The Angler Magazine | June 2020 | Greater Atlanta Edition

GREATER ATLANTA AREA EDITION

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By Nick Carter

trailered. Fishing from the bank, from a pier or in the surf provides freedom of movement for them to explore. If they lose interest in fishing, they can chase crabs, look in the buckets of neighboring anglers, hunt for shells or wade the shallows.

Catch And Keep Like sports trophies, Children want and take pride in having something to show for their efforts.

Allow kids to take part in the process of catching, cleaning and cooking fresh fish for dinner. In the process, they’ll learn how the meat they eat makes it to their plate.

A Few Tips

T

o a father and an angler, there’s nothing sweeter than the phrase, “Daddy, can we go fishing today?”

I heard those words the first time three years ago from the open face and high-pitched lilt of a 6-year-old boy. It was the reward for years of careful cultivation.

We’ve fished together since he was a toddler.

Before, it had always been my idea, a way to drag him outside on a warm afternoon.

Those early trips to a small neighborhood pond were frustrating. He wanted to do it himself, so Dad picked through snarled lines while the boy mucked around in the shallows, throwing rocks and scaring fish.

At some point, I gave up on catching fish.

That pivotal moment freed us both to enjoy time

together. To a 4-year-old, sharing crackers with minnows that dart from beneath a dock is as engaging as a fish on the line. Frogs, turtles and the blue heron that fished the same spawning flats we did were as integral to the experience as fish.

Now, as a 9-year-old, that kid stands in the front of the boat, ties his own rigs and pounds the banks with skill. Watching his growth as an angler is immensely rewarding, and keeping it fun was/is the key to feeding his desire.

The Fishing

Fishing is more fun when fish are biting.

Pond bream are great for young anglers because techniques are simple and the action is fast. In saltwater, seatrout and whiting provide the same kind of action that keeps their attention.

For the first few outings, leave the boat

• Be Patient: Don’t plan on fishing yourself.

The adult’s job is to cast and untangle lines, bait hooks, unhook fish and avoid being hooked.

• Take Snacks: The most important items in the tackle box are snacks and juice boxes.

• Don’t Push It: If your kids would rather throw rocks, let them.

• Their Gear: Children love stuff that is theirs. Get a small tackle box for them to carry. Load it with a small pair of pliers and a few inexpensive lures.

• Lures: Some kids just want to throw it out and reel it in. Small inline spinners and some jigs are designed to catch anything that swims, and there’s no wrong way to fish them.

• Let Them Learn: Nothing is more aggravating than being constantly told what to do. Offer help, but let them learn from their own mistakes.

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By Gary Turner

W

e were trolling along under blue skies when the back right rod started bleeding line. It was a good fish, whatever it was. But just like that, the line snapped and the fish was gone. We were all pumped after the first bite of the day.

Off West Palm Beach, Stacy Flemming, Jimmy Dean and I had met the bait man early to get some goggle eyes. We were in search of big fish. Mahi, tuna, sailfish and cobia were all on the list.

As we pulled baits, boats began to arrive on the water. There was a Trump boat parade that morning, a Trumptilla, and nearly all of them

came out to fish. It got a little crazy, so we decided to move farther out. That was our lucky move.

As soon as we got baits back in the water, a rod started shedding line, not at a furious pace, just leisurely. “He doesn’t even know he’s hooked yet,” said Dean. About that time, line started screaming out of the reel. The fish made a long first run, and as I started to reel down on it, it leapt. It was a nice sailfish!

After what seemed like an hour, the fish started to slow. We maneuvered close, and Dean grabbed its bill and unhooked the 4/0 circle hook.

He revived the fish and let it swim away.

Dean has a saying, “On the boat, all is calm until it’s chaos.”

Oh, how true that is! We were enjoying the sunshine and 100-foot water clarity when we hooked the next fish. Then, all of sudden, we had two. Fleming and Dean grabbed the rods.

I scrambled to clear the lines. Dean’s fish came unbuttoned, but Fleming had a leaper on.

We soon saw why that sailfish was doing its best to stay in the air. A large bull shark had spotted it. The shark was all over our fish!

Regulations say you should leave sailfish in the water, but we had to save this one. As I backed the boat in, Fleming and Dean yanked it in the boat just as the shark made another run at it. Whew, that was exciting! With the shark out of sight, we stood watch as Dean revived and released his fish.

After several more, we called it a day.

The next day, we didn’t see much activity until afternoon. A large shark passed with cobia in tow, but none took our baits. Then we saw diving birds and fish smashing baitfish on the surface. About a minute later, the back-left rod bent hard. Fleming got a hold of it, and that fish was moving. When we finally saw color, it was a tuna.

Fleming reeled as fast as he could, while we watched another big bull shark homing in on the tuna’s trajectory. The shark hit the tuna right above the tail but couldn’t hang on! Injured, the tuna came quickly to the gaff. We had one more hookup from that school of tuna before we decided to drop baits on a wreck to top off the cooler. It was a great couple of days off South Florida.

If you’ve got an extra seat on your boat, contact Gary Turner at gary@purgeright.com.

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JUNE 2020 PUBLISHER: BOB RICE

A FREE PUBLICATION THE ANGLER MAGAZINE IS DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST. THE ANGLER MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY B & B PUBLISHERS P.O. BOX 766 MADISON, GA 30650 706-614-8231 WWW.THEANGLERMAGAZINE.COM REPRODUCTION OF CONTENTS IN ANY FORM IS PROHIBITED BOB RICE, PUBLISHER THE ANGLER MAGAZINE FISHING, BOATING, CONSERVATION “FIND YOUR OUTDOORS HERE”

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: HENRY COWEN DR. ANDREW COX JIMMY HARRIS CAPT. CEFUS MCRAE CHRIS SCALLEY GARY TURNER NOEY VINEYARD O'NEILL WILLIAMS RENE J. HESSE JIMBO MATHLEY JAMES BRADLEY DAVID HULSEY WAYNE WOOTEN JAY STRIKER WAYNE MOORE RYAN KENNEDY DICKLESBY KIM NUNERY CAPT. DAVID HARE GRAPHIC DESIGN: KATHLEEN CARREIRO PHOTO BY JIMMY HARRIS, UNICOI OUTFITTERS

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING IT’S BEEN A WILD AND CRAZY TRIP! Contributed By: Jimmy Harris www.unicoioutfitters.com Unicoi Outfitters, Orvis 2018 Fly Shop of the Year

Guided Fly Fishing and Conventional Tackle Trips for Hybrids, Stripers, and Crappie

Forget the past couple of months.

Let’s look forward to our angling opportunities coming up in June.

Of all years, if you can get out on our trout streams this month, you stand a good chance of finding fish that have been relatively unmolested for quite some time; certainly long enough that they’ve forgotten what pressure from human predators is like. Translated, that means we should have somewhat of the upper hand in the battle of wits with our prey. Let’s look at some options.

Georgia’s higher elevation streams are still cool enough to offer refuge for fish and angler alike.

Some of my most memorable trips have been at this time of year. We’re talking dry fly fishing and noontime naps on a mossy creek bank.

Life can’t get much better. Nothing complicated; just a few dry flies like Parachute Adams, Elk Hair Caddis in brown, green or grey, or Light Cahills. And don’t forget to have some small soft hackles to drop off your dry fly just in case they want to chase a meal rather than sip it in.

Let it swing at the end of each drift and don’t have your rod tip pointed directly at the fly; a good fish will

Booking now, novice or experienced anglers. On the water instruction, top of the line fly gear!

Mix it up with light spinning tackle as well for a great combo trip!

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break you off on the strike if you don’t have some bend in your rod to cushion the take.

Later in the month, we’ll be seeing more and more terrestrials around the streams, so keep patterns like ants, beetles and inch worms handy. A deadly fly in early summer is a drowned ant. Simply drop one off your dry fly and you’re in business.

Early mornings and dark-thirty evenings are always going to be the best times to be fishing in June, so plan accordingly so you can optimize your trip by being on the water at the best times. Besides, as mentioned earlier, the middle of the day is for napping.

If you can’t get to the mountains, the warm water fly fishing choices are everywhere in June. Everyone knows we’re fanatics about river bass and stripers in early summer, but farm ponds can provide some of the most enjoyable fishing you can imagine. A 5 wt. and bream bugs are a hard combination to beat.

Stop in our shop when you’re in the area and we’ll be more than happy to steer you toward the best water.

LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING JUNE FLY FISHING REPORT

Contributed By: Henry Cowen www.henrycowenflyfishing.com May gave anglers a bit of a chill in the first 10 days. Based on that, I’d say you MIGHT still be able to catch a striper on Lanier or any of the deeper North GA mountain lakes in early June. If so, try tossing a popper early in the morning just after first light on points. You might even check around sea walls for a herring spawn too if your lake has blueback herring in them.

For those wanting to pursue Lanier’s stripers in June, the south end will certainly be the area to concentrate on. Sinking lines will certainly be your best choice once the sun gets up. Low light can still get you a few bites tossing a Pole Dancer fly on a floating line or launching Super Spooks and Redfins on conventional tackle. After the sun gets above the tree line, it is time to start looking in the river channel off of long tapered points that kind of butt up to the deep water.

June is also the BEST month for topwater spotted bass on Lanier. Go to any point during low light and toss any topwater fly like a Gurgler, Flat Fred or Crease fly and enjoy one of the Lanier’s feistiest combatants. If you happen to see some topwater activity, then toss your fly or lure into the melee. This is just perfect for a six or seven weight outfit, and this bite will continue throughout the entire summer.

Another place to target these fish are on humps that are between

20-25 feet below the surface. If you own a Humminbird depth finder along with their Lake Master chart, you can pre-set your machine to find all the humps Lanier has to offer (contour highlighting). It is the BEST asset for anglers to help locate the humps that the bass acclimate to.

North GA anglers can also look to June for three things: Allatoona topwater hybrids, Chattahoochee River striped bass and Hooch carp.

If the weather reports are for fairly light winds and overcast skies, anglers need to head up to Lake Allatoona. The hybrids might be knocking bait up on the surface in gigantic schools! This usually occurs both at first and last light and especially on the new and full moon phase periods. Anglers need to bring an intermediate fly line and a small 1 ½” to 2” long fly for best results. I am particularly fond of my Albie Anchovy fly for this fishing or a Somethin’ Else as a second option.

Conventional anglers can fish the same fly by affixing it to a popping cork rig or using a casting bubble filled with water on their spinning rods.

Anglers can also start fishing the Hooch for either striped bass below Morgan Falls Dam or carp above Morgan Falls Dam. Both of these fisheries will be fired up by the time you read this report. River stripers always seem to feed best when

the water level in the river is coming down. If you can plan your trip accordingly, finding them is not all that hard.

Carp fishing should be fished to during daylight hours when the sun is shining high for best visibility. Small crayfish patterns as well as damselfly nymphs are going to be your flies of choice. With all the

rain we’ve had the past 6 months, it is nearly a certainty that the Corp of Engineers will be releasing water all June and July which allows the carp to come up and onto the flats.

June is one of the best months to fish here in North GA as anglers have many choices. I hope everyone will get out and continue to SOCIAL DISTANCE and give it a try.

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JUNE 2020

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING OCONEE ON THE FLY-JUNE FORECAST

JUNE 14TH, MY BEST DAY ON THE WATER TWO YEARS RUNNING! Contributed By Capt. Wayne Moore USCG www.oconeeonthefly.com I am on the water here at Lake Oconee a lot, and as I look back at my trips for the last two years, my best day was June 14th. Let’s think about the trips and why.

On June 14th, 2018, I had the great pleasure of joining fellow guide, Jimmy Holmes, taking out a special young man, Coulter Hnatt, and his dad on Jimmy’s boat. The trip was arranged by the Outdoor Dream Foundation: (http://outdoordream.org).They grant outdoor adventures to children who have been diagnosed with a serious illness.

Coulter landed 20 hybrids before 9:30 am. He caught them on popping corks and down-lined live shad. Coulter has since moved on to his heavenly home. I will be forever grateful to Jimmy for giving me the opportunity to join him on this trip.

Please consider donating to this very worthy cause!

Last year on June 14th, I got to take Mr. Perry Boone and his grandsons out. One of the boys (I believe he was 5 years old) caught an 8-pound plus hybrid. While he was reeling it up, both Perry and the other grandson landed hybrids that were 7-pounds plus.

So, very special circumstances, and in looking at it, the moon phase was right. June 14th, 2018 was one day after the new moon. June 14th, 2019 was three days before the full

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JUNE 2020

moon.

The venerable guide Henry Cowen says to fish 3 days before or after the full and the new moon. It has proved to be true! Now, more about June on Oconee: Hybrids/Stripers – In early June at first light, there will be surface feeding activity. Use popping corks, Sassy Shads, and if you fly fish, a Wiggle Minnow. When the sun comes up, switch of to jigging spoons in deeper water. Use a War Eagle 7/8-ounce spoon.

In late June, break out that umbrella rig and fish humps near the dam. If you head out around 3:30 PM and it is hot, Georgia Power will likely be pulling water. If they are, your odds of having a great day are good!

Crappie – In the first few weeks in June, the guides who specialize in crappie fishing trolling long lines, Jody Stephens and Kevin Alexander, will be loading the boat trolling over submerged timber. However, others like Doug Nelms, will be fishing over submerged brush piles.

This technique was first pioneered here by Oconee Al Bassett. To do this, you need good electronics and a trolling motor with spot lock, and in my opinion, a lot of skill. Your guide will take care of that, and as the angler, you just reel in the fish!

Final Words – I mention the other guides because I have learned

so much from all of them. On my trips I offer fly fishing and casting lessons, conventional tackle for striper and hybrid fishing, and crappie fishing. Email me at wmoore1700 @outlook.com

or call 404-317-9556 and lock in your dates. All the guides here on Lake Oconee stay booked out well into the future, and for some reason during the COVID19 era, we are busier than ever.

CHATTOOGA RIVER

Cooler than normal temperatures in the middle of May cooled the waters down to near March temperatures. In receiving rain every three to five days and the cooler temperatures, fishing has been great and looks to continue. We always welcome cooler than average temperatures to keep the waters as cool as possible for the trout populations here. Plenty of rain also has the benefit of keeping the river levels adequate for trout survival during the high sunlit hours of the day. The cooler temperatures also extend the bugs hatching in the rivers as well.

Hatches have been great at times providing some good dry fly fishing.

In the earlier parts of the morning, the use of nymphs and emergers will be the key to success. As the waters start to warm, the fish will start looking for cooler waters in the deeper pockets and pools of the rivers. The use of a pinch of split shot may be necessary, or the use of a heavier nymph with a trailing smaller nymph will do the trick.

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If nymph fishing is a little slow, the streamer bite has been very good. Casting upstream and mending the line so the streamer will fall further in the water column is the key. After the fly has reached the desired destination of the drift, a slower strip and pause technique will work. The rivers are loaded right now with many shiners and small baitfish.

As the water temperatures rise and we leave the trout alone for survival, red-eye bass and panfish is where we go on the river.

The red-eye bass are bedding as well as the panfish, and the bite is starting to turn on. With the water temperatures warming, this can provide a great day of fishing while wet wading and enjoying the summer sun.

We carry a full line of flies to help you have a successful day on the water. If you are not sure where to find these fine fish or what to fish with, let us take you out on a guided trip to show how much fun topwater action can be on our beautiful rivers. We hope to see everyone out on the rivers, and let’s remember, “Leave No Trace” makes the rivers a better place for everyone!

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING THE CASTING CORNER

JUNE FLY FISHING

Contributed By: Rene J. Hesse Certified Casting InstructorFederation of Fly Fishers & Atlanta Fly Fishing and Camping Meetup Organizer

Contributed by David Hulsey International Federation of Fly Fishers Master Certified Casting Instructor http://www.hulseyflyfishing.com 770-639-4001

CASTING THE BASS LINES

Fly lines are all very different, and the way we cast them needs to change with each line. Getting to know the line you have will make a big difference in your casts. With bass season ramping up, there are a few tips on casting the ‘bass line’. However, many of the things we will be talking about apply to almost every line. If you are not yet, get used to feeling the thickness of the line as it passes through your fingers. This feeling is the clue that will help you maximize the line control and casts.

If we are casting 20-30 feet of line, there isn’t much to think about other than forming good loops. What I want to focus on is the cast that needs to reach a long way in the 40-70 foot range. Covering a point, or shooting line to a school of feeding bass may require some long casts. That is usually when the cast breaks down, and I am guilty of that.

I have a place on a lake that has a long point, and it holds fish most of the year. In the May and June months, there are schools of bass that pop up chasing shad. That is so exciting to be around, but the fish are usu-

ally 60+ feet away. That is a long cast with a big popping bug, so I get the line speed up, hauling and false casting, shooting line in front and back and then here is the fatal error: I make one more false cast in the back. Why do you think that would matter?

Let’s get back to the line. The bass line is a weight forward line, so it is thick at the end by the fly and just behind that line is the rear taper and then running line. The skinny running line that starts at about the 35 foot mark will not turn over the thick line. So here is what I am doing wrong. I am trying to carry too much line. When I remember to reduce my false casts and focus more on good loops and hauling, it all comes together.

So here is the tip. Try to get a few good loops going with good tension on the hauls and then shoot the line sooner in the sequence. I have to remind myself not to do the last ‘superduper’ line shooting back cast.

If you get out and do some fishing and feel the line go from thick to skinny, you better get that cast off soon.

So here is the tip. Try to get a few good loops going with good tension on the hauls and then shoot the line sooner in the sequence.

6 ATLANTA

JUNE 2020

The month of June here in the Southern Appalachians is about as good as the dry fly fishing gets in our little corner of trout world. Since March, our trout populations have seen every type of bug float by and overhead that we have here. They are tuned into eating on top about as good as they are subsurface munching. Big flies, small flies, Caddis flies, Mayflies and even a few terrestrials are starting to show up regularly on the topwater menu.

In fast water riffles and runs, a high riding Royal Wulff or Yellow Stimulator will draw a few slashy strikes. Don’t be shy on the size of the fly. A size 12 is just fine and very visible in the early morning or late evening light. Calm pools may require a more realistic or smaller pattern. Parachute Adams or Parachute Sulpher Mayfly patterns in a 14 or 16 will do the deed under normal conditions.

Food is as abundant as it gets down here at this time of year, so occasionally you’ll have to match the hatch a little closer at times. No problem, that’s the fun part of fly fishing “breaking the code”. Grasshoppers, beetles, ants and other land loving bugs aren’t too good in the agility category, so imitations of

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these and more will work very well under overhanging limbs or bushes during an early summer outing. I catch some of my largest trout of the year on these crunchy bugs. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, so almost any well tied pattern should work.

Leaders for dry fly fishing in small streams need not be long. A 7 1/2 foot 5x is usually about all you’ll need. Big pools or low water might require a 9 footer, but you don’t have to get too crazy. I prefer accuracy and proper drag-free floats to fly selection any day. Short 6 ½’ or 7 foot fly rods in a two or three weight will do just about anything you need on our small wild streams. An eight foot four weight gets about everything else done.

Nice warm weather brings out lots of other things too. Yellow jackets, hornets, rattlesnakes and copperheads all like the warmer temps and can ruin your day really fast.

Keep an eye on the ground in front of you and to the side of the trails for these critters and in the bushes above the creek. Other than sticking your head in a hornet’s nest, nothing is worse than maybe not taking advantage of some of the best dry fly fishing of the year!

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ATLANTA 7

LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING THE GUIDES ANGLE RELEASE THE HOUNDS!

Contributed By: Chris Scalley River Through Atlanta Guide Service

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING

G WHAT TO DO AROUND BLUE RIDGE AND ELLIJAY - FLY FISH!

Contributed by James Bradley Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide www.ReelEmInGuideService.com (706) 273-0764 As I sit hear reminiscing about what I was doing last year around this time, fly fishing came to mind.

Yes, this is basically what we do and think about 365 days a year. But what are other people doing this time of year? Many are going about their workdays, some are shopping for maybe a new car or even a home, but for a lot of folks, it’s vacation time!

My love for fly fishing has never ceased since the first time I was invited out by a friend and had a beautiful little 6” rainbow come to the surface to take my fly! The natural settings on a mountain stream can be amazing, like the cascading water as it goes by, the chirps of the different birds, squirrels jumping around, and yes, even a possible black bear sighting. It’s astonishing at how “intune” a person can become when out in nature. For many, the stresses of life simply disappear!

We are about to be heading into our 20th year guiding, and it’s been an amazing ride thus far! Starting out as a one-man guide, we have grown to now having over sixteen guides to call for our trips. We’ve grown from a wade-trip-only guide service to now having up to five drift boats on the water at once. Today, we take thousands of people each year fly fishing.

We have led much of the way here in North Georgia as far as a fly fishing goes. We find it amusing to see others use business antics

to copy what we do and provide.

Over the years, many guides, guide services and fly shops have come and gone. We have seen fascinating changes in the products we use like wading gear and rods. We have also faced many challenges with markets and even the COVID-19 which still lingers, but we are still here. Our guides are stoked and ready more than ever to take you on a wonderful trip into our mountains for a day of fly fishing!

If you are a first timer wanting to learn to fly fish, we have several instructors who have been schooled in the art of teaching fly fishing. The best way to learn is to spend time with those of us who are professional full-time guides. If you are new to the area and do not know where to go, give us a call for info over the phone. If big water is intimidating to you, or if the Toccoa River DH section is too rough for you to wade, we float the Toccoa with drift boats.

Give us a call and we’ll hook you up!

Reel Em In Guide Service is an Orvis Endorsed operation serving mainly in North Georgia’s Historic High-Country region. They have been offering their services to fly anglers since 2001. Permits have been granted for guiding in Georgia and North Carolina, offering over 6 miles of private trophy waters across Georgia and operating drift boat trips on the Chattahoochee and Toccoa Rivers in GA and the Tuckasegee River in NC.

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ATLANTA 9

LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST MOVING TO POST-SPAWN TECHNIQUES

By Tim Danger ltdangar@tds.net

Lake Allatoona has somewhat stabilized as far as water level, but it’s still a roller coaster when it comes to water temps.

Here we are in the middle of May, and we are still seeing night temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s. We have also struggled to string together three consecutive days of 80 or above temps.

I caught my last limit of shallow water spawning crappie on April 21st, which is a week or two later than normal. After spawn occurs, the fish will somewhat scatter out and feed on small minnows and shad wherever they can find them.

After spawn, I turn my attention to bow fishing and bedding shellcracker and get back to the crappie

EST.

after they have settled into their summer home around the middle of June. As we mentioned earlier, fluctuating water temps have been a big issue to deal with in my pursuit of bedding shellcracker and big carp with a bow. We did find some shellcracker on May 4th, and my three grandsons kept 86 of the big ones.

I may note here: temps dropped into the low 40s for a couple of nights, and the fish went deep. Will they return? I’ll let you know next month. Until then, stay calm and fish on!

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST JACKSON LAKE

LAKE LANIER STRIPERS Forecast By: Steve Scott http://TeamLanier.wordpress.com/menu June weather should be optimal for catching stripers as the surface temperatures will be heating up into the low eighties soon. As always, be wary of the temperature differences whether you are in the main lake or in the back of a creek. This could determine your catching success.

When you are catching, take note of the temperature and look for similar temperatures with similar patterns.

Occasionally, I have mentioned patterns in my reports. What exactly do I mean? If you’ve heard about where some stripers were being caught, whether it was at the bait shop or from someone you trust, all you need to know is what characteristics makes that area unique. For instance, in front of Shady Grove, about 50-100’ from the shore of the rip-rap is a considerable drop-off to about 90-100 feet. A comparable area would be on the Six

Mile Creek side of the Three Sisters Island approximately 75-100 feet from the shoreline. There is a drop off to 100 feet running parallel to the shore.

In the case of underwater humps, there are three to four humps in front of the Tidwell ramp in the mouth of Young Deer Creek, 12 to 30 feet deep and can be compared to the humps on the west side of the Beaver at C1.

These humps are basically at the same depths and are also close to the main channel, whether it is in the main lake or in a main river. These are patterns, and they tell you what other areas of the lake you will likely find the stripers.

Tip of the month: check your bait often in the June heat. Take along some ice. Watch the bait tank water temperature closely. Blueback herring require 50-65° to remain healthy. Dropping a bait from a 65° tank temperature into an 85° surface temperature will also be a major shock to the live bait. Try to get the bait down below the surface as quickly as possible.

By Brian Lee leebrian16 @yahoo.com Water temperature: high 60’s-low 70’s, lake level: full pool, clarity: clear.

The spawn is over and the bass are making their way to their summer hideouts. The dog days of summer have officially arrived. Morning topwater bites will be fast and furious as the bass will be eating before the sun gets high and bright. Run

and gun as many spots as possible putting most productive areas at the top of the list. Once it gets hot, it’s going to be a grind to get bit.

Mid-day, try deep brush piles, humps or ledges for an active fish to bite. Evening fishing will be tough at first with a little bit better success as the sun sets and begins to cool down a bit. Topwater will catch a few fish, but soft plastics around any cover would be a top choice.

Go early and be ready to fly by the seat of your pants, because it will be over before you know it.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE ALLATOONA Forecast By: Capt. Robert Eidson First Bite Guide Service 770-827-6282 eidson6260@att.net www.firstbiteguideservice.com Linesides fishing is good! The spawn run is almost over. Most of the fish are back on the main lake and are starting to set up on a summer pattern. Big schools of hybrids can be found anywhere from the S-turns to as far south as Tanyard Creek. The downrod bite is the most productive

bite going on the lake right now.

Fishing live shad at depths from 20 - 30 feet is producing for our boats from one end of the lake to the other. Our bait of choice has been big threadfins with small gizzards running a close second. These fish can be found on your electronics on or around most points, humps and flats. Good electronics can be a big help during the summer months.

Summertime is awesome for numbers on Lake Allatoona. Give us a call at 770-827-6282 and let’s take the kids fishing.

LAKE HARTWELL

By Preston Harden Bucktail Guide Service www.bucktailguideservice.com (706) 255-5622 Water temperature: low 70s, lake level: full pool.

June is a great month to catch fish on Lake Hartwell. Most fish are hungry after their spring spawn.

The stripers and hybrids will eat a properly presented blueback herring every time. The key is to follow the fish migration.

Most fish transition to deeper water in June. Stripers and hybrids start to gang up at 20 to 30 feet deep. Early morning is prime feeding time.

Early in June, most stripers and hybrids are up the lake and in the major creeks. By mid to late month, the thermocline starts to form in the upper lake and major creeks.

The stripers and hybrids start to migrate to the lower lake where they stay all summer. If you prefer artificials, spoons, big swimbaits and Alabama rigs can produce. I always have a topwater plug ready for surface activity.

Bass do not migrate far.

Some will stay shallow all summer, especially under boat docks. Most bass will move out to brush piles and other structure 15 to 30 feet 12 ATLANTA

JUNE 2020

deep. Most points, humps, and shoals have brush piles planted by fishermen over the years. If you put your own brush piles out, fish will move to them quickly. Anchor brush with a cinder block and a plastic jug in the top to keep it standing. Chances are that few fishermen will find it quickly.

Crappie and catfish also move out to deeper water. Their migration is similar to bass as they migrate out to 20 to 30 feet deep.

Crappie, like bass, like to hang around brush piles, especially where there is shade.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST JUNE ON LANIER – OFFSHORE TOPWATER! Contributed By: Jim “Jimbo” Mathley www.jimboonlanier.com

It is hard to beat the topwater bite in June on Lake Lanier. Spotted bass chasing a topwater bait in wolfpacks is about the most fun you can have.

In this month’s installment, we will review the different options to take advantage of the incredible topwater fishing on Lake Lanier in June.

Location: In June, most of the spotted bass have completed the spawn, and have transitioned into replenish mode. Post-spawn, many fish can be found on key structure such as long running points and humps. Locating these areas and the man-made cover that is often found on them be important to your success. Please contact me directly if you are interested in purchasing Waypoints of these key brush piles.

Lures and Presentation: Let’s examine some of the techniques and lures that can be used to catch these fish in June.

Topwater – There are many bait choices in the topwater category – poppers, walkers, wakers, etc.

Excellent topwater baits for Lake Lanier include: Lucky Craft Sammy, Heddon Zara Spook, Storm ChugBug, and a Cotton Cordell Redfin.

These lures as well as all the rods and reels you will need to present them can be purchased at local tackle shops such as Hammond’s Fishing in Cumming, GA. Make sure to check out those G Loomis rods and Shimano reels - truly world class tackle!

1. Swimbait – Swimbaits offer

great versatility as they can be fished at any depth you wish. As far as the mechanical type swimbaits, my favorite is the brand new Sweet Herring Jr. from the Sweet Bait Company. Solid design along with acute attention to detail make this bait the top of its class. Vary your retrieve speed and depth with this bait until you find the retrieve for which the fish are searching.

2. Super Spin from Super Fish – When the topwater/swimbait bite is tough, pick up your SuperSpin and go to work. Fish the bait over and around brush for your best success, especially when the sun is out. The SuperSpin offers the perfect solution for the finicky fish that won’t come up.

3. Worm and Jig – When the topwater/swimbait action slows, and you see fish in the brush on your Lowrance, try the worm and jig. I like the Lanier Baits shaky heads and worm combinations. As far as jigs go, I prefer Georgia Jigs.

Different sizes, shapes and colors presented appropriately can make a big difference on certain days.

Tackle: For topwater action, you should utilize either a medium to medium-heavy bait-casting or spin-casting outfit, rigged with 12 to 17-pound Seaguar monofilament line. As far as choosing a rig for fishing these topwater baits, consider the weight of the bait as your deciding factor. Lighter poppers and smaller walking baits are often

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JUNE 2020

better presented on spinning gear. For swimbaits, I like to present the larger, heavier, mechanical type swimbaits on a heavy action rod that is at least 7 feet long, and I will utilize 20-pound test monofilament or Seaguar Fluorocarbon line. My big swimbait rod is a G-Loomis Swimbait Rod which is perfectly matched for these baits. For other soft and hard swimbait options, you can scale back to a medium-heavy rod, but I recommend keeping the length at 7 feet or more. G-Loomis also offers some outstanding topwater rods from which to choose. Check out the options at Gloomis.com.

Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy some of the best fishing on Lake Lanier during the month of June. I still have some dates available in late June, so call me or drop me a line to experience some of this incredible topwater action!

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MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION IS NOT EASY Contributed By: Jay Striker www.jaystriker.com Working on my tackle one night before a tournament, I struggled with trying to make one of the most important choices I would have to make in less than 7 hours. That decision was which area do I fish first.

Which way do I make the turn at blast off? Do I go up lake or down lake? I had to make a choice that could cost me valuable time, points, and money if I didn’t make the right choice. Many anglers face this decision more often than not. Let’s look at things you can do to make the decision a little less stressful such as mental awareness, practice efficiency and weather conditions.

Mental Awareness: Being in the right frame of mind when the competition starts is a primary key to being successful. I can remember times when I could not sleep due to the unnecessary pressure I had placed on myself to go out and catch fish.

Soon, I realized that it was not the

fishing that was applying the pressure, it was me. You have to learn to get out of your head and and be able to do it quickly. If not, you will do this thing we call “spinning out” before you even get to your first spot.

Stay focused on the task at hand.

Realize that Mother Nature is still in control. Relax, stick with your game plan, and fish. Identify when you are about to “spin-out” and calm down and fish.

Practice Efficiency: Another way that helps you make the right choice is to evaluate how you did in practice.

Ask yourself what areas of the lake you felt most comfortable at and in the zone. If I can identify in practice where all the elements were present, and I could really fish my strengths and do it cleanly, then that’s where I’m heading first every time. Practice areas that you felt good in is where you want to be. Your decision in what direction to go is much easier

at that time.

Weather Conditions: More often than not, the weather will play a role in determining your decision first thing in the morning. As mentioned before, we can not control Mother Nature. We can only adjust to it. Knowing what the conditions will be the day of the event will help ensure that you can safely travel to your destination and get back. If not, then it’s best to move on to some alternate areas. Weather conditions will always play a role in where you go and how long it will take you to get there and back. Always have a back-up plan, so that if your immediate decision is not available, you will have an alternate choice waiting.

If you are that angler who strug-

gles with what decision you plan on making in the morning to be successful on the lake, follow this plan.

First, get out of your head and focus on the task at hand. Remember what areas you were most efficient in during practice and look at the changing weather conditions. All these will help you make the best choices on the most challenging decision in the morning come tournament time. Making decisions is one thing, but making the right decisions is everything.

Thanks so much for all the feedback you guys provide on my articles.Thanks for following me on Instagram at JayStriker.52 or head over to www.jaystriker.com. Stay safe .

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST WEST POINT LAKE

LAKE MARTIN Provided By: David Hare Alex City Guide Service 256-401-3089 Water temperature: 71 degrees, lake level: 490.5, clarity: clear.

May has been an awesome month to be fishing Lake Martin. More days than not, we have been slaying the stripers. We are loving early morning trips along with good fishing and beautiful weather finally. Oh how good it is to not be quarantined at home. Hopefully, we are starting to get back to some normal times, or as normal as we will have for a while.

June should be some really good night fishing (which we no longer offer due to too many boaters out at night in summer). If you have a dock or a friend with a dock, get out there on it and take some crappie minnows and catch a mess of Lake Martin crappies.

As for stripers, we will be approaching them with live herring, live shad and some artificial topwater lures. We also will be doing a lot of trolling with our Scotty Electric D ownr ig gers.

I personally like to fish the deeper, clearer and cooler parts

of the lake in June. Look for your stripers to be in areas that you are seeing a lot of bait on your electronics. Your electronics are very critical always, but especially in June. My favorite (and it’s what we all use) is Hummingbird. It’s pretty user friendly and some of the clearest readings you’ll find in the industry.

Until next time, stay safe and catch some for me !

Water temps are in the 80’s over most of the lake. Water is very clear and a couple of feet down.

Bass: Fair - Early in the month, topwater baits such as Pop R’s, Zara Spooks and buzzbaits can be effective for shallow and aggressive fish, especially around bream beds. Some big tournament sacks of largemouth are still being weighed in by guys who sight fish, targeting bass that are around these bream beds. Also, you can try fishing rip-rap around bridges with spinnerbaits, small crankbaits and shaky head rigs and the shallow grass and cover north of 219 bridge with popping frogs. Later in the month, some fish should start showing up on deeper brush piles and road beds. Try deep crankbaits or Texas rigged Ol Monster worms.

Some spotted bass are being caught

by casting Spot Remover heads loaded with Shaky Tail worms or just dragging a Carolina-rigged Zoom finesse worm or mini lizard around sloping gravel banks.

Linesides: Excellent - Spawned out hybrids and stripes showed back up down lake in good numbers. Expect the down-line bite on live bait to be awesome! Some fish starting surface schooling on the main lake and can be caught on small crankbaits, topwaters, pop-n-cork rigs and Storm Swim Shad lures.

Crappie: Good - Spawned out fish will typically move out and hold on deeper brush and structure or under docks. Try drop-shotting minnows or shooting docks for the best results.

Night fishing is usually good in June.

Catfish: Good - Lots of channel cat are being caught by the few anglers that target them. Live and cut baits fished on bottom will catch cats all over the lake as long as fairly deep water is nearby. Jug fishing is also fun and productive.

Competitively priced full-day fishing charters for all levels of experience, equipment, bait, tackle and fish cleaning provided.

Fish from the most comfortable, safe and stable boat on the lake.

Little River Guide Service is a three boat operation targeting stripers and hybrid bass on Clarks Hill Lake.

Capt Tony Shepherd and Capt Rocky Fulmer.

(706) 210- 3474

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JUNE 2020

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST CLARKS HILL LAKE

by Capt Tony Shepherd and Capt Rocky Fulmer Little River Guide Service lrguideservice@gmail.com (706) 210-3474

Summer fishing on Clarks Hill (Lake Thurmond) for stripers and hybrids is truly special. We are blessed to have such a terrific resource to enjoy. The month of June typically ushers in our summer downrod bite. The action is fast and furious throughout the main river section of the lake as post-spawn fish turn their attention to packing on pounds. They will gather in large numbers and aggressively attack schools of blueback herring. The best presentation will be a lively herring on a downrod. This will consist of a 1 to 2 ounce weight above a swivel and a 3 to 4 foot fluorocarbon leader with a properly matched hook for the size of baitfish prevalent.

The typical June surface temperatures will have driven both the bait and fish to a comfort zone of roughly 20 to 35 feet deep, and if you set up on the right hump, you can be rewarded with non-stop action well into the morning. The kids are home and out of school, and what better way to reward them than making memories on the

lake with unforgettable, non-stop action.

Visit our website www. littleriverguideservice.net, then give us a call to reserve your awesome adventure. No experience required and no equipment required. You only need to bring snacks, drinks and a freshwater fishing license. We look forward to spending a day on the water with you.

CARTERS LAKE Forecast By: Eric Crowley Lake & Stream Guide Service (706) 669-4973

lakeandstreamguideservice@gmail.com

Water temperature: 74 degrees, lake level: full, clarity: 4 feet.

Summer is cranking up and the bite has been amazing. Striped and spotted bass are feeding and moving. These two conditions combined are a wonderful thing. The fish are moving in and out of the main creeks in the morning chasing bait.

We have been having the best luck over a 30 to 40 foot bottom fishing live bait on flat lines and down lines. A good variety of depths will put more fish in the boat. I’m using my standard 6 to 8 foot leader of fluorocarbon in 17-pound test and 2 to 3/0 hooks. By mid-morning, we switch over and start fishing cover for spotted bass. Any cover with bait nearby has been awesome.

The walleye have been shy since pulling out of the river, but we will switch over to the night bite for them here shortly.

SCRATCH THE BOAT/LOAD THE KAYAK

Contributed By: William Reed Nucanoe National Pro Staff Writer Will@nucanoe.com IG: @wde_will With the right gear selection, fishing becomes catching and frustration becomes happiness. Accessibility of fishing kayaks as well as river access are changing by the day. Most who venture out know how to fish and what to expect before the line ever hits the water. The goal of this article is to entice the reader to think outside of the box to gain access to new methods of fishing. This article is directed toward river fishing, but the principles can be applied to any size body of water.

Most reading this grew up fishing, and we all have stories of our past trials and tribulations. Growing up in North Georgia, I was no exception. I’ve seen my fair share of getting stuck on rocks and being thrown from a canoe. My first guided experience in a drift boat at age 17 was making our way down the Toccoa River. From that point on, my views of fishing were changed forever. Naturally, my desire for my very own drift boat came to a screeching halt as I soon realized I certainly was not financially prepared at my tender young age. Like many others, I was left fishing from what I had or merely wade fishing from the limited public access spots.

Fast forward 14 years and I have discovered the ultimate satisfaction of accomplishing something by myself. By adding some trial and error to proper methods and selection of equipment, it’s possible to get on the water, rigged and a line out in less than five minutes.

The key component: the kayak!

Why you might ask? When I get to my perfect spot, I’m able to stand while sight fishing the trout

surrounding me. We can all agree that sight casting a colorful rainbow or speckled brown is hard to beat. Gone are the days of a dedicated drift boat being my only option to providing the stability to stand to make that perfect cast. In a drift boat, the captain holds the boat in place while the angler presents the bait or lure for the hungry fish. While it can be done solo from a drift boat, it isn’t easy. A kayak, however, is most certainly the easiest.

My preferred kayak is a Nucanoe. As a member of their national team, I fish out of this brand daily. The Frontier 12, my model of choice, is 41 inches wide, 12 feet long and presents with a flat bottom for minimal draft. It’s open deck design makes it a prime candidate for fly fishing due to its lack of intrusive elements that would otherwise catch and tangle my line.

Being 6’3” and 240 pounds, it’s stable enough for me to walk around and maneuver with ease as well as reach stowed gear.

Many kayak brands are designed with stability and fly fishing as their focus. For river fishing, Nucanoe sets the trend. Other brands have quickly followed their lead creating kayaks with fly fishing in mind. Jackson Kayaks now has their fly fishing version, the “Mayfly”, while Perception Kayaks has released the “Outlaw”. Both are similar to Nucanoe, however, my recommendation is always “try before you buy”. As with any gear selection, kayaks are no exception when ensuring a perfect fit for your needs, safety and enjoyment.

So grab your paddle, your rod, and some grit and get on the water.

We have been having the best luck over a 30 to 40 foot bottom fishing live bait on flat lines and down lines.

Photo by Laurie Sizemore, lj.imageryIG: @ laurie_Darlin_ 22 ATLANTA

JUNE 2020

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE SEMINOLE venture this June for bass or shellcracker, email us at lakeseminolefishingadventures@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @lakeseminolefishingadven The bass fishing on Lake Semi- tures nole in May was excellent. Looking forward to June, the bass fishing should continue to be excellent because the bass will be in full postspawn mode and will be feeding up for the summer.

Topwater fishing in June is off the chain when the conditions are right. Make sure to bring your topwater baits like hollow belly frogs and buzzbaits. These baits are productive because they simulate the baitfish that the bass are feeding on like bluegill and shad. One of my favorite hollow belly frogs is a Spro Bronze-eye Popping Frog. These frogs are made with very strong Gamakatsu hooks that are strong enough to get the big bass out of the cover that they use.

Shellcracker and bream will continue bedding through June. We’ve seen lots of limits being caught on worms and crickets.

For a Lake Seminole Fishing Ad-

Forecast By:

by Capt. Paul Tyre paultyrefishing@yahoo.com

15544 Hwy, 515, Ellijay

LAKE CHATUGE Eric Welch Welch’s Guide Service www.welchsguideservice. com 706-455-2323

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JUNE 2020

Water temperature: 62-63 degrees, clarity: clear, lake level: full pool.

We’ve actually been having a real spring. The lake is at full pool and water temps have been staying almost at the mid-60s due to the cool nights we’ve been having.

I’ve been targeting spawning areas like long points, pebble rocky flats and around rocky banks for spotted bass. The lures that I’m using are 3.5” tubes, Z-man trd, dropshot and a Strike King 3.25” swimbait. I’m working these lures slowly through the spawning areas.

Largemouth have been spawning around brush and in the backs of pockets, but by the end of the

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month the spawning should be over. The fish will be ready to do some eating to gain the weight back they lost during the spawn.

That means time for topwater, and I will be throwing a Whopper Plopper, Sexy Dawg or a Cain Thumper around the edge of docks and long points, rocky bank lines and long points. I will also be throwing a fluke and trick worm around docks and brush.

We guide on 8 different lakes, so if you’re looking for some great fishing, give Welch’s Guide Service a call.

We’re your #1 guide service, and we’ve been doing this since 2001. Good luck.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LANIER STRIPERS

CHATUGE HYBRID By: Shane Goebel Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service & The Angler Magazine Fishing Team www.bigolfish.com 828-361-2021, 1-844-4-ANGLER For us, the most exciting trips of the year begin in June when summer fishing really gets fired up. With warmer water temps, the hybrids and bass really school up, which means we are able to load the boat with 30 to 50 hybrids a morning. It’s not uncommon to do that in less than a couple hours too.

These hybrids are Lake Chatuge’s hardest fighting fish and we can definitely put you on some.

Currently, Lake Chatuge is at full pool. Water temps are in the mid70s, and water is clear throughout the lake.

Hybrid fishing is great as the fish are schooling in large numbers, and we are catching some big quantities.

Most of our hybrids are averaging 6-10 pounds. The early morning bite has been prime. Look for schools of fish off shallow humps along the main channel, clay banks, and off points. Downlining live blueback herring has been the best technique. Search out your areas and watch your electronics. When you mark fish, drop your lines. Fish will be slightly shallower in the early morning hours and will move to deeper water by mid-morning.

Topwater bite remains very good as well. When these fish start busting on bait, it’s always a good idea to have a Spook, or Redfin at the ready.

Spotted bass fishing remains

Forecast by: Clay Cunningham www.catchingnotfishing.com 770-630-2673

excellent, too. We are still catching some huge spots throughout the day, and it’s not uncommon to put 30-40 of these feisty fish in the boat in one trip. Early morning topwater bite has been strong. Topwater plugs, Spooks, and jerk baits have worked well. Our downline bite has also been very productive, especially in the midmorning hours. Look for fish to be schooled up on shallow clay banks, humps, and off points. In terms of location, the upper end of the lake has been producing slightly better numbers than the lower end.

June fishing on Lake Chatuge is always exciting. Remember, live bait on this lake can be the difference between a successful day of fishing and a horrid one. For all of your bait and tackle needs, come visit us at Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA. We also carry ethanol-free gas and have some of the best hot, madefrom-scratch biscuits in North GA. Whether you’re a seasoned angler or just starting out, give Chatuge a shot for some of the best spotted bass and hybrids in the area.

Summer has arrived early here on Lake Lanier. The number of pleasure boats has been staggering, and the stripers have already moved to deep water. Water temperature is moving into the 70s, and that means deep water. The downline bite is in full swing, and that means it is a great time to take kids catching fish.

Look for the downline to be the primary tactic in June. The key setup is a Penn Fathom II Linecounter spooled with 15-pound Trilene Big Game line on a Shakespeare 7’ Striper rod. All you need to fish live bait is some Gamakatsu 2/0 Octopus hooks, Trilene 100% Flourocarbon

and Capt. Mack 2 ounce swivel sinkers.

The stripers will be on points most of June, but this year they appear to be moving out to even deeper water sooner than normal.

The primary depth will be 20 to 30 feet deep, but do not be afraid to look in deeper water. Each week, look for the fish to move deeper and move further south. The key to the downline bite is good electronics like the Humminbird Helix and Solix units. You can see the fish take the bait on today’s electronics. Take plenty of herring for bait and ice. Try to fish early and beat the boat traffic.

As a word of caution with the virus, the bathrooms on the lake have been closed. Hopefully, they will open them soon. Take a kid fishing and see you on the water.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST ENJOYING CLOSE TO HOME FISHING DESTINATIONS Dr. Andrew Cox

The summer vacation time period is now beginning. Unfortunately, most children have been home from school for several months due to the Covid 19 pandemic. Many adults have been working from home due to shelter in place governmental orders.

For many families, getting out of the home and spending time outdoors would be a welcome break from the last several months. Accordingly, you could consider shorter family oriented day, overnight, or weekend trips.

With some planning, fishing for the child, adolescent, or adult anglers in your family can be incorporated into these family trips.

Such trips may be an opportunity to introduce children in your family to the joys of fishing and other outdoor activities. Short periods of fishing can be interspersed with other activities that spark children’s attention when planning a family outing

spanning a day or weekend.

When on overnight family outings, some may stay in a hotel or motel. However, this may be a good time to explore and enjoy camping. There are many good camping destinations close to Georgia and Alabama residents. Some of these are close to or have fishing opportunities available for you and your family to sample.

Though more expensive, there are lodges and self-contained outdoor lodging that have outdoor activities to include fishing on their premises.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources manages ten public fishing areas around the state. These waters have good fish populations, a variety of fish species, and good access for the boating or bank angler.

The Department also has excellent written information describing various lakes, rivers, and streams across the state to include access, dominant

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well as other activities that families can enjoy. State government websites are available describing these state parks, facilities, available activities, as well as any costs that may be required. Lastly, you can explore access, activities, and potential overnight lodging available on Georgia Power and Alabama Power reservoirs and properties.

This time of year provides opportunities for you and your family to take a break from your daily routine and enjoy fishing and the outdoors. You may provide opportunities for your family and children to create memories that they will carry with them throughout their lifetime. These activities also help to support local and small businesses that have been hard hit by the Covid 19 pandemic and associated business lockdowns.

Author’s Note: Dr. Andrew Cox is a contributing writer to outdoor publications and newspapers. He is a member of the Georgia Outdoor Writer’s Association. He has been fishing the waters of Georgia, Alabama, and north Florida for over forty years. Dr. Cox financially supports his fishing habits as Professor Emeritus at Troy University, Phenix City, Alabama. He may be contacted at andrewtrout@aol.com.

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fish species, fishing forecasts, and other information of interest to the prospective angler. This information can be accessed via http://georgiawildlife.com/fishing. Make sure to check to ensure that these areas continue to be open to the public and not closed for health reasons.

Other Georgia fishing opportunities are available in the reservoirs constructed for public drinking water. Some of these reservoirs allow fishing and provide boating access, usually without the operation of an outboard engine. I particularly enjoy fishing these drinking water supply reservoirs located in Fayette County, Georgia.

The Alabama Department of Wildlife Resources has a similar website (www.outdooralabama. com). This website provides information describing rivers, streams, reservoirs, and lakes across Alabama. Alabama also maintains twenty-three public fishing lakes.

Some of these are quite large with boating access. These lakes provide excellent fishing success with some located within easy driving distance for Georgia anglers.

Both Georgia and Alabama have an extensive system of state parks and state lands. Many of these have fishing, lodging, camping, as

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE NOTTELY STRIPER

by Dickelsby Dickg@Theanglermagazine.com

By: Shane Goebel Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service & The Angler Magazine Fishing Team www.bigolfish.com 828-361-2021, 1-844-4-ANGLER Summer is finally here! The weather is beautiful, the water is warmer, and the fish are going crazy—it’s the perfect time to hit the lake and catch some amazing fish! What’s the best way to do that? By booking a trip with North Georgia’s #1 striper guide service: Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service.

Lake Nottely is unbelievable for summer striper fishing. There’s nothing like starting your day off with the birds chirping, morning fog lifting and an explosion of stripers slamming all your rods.

It’s not uncommon for us to boat 30-40 fish per trip out here on this serene North Georgia lake.

Currently, Lake Nottely is 2 feet below full pool. Water clarity is clear throughout the lake, and water temps are in the mid-60s.

That right, mid-60s. This has been the coldest most up and down spring ever. fishing remains

Striper excellent. We have been loading the boat with some big fish in good quantities. Several of our fish have been in the 20-35 pound range. The early morning and evening bites are your best times to see action. In the early morning hours, we are still pulling planer boards and free lines with live blueback herring and shad. As the sun comes up in the later morning hours, start to focus on deeper water and switch to down lines.

Target creek mouths and points off the main channel. As the topwater

COME FISH WITH THE ANGLER MAGAZINE STAFF ON LAKES NOTTELY, CHATUGE OR HIWASSEE

bite has also been excellent, keep a Spook or a RedFin at the ready to snag those surface-busting fish.

By mid-month, these fish will really start to school up and we’ll switch to all an all downline bite.

Remember to try to get the fish back into the water as quickly as possible.

June is a fantastic month for catching some monster stripers on this North Georgia lake. Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1 rated guide service put you on some of Lake Nottely’s best trophy fish during the fishing trip of a lifetime. We are Blairsville, GA’s only fulltime guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lake Chatuge, Lake Hiwassee and Lake Blue Ridge.

For all your live bait and tackle needs, check out Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA. They carry everything you need for a successful day of fishing and the best live herring around. So, come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine. Let us help you get your fish on!

You and a fishin’ buddy can sign up to fish with our special guide, Shane Goebel of Big Ol Fish Guiding Service on any of the above lakes and the Publisher and Staff Writer of The Angler Magazine will join you and your Captain to tell the story of your experience along with great catch photos you will want to share with family and friends.

Please email Bob Rice Bobr@ Theanglermagazine.com about your interest and we will get back to you with information on our participating expert guide and help with scheduling and current fees. First

come, first served!

Shane Goebel is our guide and has posted some tremendous catch numbers and is rated North GA’s #1 rated fishing guide service.

Equipped with all the new modern gear and new large boats, he has what it takes for you to experience the very best in striped bass, hybrid, smallmouth and walleye fishing around. Come join us for the fishing trip of a lifetime right here in the beautiful mountains of North Georgia. You will love fishing with Shane.

Thanks and I look forward to netting your fish and describing your experience for all to enjoy!

Dickg@Theanglermagazine.com

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE EUFAULA

By Capt Sam Williams hawk184@earthlink.net 334-687-6266 Water temperature: upper 60’s-low 70’s, lake level: 188.70 msl, clarity: slightly muddy to heavy stain.

The lake levels continue to stabilize, and the fluctuating temperatures still keep the fish confused. The cold nights are holding the water temperature lower than normal, and the flats and shallows warm up nicely in the afternoon sun and cool down fast overnight. The bass are cruising the shallow grass and pads in the afternoon. Chatter baits, frogs and baby brush hogs plus trick worms are good baits to use. Deeper structure is holding bass where the crappie are schooled up. Deep cranks and Carolina rigs are a good choice here.

We are beginning to smell the shellcrackers bedding on the flats and in some of the grassy areas.

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Wigglers on the bottom here are the best bait to use. Crickets along the banks, especially around brush overhangs, are great places for the bluegills to bite.

Crappie remain on the deeper trash piles hitting minnows.

Catfish are always cooperating on jugs with cut bait hooked on.

It’s great fun for entertaining the youngsters chasing the jugs, and the meal they provide is first class.

We are getting close to our Scott Woodruff Heart Transplant Tournament, and the Alabama Children’s Classic Bass Tournament is June 13. Bass are getting hotter every week, and they both promise to be great events. Visit www.alabamachildrensclassic.org, sign up for our newsletter, and you will find info on both events.

Be safe on the water and enjoy family time making memories. Pray for our doctors, nurses and truck drivers. God Bless and good fishing.

Water temperature: 69 degrees, lake level: full pool, clarity: clear.

Bass: The bite has been really good the last two weeks. We have caught fish on about every type of lure you could possibly throw. The best bite seems to be the mid-day topwater bite. We have had our best success throwing flukes in and around docks.

Make sure to use braided line when fishing these wooden docks. Mono doesn’t hold up well.

Skipping under the walkways seems to be the best ticket. We have been working docks that have

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good access to deep water. The largemouth and spots seem to like these deeper docks this time of year.

The blueback herring have been spawning along the sea walls and are always in close proximity to the bass. This bite should continue for a few more weeks as we transition to an early summer pattern.

Brown Trout: The trolling bite has picked up lately. We have been trolling a spread of small jerk baits and spoons in the 15 to 20 foot depths at the mouths of the creeks.

This bite seems to be great or not happening. I think the bite will be more consistent as we head towards the 70 degree mark on water temps.

Walleye: The bite has been tough lately and I hope it will pick up in the next couple of weeks. Good luck!

LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST OLD STORIES

NOBODY SAID IT HAD TO BE FAIR FOR THE

FISH

by O’Neill Williams Ah, these good old outdoor stories, recounts of fishing and hunting days afield, shared with and amplified to an eager audience.

I’ll just bet you have plenty.

For instance, it was a clear, windless November day in the Lewis Pond area on Lake Seminole.

Fishing friends for this trip, Tom and Jim, were in the boat beside us, about 100 yards from the nearest weedy shoreline. The topic of conversation among the four of us was to find out why the dark waters had been giving up so few bass.

We’d been working hard on it, not very successfully, but were enjoying the day.

The banter came to a halt as I looked over my shoulder to see a six-foot long (aren’t they all six feet long?) rattlesnake weaving his way directly to my old boat. The rust colored menace was closing the space between us rather rapidly.

As his triangular head peeked over the transom, looking directly at me, I tapped him on the head with the longest rod I had. He retreated, coiled and rattled his warning, sitting high in the water like it was a solid rest. We cranked up and left him to his own pursuits.

I passed along the day’s exciting occurrences to the nearby bait shop owner that evening. We were told with great confidence that rattlesnakes could not and would not swim. We were not dreaming and it was a rattlesnake. I have the pictures. Oh well, it made for a great story and a true one at that. Those are the best ones. That happened over fifty years ago.

One of those surprise March ice storms was on the way, and I was alone pre-fishing before the Saturday event at Lake Sinclair for a Sport Bass Anglers tournament.

As the skies darkened and the wind whipped the water frothy, I was trying to scare up a bite or two in the shallow forty-four degree

temperature waters of Potato Creek, slow rolling a spinnerbait along a stumpy flat. The trolling motor gurgled and splashed as the high wind tossed the bow up and down. Back then, it wasn’t the norm to have a foot-controlled trolling motor. Most of us just stood on one foot and placed the other on top of the unit and controlled it that way.

On the downward decent after a wind-blown wave, the motor shaft slammed down on the top of a stump. I lost my balance and fell out of the boat. There I was, up to my chest, with my snow mobile cold suit and heavy boots rapidly soaking up the freezing, muddy water. The tolling motor was still running and taking the boat away from me. Luckily, I managed to grab the circle tie-down ring with one finger as the boat started to swing away.

After struggling up over the transom next to the motor and using the prop as a step, and sloshing forward to the bow, I felt surprisingly warm and was tempted to stay on and fish a little while longer. Stupidity can be a surprising influence. Sensibilities prevailed however, and I started the long run back down to the Little River ramp to take the boat out and dry off. As the thirty-three degree air swirled around me, my body temperature fell rapidly, and I quickly became delirious, dodging imaginary birds and other dark objects passing overhead. Hypothermia? Maybe!

Although thick tongued and colored light blue for a while, I recovered promptly with no apparent damage.

That little adventure happened over forty-five years ago.

Outdoor stories, unique and personal, can be told and retold, passed along by loved ones to loved ones, and provide a connection to you for them as you lived your time.

All set? Inspired? Go get some for yourself.

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After struggling up over the transom next to the motor and using the prop as a step, and sloshing forward to the bow, I felt surprisingly warm and was tempted to stay on and fish a little while longer.

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JUNE 2020

ATLANTA 29

LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST MAKING THE BEST OF A BAD SITUATION

By Capt. Cefus McRae Nuts & Bolts Fishing Series

The crazy times we are all currently experiencing have really got me frustrated.

I’m normally a pretty positive person, but it’s becoming harder and harder to see any light at the end of the tunnel, and that’s what is frustrating. For obvious reasons, we’ve put a temporary halt to filming our TV shows. For the time being, I’ve stopped running fishing charters, and I no longer get to do a plethora of other things that normally kept me busy, kept me engaged and kept me happy. I’m sure many of you can relate.

So, after some serious soulsearching, I decided I wasn’t going to let the current situation put me in a bad mood forever. I looked for ways I could still do some of the things that make me happy and also make me feel like I still have a purpose. In reality, it wasn’t that hard.

Now for the positive things.

After the appropriate ‘quarantine’ time, Beth and I now get to spend a lot more time with our kids and our new granddaughter. Yep, we are grandparents now! That makes both of us extremely happy. Nowadays, we are very careful where we go, and ‘how’ we go, so we can continue to get in lots of ‘baby time’.

I’ve also found that I’m re-connecting with friends that I hadn’t spoken with in months, or even years. Although social media and phone calls aren’t the same as actually seeing them in person, I’m not totally sure either of us would have reached out to the other, except for this lockdown period. This makes me happy as well.

I’m still fishing, and the fishing is really good right now, but it’s just me and Buck, The Wonder Dog on the boat. He’s a great companion,

but I’ve heard all his stories, and he’s heard all my jokes. Even so, it’s still great to be on the water.

We’ve also been experimenting with some new recipes, which

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I hope to share on the Nuts & Bolts of Fishing website really soon. It will show great ways to enjoy those quail and deer you harvested a few months ago, and what to do with last year’s snapper and grouper before it gets freezer burn. And by the way, I’d love to try some of yours, so drop me a note.

I’m determined not to let this virus stuff frustrate me anymore.

I am actively going to make the best of a bad situation. You can too, but do it appropriately and safely. We’ve been through bad times before, and we’ll get through these.

In future articles, I hope to have some proof from my efforts and will plan to share them with you. In the meantime, stay safe, and stay fishy, my friends.

Tight lines and calm seas.

LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST SAILFISH OR BUST

By Gary Turner

As we trolled along, the day was perfect with blue skies and a light breeze. We had met the bait man at 6:00 a.m. and got some goggle eyes to temp the fish with.

Stacy Fleming, Jimmy Dean and I were in search of big fish: mahi, tuna, sail, and cobia were all on our list.

We hadn’t been trolling long when the back right rod hooked up and started burning off line. It was a good fish, and it was taking line like a rocket. Stacy managed to gain some on the fish, but the line snapped, and just like that he was gone. We were all pumped up now. We had the first bite of the day!

We set the lines back up and started trolling again. We trolled for a while, as more boats kept coming out. After a few boats drove over our spread, we decided to move a little further away. That was our lucky move.

Soon, a rod started taking line, not at a furious pace, just a leisurely speed. All of a sudden the line started screaming out of the reel.

Now we had a FISH ON! It made a long first run, and as I started to reel down on it, it leapt out of the water shaking violently. It was a nice sailfish! We followed the fish as I gained line and lost it again.

After what seemed like an hour, the fish started to slow down. We maneuvered the boat close and Jimmy grabbed its bill and pulled it in the boat. We quickly took pics of the fish, put him back in the wa-

ter, revived it and let it swim to be caught another day.

We were enjoying the sun and the beautiful day when we hooked the next fish, then all of sudden we had two fish. Stacy grabbed the first rod and Jimmy the other while I was trying to grab and clear lines. Jimmy’s fish came unbuttoned and was gone, but Stacy still had a leaper on his line.

We soon saw why the sailfish was leaping so much. A very large bull shark, maybe 13 or 14 feet, had spotted the hooked sailfish too. I really didn’t think we were going to see that fish whole in the boat because the shark was all over it! I backed the boat in close, and Jimmy grabbed the sailfish just as the shark made another run at it!

We snapped a few pics and then Stacy and I stood on surveillance as Jimmy put the sailfish alongside the boat to revive it. The fish got its wind back and off it swam. We caught several other smaller fish that day, and by midafternoon we called it a day.

The next morning, we started at 5:00am for another day of great fishing off of West Palm Beach.

Our morning luck was not as good as we had several hookups only to lose them. The afternoon was looking good, and we were seeing lots of fish. Then we saw the birds diving and some kind of fish racing across the top of the water as they preyed on the baitfish school. About a minute later the back-left rod hit so hard you

would have believed it was going to tear off the boat. Stacy picked it up and held on.

This fish was moving! It turned and came toward the boat, and as it came by, we saw a tuna and not too far behind was another large bull shark. Then the whole school of tuna came by, and it was amazing to watch in the crystal-clear water.

Stacy reeled as fast as he could, and the tuna ducked and dodged as fast as he could, but the shark was figuring out his trajectory. Sure enough, the big shark bit the tuna right above the tail, but couldn’t hang on!

Stacy cranked down hard, and with the injury, the fish gave in and was gaffed.

We didn’t see the tuna school again. We hit the bottom after that and hooked several good fish over a wreck. Then we trolled our way back in and even saw a few sails jumping on the way.

Hopefully the Covid 19 is behind us and everyone can go back to fishing more. Stay safe! We are already working on our next trip down to fish with Jimmy and are planning a Bahamas fishing trip

too.

I’m not sure what next month’s article will be on, but remember, if you have an empty seat on your boat that needs filling, shoot me an email and maybe it will be about fishing with you! You can reach me at gary@purgeright.com

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ATLANTA 31

Wall of Fame WINNER!

WIN A FREE ANGLER MAGAZINE CAP! One will be given away each month for the best reader submitted photo!

Jennifer Shepherd with a nice Clarks Hill striper Bill Rath with a nice catch on his first trip fishing on Lake Lanier

.

Danny Christ, newly retired from Air Force and new member of Hawk’s Fishing Guide Service, with a couple of nice Eufaula bass

.

Evan Lukowiak with a big 10-pounder caught from a private lake in Johns Creek Noah Eckert from Woodstock caught this monster 12-pound bass on a midnight blue chatterbait Gregg Thompson and son had a great day fishing on Lake Jocassee

Woodie Malone with the North GA Crappie Anglers getting these nice slabs ready for the dinner table

North GA Crappie Angler Dean Travis caught this white bass on Lanier

ogram EICO

By CAM Staff

By CAM Staff

J

ust like their saltwater brethren, “landlocked” striped bass in reservoirs across the country are highly mobile. Even restricted by dams, they retain the instinct to migrate, and this tendency leads to some of the most exciting fishing that exists.

When stripers run up rivers and creeks each spring and summer, anglers are likely to encounter very large fish in small waters. The fish come in waves, with an initial spring spawning run followed by a larger influx when summer heat pushes fish in search of thermal refuge.

Garner Reid, of Georgia’s Cohutta Fishing Company, has made it his life’s work to target big river-run stripers with a fly rod. Sure, he could catch them sinking cut bait, but it’s more fun to dance streamers around blowdowns in anticipation that a 20-plus-pounder might be waiting in ambush.

The furious fights can be compared to those of big redfish, only they occur in a river, where current and cover work against the angler.

“If a big striper decides he’s going to wrap your line around a snag, there’s no way you’re going to stop it,” said Reid. “You’ve got to be a little lucky.”

Reid’s homewaters are Georgia’s Chattahoochee and Etowah rivers, but striped bass run in every system where they are present.

The Caney Fork, the Hiwassee, the Cumberland, the Saluda, the list of Southeastern rivers with good striper runs is long. Reid has fished a lot of them and said the similarities are a reminder that striped bass are by nature a saltwater species.

“The amount of flow coming down the river dictates where you find fish,” he said. “Dam releases are like tides. High water is a large incoming tide.

Just like in saltwater, the fish are pushing up as high as they can get.”

Striped bass become ambush predators in these “mountain tides.” In high water, they post up in creek mouths and on big blowdowns.

When flows are low, they retreat to the depths in oxygen-rich holes below shoals. Their sensitivity to sunlight means they’re most likely to prowl in low light.

Reid said fish in ambush mode are more active. The fishing is faster, and floating or intermediate lines with un-weighted streamers can be worked relatively shallow. When stripers retreat to the depths, it’s sometimes necessary to break out sinking line and weighted streamers for a slow presentation fish can’t resist. With this need for versatility, Reid carries an arsenal of 8- to 10-weight rods rigged with floating, intermediate and full sinking lines.

Fly selection is determined by available forage.

Popular streamers like Clousers, Deceivers and Half & Halfs fit the bill in sizes and colors to match natural baitfish. On a particular river, that might be a 2-inch threadfin shad or it might be a 9-inch rainbow trout.

Reid said bigger fish, which can weigh 20, 30, even 40 pounds, prefer larger baits. Even with a 10-weight fly rod, it’ll take some luck to get a fish like that to the boat.

Check out Cohutta Fishing Company at www.cohuttafishingco.com. Follow Garner Reid on Instagram and Facebook.

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JUNE 2020

NATIONAL 13

ings K Summer

CATCH UP WITH THE

OF

By CAM Staff

Mike Weskalnies caught this kingfish fishing with Show Me The Fish Charters off Anna Maria Island, Fla.

I

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. LARRY MCGUIRE.

t’s that time of year when warming water temperatures in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico have sent king mackerel on their annual migrations.

The action is pretty much year-round down in South Florida and the Keys, but their northward progression makes them more and more prevalent now through early fall in Atlantic waters up through the Carolinas and as far west as Texas in the Gulf.

Kings prefer a water temperatures from about 68 to 73 degrees, which is extremely specific for any species. This magic temperature window is why they’re moving, and it’s how anglers find them. While anglers in central Florida see the front end of the migration in early spring, kingfishing gets better in north Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina through the summertime. The same is true in the Gulf. Summer is when they start showing up thicker in the northern regions of the Gulf.

No matter where on the migration route your fishery is, kingfish will be looking for the same things when they get there. They prowl the open ocean around offshore structure and green plankton-rich waters in the thermal range where they are comfortable. They can be found on ledges, reefs, oil rigs and wrecks because that’s where the baitfish are. In summer, when baitfish move closer to shore, the kings come with them.

Spotting kingfish slashing through schools of bait is one of the most exciting spectacles in sport fishing. At speeds in excess of 30 mph, they crash through teeming wads of baitfish, sometimes sending showers of threadfin into the air.

Finding feeding kings is a matter of identifying preferable temperature breaks and structure using charts before heading offshore. Once there, electronics become important to scout for underwater activity. If you’re lucky, diving birds will give away bait and surface-feeding kings.

Trolling is generally the most effective method to target kings, and although they will hit lures, good live bait is preferred by most tournament guys who are specifically targeting big smoker kings. Blue runners, pogies (menhaden), pilchards, threadfin herring, any bait with some silver flash is good. Switching them out and keeping them lively is important. And when the fishing is slow, it doesn’t hurt to break out a sabiki rig to catch whatever bait is on-site.

Idle speed is about right for pulling live baits. It’s important to stagger depth and distance from the boat to cover a wide swath of water. Bumping the boat into neutral and just drifting when the sonar shows good bottom or good bait can also lead to a hook-up. If you’re moving slow enough, a good chum slick might be in order to draw them in.

14 NATIONAL

JUNE 2020

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A A

couple state record fish arrowed by bowfishermen this spring raise the question: Is there a size threshold where baitfish become gamefish?

A striped mullet from Arkansas and a gizzard shad from Missouri were both recently recognized as alternative-method state records. The mullet measured nearly 25 inches in length and weighed 5-pounds, 6-ounces. It was arrowed from an oxbow lake off the Arkansas River a few miles upstream of its confluence with the Mississippi River. The gizzard shad weighed 3 pounds, 9 ounces. It was caught from a private pond in southeastern Missouri. Both fish are species considered to be bait by most anglers, yet both are certainly big enough to put a bend in a rod.

Another question some might ask is what in the world a mullet was doing up the Arkansas River some 500 river miles from the Gulf of Mexico.

Although they spawn in saltwater, striped mullet migrate into freshwater.

According to Jeff Quinn, a biologist with Arkansas Game & Fish, they’ve even been known to navigate through the dams high into the Arkansas and Ouachita rivers.

By Alex McCrickard

lucky angler reeled in an unusual catch on Virginia’s Buggs Island Lake. On Easter Sunday, David Rathburn couldn’t believe the golden fish at the end of his line. Rathburn had already caught 15 crappie that afternoon fishing a Kalin grub on a 1/8-ounce jig head.

“I have been fishing Buggs Island Lake for 50 years, and I always target crappie in the spring,” said Rathburn. He said that day the fish were holding PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID RATHBURN off bridge abutments and were suspended midway in the water column in about 15 feet of water.

Soon he came tight to another fish off the abutment. The water was fairly clear, and when the fish got to within 3 feet of the surface he saw the colors. With a gold flash, the most unusual crappie he had ever seen was on the surface in front of him.

“What in the world is that?” Rathburn recalled thinking. “I was shocked because I didn’t think it could possibly be a crappie.”

Rathburn had caught the fish of a lifetime, a golden crappie. Dan Michaelson, a Virginia fisheries biologist, was surprised about Rathburn’s catch. The fish’s color is the result of a rare genetic mutation.

“While this unique golden color isn’t unheard of in crappie, it certainly isn’t common. Consider also that as a fish matures they do everything in their power to avoid being eaten,” said Michaelson. “Often cryptic coloration or camouflage is a fish’s first line of defense against a predator and being a bright, gold color doesn’t lend itself well to a long life.”

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JUNE 2020

NATIONAL 15

“Fo

Th Ac

“For Me, It’s a Fishing Tool”

The Perfect Social Distancing Activity Just Got E-Zer

C

apt. Mickey Brelsford says his Rebel free-fall unit is the perfect fishing tool, providing him a “good, solid anchoring position.” In the past, using a windlass yielded poor retrieval results and left no room for customization, like adding special attachments or splicing rope and chain.

“I don’t know how many times I’ve been on boats where [the line is] hanging up, snarling, getting knotted up in the windlass or shredding line,” Brelsford said.

A retired policeman, Capt. Brelsford enjoys time fishing near the coast of St. James City, Fla. on his 37-foot “Nostalgic Lady,” a 1981 Hatteras Sportfish that carries 300 feet of 5/8 rope and 20 feet of heavy-duty chain. After adding a pulpit to his vessel, Capt. Brelsford used to pull up all his rope by hand, wasting time and energy on multiple retrieval and deployment attempts as he tried to find the perfect “boat position.”

“The easiest way I can explain boat position is if you’re at the baseball game, you’re either playing—which is fishing— or you’re watching the game, which means you’re not,” Brelsford said.

Brelsford decided he’d rather be in the

game than on the sidelines, so installing the Rebel EZ-5 became a no-brainer after researching product information and helpful documents on the company website, then calling the drum anchor winch manufacturer’s technical support team for additional pointers.

Unlike E-Z Anchor Puller Mfg. Co’s two direct drive series (the Hero and Patriot series), the Rebel drum anchor winch has a clutch and friction plate design that allows the drum to free-spool when the clutch plate is disengaged. To get that “good, solid anchoring position,” press and hold the “raise/power up” side of the button for about five seconds. This will cause the clutch plate to once again rotate, but this time clamping down on the drum and holding the boat at anchor.

“Once I deploy my anchor and it goes

into a free-fall, it’s straight down to the bottom as quick as it can go,” Brelsford said. “And then, once I set the anchor I can free-line out as much anchor rode as I need: that’s what I call boat position.”

As an added bonus, the Rebel drum anchor winch is compatible with an E-Z Anchor Puller wireless long-range remote, which controls your drum anchor winch from anywhere on the boat. The wireless remotes are available for the Hero and Patriot series, as well. Capt. Brelsford purchased his on the company website, ezanchorpuller.com.

“This [unit] here—don’t worry about it—it just rolls right on and keeps on rollin’.

That’s what it is: E-Z!” Brelsford concluded.

Photo courtesy of Amber Rose.

A F

lorida fly fisher Kathryn Vallilee caught a massive 21-pound Key West permit on 6-pound tippet March 22. The catch, when approved by IGFA, is expected to crush the existing 21-year-old line-class world record by more than 11 pounds.

“The fight for me was so tense because I knew this fish was the one,” Vallilee, who was fishing with Capt. Brandon Cyr, told USA Today’s For The Win Outdoors. “And I think my focus on fighting it was what makes that memory so vivid. When Brandon got the fish in the net, I just felt a wave of relief wash over me.”

Vallilee is no stranger to the record books. She co-owns a Key West fly shop with her husband and already holds the 4-pound line class record.

With Capt. Cyr, she has been chasing the 6-pound record all year.

She and Cyr spotted three large permit as shadows over the white sand flats on March 22. She sight casted to them with a Skok’s Strong Arm Merkin fly, and the fish took. The previous record of 9 pounds, 12 ounces has stood since 1999.

t presstime, the 2020 Blue Marlin World Cup, a high stakes single-day tournament will take place as scheduled on July 4.

With no captain’s meeting or awards ceremony, the Blue Marlin World Cup is a fishing tournament with built-in social distancing.

Government restrictions might continue in places where the competition has been keen in the past. Travel restrictions might deter some anglers. But there are plenty of home-based spots where anglers can depart, like North Carolina, Ocean City, Virginia Beach, Orange Beach, Biloxi, Galveston, etc. These areas and many more have the potential to produce the winning marlin. All it takes is one big fish to win.

The tournament entry fee for the Blue Marlin World Cup is $5,000 per team. The optional Big Blue Challenge (“BBC”) is an $8,000 entry. There is a winner for the tournament and for the BBC. If the tournament winner is also entered in the BBC, they can take home all the money in this winnertake-all format.

The Blue Marlin World Cup is a one-day fishing tournament held around the world. Blue marlin weighing more than 500 pounds are the only eligible species and competing teams fish in their respective time zones from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Entries are weighed on certified government scales in their respective locales.

Pending any new worldwide developments, the 2020 Blue Marlin World Cup will be held July 4.

For more information or to register, visit: www.bluemarlinworldcup.com.

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JUNE 2020

NATIONAL 17

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GREAT SUN PROTECTION! double power capacity. That means you can connect two of them to work in tandem, delivering their full, combined power. Two lightweight EU2200is can easily start and run an RV air conditioner along with other appliances.

EU2200i Model Snapshot: Because More is More

C

amping adventure goes hand-in-hand with fishing fun. These days, even the most remote fish camps are hi-tech, with satellite TVs, microwaves, tablets and blenders ready for the ultimate outdoor experience. Enter the portable generator—the real power behind outdoor enjoyment and no longer just reserved for emergencies.

Super Quiet for Some Super Fun Several years ago, Honda introduced the EU2200i Super Quiet Series inverter generator, as the most versatile and reliable portable generator for work, home or play. Outside enthusiasts took note. The Honda EU2200i replaced the company’s top-selling EU2000i, delivering the same legendary, dependable power—and more of it: 10 percent more (200 watts) at the same price. The Honda EU2200i provides better performance, class-leading fuel efficiency, quiet operation and improved ease of use and maintenance.

The Honda EU2200i is the perfect portable power for any trip—letting customers power more with virtually no change in weight or cost. For example, an extra 200 watts could mean the addition of a slow cooker, fan, or computer to what’s already being powered—which adds up to greater value for the ultimate outdoor experience.

With a larger engine, easy start-up process and easier maintenance, the Honda EU2200i is a versatile and reliable portable power choice. What’s more, this generator can be paired with another identically sized unit to

Honda designed the EU2200i with enhanced features that deliver customers ease of use, simplified maintenance and durable, dependable operation: • Operating sound level of 53 dB at 1/4 load and 62 dB at rated load.

• Maximum AC output of 120 volts (V)/2200 watts (W)/18.3 Amps (A) and rated output of 120V/1800 W/15 A. • Run time of 3.2 to 8.1 hours on a single 0.95-gallon tank, depending on load.

• Bigger oil filler opening, longer spout and larger oil drain gutter for easier and cleaner oil changes.

• Fuel shutoff valve (“Fuel Off ” position) allows the engine to continue running until the majority of the fuel in the carburetor is consumed and the engine shuts off, which prevents stale fuel issues during storage.

• Stamped metal recoil rope insert provides increased durability and reduces potential damage to the generator body.

• Increase in the ventilation area of 2.31 square inches reduces cabinet air intake resistance, resulting in improved inverter cooling. The addition of new ducts allows air to move evenly over internal parts while improving air flow for better cooling.

• Improved stator/rotor configuration uses the highest quality, most powerful magnets.

• Operational contact points are color-coded, guiding the user through starting operation.

• Inverter-technology equipped, featuring high-quality power output, a lighter, smaller size, higher fuel efficiency and quiet operation.

To learn more about Honda Generators and the Honda EU2200i Super Quiet Series, see hondanews.com, honda.com, powerequipment.honda.com, facebook.com/hondagenerators and youtube.com/honda.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

JUNE 2020

NATIONAL 19

The Return of a Custom Built Quality Outdoor BBQ Products Since 1989

Pig Cookers, Patio Grills, Smokers, Customized BBQ Trailers

For More Info 1-252-236-4464 www.BQGRILLS.com 6043 Hwy 301N, Elm City, NC

Made in USA

By CAM Staff

C

DOA 2.75 Shrimp - the totally new design is the best of both worlds – it’s like fishing a jig and a DOA Shrimp.

The weighted hook is super sharp and slips seamlessly into the body of the shrimp. Slightly smaller and heavier than the Original, it has a molded in rattle cavity to easily add sound, skips well, sinks fast, and casts like a bullet.

www.doalures.com 20 NATIONAL

JUNE 2020

apt. Tim Barefoot is having trouble concentrating. In the middle of May, he was on rockfish so thick he had to ice his arms in the evenings.

Reports from across the Mid-Atlantic indicate huge spawning runs of striped bass up coastal rivers that ramped up in the middle Photo Credit: Tim Barefoot of March. This is very good news considering all the doom and gloom we’ve been hearing about Atlantic striped bass populations lately.

Barefoot has first-hand information from the James, Rappahannock, Occoquan and Potomac rivers.

“They have all been chock full of fish and bait this year,” he said. “And it’s the nicest class of fish we’ve seen in several years.”

The action is incredible for fish in the 3- to 12-pound range, and Barefoot is seeing the occasional 15- to 20-pounder. But he was almost as excited about the baitfish as the stripers.

“One of the most encouraging things was to see the way the herring showed up,” he said. “The herring are so thick they brought the loons with them from the ocean. And when the herring are here like that, everything’s feeding and everything’s healthy.”

Typically the rockfish will stick around in the rivers until mid-June or later. Until then, Barefoot said there’s no need for live bait. He’s been wearing them out on a Super Fluke rigged on a Barefoot Jumping Jig with the barb mashed down for easy releases.

For more information, contact Capt. Tim Barefoot through his website at barefootcatsandtackle.com.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

201578_DOA_1.14_Coastal Angler_Coupon Ad_3.762x5.012.indd 1

1/14/20 8:50 AM

PHOTO CREDIT: George Costa, TCO Outdoors

By Nick Carter

S

ure, 90 percent of a trout’s diet might come from below the surface, but there’s nothing that satisfies like solving the puzzle during a hatch and catching fish on a dry fly.

No discussion of hatches is complete without mention of Penns Creek, Pennsylvania. This venerable stream is one of the best dry fly fisheries in the

country, boasting what may be the most famous green drake hatch in the East.

From Coburn downstream to Glen Iron, Pennsylvania, there are roughly 20 miles of “Class A Wild Trout Stream,” and much of it is accessible only on foot through central Pennsylvania’s Bald Eagle State Forest.

Penns Creek supports an incredible amount of insect life. Guide George Costa, with TCO Outdoors, said things pick up in April when blue-winged olives, Hendricksons and grannoms appear and lead into a riot of bug activity in May. “Sulphurs, March browns, caddis, blue quill, olives, pretty much everything under the sun is hatching,” said Costa. “It can be massive, and all at once.”

These insects are a precursor to the main event, which is 10 days in early June when big meaty green drake mayflies conduct their courtship. The hatches move progressively upstream with warming water temperatures, and big size 8 to 10 patterns match the adult stage of this mayfly.

Of course, all the other bugs will be on the water at the same time, so it’s wise for anglers to keep options open. Costa said the best pattern during a drake hatch is a size 16 sulphur. Penns Creek brown trout seem to prefer the flavor of the smaller pale yellow sulphur mayflies.

Every fish in the river takes part in the annual smorgasbord. Brown trout are the dominant species, a few rainbows show up, and native brook trout enter the flow from tributaries. At Penns Creek, there’s a chance to catch tiger trout, which are a brown trout/brook trout crossbreed. Fish size is good, too.

Costa said they average 13 to 16 inches, and there’s potential to encounter fish 20 inches and longer.

Adventurous anglers who want to target large fish with dry flies should pack a headlamp. In the final stage of the green drake lifecycle, they molt into big white coffin flies. They lay their eggs and then die en masse, falling to the river in an event known as a spinner fall. Most of the action takes place after dark. The angler listens for fish slurping spinners off the surface and then casts a big size 6 or 8 pattern to the unseen target. The largest fish in the river feed during the spinner fall.

For maps, GPS coordinates and tactics for the Southeast’s best trout waters, get a copy of Nick Carter’s book “Flyfisher’s Guide to North Carolina & Georgia.” It’s available on Amazon, and autographed copies are available by emailing the author at nsc8957@gmail.com.

Barefoot

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

JUNE 2020

NATIONAL 21

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5/8/20 8:02 AM

3 6 0 - D E G R E E AC C E S S TO AN OCE AN OF POSSIBILITIES The engineless design of the FSH Series gives owners a spacious stern area, as well as 360-degree uninterrupted access to the water. With enhanced saltwater corrosion protection and a host of fishing and family-friendly features, Yamaha’s 2020 FSH Series is the best way to experience everything the coast has to offer.

YA M A H A B OAT S . C O M

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Always drive within your capabilities, allowing time and distance for maneuvers, and respect others around you. Don’t drink and drive.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT YAMAHABOATS.COM OR CALL 1.800.88.YAMAHA.

Sacred Stone of the Southwest is on the Brink of Extinction

B.

C

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

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

Once a thriving industry, many Southwest mines have run dry and are now closed.

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

Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. If you aren’t completely happy with your purchase, send it back within 30 days for a complete refund of the item price.

The supply of Arizona turquoise is limited, don’t miss your chance to own the Southwest’s brilliant blue treasure. Call today!

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Necklace enlarged to show luxurious color

A.

Jewelry Specifications: • Arizona turquoise • Silver-finished settings

Sedona Turquoise Collection A. Pendant (26 cts) $299 B. 18" Bali Naga woven sterling silver chain C. 1 1/2" Earrings (10 ctw) $299 Complete Set** $747

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Drive-On Dry Docking For Boats Up To 50 Feet

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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

JUNE 2020

LOCATION 1