-water discharges because that’s where they the feel most comfortable, and

When Do Crappie Spawn

where they’ll find the most bait. Look for the crappie to hold in the first or second eddy pool closest to the warm-water discharge yet out of the current.

WHAT FIVE SECRETS CATCH PRESPAWN CRAPPIES Driscoll gives these secrets to catch more prespawn crappie: • Fish where the crappie are holding, which requires scouting and looking for fish before you start fishing. I use my depth finder and GPS to locate the crappie.

• Match your equipment to the style and the technique of crappie fishing you plan to fish. For instance, during the prespawn, you know that the crappie have to eat, but they also have to conserve energy. I’ll use lighter weights and longer poles and fish much slowly than at any other times of the year.

• Choose your lakes carefully. During the prespawn, select the lakes near you to fish that have the most crappie in them.

• Downsize your baits, depending on the types of conditions you’re fishing. If a cold front’s coming in, the barometer’s going crazy, the area has a full moon, and the crappie don’t want to bite, you’ll have to entice them to bite. Many times you can do this by downsizing your baits. Although I like to use big baits in the prespawn I may use a jig as small as a 1/48-ounce.

• Use different types of line under various lake conditions in the prespawn. In clear water, you can’t use high-vis blue or green or yellow line. You must fish small, clear line then.

•

By knowing when crappie spawn and the places to look for where the crappie are holding during the prespawn, you usually can catch more big crappie then and have less fishing pressure.

Learn More about Crappie To understand more about crappie, check out John E. Phillips’ books, available in Kindle and some also in print and Audible (http://johninthewild.com/books#crappie).

To receive and download for free “The Crappie Catchers’ Cookbook,” by John and Denise Phillips, go to http:// johninthewild.com/free-books.

How to Get the Best Information for Lakes to Crappie Fish in the Prespawn To get the most-accurate and timely information about the lake you fish for spawning crappie, contact your state’s fish and wildlife section to learn the name and phone number of the fisheries biologist on that lake to contact him or her.

How Long Does the Crappie Spawn Last According to crappie fishing expert Ronnie Capps, “Many anglers believe the crappie spawn only lasts for 2 weeks, but professionals also have learned that crappie may spawn even up into the summer. The crappie spawn doesn’t happen all at once. I’ve seen some male crappie go on a bed in early March and still be on the nest in early June, with females coming and going to the nest.”

TM

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theslicklure.com 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 13

Two Trophy Speckled Trout Lures and How to Fish ‘Em

BY CAPTAIN PATRIC GARMESON The waters of the Mobile Bay system have been my home fishing ground for a long time, and of all the many varieties of fishing that I’ve done there, just about my favorite brand of fishing for both me and my clients is the pursuit of really big speckled trout.

good for big trout. The often overlooked yellow head with solid black body can produce big trout. With all of that being said, if you held me at gunpoint and forced me to narrow that choice down, then the bone and silver Super Spook Jr. will provide the most action and will certainly catch big trout.

Big trophy specks are not easy to find, and they are not easy to fool into biting. These big old gator trout didn’t get big by being dumb.

I think the most important thing you can do to catch more big speckled trout on any topwater lure is being able to cast as far as you can possibly and cast and cover as much water as possible.

But I’ve found a couple of fishing lures that pay off for me and my clients when it comes to catching the biggest speckled trout.

Both topwater lures and twitch baits are deadly for big trout, and they are both a whole lot of fun to use.

I have two different cadences, worked at variable speeds, for working topwaters for big speckled trout. The first, is a “walk the dog” method. You want the head of the lure to move from left to right on each twitch. This causes the lure to look like it’s zigging and zagging. My favorite cadence is a twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch- pause, and then twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch -pause. The strike can come at any time in the cadence, but the big trout often blow up on the lure when it is being paused. The second cadence I use is a constant twitch, twitch, twitch with no pause. If the water is really hot, then I work the bait steadily and fairly quickly. The colder the water, often the slower the cadence with a pause is ideal.

TOPWATER LURES- EXCITEMENT GALORE Catching big trout on topwater lures is not for the faint of heart.

When a big trout takes a topwater lure, there’s usually no doubt about it.

I believe that topwater lures can catch big trout twelve months of the year around Mobile Bay. However, my all-time favorite months for catching big speckled trout on topwaters are May, June, August, and November. I want fairly clear water with good salinity. The salinity will often dictate the areas I fish for big trout more than the water clarity during my favorite months.

The weather pattern for fishing topwater lures for big specks can range from bluebird skies to drizzling rain and everything in between. In May and November, the bigger fish are often fairly aggressive and will strike in all weather conditions.

I have four preferred topwater lures: the Rapala Skitterwalk, the Bomber Badonkadonk High Pitch, the Heddon Super Spook and Super Spook Jr and the Mirrolure Topdawg. I really like topwater lures with pink back and belly with silver sides. A bone back and belly with

silver sides is good, too. Mullet patterns with blue back, white belly and silver sides can be very 14 FEBRUARY 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

TWITCH BAIT- SUBSURFACE AND DEADLY ON BIG TROUT There is a wide range of twitch bait lures for big trout, and both hard-body and soft-plastic twitch baits have proven to be quite effective for big gator trout.

All twitch baits are subsurface, sinking lures, and it is up to the angler to provide the motion and

FISHING

movement which fools the big trout.

I really like twitch baits in the fall, winter, and spring, but winter can be the absolute best. I have found that twitch baits can often be most effective during times when the fish are not heavily feeding. Twitch baits are often used in a more finesse situation.

In winter, a twitch bait can often be the best lure to use on the bluebird days after a cold front. Lightly stained to clear water seems to be the best for twitch baits.

I think twitch baits are effective on big trout because most of the time, a larger speckled trout is on the hunt for an easy meal and is not looking to chase down a fast-swimming, healthy baitfish.

The twitch bait represents a range of bait fish from the slightly wounded to an actually dying baitfish. Some twitch baits suspend and give the big trout an opportunity to attack a nearly stationary bait which looks like an easy meal.

The cadence of the twitch bait retrieve plays a huge role in catching big trout. I like a “twitch, twitch- long pause, twitch, twitch- long pause” cadence. Another very effective winter cadence is a very slow wind of the reel with a short and sharp twitch of the rod every four to six seconds. This cadence is often best when the fish are in a more suspended state and not reacting to long pauses. When trying to figure out the best cadence for a particular day, it is very important to be able to make long casts and stick with a particular cadence for five casts. Then switch through all of your cadences for five casts each before considering changing lure styles, colors or patterns.

I think twitch baits are most effective in slightly stained to really clear water, and I keep colors fairly simple while searching for the bait style and cadence of retrieve. I group my color choices into two groups: natural and bright. Natural colors and patterns would be green, black, brown, and purple. Bright colors will be some variety of pink, chartreuse, orange and yellow. Some twitch baits give anglers the option to mix and match colors which can often lead to big bites from big trout.

AND FROM A TWITCH BAIT DESIGNER Captain Joey Landreneau targets big speckled trout in his home waters of northwest Florida, and he has had the problems with traditional hard plastic twitch baits that most anglers face. To meet the feeding habits of big trout in classic Gulf Coast fishing conditions, the SLICK Lure, a soft-plastic twitch bait was designed.

“A distinct pattern developed where baitfish holding over hard bottom produced oversized trout. However, typical slowsinking jerk baits with hanging treble hooks would hook the bottom. If anglers fished the treble-hook jerk baits too fast, big trout would not strike.

If the angler fished the treble-hook lures too slow, the lure would hook the

bottom,” Landreneau said. “The SLICK Lure was developed to successfully fish bottom habitat with a large profile lure with a slow sink rate. It is very productive in warm water conditions in the coastal estuaries in the central and western Gulf, especially in shallow flats near Dauphin Island, Cat Island, and the Chandeleur Islands.”

HOW TO FISH THE SLICK LURE TWITCH BAIT According to Landreneau the SLICK Lure is designed to be rigged with an extra-wide gap (EWG) hook, preferably Owner Beast 4/0 hook, either unweighted or weighted depending on the desired sink rate and water depth. So rigged the lure has a natural erratic jerky motion with the slightest twitch of the rod tip.

“Remember, no retrieve cadence is a given, so observant anglers should allow the fish to dictate the cadence. Always be in touch with the lure to determine when the strike occurs, and then repeat the successful cadence. An important tip- allow the fish to hold the lure for a second on the strike and then set the hook with a sweeping side-angle hook set,” Landreneau said.

When anglers fishing for big trout are faced with floating grass and other cast-ruining conditions, the SLICK Lure can be easily rigged weedless to help limit casts wasted because of grass grabbing the lure.

“The SLICK Lure can be fished weedless by ‘skinning’ the hook barb in the back of the lure when floating grass eliminates the use of treble-hook lures. My home waters from late April through October are filled with floating grass, so it’s impossible to use treble hook lures,” Landreneau pointed out. “It really shines at these times as it allows the angler to successfully pursue big trout on the grass flats and hard bottom shorelines. Skinning the hook when rigged with the weighted hook to fish deeper hard bottom ledges and shell bottom greatly reduces bottom-hooking structure.”

Important Contact Information Captain Patric Garmeson 251-747-1554 www.uglyfishing.com

SLICK Lure Sales@theslicklure.com 1503 NW 14th Ave. Gainesville, FL 32605 352-226-3226

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 15

Small-game extension Hunting seasons continue to expand across Alabama

BY GREG MCCAIN

16 FEBRUARY 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

HUNTING

Hunting seasons continue to expand across Alabama.

While deer hunters statewide enjoy a few more days of hunting compared to the past, the expansion trend has most dramatically impacted small game hunting opportunities.

About five years ago, state game managers added about a month to the front end of the season, opting for a September starting date for rabbits and squirrels.

Additional days have since been added to extend the small game season into March, allotting Alabama hunters almost six full months in pursuit of rabbits and squirrels. Add those days to the year-round open season for species likes raccoons, and small game enthusiasts can now legally hunt every day of the year.

But are state hunters truly taking advantage of the added opportunities? In a informal survey of wildlife biologists across the state, the answer is an emphatic “No”. Biologists in the field have always maintained that, in general, state public hunting lands, mainly wildlife management areas and national forest properties, are underutilized. The extended dates appear to have done little to add to Alabama hunter numbers.

Brandon Howell, the area biologist for Choccolocco and Little River WMAs in east Alabama, said the dwindling number of hunters who do take advantage of small game opportunities still hunt November through January, citing too

much heat at the beginning and end of the season.

Area biologist Kevin Pugh manages Black Warrior and Sam R. Murphy WMAs in north Alabama and said “no one is hunting in September” due to various factors.

In particular, very few hunters appear to be taking advantage of the early start dates - the season opened Sept. 15 for rabbits and squirrels. A few more hunters appear to take taking advantage of the late end to the season, March 3 this year, but many more sportsmen are already into fishing or turkey modes by that time.

HOT-WEATHER HUNTING A few die-hard hunters welcomed the chance to get into the woods earlier and the idea of opening the season before traditional hunting dates sounded great to almost all hunters.

In practical application, questions remain about just how much they are taking advantage of the early starting dates.

In general, the woods remain a lonely place in September with a limited number of hunters participating, especially while the calendar dates remain late summer and early fall. The heat is the one most frequently heard negative associated with September hunting with daytime temperatures commonly exceeding 90 degrees over much of the state.

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 17

Small-game extension

One anecdote perfectly illustrates the attitude of hunters about the early hunting possibilities.

The younger hunter added a final thought about his distaste for squirrel hunting in September.

Guns on their shoulders and a leashed cur trailing, a father and son trudged from the woods on public lands in north Alabama in the fall of 2017 as I was loading my pontoon boat. They had parked their vehicle in the boat ramp parking lot. The cur panted heavily in the hot September heat.

“Every step I take I’m worried about stepping on a rattlesnake,” he said. “I don’t like snakes.”

When asked about their hunting success, the reply was mostly negative.

“I was really excited about the chance to squirrel hunt more when the state extended the season,” the older hunter said, “but I have quickly come to understand that squirrel hunting is much better for us and especially for my dogs in the cooler weather later on. We used to struggle with the heat some even in October, but September hunting is just too hot.”

On this particular day the air temperature rose to near 90.

“We waited until later in the day when we thought it would cool off some,” the hunter continued. “I know my dog is not in the best hunting shape; that’s one reason we’re here, to let her get a little exercise. But (the dog) didn’t hunt more than about 20 minutes until she was about worn out in this heat.

We won’t be back until it gets colder.”

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Heat, snakes, and bugs are just some of the common laments heard from hunters about early season small game hunting.

Another is parasites in the game.

We have much of our small game populations, if they don’t die from natural predation, die from old age and from other factors,” he said.

“The hunters are not making a dent in the numbers of squirrels in particular.

Squirrels and rabbits carry the botfly larva, commonly called “warbles” or “wolves” in the hunting vernacular. The parasites create unsightly protrusions, usually in the neck, back, or side, of a squirrel. Scientists suggest that the larva do not hurt the meat, but rare is the hunter who will eat an animal carrying one. Because hunters generally eat what they kill, many bypass early opportunities for squirrel hunting because the botflies will persist until cold weather sets in.

LATE SEASON OPPORTUNITIES Judging by the responses of wildlife biologists, more smallgame hunters take to the woods after deer season ends statewide on February 10. Traditionally, February has been “small game season” for many, a time to relax afield after deer season ends and before the start of turkey season.

The weather cooperates much more through February and into early March, especially across north Alabama. In general, the late season offers an atmosphere much more conducive to a fun experience.

“I like it,” said small-game enthusiast Jonathan King as we hunted late last year near his home in the Belgreen community in rural Franklin County. “It gives (King and his sons) a few more days to hunt after deer season ends. There is less competition, and the weather is usually not as cold as during deer season. The dogs also work much better in colder weather.”

Late last winter as I was coming in from a crappie fishing trip, I saw a couple of groups of hunters putting away gear and boxing dogs after a successful squirrel hunt. One group was the father and son I had spoken with the previous fall.

I still don’t know their names, but their attitude was greatly

Small-game extension

different than the previous encounter.

“We treed about eight or 10 times,” the father said. “It still got a little hot by the time we finished, maybe low 50s, but nothing like trying to hunt in September. It was about 35 when we started this morning.”

The deer hunters, many of whom don’t like the intrusion of small game hunters in season, are gone. The weather is much more moderate, the bugs have yet to reach summer numbers, and the snakes are just starting to break out of their winter slumbers.

“The deer hunters really want us to get rid of as many coons and squirrels as possible,” said young hunter Colton Cox, also of Franklin County. “They eat up all the deer food, and in some cases, tear up feeders. I can hardly find a place to hunt during deer season, but everybody wants you to come out once deer season is over.”

Pugh said the properties that he oversees get a little more pressure once deer dates have passed but they remain largely underutilized.

“Late February and into March don’t get utilized much, but there is more pressure than in September,” he said.

THE FUTURE FOR SMALL GAME HUNTERS The state will likely maintain the current dates for squirrel and rabbit hunting. Biologists suggest that the minimal hunting pressure on the properties they manage doesn’t impact game numbers drastically. They cite more natural factors like predators and drought and associated food shortages as impacting populations much more than hunting.

One biologist, who wished to remain anonymous, said a year-round season for rabbits and squirrels probably wasn’t out of the question as far as being detrimental to the overall numbers. He quickly added that the state would likely never approve such a measure.

“We have much of our small game populations, if they don’t die from natural predation, die from old age and from other factors,” he said. “The hunters are not making a dent in the numbers of squirrels in particular.”

For now, the season remains open through early March.

Extending the dates further is likely out of the question because turkey season opens March 16 across most of Alabama.

“I only see a few people out or talk to a few people about hunting late in the year,” King said. “But that’s okay. That just leaves the woods open for me and my boys. We’ll take advantage of the later season even if other hunters don’t.”

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 19

Wild Hog Hunting:

How to Hunt Hogs at Night

Thermal Hog Hunting is an effective way to take mostly nocturnal Feral Hogs.

BY RHETT HOOPER As the sun dips below the Alabama horizon, most people are getting ready for bedtime. However, for those ready to engage in some wild hog hunting, the day is just beginning.

Running through the checklist: the AR15 magazines are topped off, night vision and thermal optics are cleaned, actions are lubricated, batteries are charged, and the truck door hinges are greased. These are just some of the tasks on the preparation checklist that will ensure success when wild hog hunting at night.

“There’s no room for Peter Pan on this hunt.” Sure there can and will be fun and laughter, but the level of tradecraft and concentration needs to be on par. The little things you must pay attention to when feral hog hunting can be the difference in loading up the truck or coming home to a disappointed dog with no scraps to chew on.

The more wild hog hunting you do, the more it will become a pastime that will mold itself into a tradition. You will most likely see hunting buddies come and go. Schedules get in the way. But the routine will remain. The addiction will build.

It will go something like this: 2030 Hours…You begin that slow drive to the local gas stop.

You gas up and walk out with a piping hot cup of truck stop coffee. It is not the best by far, but you drank it that night when you killed that huge Boar. So you grimace as you sip the styrofoam infused java that has thickened as it sat in the 20 FEBRUARY 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

pot for the last 2 hours.

2100 Hours: You are entering the first property you will check out, hoping the feral hogs are moving early this evening. Thermal scopes and spotters are turned on and ready. Coffee breath fills the truck.

2200 Hours: After riding a couple places you peer through your head mounted Night Vision as you drive into a field that you have taken wild hogs in before. Three hundred yards out you see black dots moving around with the randomness of a truck stop drug addict. But these black dots are addicts of a different kind, they are feral hogs, addicted to the freshly prepared agricultural field that a local farmer has painstakingly cared for. And on this night, instead of handing them some spare change…you’ll be distributing 5.56mm sleeping pills at 3100 feet per second. On a good night, this storyline might play out until daylight. On a bad night, you might waste a bunch of gas.

WILD HOG HUNTING AT NIGHT Most Old Timers think of night hunting as driving around in a four-wheel drive and occasionally holding a spotlight out the window hoping to catch a glimpse of the animals they are searching for. A past time thought of as “Taboo”, ranking somewhere up there with poaching and trespassing. Without a

HUNTING

permit…still illegal.

Everyone has a story about someone they know being caught night hunting. Usually, it involves shooting deer from a truck window with a deer rifle, on a public roadway. Alcohol most likely in the equation. All dangerous, highly illegal, and frowned upon by most people.

The type of night hunting I am speaking about here involves suppressed weapons, thermal scopes, and helmet mounted night vision. All performed under a state nuisance permit normally issued in the spring and summer months. Depending on your budget, this method of night hunting could be considered expensive and if you are serious about it, timeconsuming. It certainly does not include consuming alcohol.

Save that for game day.

HOG HUNTING FUN FACTS In the past 15 years, Alabama’s wild hog population has increased at an alarming rate. The good thing for farmers and landowners is that night vision technology has improved during this time. One of the main reasons that feral hogs are so prolific is that they are nocturnal most of the year, only coming out at night to feed and certainly breed. Wild hogs have 6-12 piglets per litter and up to three litters per year. Since a Piglet becomes sexually mature at 6 months, if you do the math, the numbers are astounding. Let’s say conservatively, a 6-month-old sow has 10 piglets. Five of which are also female. Six months later each of those 5 females have 10 of their own. That’s pushing nearly 100 pigs in a 12-18 month period from one feral hog when you average it out!

Contrary to what you may have heard or read about, feral hogs are very smart animals with a keen sense of smell. Their hearing and eyesight are very similar to the average human. I have the utmost respect for wild Hogs and it’s a shame they create the damage that makes them hated by most landowners.

They are very

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 21

Wild Hog Hunting

resilient and tough as nails. When domesticated, they are known as the smartest animal on the farm.

Since feral hogs are so destructive in their search for food and comfort, they are despised by farmers and landowners.

I have seen wild hogs dig holes so deep in a grassy hayfield, that a 2wd pickup truck would get stuck on a dry sunny day. Sometimes the areas of destruction will be the size of a football field. With holes over a foot deep. “Rooting” as its called, causes crop damage, erosion and runoff, and an overall aggravation to the farmers and plantation owners.

Feral hogs root the ground in search of grub worms and other sources of food such as acorns and grassroots. On a freshly planted corn field, wild hogs will go down each row like a machine and steal the seeds. If it were to rain during this time, the farmer would not realize this until the remaining seeds germinate revealing long bare spots in the field which will require spot replanting. The destruction can be very time consuming to remediate and it is very expensive, ultimately hindering profits.

Over the past 8 years as an Alabama Hog hunting outfitter, my wild hog hunting outfit, HOG RUSH, LLC., has been responsible for the death of over 4000 free roaming feral hogs on farm lands and plantations. Every one of them rifle kills at night mostly using Suppressed weapons and thermal scopes. I have added a custom drone equipped with a thermal camera which changed the game in thermal hog hunting,. I have seen wild hog’s desire to live time and time again. They are fascinating animals and when prepared properly, wild hog meat is a delicacy.

When you start researching what gear you need to buy for wild hog hunting, first you should seriously consider what level of efficiency you will be satisfied with. Secondly, you should decide how much of an initial investment in time and money you are willing to make. Are you ok with sitting in a deer stand overlooking a feeder that has motion activated hog hunting lights? If so, you can be fairly successful with the same rifle you would normally use deer hunting and only adding a laser light for illumination.

The only investment you would need to make is the feeder, hog hunting light, and the laser light to illuminate the feral hogs once they enter your “Kill Zone”. With proper setup, you can set the feeder for certain times and get the hogs on a more consistent schedule in hopes you will be there waiting. This would not require any specialized optics or big investment. However, you will need a good bug repellant system and realistically, you will only have one or two shots as the hogs fade into the darkness once shots are fired.

On the thermal hog hunting end of the spectrum, you can spend thousands of dollars on specialized equipment similar to that of a military soldier. Thermal Scope, thermal spotter, helmet mounted night vision, AR15 style rifle with suppressor, electric buggy….all of these are tools that will help you become more successful at thermal hog hunting.

WILD HOG HUNTING TRIPS ON A BUDGET Most importantly, in my experience, time spent familiarizing yourself with your chosen equipment prior to the hunt will pay big dividends once you go out in the field. There is nothing worse than being out of breath as you reach the hogs or have inferior equipment that fails at the moment of truth.

Get out to the range with experienced individuals and learn from each other. Take a walk in the woods every day to build cardio and muscle strength.

I hope you enjoyed this introduction to wild hog hunting at night. Look for future articles where I discuss in detail each and every aspect of tradecraft, equipment, marksmanship, and mindset. All from the perspective of a non-sponsored mind with real-world field experience.

22 FEBRUARY 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 23

BY DAILY THOMAS First South Farm Credit Vice President/Branch Manager

Land Loan Rates: Where Are We Going?

First South Farm Credit (FSFC) has been financing rural land since 1916. Currently FSFC has over 40 office locations serving the “Deep South” in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.

As an affiliate of the national Farm Credit System, a network of borrower-owned lending institutions, First South Farm Credit specializes in providing credit for farming operations that include crops, livestock, land, and timber. We are also chartered to help with financing “lifestyle farms, rural home sites, or rural land tracts for enjoyment or investment purposes.

Right now, the economy is doing well, the overall market is strong, and consumer optimism is holding. Unemployment has dropped, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is rising and inflation is low. Still, potential buyers need to be aware that we are in a rising rate environment and that, while interest rates aren’t at rock bottom, they are still very near historic lows. The recent uptick in interest rates makes lending money a little more expensive but even so, rates are lower than they have been in a long time.

There is an inverse relationship between interest rates and buying power and how far your finance dollar will take you in terms of purchasing acreage. The lower the interest rates the more buying power you have and the larger piece of property you could acquire for the money you have to invest.

Conversely, when interest rates increase buying power goes down.

Indications are that people are feeling comfortable enough with the economy that they may be willing to spend money where they may not have in the past and that includes investing in land. Adding to that confidence is the fact that land values have held very steady over the past decade.

Since we borrow our money from a parent bank (who provides funds to us from the issuance of agricultural bonds), FSFC interest rates are similar to that of treasury bonds.

We have the ability to go long term on our land loans out to 30 years with options for just about everything in between, depending on the needs of our customers.

We have seen a movement in the past five years towards longer term land loans. The reality is that land rates and home rates are different. A 30 year fixed interest rate on a home may be in the 5.00% range at this time but borrowers are not going to get that rate for a 30 year fixed land loan.

24 FEBRUARY 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

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Currently, a lot of borrowers want to buy property with the intent of building a house in a few years and then refinance.

While we can set them up on a 30 year loan, it makes no sense for a borrower to pay more interest than they have to if they are going to refinance in the near future.

What we can do is provide a balloon loan with a five year fixed rate. The customer has the flexibility of a lower rate and monthly payment and, in a few years can roll a construction loan into a home mortgage loan that includes some or all of the land. If circumstances don’t allow the customer to build as planned by the five year maturity date, we can renew the loan and fix it for another five years (provided all credit requirements remain strong).

FINANCING TERMS AND INTEREST RATES I am often asked whether financing terms and interest rates differ depending on property types and sizes. And, the answer is yes…and no.

Land loans (and all loans for that matter) are evaluated in terms of risk. A lender has to consider the ramifications of what they will be faced with if the borrower’s situation changes and the lender has to take ownership of the property.

As a result, the interest rate, length of the loan, and down payment are all products of this evaluation and enable the lender to mitigate some degree of risk.

For credit qualified borrowers, a typical down payment for a land loan is 15-20%. The down payment can come in the form of cash on hand, cash and equity, or equity in other real estate which is owned and pledged.

Clear cut land that hasn’t been replanted and is in rough shape or land with flood plain on it is going to be a more risky proposition for the lender than an established timberland, good open pasture or even residential land that is more developable and marketable. As a result, the more risky proposition may require a greater down payment than the typical 15-20%.

For example, a clear cut property is different than a commercial plantation in that a young commercial plantation is usually managed and growing in value verses a clear cut that is going to be naturally regenerated and could potentially go backwards.

Factors such as these are often taken into account when establishing the required down payment. If additional risk is

Land Loan Rates: Where Are We Going?

perceived, it may result in requiring a down payment in the 30% range (or higher).

The bottom line is that you can still get a return on investment on a piece of land even if it doesn’t have a means of producing income from crops and/or timber. Land is not depreciating and as they say “they are not making any more of it”. So historically, provided you do not overpay at the time of purchase, land has been a relatively safe investment and asset.

WHAT ABOUT LAND PARCEL SIZE? First South Farm Credit has the ability to finance as little as one acre and up. For smaller parcels that are below five acres, we can handle them through our Rural Home or Home Site Program. There are some conditions and requirements for these loans, but they aren’t excessive or unreasonable.

Anything 10 acres or larger is our bread and butter and are very easy to finance. These loans are handled through our rural land program and require the standard 15-20% down payment and have terms up to 30 years.

Overall, when it comes to financing different track sizes it is the same general process and procedure whether you buy 10 acres or 100 acres plus, although for the larger parcels, there are a few extra steps involved. One key difference is, depending on the size of the loan, an appraisal may be required. If there is a sizeable value of timber on the property, a timber cruise may be utilized.

EQUIPMENT OR LAND IMPROVEMENT FINANCING First South Farm Credit can also handle equipment financing.

If you are looking to finance equipment, the loan term depends on whether it is used or new. Normally, financing used equipment has a window period of around five years largely due to depreciation while new equipment terms can go up to seven years.

WHAT MAKES FIRST SOUTH FARM CREDIT DIFFERENT? In addition to our extensive experience in agricultural and land financing, one thing that sets First South Farm Credit apart from other lenders is that we are a cooperative. When you borrow money from us, you become a member and that means you own part of the business. That ownership entitles you to share in the profits through our Patronage Refund Payment Program.

In other words, we give our customers/owners, money back. While we can’t guarantee payments back to you or the exact rate of return, as long as we remain profitable and well capitalized, we are committed to sharing our profits - as evidenced by our patronage payments for the past 23 consecutive years!

So, if land ownership or refinancing your land is what’s next in your story, let First South guide you through financing the next chapter! Visit our website at firstsouthland.com to find a location nearest you, and Lets’ talk!

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 25

Fast Action

and Good Squirrel Dogs

BY TONY KINTON Photo by Tony Kinton

Mesmerized! That is the word best describing my first encounter with a good squirrel dog. If memory is correct, the dog was a feist, a medium-sized bundle of exhilaration that virtually exploded in the squirrel woods. This dog belonged to a friend of my uncle’s; the friend was kind enough to lend the dog for a day. Uncle was not a hunter of note, but that wasn’t the case with my dad. Masterful he was. So my dad and uncle hatched a plan to take this dog, which had received a great deal of praise across the county, and make a late-season hunt along a nearby river. I was allowed to join them.

Upon entering a hardwood bottom, the dog hit pay dirt. Only minutes passed before he was firm on tree. I had a singlebarrel .410 and was judiciously watched over and coached in the finer details of safety. The squirrel was flattened on a way-up limb and near indiscernible to the novice. Dad had to point him out. I popped my first primer of the day, generating no results save putting the squirrel into a mindset that this tree was best vacated. Dad settled the hastily-planned departure 26 FEBRUARY 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

with his 20-gauge pump.

And so it went for the remainder of that day. Squirrel after squirrel, the canine’s resolve never faltering. He seemed to enjoy the regimen more than I, and I was enjoying it more than I could express. It was then, perhaps 60 years ago, that I determined this was easily the most excitement one could envision. And today, after a long career of hunting various game in 18 states, four Canadian provinces and three South Africa provinces over the course of five safaris, which included Cape buffalo, I am still of the opinion that squirrel hunting here in the Southeast with a reliable dog is as good as it gets.

I left that hunt fully decided that I wanted a squirrel dog, a feist to be specific; I knew no other. The feist, I have since learned, was developed from various terriers brought to this country by European immigrants. It remains a favored breed by those who are enamored of squirrel hunting, but the

HUNTING

feist is not the only breed that performs well on squirrels.

Occasionally the friendly pooch that lies under the porch or on the sofa will develop into a profitable squirrel collector.

Same with various hounds. If a dog has some instinctive “hunt” in its core, that dog will likely tree squirrels. Finesse and dedication and trustworthiness may vary from dog to dog, but most possess an intrinsic curiosity and apparent dislike for squirrels; thus, they chase and tree them.

But this piece is not about which breed is best or how to develop a squirrel dog. It is about the abundant joy and excited action that can be had by hunting squirrels with a dog. Let’s move on to those factors.

What makes squirrel hunting with a dog so enthralling?

There are many answers to that question, and most will generally be based on the individual hunter’s predisposition.

If said hunter is the dog owner, the answer might revolve around pride in that dog. This is justified. If the hunter is simply a participant and has no dog in the hunt, so to speak, that one can still appreciate the expertise of the host’s dog.

That participant can also enjoy what is often non-stop action. If there is someone along who is new to hunting, that individual may be so immersed in the goings on that a new hunter comes away as an active hunter. Squirrel hunting with a dog can do that to folks.

The hunting is life. And death for that matter.

It is the way things really are, and it is quite grand throughout, something worth seeking.

That action element simply must not be overlooked when dealing with youngsters. Children, even young adults of the culture that now surrounds, are conditioned to activity.

Immediate gratification seems to dominate. Being old and somewhat cranky and certainly set in my ways, I view it all as tragic. Perhaps it is; perhaps it is not. That is not for me singularly to decide. I suppose every generation thinks the next is on a focused and brief downhill slide into uselessness.

And since I can quickly count back four generations and tend to mourn most change and daily struggle to control the curmudgeon within, I am not a viable source of counsel.

That aside, action is common to the young. Even if it is glaring into some electronic device, which is both a blessing and a curse, rather than physical action, constant action is a given and it must be considered. So if it’s action you want in the hunting arena, the dog and squirrel business is like no other.

It has become fashionable to take the very young deer hunting. Okay. But what of those potentially anguished periods of nothingness? Deer hunting can offer those periods.

During such times some custodians and practitioners may resort to one of those electronic devices mentioned above, perhaps even enhancing that hollow core and detachment that true and in-depth hunting is not. But is it not that very sort of thing the older would like to have the younger set aside for a few hours? If so, the squirrel dog deal will suffice. It is an on-the-go proposition, and there is very little or no time to text or tweet or otherwise fall into a glassy-eyed state of perceived but false reality. The hunting is life. And death for that matter. It is the way things really are, and it is quite grand throughout, something worth seeking.

What about the gear needed for squirrel hunting with a dog?

It can be simple. Even camo is not mandatory. Solid footwear and clothes, a hat or cap, maybe a vest/game bag. That’s it other than some type firearm. A shotgun or .22 will work.

Any action type. In fact, a single shot is not far from perfect.

I opt for a .32 flintlock Tennessee rifle. Sleek, lightweight, pure pleasure, a thing of beauty. But I’ve already advanced my leanings toward yesteryear, so I’ll hesitate to recommend that specific tool to anyone other than the most curious adventurer.

And the dog? Whatever you have or can gain access to, either through ownership or friendship, may suffice if that dog loves to hunt squirrels. However, the better and more skilled that dog is, the better the hunting will be. And if that dog is indeed proficient, trust him or her. Don’t second guess. Let the dog do the primary work and you do the proper shooting.

I recall one hunt with a good friend and his particularly special dog. Barlow was a mountain cur and among the top three dogs I’ve hunted. Neal and I were using our .32 flinters. Barlow treed. But this was a strange deal. He was on a broken-off and somewhat skimpy poplar that showed no promise of holding a squirrel. It was in fact so unpromising that Neal accused Barlow of confusion, or even worse – lying. Still we looked. One squirrel squirted from the trunk at the break. Neal’s .32 belched smoke and a round ball. As he set about reloading, a second squirrel eased out and showed himself. My time, this one. And just as Neal primed the pan, a third squirrel emerged and became part of the camp stew scheduled for that evening. Trusting Barlow paid off.

So, is squirrel hunting with a dog really that good?

Absolutely. Should you give it a try? My opinion I realize is not often enough humble, but I say you should. Life is missing an important ingredient if you don’t. And not that it matters a great deal at this point in my life, but I never got that squirrel dog I wanted. But I did and do befriend those hunters who have such adroit companions and have hunted with them practically every year since that first outing. I treasure those friendships!

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28 FEBRUARY 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Trim down your tackle box and select the most productive early spring lures for bass.

BY CHARLES JOHNSON With so many different types, styles and lure colors on the market today choosing one or even a couple can be difficult. Early spring can make that decision even tougher. Changing weather and water conditions may dictate a certain lure from one day to the next.

As fishing conditions change anglers will need to incorporate different lures and techniques to meet the mood of the bass.

Anglers will also need to adapt throughout the course of the fishing day. Certain times and situations may occur where another lure is more effective.

Savvy bass anglers can narrow down their lure choices and spend more time catching bass. However, determining what lures and colors doesn’t have to be a guessing game. There are certain lures that are popular for early spring conditions and continue produce strikes each year.

TWISTED WIRE AND METAL To a non-angler, a spinnerbait doesn’t look too appealing, to either an angler or a bass. A stiff wire bent or twisted connected to a hook with the eyelet encased in lead, a couple of funny shaped, shiny metal blades and a skirt to cover the naked end of the hook.

At first glance this contraption doesn’t seem effective in catching fish. However, the spinnerbait is one of the top lures for bass on any lake and during any season. But early spring is one of the best times to utilize the effectiveness of a spinnerbait.

“A spinnerbait is a great search tool for early spring,” mentions Jordan Lee, two-time Bassmaster Classic Champion. “It allows you to cover lots of water and locate active bass.”

Lee advises anglers to start off with a smaller bait around 3/8 ounce size. A willow blade in number 3.0 to 3.5 range paired with a small Colorado blade is a good choice. In clear water Lee prefers a white skirt. A chartreuse or chartreuse and white combination seems to work better in stained water.

Sky and water conditions will dictate a starting point for the day.

On overcast days, shallow flats or points near a ditch or channel

Simplify Your Early Spring Bass Fishing Lures

are areas to target. Bass generally tend to move shallow on cloudy days. Anglers should begin with a steady retrieve making long casts at different angles across the flat or to the shoreline.

There are many different brands of spinnerbaits on the market. A handful have made the test of time and continue to perform today.

Models by Booyah, Strike King and War Eagle have produced consistently over the years.

In colder water a slower retrieve may be required to entice a strike from a lethargic bass. Lee sometimes adds a soft plastic trailer to the hook of the spinner to assist is a slower retrieve. The added trailer also increases the profile size of the bait giving bass more to target.

“Cover is key in finding bass in the early spring,” comments Lee. “Stumps, rocks, and clumps of grass spots to fish a spinnerbait.”

Lee says sometimes a change in the retrieve speed can trigger a bass to hit the spinnerbait. Vary the speed on the retrieve speeding up or slowing down as the lure approaches a piece of cover. Also, burning the spinnerbait just under the water’s surface can initiate a strike.

GET CRANKING Another top lure choice for early spring bass catching are crankbaits. Square-billed baits made by Strike King, Lucky Craft and Rapala are top brands. The fatter bodies along with the squared off plastic bill or lip gives off a different action on the retrieve.

Also, these baits are designed to run shallow. With most baits, depths of three to five feet are average for baits in the 3/8 to 1/2 ounce weight class. Larger, heavier baits can approach eight feet in depth. The square bill models can be fished slow or fast with their wide wiggle action.

Shallow to medium depth crankbaits are another choice for spring bass. The longer lip or bill cause the bait to run deeper. For bass in the early spring, lures running down 12 feet is probably deep 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 29

Simplify Your Early Spring Bass Fishing Lures

enough. An advantage of these baits I that the deeper run depth allows the bait to contact the lake bottom to make extra noise and trigger a reaction strike from a bass.

Randy Payton of Oxford, Ala. prefers the thinner body style crankbaits for cooler water situations in early spring.

“I like the No. 7 size Shad Rap in a crawfish pattern,” explains Payton. “The Shad Rap has a tighter wobble and can be fished slow or fast depending on the situation.”

Skinny lures like the Shad Rap, Bomber Flat A and Bandit Flat Maxx work better in open water areas where bass and other game fish are following shad. These lures come in many different color patterns and combinations. Each angler may have a certain preference to color, but generally a shad pattern or crawfish colored bait will perform in most all cases.

Lipless crankbaits like the Rat-L-Trap and Red Eye shad are also popular lures for early spring bass. These lures can be used to cover plenty of water and are effective once the water temperature is around 50 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Top colored choices here are blue back and silver, craw orange or red.

FOOTBALL JIG ALWAYS IN SEASON One of Lee’s top lures for early spring bass fishing is a footballhead style jig. He tips the jig with a soft plastic trailer. The addition of crawfish or creature style bait works great. The football shaped head allows the lure to bump through brush, cover and rocks.

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A 3/4 ounce jig is the top choice for Lee for cold water and slow retrieves. The heavier jig allows him to maintain contact with the lake bottom during the retrieve. He will trim back the rubber skirt on the jig. A smaller trailer will allow the jig to fall faster through the water column.

“If I’m fishing water less than 12 feet deep I will go to a ½ ounce jig weight,” Lee advises. “You have to change the lure speed and style of presentation to match the mood of the bass.”

Lee mentions that spotted bass will hit the jig with a solid or robust thump. Largemouth bass on the other hand will strike with a softer bump, more like a tick. Anglers will need to learn the difference between a strike and bumping a rock.

Crawfish are a favorite food for bass especially in the spring. To simulate the crawfish Lee will opt for a crawfish colored lure.

Orange and brown with some green pumpkin and chartreuse mixed in is a good color combination. With the soft-plastic trailer dip the claw tips in chartreuse or orange dye.

A top area for pre-spawn bass that many anglers may overlook is rip-rap. The large rocks along roadways and bridge abutments are prime spots for crawfish and bass and many anglers overlook these rip-rap areas or fish them too fast. Lee capitalized on rip-rap along a roadway in the 2014 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville.

Early spring bass fishing doesn’t have to be complicated with a bunch of different lures. Anglers can simplify their lure choices and employ different approaches to fill out their limit.

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GAME CHECK IS MANDATORY All hunters are required to report their deer harvest using Game Check, which will help the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources effectively manage wildlife for generations.

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$19.95 110g BXT Sprayer

55g Hamilton Sprayer

Polyethylene Tank. * Tank Braces for added tank stability. * Pressure Regulator for by pass & agitation * Category 1 Lift Pins. * Hypro 8 roller pump with quick coupler.

AFC #404790

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* 65lb/30kg Hopper Capacity -rust proof poly construction. * High-Speed gearbox * Epoxy Powder Coated Chassis * Rate Calculation Matrix * EV-N-Spred® 3-Hole Drop Shut-Off System

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High Country 3-Position Bull Mineral Feeder Three seperate compartments with approximately a 250-lb capacity. Heavy Duty impact resistant, durable poly construction with UV protection. Will withstand temperatures to 40 below zero without breaking. Three anchor points around the outside to steak down the feeder.

1001b Precision Garden Seeder * Six precision seed plates. * Rust proof wheels * 30”/76cm aluminum row marker. * Adjustable ground opener * All aircraft aluminum semi assembled frame and row marker retainining clip to secure the row marker.

AFC #470033 32 FEBRUARY 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

#MGC-13200 AFC #493672

M-40i Game Camera

* 9MP photo resolution * Records videos up to 10 seconds * 24 IR LEDs with 50’ range * 1-second trigger speed * Uses up to 32GB SD card (sold seperately) * Powered by 4 AA batteries (not included)

Wild Bird Food 25 lb. Bag AFC #600000

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Spy 2 Plus Game Camera

* 16-megapixel images * 1080p HD video w/audio * Moultrie Mobile System allows mobile-device compatibility * Swift, reliable .33-second trigger speed * 80-ft. flash range

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Black Oil Sunflower Seed Ideal for year-round feeding in a variety of feeders.

25lb. Bag AFC#600002

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Premium Adult Dog Food 26-18

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Goliath SD Climbing Stand * Weighs 21lbs. holds up to 350 lbs. * with Mossy Oak ® Break-Up Infinity Camo. * Suspended foam-padded seat with backrest. * Includes full body fall arrest harness system and all necessary hardware.

AFC #404914

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Viper SD Climbing Stand

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Steel Fire Grate $74.97

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Mossy Oak® Break-Up Camo. CR Flex-foam bootie, 100% waterproof, lightweight and self-cleaning. Sizes 13M.

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Cold-Conditions Hunting Boot Comfort Range 60° to -40° F

Titan SD Climbing Stand * Weighs 25 lbs. holds up to 350 lbs. * with Mossy Oak ® Break-Up Infinity Camo. * Suspended foam-padded seat with backrest. * Includes full body fall arrest harness system and all necessary hardware.

AFC #405295

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AFC #404932

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Inside diameter 33”.

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100% waterproof. Scent-free rubber design. Airmesh™ lining and Aggressive tread design.

4Ever Green

Photoperiod-Sensitive Forage Sorghum

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Contact your local CO-OP store for all of your farming, hunting, or gardening needs!

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 33

NEW GEAR

BY WILLIAM KENDY

ALPS OutdoorZ Allure New Women’s Hunting Pack

The ALPS OutdoorZ Allure modular hunting daypack is designed to comfortably fit the female form specifically for stand-hunting in either a ground blind or tree stand.

Contoured shoulder straps and a two-piece, removable waist band distributes weight across the hips and shoulders for optimal load support. An adjustable sternum strap reduces strain and allows weight balance. The 2,024 cubic inch (34 liter) pack is the perfect size for a day afield.

Online: www.alpsoutdoorz.com.

The GameMaker™ Fold ‘N Stow Bucket Board

McGinn’s GameMaker™ Fold ‘N Stow Bucket Board provides fishers with a simple, organized system for fish cleaning. The board fits securely over the top of any four, five or six gallon bucket and features an oval-shaped waste slot and a separate slot to hold the knife safely in place when it’s not in use. Top surface grooves ensure that all excess liquid goes down into the bucket.

Suggested Retail Price - $24.99 Online: www.cancooker.com

New Moultrie Attractants and Supplements

The new Moultrie Deer Magnet line of deer attractants and supplements are available in liquid, granular, earth and spray forms.

Both the liquid, available in gallon bottles and granular, offered in five pound bags, come in persimmon, green apple, and acorn flavors. The Deer Magnet Earth mineral also is available in five pound bags. The handy 24 ounce spray offered in permission and green apple flavors.

Suggested Retail Price - $14.99.

Online: www.moultriefeeders.com.

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NEW GEAR FOR OUTDOORSMEN

Savage 110 Hog Hunter

Built on the proven Savage 110 bolt action platform the 110 Hog Hunter in .223 sports a suppressor threaded, 20-inch medium contour, carbon steel barrel with iron sights, a detachable box magazine and an oversize bolt handle for quick follow up shots.

The user-adjustable AccuTrigger™ insures a light, crisp pull and the ergonomic designed rugged olive drab synthetic stock allows length of pull adjustments insuring a comfortable fit.

Suggested Retail price - $594.00 Online: www.savagearms.com

Summit Announces Featherweight Hang-On Tree stand

The new Summit Featherweight Hang-On tree stand weighs a mere 16 pounds but will hold up to 300 pounds. It comes equipped with a comfortable and quiet 2 ¾ inch padded seat and features a large, adjustable platform measuring 28 inches long by 23 inches wide. The Featherweight can be hung on trees from 8 inches to 20 inches in diameter and utilizes traditional mounting gear.

Suggested Retail Price is $199.99 Online: www.summitstands.com

Bullet Weights® Offers New Mr. Crappie™ Add-A-Hook With the Mr. Crappie Add-A-Hook, anglers can create a double fishing rig in seconds rather than minutes. The Add-A-Hook has an eyelet in the middle with a snap on each end. Wrapping the line four or five times around each end and pulling the line into the snaps allows quick, precise adjustment of bait staging to the desired position without having to re-tie.

Suggested Retail Price - $3.00 (10 pack) www.bulletweights.com

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 35

.410’S FOR TURKEY’S Hunters must do their homework before going afield!

Turkey hunters are possibly the most passionate hunters in the woods. They seem to be always looking for the next best thing to give them an edge, whether it is camo, calls, ammunition or the latest shotgun.

BY CRAIG HANEY Photo submitted by Craig Haney

If it takes a second box of shot shells, buy ‘em and make sure you get it right before you hunt.

The new buzz for turkey hunters in 2019 is new .410 turkey ammunition and new shotguns in which to shoot it. In the past, the talk was about more power and more range and not what will kill a turkey in a shot shell smaller in diameter than my wife’s lipstick. The long, skinny, small diameter .410 shot shell sends its’ payload in a long, straight pellet string towards the target. No matter the size of the shot, the payload stays strung out in a straight line.

This explains a lot about why my game bag was generally empty the few chances I got to hunt dove or quail as a kid. The birds had to pass through the skinny pellet string I mentioned earlier and hopefully, for me, get hit with enough pellets to

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make it to my game bag. Quail and dove, unfortunately, rarely graced my game bag.

Now on the other hand, that long skinny pellet string did the job on sitting targets like squirrels and rabbits. The difference here is that the sitting targets at fairly close ranges would receive the full shot load.

NEW .410 TURKEY AMMUNITION Federal Premium got the buzz going with their introduction of Heavyweight TSS for turkey hunters wanting a serious load to use in .410 bore (caliber not gauge) shotguns. The payload of number 7 or 9 ‘Heavyweight Tungsten Super Shot gives the hunter the highest pellet counts possible up to double the lead number 5 loads of the same weight. The density of the tungsten alloy material is 22 percent higher than standard tungsten and 56 percent more than lead resulting in the most energy and highest velocities at extreme range.

Some of the vitals of the HTSS are shot

THE GUN RACK

size: 9, muzzle velocity:1100 feet per second, shot charge: 13/16 ounce and 3 inches long. They come 5 to a package with a MSRP of $29.95.

Shot penetration is important and Federal Premium engineers reports its testing showed more than 3 inches per shot penetration in ballistic gel. If the HTSS load has that much penetration in ballistic gel, then a gobbler has a real problem at 40 yards when a load of number 9’s head his way.

Federal wants to protect your barrel so full-length wads prevent direct contact of the extra-hard pellets and the bore. But maybe the best feature is that a portion of the proceeds are donated to the National Wild Turkey Foundation. www.nwtf.com NEW .410 TURKEY SHOTGUNS Manufacturers are designing /redesigning .410 shotguns, of all types, to have more of the features you find in the 12-gauge turkey guns.

The new turkey .410 shoguns will ideally have screw-in choke capability to take advantage of extra-full chokes becoming available. Federal Premium engineers do say that fixed full choke guns will do an excellent job with the Heavyweight TSS loads out to 40 yards.

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The ability to have adjustable sights to fine tune your pattern to the turkey’s kill zone, the area of the turkey’s neck just above the waddles is an important feature also.

Here is a quick look at two 2019 .410 turkey guns that should make a hunter reach for his stash of cash.

Tristar has become known for reliable products with a 5-year warranty and exceptional customer service when needed.

The gas-operating system Viper GT .410 Turkey Model comes with a 3-inch chamber, 26 inch barrel, RealTree Advantage Timber camo, removable choke system that uses Beretta/Benelli Mobil threads and comes with IC, M, F choke tubes along with a choke tube box and wrench. Other features include a 5-round magazine with Quick Shot Plug Removal, chrome-lined chamber and barrel and swivel studs. MSRP $670 www.tristararms.com Mossberg needs no introduction with a long standing reputation for quality, affordable shotguns.

The Model 500 pump-action .410 Turkey Gun should find its way in the hands of a lot of turkey hunters this year. Covered in Mossy Oak Bottomland, the 500 features a 26 inch barrel with a fixed full choke and vent rib with adjustable fiber optic sight.

Chambered for 3-inch shells, the capacity is 5+1. MSRP $500 www.mossberg.com The most important thing we need to do as turkey hunters interested in hunting with a .410 is buy the HTSS ammunition and shoot it in our gun at the ranges we normally test loads until we are positive it will do the job at those ranges. If it takes a second box of shot shells, buy ‘em and make sure you get it right before you hunt. We owe ol’ Tom that much.

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Like us on facebook Gettin’ Outdoors Radio Gettin'Outdoors with Big Daddy Lawler with Big Daddy Lawleror check out www.gettinoutdoorsradio.com www.gettinoutdoorsradio.com Parent Station-WALX-FM 100.9 (Selma/Montgomery) Affiliate-WSLY-FM 104.9 (Demopolis/Meridian) Affiliate-WJDB-FM 95.5 (Thomasville/Jackson) Or listen online at www.espn1049.com For show sponsorship opportunities call Sean Parker at 334-341-8649 or Paul Alexander 334-412-3388

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 37

Consider the

MOBILE-TENSAW DELTA

for late-season hunting

The Mobile-Tensaw Delta, one of the natural wonders in our nation, not only contributes substantially to the ecological biodiversity in our great state, it also provides countless recreational opportunities throughout the year.

As we head into February, the Delta is an intriguing place of 260,000 acres with huge swaths of swamps, marshes and wetlands as well as upland stands of mixed pine and hardwoods. It has the diversity to support a wide array of animals, including 600 species of fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds.

BY CHRIS BLANKENSHIP Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources

As Alabama native and renowned nature scientist E.O. Wilson said, the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta has “more species of plants and animals than any comparable area anywhere in North America.”Public access to these wonderful natural resources is provided with several wildlife management areas (WMAs) and Forever Wild tracts.

The largest WMA is the Mobile-Tensaw Delta/W.L. Holland WMA, which encompasses 51,040 acres in the heart of the Delta.

The Forever Wild Jacinto Port and Tom Roush tracts run along Bayou Sara with foot access available in Saraland.

The Upper Delta WMA covers 42,451 acres north of I-65 and reaches to the Alabama River north of Mount Vernon.

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With waterfowl season over, hunters still have the opportunity to hunt deer until Feb. 10 as well as feral hogs and small game like squirrels.Because of the terrain, most of the white-tailed deer are located in the Upper Delta WMA, where higher elevation gives the animals a place to retreat when the water levels rise.

Most hunters who pursue game in their treasured Delta gain access to their hunting areas by boat.

In fact, a boat is the best way to hunt about 90 percent of the public land in the two WMAs. For access to the Delta via boat, public launching areas are available at Meaher State Park and Chocolatta (Chacaloochee if you prefer) boat ramps on the Causeway (Battleship Parkway) as well as Byrnes Lake, Cliff’s Landing and Live Oak Landing, traveling north on Hwy 225. The Mount Vernon Public Ramp provides access to the Upper Delta.

Hunters need to be aware that water levels can change access to many of the hunting areas in the Delta. The highest ground is located around the Upper Delta Shooting Range.

One walk-in area is the Ghost Fleet area, which is accessed off Hwy 225 on County Road 86.

When the water level at the tailrace at

FROM THE COMMISSIONER

Claiborne Lock and Dam reaches 21 feet, the Swamp Road gate on the Upper Delta WMA is closed.

Holland WMA (lower Delta) and the Upper Delta.In the lower Delta, hunters can use centerfire rifles to hunt pigs with the exception that no centerfire rifles are allowed on the Jacinto Port Tract. Shotguns are legal but no buckshot is allowed.

High water levels will congregate deer and feral hogs in the areas with higher ground. If the high water gets to a certain level, a state law requires hunting to be shut down unless there are 40 contiguous acres available to the wildlife.Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF).

Regulations for the Upper Delta are different and align with the legal arms for the season that is in effect.

Division officials go by the water level at Claiborne to determine if hunting will remain open. If the Claiborne water level reaches 40 feet, all hunting is stopped.

In other words, if squirrel season is in, hunters must use shotguns with No. 4 shot or smaller, rimfire rifles, primitive weapons, pistols and archery equipment.

Last year saw very little high water and the feral hog population boomed, which increases the opportunity to take a hog this year.

using any type of motor, all forward motion has to cease before a hunter can discharge a weapon. Hunters can drift with the natural current or use a paddle to scull.

In fact, Chris Nix, Upper Delta WMA Manager, said there are more hogs now than in the last several years because of the lack of high water.

And be sure to take a compass or GPS device if you land the boat and head out into the vastness of the Delta. Those palmettos in the swamps all look alike.

“The pigs are going to be where there is high ground,” says Nix. “If you can find ridges with hard mast, you’re going to find the pigs.”

The best opportunity to find hogs is by boat in areas from the Raft River north. Once north of the Raft, the Delta is full of wild pigs all the way through the Upper Delta.However, hunters need to be aware of the different regulations that govern hog hunting on the Mobile-Tensaw Delta/W.L.

Be sure to have your hunting license and WMA map permit(s) on your person or on the Outdoor Alabama app.

The best advice comes from Nix, who said to do your homework and pay attention to tidal fluctuations as well as water-level readings at Claiborne.

Then venture out and take advantage of this majestic, mysterious natural wonder that Alabama is blessed to enjoy.

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POST-SEASON SCOUTING AND MENTORING

MULTI-TASKING OF A MOST PLEASURABLE AND REWARDING KIND February brings an end to gun deer season, and the absolute best opportunity for scouting. Deer sign is abundant and visible, and taking time to scout now for next year is a smart move.

Rubs, scrapes, and well-worn trails are highly visible. Large tracks and droppings yield excellent clues to the whereabouts of mature bucks.

Being in the woods in the cool, crisp air of February is a lot more pleasant than the heat of early fall with abundant mosquitoes, ticks, and snakes. And perhaps more importantly, scouting now eliminates the disturbance factor right before you hunt the area next fall.

BY CORKY PUGH Executive Director, Hunting Heritage Foundation

COMBINING DEER SCOUTING WITH SMALL-GAME HUNTING With Alabama’s liberal opportunities for small-game hunting in February, multi-tasking of a very pleasurable and rewarding kind is possible. Slipping through the woods in pursuit of squirrels, while also looking for deer sign makes for a Great Day Outdoors!

What better way to introduce a young person to hunting than spending part of a day together in the open woods of February?

You don’t have to be still or quiet for extended periods, which appeals to kids more than sitting for interminable

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hunts for deer. And there is lots to see and do, with frequent opportunities to shoot the gun.

Yet, teaching a youngster about deer sign while hunting for squirrels presents lots of chances to look at rubs, scrapes, trails, tracks, and droppings up close and personal. Conservation education professionals recognize that children learn best through real-world, personal observation and hands-on examination of objects. This is why the best conservation education programs include lots of furs, feathers, and other tangible items.

VALUES OF SMALL-GAME HUNTING Teaching kids about woodsmanship, marksmanship, and ethics is important to passing our hunting heritage along and small-game hunting presents the ideal set of circumstances to do just that. Little is learned about woodsmanship sitting in a box watching grass grow. But just a little while spent stalking squirrels teaches the values and skills of stealth, patience, and orienteering.

The life lessons learned about patience, self-discipline, and self-restraint are readily apparent and repetitive. And the reward is immediate and tangible.

My grandfather’s words ring in my ears, “You’ve got to sit still now son.

Don’t move anything but your eyes.”

Soon enough, a squirrel scampered from right to left along the limb of a big shagbark hickory.

HUNTING HUNTING HERITAGE HERITAGE

“Wait now. Don’t shoot until you’re sure. O.K. Now!” Doing as Granddaddy said, I pulled the trigger of the 20 guage and the squirrel tumbled to the ground. The old man had taught me ethics, patience, and self-restraint in an indelible lesson that lasted forever. I could still take you and show you the specific tree we sat with our backs against all those years ago.

A Must Read for Turkey Hunters.

MARKSMANSHIP Research clearly shows that beginning hunters want to shoot the gun a lot, and small-game hunting allows lots of shooting compared to the one shot so typical of hunting deer.

“Any information that came

There is no better way to learn to shoot than squirrel hunting.

While squirrels scamper about and don’t remain motionless for long, they do present attainable targets, compared to highly-challenging, flighted doves and quail. Rabbits ahead of beagles are lots of fun, but very difficult targets much of the time.

Start a young hunter with a .410 or 20 gauge. The recoil is negligible and the pattern of #6 shot is forgiving.

Carry a .22 along and use it for occasional stationary shots at squirrels sitting still. Let the young hunter back you up with the shotgun, and you’ll get a lesson in humility while the youngster gains confidence.

from outside was highly suspect. Anything that came from inside, even from members of your own family was, in many cases, tarred with the same brush. Nobody and by that I mean nobody, gave away a thing.

The “boy” in this story is blessed with an honest and benevolent grandfather who learned the hard way. Alan covers very well what has come to be called “The bad old days” when you mostly made it on your own or you didn’t make it at all.”

TOM KELLY

As things progress along, teach the young hunter how to shoot the rifle. The same skill set will carry over to marksmanship with centerfire calibers for deer.

MAP AND COMPASS Include a topographical map and compass in your squirrel hunting and deer scouting trip. Teach a young hunter how to read the topo and how to use the compass. These are woodsmanship skills that have given way to GPS and similar technologies but knowing how to navigate when your batteries die is important.

The value of holding an actual map in your hand, orienting the map to north, and then using a simple compass to find your location, locate spots in the distance, and travel to and return from given places is immeasurable.

Tom Kelly put it best in his how-to book A Fork in The Road, when he wrote, “I know you consider compasses to be old-fashioned, suitable maybe for Viking vessels in 800 A.D. to navigate from Norway to Iceland, but grossly behind the times in these days of satellites and GPS systems. But have you ever tried to use a modestly priced, handheld GPS receiver on an extremely cloudy day? They don’t work all that well at such times. Have you ever tried to use a GPS receiver to give you an azimuth to a gobble you heard at a distance?”

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On your scouting trip, mark the deer sign you see on the topo, and you may be surprised at how revealing it may be. The map will be a ready reference for next year’s deer season.

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RECHARGE YOUR BATTERIES WITH SOME

WOODS THERAPY When your problems start getting too tough to handle, take to the woods for a little therapy.

BY CHARLES “CHUCK” SYKES Director of the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF)

Everyone has that special place where they can go to find solitude and get refocused on life, and I was there.

Over the past several months, I’ll admit I’ve been more than a little disheartened about the future of hunting and conservation in Alabama.

It seems there isn’t a day that goes by when there isn’t a fire to be put out. The articles I’ve written during this time frame have reflected my state of mind. Titles like, “Manners Still Matter, GDO January 2019”, “The Vocal Minority…I Hope, GDO November 2018”, and “What Happened to the Art of the Hunt?, GDO October 2018” pretty much say it all about what I’ve lately been dealing with professionally.

Wasting Disease Strategic Surveillance and Response Plan and individuals complaining about regulation 220-2.25, which prohibits the importation of hunter-harvested deer carcasses into Alabama from any state. In both cases, facts had been distorted and misinformation had intentionally been spread in hopes of derailing our mission. I don’t mind debating people on facts. If I get beaten in a debate on the facts, I need to do my homework better. But, it is impossible to settle an issue if you can’t get to the facts and are only debating knee-jerk reactions to misinformation and emotions.

Working with upset constituents on what seems like a daily basis can begin to deteriorate your outlook on what we do and why we do it.

Our job at Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) is to manage, protect, conserve, and enhance the wildlife and aquatic resources of Alabama for the sustainable benefit of the people of Alabama. That seems pretty simple, doesn’t it? And, in reality, it is.

Problems arise when people become involved. To fulfill the stated mission of WFF, we must promulgate rules and regulations that, in most circumstances, make some people upset.

One incident really thrust me over the edge, when an individual attempted to argue that CWD was not a contagious disease!! As someone who had been dealing with CWD-related issues for years and had just completed a series of seminars around the state explaining what CWD is and what we as an agency are doing to protect the Alabama deer herd from the introduction of CWD, I lost it. I could feel my blood pressure rising and my face getting red. It wouldn’t have surprised me if steam had come from my ears like it did from characters on the Bugs Bunny cartoons I loved as a kid.

This all came to a head for me the week before Thanksgiving. I had been dealing with special- interest groups complaining about the WFF Chronic 42 FEBRUARY 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

After that confrontation, I was trying to explain to a couple of other DCNR staff that I’d had enough. I felt

FROM THE DIRECTOR

like we were fighting a losing battle. We couldn’t dispel misinformation fast enough to make a difference. Dealing with only negative comments and complaints made it seem that no one in the public really cared about the resources we were charged with managing; they were only concerned with themselves and how our regulations were impacting them. One of the staff members later that day handed me a notecard-sized photo with a Scripture on it. The passage was found in Galatians 6 and said, A man reaps what he sows….

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

That small gesture made a big impact on me. I had been so busy fighting the fight for the wildlife in Alabama by traveling the state giving seminars, I had failed to experience it myself. I had been spouting off fact after fact about what a huge economic engine hunting is for the Alabama economy and reminding folks that hunting is also a time-honored tradition and way of life for many, but it was already the week before Thanksgiving and I had not taken time to do what I love, which is to archery hunt.

Over the next several days, I spent quality time with myself up a tree. I wasn’t guiding hunters. I wasn’t mentoring new hunter. I wasn’t working. I was actually doing something for me. Sitting 20 feet up a hickory tree in the Tombigbee River bottoms of Choctaw County, I could reflect on life and what I was doing with it. As I sat watching a button buck sniffing the leaves in search big chestnut oak acorns, I didn’t think about all the negativity of Montgomery. Each time he found one and rolled it around in his mouth finding that perfect spot to crack it, I smiled. Everyone has that special place where they can go to find solitude and get refocused on life, and I was there.

I have been fortunate enough to harvest a deer with my bow every year since 1989. I’m proud to say 2018 was added to the list with a 1½ -year-old doe that couldn’t resist the sounds of the button buck enjoying the chestnut acorns.

So, I guess this article has two takeaway messages for everyone. First, never forget to take time to go to your “happy place” where you can recharge your batteries and Wow, the season had been in almost a month and I hadn’t focus on the truly important things in life. Second, for those been up a tree. No wonder I was in a terrible frame of mind. who thought I was on the ropes and you had me beat, think I had failed to do what I needed to do to recharge my batteries again! I’m back, recharged and ready to continue the fight and clear my head of all the negativity and get back to what for Alabama’s wildlife. I want future generations to be able made me want to pursue a career in the wildlife field. The to experience the joy, tranquility and wonderment of all solution to my issues was painfully clear. I had to go to the God’s natural resources, like the whitetail deer and the huge woods sooner rather than later. So, I packed my bags and chestnut oaks, two creations that have given me so much headed for the camp. happiness over my lifetime.

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 43

Paddleboards

Another Way To Get On The Water And Into The Fish It was a good evening and I caught some fine redfish from my trusty old pedalpowered kayak. Off toward the sunset, I saw another angler, and she is standing tall and proud on her paddle craft. And she is catching fish, too.

BY ED MASHBURN Photos by Ed Mashburn

This other boat is being used in super shallow water, no more than a foot deep, and the angler seemed to be having a whole lot of fun as she moved around on the flat surface of her paddleboard working her hooked fish to the boat. The water this angler is catching fish in is too shallow even for my kayak.

I can’t help but be intrigued about this different form of paddle powered fishing craft. Paddleboards, often abbreviated to SUP, for “stand up paddleboard”, come in a multitude of construction forms such as rigid and inflatable craft.

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These inflatable boards are even lighter and more easily transported and stored than traditional hard boards, which are already quite easy to get from place to place.

Just like traditional fishing kayaks, stand up paddleboards come in a wide range of sizes, designs, and features to fit the needs of paddle anglers. SUPs are readily available in kayak shops and online.

The one consistent thing that we’ve noticed from SUP paddlers is that they all seem to have smiles on their faces as they silently stand and paddle their way across the water- they always look like they’re having fun.

DO THEY REALLY WORK? Tim Perkins is a champion kayak angler

PADDLE FISHING

in multiple tournament series, and he has used a lot of different boats in his successful paddle craft fishing. I tend to trust his opinions on paddle craft.

“I love the inflatable Sea Eagle SUP. It’s not a pool toy. This board is made to be used and to take abuse. Fifteen pounds of inflation makes it rigid. My wife loves the inflatable Sea Eagle board, too,” Perkins said.

A big advantage for paddlers who are limited on space is that inflatable SUPs require much less packing space for travel than traditional kayaks.

Perkins adds,” A paddleboard from a good company which makes high quality boards is a fine fishing craft. Most companies which make SUP boards have pro-staffs, and an angler considering getting into paddleboards for fishing can contact these pro-staffers and get some great information.”

Also, most SUPs cost less than traditional kayaks, which is always a consideration.

WHAT CONDITIONS ARE BEST FOR PADDLEBOARDS? Perkins has used a lot of paddle craft very successfully both as a tournament angler and as an angler who just likes to catch a bunch of fish.

When we asked Perkins what conditions are best for paddleboards, he said, “ I prefer stand up paddleboards for summer use. It’s a wet technique.”

For the optimum fishing situation for paddleboard use, he said, “In skinny water and in low water conditions found in small creeks and rivers in summer, paddleboards can’t be beat.”

For saltwater anglers, the best use of SUPs is to reach supershallow flats water that other boats can’t reach. Paddleboards can operate in very shallow water, and anglers standing on a paddleboard can see fish a long way off because of the angler’s elevated standing position. This standing position also makes SUPs great fishing craft for fly anglers who always cast better from a standing position rather than a sitting position. In fact, a SUP just might become an indispensable part of a serious saltwater fly angler’s gear.

The standing position of SUP anglers may be the single strongest feature of these paddle craft. It’s much easier to see and approach fish quietly from a distance while standing as opposed to sitting.

WHAT GEAR CAN BE USED? “Most paddleboard anglers will want to get a board with a baitwell setup. Lots of ‘D’ rings for secure gear attachments are good,” Perkins said.

Adding accessories such as seats, ice chests, and leaning posts go a long way toward making a stand up paddleboard a very effective angling craft. SUP anglers can do just about anything with their boards that traditional kayak anglers can do with theirs.

The most important piece of stand up paddleboard gear is a good paddle that will extend for use in many situations.

Perkins says, “An adjustable length paddle makes paddleboards much easier and more effective for anglers.”

Of course, a good PFD needs to be worn by a SUP angler especially when traveling to the fishing grounds.

I prefer stand up paddleboards for summer use.

It’s a wet technique.

And many of the larger SUPs can be used with small outboard or electric motors to provide quicker access to the fishing waters.

WHAT SKILL SET IS NEEDED? I must admit that knowing my own personal limitations when it comes to keeping my balance in moving situations, I was a bit skeptical about the notion of standing up and paddling full time. I love to fish, but I don’t like to swim, and I could see in my mind the very real possibility of losing my balance on a SUP and going for a quick swim.

It appears my worries were unfounded.

Perkins says that anglers who can stand up and fish from a kayak have good enough balance for a stand up paddleboard.

Since I often stand in my kayaks for fishing, I am much more confident about doing this SUP thing.

Perkins says that the biggest difference between using a standard fishing kayak and a stand up paddle board comes when the angler selects gear to take on a trip. Paddleboard anglers must pack lighter than kayak anglers. This means that SUP anglers must do a better job of planning and selecting gear to be taken on a fishing trip. There’s just not as much storage space for gear on a SUP. But when asked if using a paddleboard for fishing is much different or harder than kayak fishing, Tim Perkins says that paddle boarding is comparable to kayak fishing. If the angler has decent sea legs and can stand up in a kayak, the paddleboard should be well within range of the angler’s use.

And I know that these SUPs will help anglers catch fish.

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How to catch Sheepshead in February on the Gulf Coast

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How to Catch Sheepshead in February on the Gulf Coast

bite pretty aggressively, but most years, the water is cooler than 55 degrees.

The main goal for a mature sheepshead in the month of February is to migrate toward the higher salinity waters of the Gulf of Mexico and locating other mature fish near dense structure.

Captain Patric Garmeson

Photos by Ed Mashburn

If we happen to get an overcast day with light winds and warmer south breeze, the sheepshead bite can produce some very good fishing. I like for the tide or current to be moving but not hauling too fast. If the moving water is too strong, I try to find an area out of the current.

Incoming tides can be my favorite moving water, but I catch fish on both sides of the tide.

BEST BAITS FOR SHEEPSHEAD The easiest live bait for locate and purchase for sheepshead is live or dead shrimp. Ideally, I want to purchase or catch the smallest shrimp I can fit on a hook.

During the cool weather here on the Gulf Coast, I get lots of calls from anglers who want me to take them fishing so they can get into the hard-pulling action of the plentiful black and white striped sheepshead which call the waters of Mobile Bay home.

It’s no wonder sheepshead are such a popular game fish for Gulf Coast anglers.

They pull very hard, there are very liberal bag limits, and they are delicious fish to eat.

I’ve found that anglers who want to find the best cool winter weather fishing and catching for big sheepshead along the Gulf Coast need to keep a few things in mind.

WHAT THE SHEEPIES ARE DOING AND THE BEST CONDITIONS TO CATCH THEM Anglers need to remember that from December to February, sheepshead are in a winter transitions. They are in pre-spawn mode during this time period. Typically, water temperatures here in the bay and associated waters are in the low 50s, and they can sometimes be in the mid40s. This slows the striped fish down. Sheepshead will not feed very heavily during the times when the water temps are much below 55 degrees.

The main goal for a mature sheepshead in the month of February is to migrate toward the higher salinity waters of the Gulf of Mexico and locating other mature fish near dense structure.

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The bulk of the mature sheepshead will be near the mouth of Mobile Bay or within a few miles of shore out in the Gulf. Most of the fish will be congregating near rocks, concrete, gas or old rigs, wood structure, and any other dense structure that is covered in barnacles. Sheepshead will typically have a small appetite at this time, so fishing for them should be done with very small shrimp or smaller fiddler crabs.

If we get lucky and have warmer winter weather and if the water temps are warmer than 55, the sheepshead should

Limitations apply. See geico.com for more details.©GEICO & affiliates.©Washington, DC 20076 © 2018 GEICO

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How to Catch Sheepshead in February on the Gulf Coast

I do not want “jumbo” shrimp for sheepshead. The second best option for selecting an effective live bait for sheepshead during the late winter and early spring is dead shrimp. I want to purchase “fresh dead” shrimp, and I try to avoid frozen shrimp.

I like to use hi-viz braided line either bright blue, bright green, chartreuse, yellow or white so I can watch the line easier.

Whether I am using fresh or frozen dead shrimp, I advise anglers to use pieces of the shrimp and not the whole shrimp. Usually a piece of shrimp the size of my thumbnail is sufficient.

I like to hook live shrimp intended for sheepshead one of three ways. If the shrimp are large, I run the hook under the horn ridge on the shrimp’s head. It is very important to not puncture any other than the dark areas in the head of the shrimp, doing so will kill it immediately.

The second hooking method I use for shrimp is to insert the hook into the shrimp’s tail in one of the last two segments from the fin.

The third method of hooking up live shrimp to use is to pinch or cut off the tail fin of the shrimp and sort the hook into the tail of the shrimp, basically threading the shrimp onto the hook. I make sure to push the hook point out of the shrimp body before the hook enters the head area of the shrimp.

Probably the better bait than shrimp for sheepshead are fiddler crabs. Some bait shops carry fiddlers, but most do not, so anglers are required to catch their own. Fiddlers can often be found along quiet backwater shorelines where they like to take cover under pieces of wood and other solid materials which have come to rest at the edge of the water.

Whether I catch or purchase fiddler crabs, I place them inside a cooler in a separate porous container that will keep them on top of the ice in the cooler. I don’t let the crabs fall into the water of the cooler because this will kill them. The crabs that are chilling in the container on top of the ice will begin to move again once I drop them on a hook in the much warmer water.

A big advantage of using fiddler crabs is that it reduces my by-catch and bait stealers from cleaning my hook as happens quite often when using shrimp.

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How to Catch Sheepshead in February on the Gulf Coast

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How to Catch Sheepshead in February on the Gulf Coast

When attaching fiddlers on the hook for sheepshead, I like to place the hook through the body of the crab. I try to puncture the crab more toward the horn of the crab on either side, and I try to avoid the center of the crab with the hook as much as possible. It’s important to make sure the hook enters the bottom of the crab and comes out through the top of the crab.

RIGGING UP RIGHT FOR THE SHEEPSHEAD Finesse tactics are most productive in cool weather and cool water. I rig my clients with fourteen to twenty pound fluorocarbon leader- I always try lighter than heavier with my leaders. I will begin with the lightest amount of weight that I can use effectively, and then I work my way up until I find the sweet spot that holds the most fish. I usually start with a number four split shot attached to the fluorocarbon leader and a number six kahle hook. I use this same set up on a typical trout or redfish rod. I like a rod with medium to medium heavy action with a 400-600 series reel. This is a good all-around set up.

I like to use hi-viz braided line either bright blue, bright green, chartreuse, yellow or white so I can watch the line easier.

Using braided line gives me several advantages over mono or straight fluorocarbon. First, braided line has no stretch which provides more sensitivity for feeling the

slightest taps, and it provides a better hook set. Second, it is a thinner diameter line which means less drag in the current and allows me to use lighter weights. Third, using a braid that is easy to see means that my clients and I can often see the bite when the line twitches or we see line the line begin to move.

AND WHEN IT’S GAME TIME I remind my clients when we go after sheepshead in winter and early spring that at this time of year, sheepshead will live up to their nickname of “bait stealers.” Detecting sheepshead bites this time of year can be a challenge because they are often not really on the chew and only nibbling. The lighter the tackle used, the easier it can be to detect a bite.

I remind my clients that once they feel or see a bite, they should raise the rod tip till they feel light pressure as the fish holds onto the bait. Once they can feel a solid pressure is in fact a fish, then they should reel down while trying to maintain the same consistent amount of pressure to the fish. Then the angler should raise the rod top high to load it up on the fish. The kahle hook will usually catch the fish in the corner of the mouth, and then it’s game on!

And these cool weather/cool water sheepshead will pull hard.

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How to Catch Sheepshead in February on the Gulf Coast

The best advice I can give anglers who want to catch the biggest sheepshead during cool weather conditions is simple: don’t use too large a bait and tackle. Sure the heavier tackle and larger baits work for a few fish, but downsizing bait and gear will increase the number of bites and will increase the enjoyment of the fishing experience.

Captain Patric Garmeson is an experienced Mobile Bay guide who knows a great deal about putting his clients on big striped sheepshead. (251) 747-1554 or at www.uglyfishing.com.

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CAMPHOUSE KITCHEN

BY HANK SHAW

Photos by Holly A. Heyser and Hank Shaw

Venison Stroganoff with Spatzle This one is a classic. I mean really: Who hasn’t eaten beef stroganoff?

Stroganoff has traditionally been made with quality meat, sliced thin. That means cuts like sirloin or even filet mignon in beef. Hamburger versions are OK, but not my thing.

With venison, thinly sliced pieces of backstrap mixed with mushrooms, shallots, dill and sour cream are the ticket. This is filling, easy-to-eat cool-weather food of the first order.

What to eat it with? Well, historically it’s been French fries, believe it or not.

But here in America stroganoff is almost always served with egg noodles. This tastes great, but is brutal to photograph so I went with Austrian spätzle, which are a lot like egg noodles.

You can do whatever, but I really like the way the stroganoff matches with the little spätzle dumplings. And if you don’t want to make these plain Jane spätzle, try my pumpkin spätzle or nettle spätzle, which can also be done with spinach.

Venison Stroganoff with Spatzle

Prep: 15 mins • Cook Time: 20 mins • Total: 35 mins My version of venison stroganoff relies good, fresh mushrooms, shallots, a splash of Madeira wine, and both 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 47

Camphouse Kitchen

fresh dill and a rarer ingredient, dill pollen, which you can omit if you can’t find it. As for the dairy, butter is the fat and sour cream is the sauce. Can you loosen it with some heavy cream? You bet. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. I did not in the photo.

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • •

4 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 pounds venison backstrap, in one piece 2 large shallots, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 pound sliced cremini or button mushrooms 1/4 pound sliced shiitake mushrooms 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 1/4 cup Madeira wine or sherry 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature Dill pollen to garnish (optional) Heavy cream, optional (to loosen sauce)

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SPATZLE • 2 cups flour • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg • 1/4 teaspoon black or white pepper • 1 to 2 teaspoons salt • 1 egg, lightly beaten • 1/2 cup sour cream • Up to 3/4 cup heavy cream Instructions 1. I make the spaetzle first. These can be made up to a day ahead and stored in the fridge. Mix all the ingredients except the heavy cream together in a bowl.

Now thin the sticky dough into a batter that is a bit like really thick pancake batter with the heavy cream.

I use a Spaetzle Maker to make my spaetzle, but you can either use a colander with wide holes or just flick the dough/batter off a cutting board with a knife.

2. Get a kettle of salty water going over high heat.

Once it boils, make the spaetzle. Boil them hard until they float, then 1 minute more. Skim off with

Camphouse Kitchen

a slotted spoon or a spider skimmer. Move them to a baking sheet. When they are all made, toss them with a little oil so they don’t stick together.

3. To make the stroganoff, salt the venison well and let it sit on the cutting board for 20 minutes or so. I do this while I make the spaetzle. Get 2 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan good and hot over medium-high heat. Pat the venison dry and sear all sides well in the butter. Cook it until it’s rare to medium-rare. If you don’t know how to determine this, use the finger test for doneness. When the meat is ready. Move it to a cutting board and let it rest.

4. Add the mushrooms to the pan and turn the heat to high. Soon they will give up their water, and when they do, use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When most of the water has boiled away, add the rest of the butter to the pan along with the shallots and sauté everything for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic, toss and cook over high heat for another 3 minutes or so. Sprinkle some salt over everything.

5. Add the Madeira and toss to combine. Let this boil down furiously. While it is doing so, grate some nutmeg over the mixture. When the Madeira is mostly gone, turn the heat down to low. Slice the venison thinly and return it and any juices that have collected on the cutting board to the pan. Stir to combine and add most of the chopped fresh dill.

6. Stir in the sour cream and turn off the heat. Stir to combine and let it heat through from the heat in the pan. Do not let this boil, or even simmer, or Very Bad Things will happen. Think nasty curdled crap.

To serve, spread out over the spaetzle and top with any remaining dill and the dill pollen, if using.

Chicken Fried Duck with Red-Eye Gravy

This recipe is a confluence of happenstance.

I’ve been cooking a lot of Southern food lately, and in that exploration finally developed recipes for chicken fried steak and red-eye gravy that I actually liked.

At the same time, Holly got a chance to hunt in Great Salt Lake as an invitee on the Beretta Torture Tour and that it’s all teal, all the time.

And, well, those teal like to eat brine shrimp. Remember Sea Monkeys? The things you got in the mail and added water to make them come to life? Yeah, those are brine shrimp. That meant the fat from these little ducks may well be briny.

So I thought I might skin them and use the breasts to make chicken fried duck.

To go with my chicken fried duck, I already had some sour corn going in the pantry. Sour corn? Yep. Think sauerkraut, only with sweet corn kernels. Damn good. Sour, salty but still a bit sweet, they taste like corn salsa.

I also added some roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon, because bacon.

Any meat will work here. Obviously this is intended to be chicken fried duck, but it could be chicken fried anything. It needs to be pounded thin and tenderized. You don’t want to have to use a knife here.

While not strictly necessary, whacking the pounded cutlets with a jaccard is a great way to make them even more tender. A jaccard is a hand-held device with lots of blades in it that you hit against the meat to lacerate it all over. You can buy a jaccard online here.

If you want to make sour corn, the best way to do it requires a kitchen scale. Weigh your corn and the water you plan on submerging it in, and then dissolve 2 percent of that weight in kosher salt in the water. Submerge the corn in that and leave it for a week before eating. It will keep, in a cool place or the fridge, for months that way.

As for the Brussels sprouts, I used my friend Michelle Tam’s recipe here.

Chicken Fried Duck with Red-Eye Gravy

Prep: 20 mins • Cook Time: 20 mins • Total: 40 mins This is a great plate of food, but you need not make every component if you don’t want to. I have instructions for the corn and the Brussels sprouts above, and I’ll detail the duck and gravy here. You can of course use any meat you can pound flat for this recipe.

Ingredients DUCK • 1 fatty slice country ham (optional) • 1/4 cup oil or lard for frying • 8 to 12 skinless teal breasts, about 1 1/2 pounds total • Salt • 2 cups flour • 2 tablespoons seasoning, such as Cajun, Cavender’s or whatever you like • 1 tablespoon salt • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda • 1 cup buttermilk • 1 egg, lightly beaten RED-EYE GRAVY • 2 tablespoons flour • 1 cup strong black coffee • 1/2 cup duck or chicken stock (optional) • 1 tablespoon tomato paste • Salt and black pepper Instructions 1. To make a real red-eye gravy you need ham and 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 49

Camphouse Kitchen

2.

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ham drippings. So fry the slice of country ham in 1 tablespoon of the oil until crispy on both sides. You can serve the ham with the duck or eat it as a cook’s treat.

To prep the duck breasts, set each one between two pieces of plastic wrap, or better yet, a freezer bag cut open. Pound them with a mallet or empty wine bottle until the thick end of the breast is the thickness of the thin end of the breast. If you have a jaccard, run it over the pounded breast so it’s full of little lacerations; this helps the batter stick to the meat. Salt the duck breasts well.

Mix the flour, seasoning, salt, baking powder and soda together in a bowl. Mix the buttermilk and the beaten egg together in another bowl. Put the duck breasts in the buttermilk. You can leave them there for a few hours if you need to, in the fridge.

Set a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and put this in the oven. Set the oven to “warm.”

Get the whole 1/4 cup of oil hot, to about 350F if you are checking. When it’s hot, coat the duck in the flour mixture well, pressing it into the meat. Fry in batches until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes or so.

Set the finished duck on the cooling rack in the oven.

When the duck is all done, pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat. Add the flour and cook this a couple minutes, stirring almost constantly so it doesn’t burn.

Add the coffee, stock if you’re using it and the tomato paste and stir it all to combine. Bring it to a boil and let this cook a few minutes, until it’s thickened to your liking. Add salt if you need it. Serve the

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hot gravy over the chicken fried duck at once.

NOTE: If you have self-rising flour, use that and skip the baking soda and baking powder.

Classic Fish And Chips

When all else boils down, batter is why we love fried fish.

Golden brown might be the two best words you can say in the kitchen (other than, perhaps, “More bacon?”), and the magic of a batter that is crispy, yet light, is a feat of culinary prestidigitation.

The Japanese have their tempura batter, which is divine, but fish and chips need something sturdier. They need beer batter. While everyone has their own recipe, beer batters are all basically the same: Beer (what kind you use matters), flour and a little salt.

Batter can only be done properly with deep frying, and few Americans will deep fry at home. No one ever told me this, so I’ve happily been deep frying since I was in my early 20s.

It’s not terribly scary, I assure you.

So long as you watch temperature, you’re fine. Yeah, it can be sporty to have a half-gallon of 360°F oil roiling on your stovetop, but so long as you know it’s that hot, you’re fine.

Bad things happen when you don’t, and the oil gets too hot.

Thermometers are a must.

I used to use a Dutch oven to fry, but now I use a DeLonghi electric fryer, which has lasted me years. I like deep fryers because they restrict the amount of vaporized grease that

Camphouse Kitchen

gets into the air.

A deep fryer also lets you control temperature, which is important. Soggy, greasy fish and chips happen because the oil was not hot enough. Oil that is too hot will burn the batter by the time the fish has been cooked. My sweet spot has always been about 360°F. Finally, there is the fish. What kind to use? I’ve eaten batter-fried fish six ways to Sunday, but all the best share a few characteristics: They’re all firm, white, and lean. Cod, haddock and pollock are classics in the East, as is halibut or lingcod in the West. In Wisconsin and Minnesota, walleye and yellow perch are king. In the South, it’s all catfish until you get to the Gulf, where redfish take over. Hell, I’ve even used tilapia.

3.

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But my absolute favorite? Shark. Dogfish and leopard shark are the perfect frying fish, and in fact are traditional in Northern England fish and chips. The meat is white as snow, very lean, and firmer even than halibut. And, eaten cold the next day, tastes astonishingly like cold fried chicken. Go figure.

A word on the chips: I am not very good at making my own French fries, which require double-frying. So instead I make my own chips, which I like just as much. Potatoes sliced just thick enough so the center is soft, just thin enough that a quick bath in hot oil will crisp the outsides.

Classic Fish and Chips

Prep: 20 mins • Cook Time: 40 mins • Total: 1 hr

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to give it the consistency of house paint, or melted ice cream. Put in the fridge to rest for 20 minutes.

While the batter is resting, slice the potatoes and put them into a large bowl of cold water.

When you are done slicing, remove the potatoes and pat them dry with a paper towel.

The oil should be hot by now. Fry the potatoes, a few at time, for 3-5 minutes, or until they start to brown at the edges. Don’t cook them until they are uniformly brown or you will overcook them; they will continue to brown a little out of the fryer. Salt each batch the moment it comes out of the fryer. Store each batch on the wire rack in the warm oven.

When the potatoes are done, take the batter out of the fridge. Dredge the fish in the batter and let the excess drip off for a second or two. Lay each piece gently into the hot oil. Do this by letting the bottom end of the piece of fish fry for a second or so in the oil before you let the whole piece get a bath. This helps prevent the fish from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Keep a chopstick or something similar around to dislodge any pieces that do get stuck.

Fry in batches until golden brown, about 5-8 minutes depending on how large the pieces are.

Keep each batch in the warm oven while you finish the rest. Serve at once when you’re done.

Serve with lemon, beer and a sauce of your choice. Tartar sauce is a good idea, but remoulade is also good, as are aioli and the traditionals -- malt vinegar and Tabasco.

This is a recipe for a classic beer batter and fried potatoes.

I typically make this with leopard shark, halibut, walleye, cod or catfish, but you can also use seafood like shrimp, calamari, oysters or clams. I use waxy potatoes like Yukon gold for the chips; I find they hold together better in the hot oil. Make sure your fish is fresh, your batter is cold, and your oil is hot. Make the chips first and keep them in a warm oven. Oh, and make more than you think you need. People love well-made fish and chips more than they think.

Ingredients • • • • • • • •

2 pounds skinless, boneless fish Salt Oil for frying 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds 1/2 cup self-rising flour 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon salt About 1/2 bottle beer

Instructions 1. Salt the fish and set it aside at room temperature. Get your oil going: You want it to be 350-360 degrees. Turn the oven to the “warm” setting, and put a cookie sheet inside. Place a wire rack on top of the cookie sheet.

2. Mix the flour, vegetable oil, salt and beer together, stirring all the while. You want enough beer in the batter 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 51

Pier & Shore Fishing Outlook

MILD WEATHER CAN SPARK GREAT MIDWINTER FISHING! Everyone likes a bit of challenge now and then. But no month of the year is more challenging for land based anglers than February. We usually face the coldest water and toughest weather conditions of the year. If it weren’t for a few days respite between storms and fronts, there might not be much time to fish the beach or pier.

BY DAVID THORNTON Photos by David Thornton

Still,the rewards of watching the weather and preparing for whatever breaks nature doles out to us is the basis to being successful. Every year is a bit different though, and conditions are subject to change just due to a slight wind shift or in the amount of cloud cover.

Bundling clothing in warm layers that shield off wind and dampness will help you stay more comfortable especially on the beach. And accessories like gloves and a toboggan hat and even boots and insulated waders can make an otherwise intolerable day, a much

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more comfortable one.

“PIER”SISTENCE More than ever, fishing from the pier in February can be a waiting game.

Waiting for the tide to turn, or the sun to shine so the fish may start biting, if only for a little while.

Cold coastal waters in the 40s and 50s are standard along the beaches this month. And there are only a few fish species that tolerate these conditions.

Most notable is the sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus) but even these may get lethargic when winter weather is most severe. And they may sulk deep on the bottom in the passes for days when the weather is cloudy, windy and rough. Sheepshead are one of the first of our ‘native’ species to stir into feeding mode when the sun comes out and the waters clear.

Most sheepshead are caught on medium heavy spinning tackle with small live shrimp suspended between the piling of the beach piers or in close

FISHING OUTLOOK

vicinity to barnacle covered seawalls and rock jetties. Both locations are where they can find a plentiful supply of green and brown algae growing on the surfaces. This is their main food source throughout the winter, but they will supplement it with occasional barnacles or any other small invertebrates (shrimp, crabs, clams, etc.) they may happen across. That’s right, sheepshead are one of our few truly omnivorous game fish.

Sheepshead can be quite wary at times, possessing keen eyesight and culinary skill that can render a hook baitless without the angler even being aware of a nibble. This trait, along with their trademark black and white striped sides gives them the nickname “convict fish”.

Sometimes just to get a bite, anglers may have to use smaller terminal tackle with lighter lines. That’s when the real fun begins, as these scrappy striped sides dive repeatedly for the pilings and other barnacle encrusted obstructions in a valiant attempt to break off. For their efforts, anglers are rewarded with two beautiful white meat fillets about a third of the weight of the whole fish. Not a huge yield from your average three pound sheepshead, but a tasty one nevertheless.

As sheepshead have become so popular in the past 20 years, regulations have been introduced to protect them from over harvest. Be sure to check the regulations which vary some from state to state, or may have changed since last year.

Pompano also hang near piling and other obstructions in February, and are a fairly common by-catch for anglers targeting sheepshead with live shrimp. Though they are not usually present in schools yet, groups of two to five are not unusual either. They may even strike the “Doc’s Goofy Jig” setup tipped with a piece of shrimp to ‘sweeten’ the deal.

Bluefish are another common by-catch on live shrimp, and they may even strike lures such as jigs and small three and four inch diving plugs like the Rapala X-Raps. Though they don’t always get a lot of respect as table fare, they can be quite scrappy fighters on light and medium light tackle.

“Whiting”, actually named Gulf kingfish, are the most commonly caught species by pier anglers fishing between the beach and sandbar during the cooler months. These small drum like fish are quite strong for their size and quite tasty too. They are a common by-catch for anglers targeting pompano while bottom fishing as their diet and habitat and mouth size are similar. They prowl along the bottom of the surfzone in February in search of small food items like beach ghost shrimp, which they do not hesitate to snap up.

BAREFOOT IN FEBRUARY ON THE BEACH Though the water temperature averages around 60 in midwinter, there may be years when a mild weather trend allows the shallow surfzone to warm up even more. On sunny days especially with light winds, the beach can really be quite comfortable even barefoot with shorts. But just as easily,

winter can grip the beaches in an icy vice. Dropping the water temperature into the 40s which squeezes fish activity farther offshore and out or reach (temporarily) for shore bound anglers. Fortunately, these cold snaps do not usually linger since the days are getting longer as we move toward the end of winter.

More than ever, fishing from the pier in February can be a waiting game. Waiting for the tide to turn, or the sun to shine so the fish may start biting, if only for a little while.

That means that anglers who watch the weather and dress appropriately can take advantage of even the marginal days when the winds begin to pick up prior to a front. This may well be the period when February gamefish most actively feed. Thus a good time to try some likely looking beach sandbars and drop-offs for pompano, whiting, drum and redfish.

In flat calm surf and clear water, a single hook Fishfinder Rig is often more productive than the more common double hook Pompano Rigs. Lighter lines should be employed to get more bites from wary fish, but the rougher the water gets, the more weight is needed to hold bottom. Then heavier tackle and longer rods come into play, even for smaller game like pompano and whiting. Still bottom rigs with #6 kahle hooks are quite appropriate to target these species with smaller mouths.

Keep the baits small too and no longer than your little finger and not much bigger around either. You need a bite size bait with lots of fresh scent and perhaps a splash of color when the water is dingy or roiled by waves. Note: if you happen to hook a jumbo red or black drum on these rigs, the fish can still be landed by using a lighter drag setting initially so as to not straighten the smaller hook. Even big fish often eat small ‘snacks’ when food is scarce.

Brightly colored Fast Acting formula Fishbites are a good bait enhancement choice this time of year under these conditions. They stay on the hook better than the natural bait alone and release a scent trail for the fish to follow. Plus the color provides a contrast that helps the fish quickly locate the bait and seal the deal.

So when you get the chance to get out of the house in February, layer up and take it. No matter the venue you choose, there are still some great fishing options to explore during your great days outdoors!

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 53

Gulf Coast Fishing Outlook

BY MIKE THOMPSON Photos by Mike Thompson

February can be a cruel month for coastal anglers. The coldest temps of the year can be followed up days later by the warmth of a false spring. One thing that remains constant during the month is the cold water temperatures.

With that fact in mind, let’s look at a few places to try.

ALABAMA Deep water speckled trout will be the target of Bama anglers this month. In addition to deeper waters, inshore anglers should concentrate on areas where salinity rich waters are protected from the onslaught of muddy waters churning down Mobile Bay. There are multiple places to target that hold the salty waters and in turn, these places hold baitfish the specks can feed on. On the eastern side of Mobile bay, Fish River is the go to place when Mobile Bay is muddy in February. Anglers slow troll grubs and small hard baits near the islands in Fish River. Curly tail Gotcha grubs, in chartreuse, are a major producer this month. The specks and scattered reds also will clobber a one ounce Rat-L-

Trap, trolled behind the boat.

Over on the western side of Mobile Bay, anglers move to Theodore Industrial Canal to find speckled trout in the deep and salty waters the area provides. Two artificial choices dominate the winter fishing in the canal. The Salt Water Assassin grub in the Arkansas Shiner pattern is deadly.

The only other artificial bait that comes close in the Sparkle Beetle in the root beer color. Both of these grubs are highly effective when trolled behind the boat or casted around ledges and drop offs. Be sure to use a three-quarter ounce jighead to get your bait near the bottom.

MISSISSIPPI Fishing can be tough this month on the Mississippi Coast, but Captain Ronnie Daniels of Fisher-Man Guide Service still puts fish in the boat. Daniels likes to focus his efforts on the multiple man-made reefs that the state has put together for anglers.

“We are fortunate in Mississippi to have over 60 manmade reefs in

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shallow waters. In February and March these reefs will be holding lots of sheepshead and black drum. Both fish will eat a live or dead shrimp fished near the structure. We also catch lots of drum and sheepshead around the various bridges along the coast,” Daniels said.

When targeting the reefs or bridge structure, Daniels says not to get too hung up on one spot. Instead he suggests you move till you find active fish.

“Be on the lookout for breaks in the rocks that funnel current. You can usually find good current movement on the ends of the reefs, so be sure to try them too,” Daniels explained. “When fishing the bridges, you should use a drop-shot rig behind the bridge legs.

Fish will lay in that slack water waiting for bait to be swept by.”

A couple of the reefs that will be holding fish this month will be Taylor Reef, constructed from Hurricane Katrina rubble, and Jail House Reef, constructed from debris from a torn

FISHING OUTLOOK

down jail.

During February, Daniels is active among the various boat shows taking place. He is very dedicated to a venture known as ‘Fishing 101.’ This is a class put together to get kids involved in the sport of fishing. Daniels lines up local guides to help as instructors. He will be featured at the Mobile Boat Show on February 9th and at Biloxi Boat Show on February 23 and 24. All clinics start at 1 pm.

FLORIDA FOCUS Large amounts of the Florida Panhandle were devastated by the horrific winds of Hurricane Michael in October of 2018.

One area that was spared was Cedar Key Florida. After a thorough clean up, local fishing guides were able to resume business within a week.

One such guide was charter Captain Jason Clark. Clark fishes year round in the Cedar Key, Big Bend areas. For the month of February, Clark had some of his local knowledge to share.

“During February there is very little

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grass available, so flats fishing suffers.

Instead we target the mouths of creeks and the various creeks themselves for speckled trout and reds. In those creeks we look for grass edges, oyster beds and deeper holes. We start out with a New Penny Gulp! grub under a popping cork,” Clark explained.

If the fish won’t cooperate on the Gulps!

Clark switches things up to entice the bite.

“We always have a rod rigged with a Saltwater Assassin three-inch shad with paddle tail. My favorite color is Green Moon. My next color choice is the Nuclear Chicken version,” Clark said.

Catching redfish is a little more basic for Clark. “I like to use a piece of fresh cut mullet for redfish. Sometimes I rig it Carolina style and fish it on the bottom.

When targeting oyster beds, I like to suspend that piece of cut mullet about a foot off the bottom, using a cork,” Clark explained. “Fishing with cut mullet can produce interesting by-catch. We catch large black drum and even a few stray flounder on the mullet pieces.”

Clark advises to try the following in February: Luken’s Creek, Number four channel and the Black Point area.

CONCLUSION There’s no question that February offers lots of challenges to be successful.

However, should you unlock the pattern on the bite, you can return to the same areas expecting success.

See you on the water!

Important Information

Saltwater Assassin Grubs www.bassassassin.com Berkley Gulp! Baits www.berkley-fishing.com Captain Jason Clark - In the Slot Fishing 352-639-3209 Captain Ronnie Daniels Fisher-Man Guide Service 228-295-0511

For more info about CCA Alabama please visit www.ccaalabama.org 251-478-3474 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 55

Regional Freshwater Fishing Outlook

BY ALEX GRANPERE Photos by Ed Mashburn

ALABAMA WATERS

LAKE EUFAULA Captain Sam Williams of Hawks Fishing Guide Service tells us that in February on Lake Eufaula, the weather dictates how fishing trips go. On warm, sunny days, the bass can move up shallower and bite a bit quicker, but on most of the fishing trips scheduled for February, anglers looking for bass will want to slow down in their presentation of lures. Bass will be moving slowly, and lures worked too fast will usually be ignored.

In particular, bass anglers should work the old leftover lily pad stems and blowdowns which present shoreline

cover for bass. On warmer days, bass will pull up out of deeper water and hold on the stems and limbs in the water.

For most of February, bass anglers can fish Rat-l-Traps off the first ledge with good results. A slow retrieve will be best- don’t burn the lure back to the boat.

Crankbaits worked in deeper water with trash piles and old stumps in 12 to 22 feet of water can be good. ”Crappie will be great this month.

Look around bridge pilings and try ultra light spinning rigs with four pound line using either small jigs or live

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minnows. Sometimes a combination of the two works best,” Williams said.

For some real exercise, anglers can look for birds diving over open water.

There will be white bass, hybrids and stripers under the birds worked big schools of shad, and the big striped fish will eagerly take silver and shad colored jigs, spoons, and top water plugs.

LAKE GUNTERSVILLE According to Mid-South Bass Guide Service owner Captain Jake Davis February is an interesting month for bass anglers on Lake Guntersville and a very good time for trophy hunters to

FISHING OUTLOOK

make a run to the big north Alabama lake and spend some time casting to very big bass.

Davis tells us that big bass will be moving up into shallower water looking for lots to eat before they start their spawning work.

focus on points and deeper waters with the mudbug lures.

In the area around the Causeway, bass will be piled up in the creeks. Anglers should look for the bigger lakes with lots of creeks feeding into the lakes, and then work the creeks hard for bass.

Rat-L-Traps and Texas rig soft plastics in particular work well on early spring big bass. The bass will be from ten feet deep to less than a foot, and they’ll be all over the lake. This shallow water pattern will only get better as the month goes on.

The largemouth bass will be feeding heavily on crawfish in February because this is the major forage for the bass at this time.

When the bass actually start their spawning, and this depends on the warm weather and warm rains that we might get in February, angler will want to look ay spawning bays in creeks and around new grass growth. The grass may only be an inch or so long now, but it is enough to hold lots of bass.

It’s still a bit early for best bream action, but anglers can start to find some good shellcrackers in deeper water near creek mouths by fishing worms on the bottom.,

Lures worked in cloudy water need to have a good shade of “Guntersville red” on them, but if the water is clear, more natural shad colors will be best Davis advised..

Davis suggests that crappie anglers need to get up to Guntersville in February because the slabs will be thick under bridges and docks, and they will be fat, dumb, happy and ready to bite.

Small jigs and live minnows will work for the bigger crappie at this time.

WILSON AND PICKWICK LAKES February gives catfish anglers a wide range of possibilities on Lakes Wilson and Pickwick. One day, the catfish may be on a tear and eating up everything.

The next day, you’d swear there’s not a catfish in the lake. It will take patience and persistence this month.

Captain Brian Barton tells us that when the cats are found, they will be tightly schooled up, so anglers can catch a lot of good catfish- once they are located.

MOBILE DELTA “On the beautiful Mobile-Tensaw Delta in February, everything will be geared toward the stages of the rivers. If we have heavy flooding rains upstream, it can take two or three months to get lower good fishing water brown here on the Delta.” said Captain Wayne of the Miller Mobile-Tensaw Delta Guide Service

When the dams are generating, anglers will want to work the upstream side of humps and islands below the dams.

According to Miller, on average years, the lakes in the middle and lower Delta should be well fishable- these are waters south of the I-65 area.

On the lower end of Wilson, cats may be 90 to 100 feet deep at times, but 60-75 feet is usually a reliable depth to start fishing.

Anglers fishing the deeper cypress lakes will have good luck with jigs and other crawfish imitations. Crankbaits can be very good at this time. Anglers should

On another note, Captain Brian says that anglers can expect to meet up with some big, mean February striped bass below the dams. Anglers who fish

Cat hunters will want to look in 25-40 feet of water in the upper portions of the lakes. Bluffs and ledges with sharp bottom contours will be best.

the tailrace waters of either dam just downstream of turbine boils will likely encounter some hard pulling striped fish. Anglers should use live shad for bait. Let the bait go to the bottom in the fast water. Weight requirements will depend on the amount of water coming through the dam. If there’s no bite in ten minutes, then a move is in order.

The stripers, hybrids and whites will be somewhere below the dams when water is running.

WEISS LAKE Captain Lee Pitts gets excited when he talks about the fishing on Lake Weiss in February. “February is when spring starts kicking in. Everything is heading to the creeks,” Pitts said.

This is a good month for long-line trolling for schools of crappie which are chasing shad. The crappie are not holding to shoreline cover yet, but are out in open water keeping up with the shad. Multiple rod set ups work well, and Lew’s Slab Shaker rods in lengths from eight to twelve feet to vary the angle and depth of presentation work well.

Lee likes 1/24 oz. Mo-Glo jig heads by Bobby Garland threaded with a Bobby Garland Baby Slab or Slab Slayer grub body. He reminds us that at this time, the bigger crappie don’t want a lot of action on the lures, but rather a slow pull with just the action provided by the soft plastic lure is what is wanted.

Bass at Weiss will moving very shallow in February. Anglers should look to see them clearing bottom in hard bottom areas in readiness for spawning. Clay banks can be good, but rock bottom is best at this time. “ I like Strike King squarebill crank baits, and Rat’L-Traps will work, too. I like something with chartreuse, orange or red accents. And I never go out this time of year without a black and blue colored jig ready to go.” said Lee. “Some of our best fishing days are in February- for big fish and for lots of fish,” he concludes.

SIPSEY FORK Randy Jackson of Riverside Fly Shop

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 57

Regional Freshwater Fishing Outlook

tells us that February can be a very good month for trout anglers in Alabama.

The Sipsey Fork should start having good hatches of stoneflies beginning with the smaller brown stoneflies which will emerge all along the run of the river. Fly anglers should try dark brown stonefly imitations in sizes fourteen to sixteen.

As the month goes on, it is very possible that the larger black stoneflies will show up, and the trout go wild over these bigger bugs.

Midges are still present, and anglers who drift nymph patterns in twenty to twenty-four sizes will take fish.

Spinning gear anglers can use a clear plastic water bubble and a fluorocarbon leader to fish the same flies that work for fly rod anglers. Trout Magnets and Roostertail with single hooks will always catch fish on the Sipsey Fork.

MILLER’S FERRY LAKE February will see the crappie on Weiss Lake starting their transition into spring and spawning. If the water temperatures hold chilly, the crappie will still be suspended in deeper water in sloughs and deep channels, but when the water temperature hits 60 degrees, the crappie will move shallow,” says Joe Dunn of Dunn’s Sports in Thomasville.

During February, anglers can troll with jigs and live minnows in fifteen to ten feet of water to find the schools of crappie.

Dunn points out that some parts of the lake warm up sooner than others and this can trigger earlier spawning. In particular, Hog Pen Slough, Marina Slough, and the Gee’s Bend areas all tend to be the first parts of the lake to warm enough to cause the crappie spawn to start.

Dunn says that as February moves along, the bass will start thinking about moving on the spawning banks. If we get some warm weather in February, they may actually move up in the grass along the shorelines and start bedding.

Crankbaits, chatter baits, and swim jigs all will work well on bass at this early spring situation.

FLORIDA WATERS

LAKE TALQUIN Jeff DuBree of Whippoorwill Lodge on Lake Talquin says that February is a very good month to plan a trip to the north Florida lake for some fast fishing.

This is a big spawning month for the bass and crappie on Talquin. Anglers should focus their efforts in the deeper creeks which feed into the lake, and when the water temperatures get close to the mid-60 degree mark, anglers should be on the water.

Both bass and crappie will be in pre-spawn patterns at the start of the month, but the fish will move into spawning areas 58 FEBRUARY 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

as the month progresses.

Crappie chasers should try trolling multiple jig and grub rigs over deeper creek mouths. So far this year, jigs in blue and green have been good producers.

For bass, anglers should throw spinnerbaits and jerk baits near cover on the larger creeks.

It’s still a bit early for best bream action, but anglers can start to find some good shellcrackers in deeper water near creek mouths by fishing worms on the bottom.

WAKULLA RIVER Although the spring-fed Wakulla River never gets as cold as other freshwaters of the region, the bass still tend to bite better as the spring weather starts to arrive in northwest Florida.

Rob Baker of The Wilderness Way in Crawfordville says that toward the end of the month, the weather usually gets quite a lot warmer, and by March, spring will be in full swing.

Bass in Wakulla River will be moving into spawning areaslook for large trees and other solid cover which projects out into the main river.

The most reliable lure for Wakulla River in early spring will be soft plastics. Wacky-rigged worms allowed to sink slowly near the heavy cover can be very effective. Edges of thick weed beds are always good spots to find bass in the Wakulla River.

Spinnerbaits worked along open edges near weed beds can draw some strikes from big bass.

Important Information Capt. Brian Barton 256-412-0969 Brianbartonoutdoors@aol.com www.brianbartonoutdoors.com Capt. Jake Davis Mid-South Bass Guide Service 615-613-2382 www.midsouthbassguide.com Joe Dunn Dunn’s Sports 334-636-0850 33356 Hwy. 43, Thomasville, AL Capt Lee Pitts 256-390-4145 www.pittsoutdoors.com Capt Sam Williams Hawks Fishing Guide Service 334-355-5057 www.hawksfishingguideservice.com

Randy Jackson Riverside Fly Shop 16027 Hwy 69 N Jasper, AL 256-287-9582 riversideflyshop.com Captain Wayne Miller Mobile-Tensaw Delta Guide Service 251-455-7404 millewa12000@yahoo.com Jeff DuBree Whippoorwill Lodge 850-875-2605 Rob Baker Wilderness Way 850-877-7200 3152 Shadeville Road Crawfordville, FL

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // FEBRUARY 2019 59

MOON & FEED TIMES

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ALABAMA TIDE CHARTS

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FLORIDA TIDE CHARTS

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MISSISSIPPI TIDE CHARTS

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Joe Dunn and good friend David Rainer had a good trip Long Lining Cats

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PHOTO of the MONTH Buck Williams with a fine set of horns!

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Rich Hamlin (of Arkansas) raised the bar on remora (sharksucker).

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When Submitting Trophy Room photos, be sure to include as much information as possible about the person and the trophy. Please include you address so that we can send you a free subscription if you are "Photo of the Month" winner. Final Decision is made by the editorial Staff of Great Days Outdoors Magazine. Submitting a photo does not guarantee it will be published.

*Manufacturer’s suggested retail price shown. Prices may vary due to supply, freight, etc. Actual prices set by the dealer. Product and specifications subject to change without notice. Availability subject to production, stocking, and demand. MSRP for base Kodiak model. Kodiak 450 EPS shown from $6,899. • ATVs shown are recommended for use only by riders age 16 years and older. Yamaha recommends that all ATV riders take an approved training course. For safety and training information, see your dealer or call the ATV Safety Institute at 1-800-887-2887. ATVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safety: Always avoid paved surfaces. Never ride on public roads. Always wear a helmet, eye protection and protective clothing; never carry passengers; never engage in stunt riding; riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix; avoid excessive speed; and be particularly careful on difficult terrain. Professional rider depicted on a closed course. Specifications subject to change without notice. Kodiak 450 EPS model shown with optional Genuine Yamaha Accessories. ©2017 Yamaha Motor Corporation. U.S.A. All rights reserved. • YamahaMotorsports.com

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KID'S CORNER

TROPHY ROOM 1

ST

Triple Tail

Kyleigh Harbin . First fish!

Hunter Travis is on a roll this season!

This Red Snapper was no match for Parker Owens.

66 FEBRUARY 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Mary Ross Olander and her first triple tail

Cross Whitlow with a Sow!

Cayden Lee Davison with a fine spike buck

Buckley Williams with his fallow deer from the Kidz Outdoor hunt. Way to go Buckley!

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FISHING TIP

February Fishing Tip

BY JOE DUNN, DUNN’S SPORTS, THOMASVILLE, AL Photo by John Phillips

have tried a few different lengths poles and 16’ work the best for me. The only reason for poles longer is to get separation from boat in real clear water.

When trolling I like to use a double hook rig with jigs and minnows. Remember that crappie would rather come up to get a bait than down, so try to start off fishing at 4’ to 6’ then work your way down. Use your depth finder and look for shad and have jigs in that zone.

Another way to fish for crappie this time of year is called the “fly and cork” method. Rig a 7’ lite spinning rod with a small cork on the line with a jig 2’ to 3’ below. Cast toward the bank using a slow retrieve and stopping along the way.

If you need to go deeper than that rig a slip cork on the line.

This method is better in late February when fish are starting to move up as water temperature rises.

Just remember changing water temperatures in Februray will move fish back and forth. So don’t hit the bank until you have a few days with 60 degree water. IT’S NOT SPRING YET!!!!

February is the month that has us looking forward to the end of the winter and the beginning of spring. We are ready to put up the deer rifle and grab a crappie pole, but the question is, “which pole do we grab?”

February at Miller’s Ferry means changing water conditions and crappie patterns, all of which require require different poles and techniques. The conditions we will deal with is water level, color and temperature. During February the water level is the biggest player. If the river is normal you can use a 6’ 6” medium heavy bass rod with a drop shot rig working the river ledges and tree tops with minnows. When the temperature gets colder you may have to go deep off the ledge. Also with colder water the crappie bite will change from a hard thump to more of heavy dead weight.

I usually just use minnows this time of year, but if you have stained or muddy water add a jig in black and chartreuse to help trigger a bite. If we have high water and by high, I mean at minor and major flood , the fish will start to move from the river into channels in flats, sloughs and creeks. Crappie will suspend and trolling is a good technique then. This will require 4 to 8 poles being pushed slow in front of the boat. I

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A GREAT DAY OUTDOORS

Boot-Eatin’ Dogs

BY JIM MIZE

You can always tell a boot-eatin’ dog; he’s the one with the gleam in his eye and the Redwing’s on his breath.

Every dog has its quirks, but the ones belonging to duck hunters have a tendency to eat boots. Maybe booteatin’ dogs are the perfect match for duck hunters. At least this way, you don’t have to worry about putting a foot in your mouth; it will be in your retriever’s.

I’ve spent a lot of time in duck blinds wondering why these dogs chew boots.

Is it the salt in the leather, the fact that my boots are made from animal skins, or was it something I stepped in?

It does bother me though, that the same dog that chews my boots will eat roadkill. What if these dogs are eating dead possums just to get the taste of my boots out of their mouths?

Still, you would think leather must be difficult to digest; at the very least, it says a lot about a dog’s stomach. Of course, it may say even more about the need for Dr. Scholl to put Rolaids in his Odor Eaters.

While training our dogs, we should probably teach them to chew on something less critical than our boots, like a belt maybe. At least then you could still walk home, even if you did trip over your pants a lot.

Anyway, now I know why hunters always check a puppy’s teeth when they buy it, it’s to gauge how many boots he’ll eat in his lifetime.

Though we grumble about our damaged boots, we glorify these same puppies by putting them on calendars, almost always posed with boots. It’s like the first half of a before and after picture.

If calendar companies wanted to be realistic, they would show puppies with new boots in January, older pups gnawing on soles in June, and by December, these same dogs grown up and standing in a pile of leather shreds.

morning sleeping it off on the couch with not one of the other liquors having been touched. All the sherry, on the other hand, was now inside of Duke.

He was, no doubt, a happy dog.

On the other hand, maybe it makes sense to put puppies on a calendar.

After all, it’s only a matter of time until your boots are gone.

So, as I nodded off, my last thoughts of Duke were that as long as the bed didn’t collapse and he didn’t get drunk, I’d be fine. In hindsight, perhaps I set my expectations a little too low.

Calendar companies could be to blame for all this damage. I mean, who knows whether these guys are putting booteatin’ ideas in our puppies’ heads?

The calendars that scare me the most, though, are the ones with pictures showing multiple puppies posing with boots. They might as well give slide-shows of T-bones to a school of piranhas.

By now, you have probably concluded that I despise boot-eatin’ dogs.

Actually, it’s more a feeling of awe, one that began the night I spent with Duke, a boot-eatin’ dog.

Duke was a black Lab, the classic boxheaded, round-eyed, eighty pound lump of duck-retrieving enthusiasm. Visiting my friends late the night before a hunt, I accepted the offer of sharing the basement with Duke instead of driving home.

Duke was a corker; well, actually, he was more of an uncorker. On another evening, Duke had been left alone in the same basement with a case of alcohol. The box contained a variety of bottles ranging from bourbon to sherry.

Apparently, Duke had a taste for sherry.

Over the course of the evening, Duke managed to locate all the bottles of sherry in the box, carried them onto a couch, chewed the lids off and glugged them entirely. He was found the next

70 FEBRUARY 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

But Duke did have a tendency to chew, once having gnawed the entire leg off a Holiday Inn bed during a hunt down by the coast. And we never did find that rollaway.

Well before daylight, I woke as I heard my hunting partner stirring upstairs.

Duke had climbed up on the foot of my bed, which I took as a good sign, since the bed still supported the both of us.

He grinned as I stirred, giving me the impression he knew a joke that I did not.

That’s when I noticed, however, the string hanging from his mouth, as if he was about to finish my boot in one final slurp like a piece of spaghetti. He looked like he was posing for a duck hunting calendar in an Italian restaurant.

And he was sober.

My boots were in shambles but I managed to find enough pieces to string them together for the walk to the truck.

Luckily, my waders were outside and Duke didn’t have a truck key. So the hunt went on as planned, Duke had leather on his breath, and apparently, he had no taste for rubber waders anyway.

So, if there’s a moral to the story, it’s that you shouldn’t be surprised by what you see if you wake up with a booteatin’ dog. The only greater surprise will be if you wake up with your boots.

JIM MIZE finds boot-eating dogs to be good company even if not totally trustworthy. His awardwinning books are available at www.acreektricklesthroughit.com

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