The Angler Magazine | February 2022 | Atlanta Edition

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ost folks associate the word “gators” with big scaly reptiles or a college mascot. Mention gators to a cadre of hardcore inshore anglers and you are likely to elicit fond memories of 30-plus-inch silver flanks speckled with black spots and gaping yellow mouths sporting a wicked pair of canine teeth. I’m talking about seatrout, big trophy trout that prompt some of us to wake up at 4 a.m. so we can be on the water throwing topwater plugs at first light.

Big trout don’t act like their smaller brethren, and the techniques that hammer schoolies won’t work on bigger fish. Most gator trout are caught on shallow grass flats 1 ½ to 3 feet deep.

Look for flats with dense grass mixed with a few sandy potholes that big trout use to ambush prey. The flat should also have a healthy supply of bait like mullet or pinfish, and it should be close to deeper water, so a wary old trout has a short escape route. During the hottest days of summer, big trout retreat to deeper water off the edge of a flat or seek out shade under mangroves or docks. During the coldest nights of winter, gator trout move into deep channels, canals and dredge holes where they can be targeted with sinking plugs and shrimp imitations worked slowly along the bottom.

Seatrout see well in low light, unlike their prey items, like mullet. So, big trout feed best during low light. It is best to

By Paul MacInnis

SLING LURES for Grass Flat Gator Trout

fish early mornings, late evenings, on overcast days and at night.

It may seem counter intuitive, but more trophy trout are caught on artificials than bait. Big trout are loners.

Lures allow you to cover a lot of water, increasing your odds of intercepting bigger fish. About 80 percent of an adult seatrout’s diet is fish. With that in mind, large mullet-imitating lures are a good choice. The classic gator trout lure is a topwater “walk-the-dog” bait like the venerable Zara Spook. Of course, big swimbaits and shallowrunning plugs also work, along with soft plastic shrimp.

A seatrout doesn’t grow to trophy size by being stupid. Big trout are wary and will evacuate a flat at the slightest indication of danger. Hull slaps and pressure waves from a drifting boat put wise old trout on high alert. It’s best to ditch the skiff and either wade or fish from a minimally invasive vessel like a kayak. It also helps to make long casts to get your lure in front of a fish before it detects your presence.

Catching a true gator seatrout is not easy, and even when you do everything right there is still an element of luck involved. When you finally catch that trophy fish, handle with care and release her gently. A mature female seatrout can release over a million eggs during a spawn. Let her go to release her big-fish DNA into the gene pool.

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ud Hole Custom Tackle is the world’s largest supplier of rod building and tackle crafting goods and instruction. The heart of Mud Hole is its people, who strive for excellence and truly care about what they do. From leadership to customer service, and from product development to the warehouse floor, Mud Hole is comprised of passionate anglers and rod builders who use their own products every day and are eager to bring custom rod building to anglers everywhere.

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING FEBRUARY FLY FISHING REPORT Contributed By: Henry Cowen www.henrycowenflyfishing.com So I am writing this February report at my desk on January 13th. The striped bass once again have not come shallow “YET” this year due to the fact that their food source (threadfin shad) are staying deep. This has been occurring on lakes across the Southeast. It seems smaller and more shallow lakes are seeing their fishing improving while big clear mountain lakes continue to struggle for the fly angler.

I see more and more conventional anglers trolling umbrella rigs, and that is a sure sign of the fish being spread out and not bunched up for easier pickings. Three years in a row makes this a pattern we likely will continue to see. Lakes have a way of changing over time, and it appears we are in one of those changing cycles. The shad are most likely deep because their food source (plankton) is probably deep

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FEBRUARY 2022

too.

Here is what you need to know going forward. February normally is one of those months where anglers have to be really serious if they want to catch some fish on a fly on any of our North GA lakes.

Water temps MAY bottom out (4546 degrees) during this month, and the fish feeling the cold water will be extremely lethargic.

Last year, our fishing was really tough. Water temps bottomed out in the mid-forties, and for the most part, our fishing throughout February was pitiful. It’s not that we did not catch any fish, but catching a couple on a four or five hour trip was as good as it gets, and most of the fish were in the 2 to 4-pound range. Our big fish were sleeping deep below. With any luck, if we continue to see a more mild winter by January’s end, then February

can continue with the great fishing like we are having this winter thus far.

Small baits are still the choice meal for striped bass, spotted bass and largemouth bass. It is important to be able to offer these baits to the fish using a slower retrieve and allow the baits to sit in the feeding zone for a longer period of time.

That is the KEY to feeding the fish!

The answer is to carry a fast sinking line that has a sink rate of about 6” per second. The fish will be found in the 15’ to 30’ range over a 40’, 50’ or even 60’ bottom. A fast sinking line can get you into the strike zone by using what we term the countdown method. The countdown method basically means we dump out a cast and let the line sink into the fish’s feeding zone. A short but quick series of strips followed by a 3-5 second pause will allow your fly to stay in that feeding zone which in turn should elicit a strike. Fast sinking lines from either RIO or Sci-Angler are both great choices.

Small flies like a Somethin’ Else is the KING OF FLIES. A 2”-3” Clouser (tied with a hot pink fluoro fiber throat) will be a good second choice to catch winter stripers. This is the time of year when your electronics will play a big role in helping you find and feed the fish. These electronics are your key to allowing for success. Also, let the wildlife help you find the big schools of threadfin shad which hopefully will lead to finding big schools of stripers. A blue heron sitting on a bank, a kingfisher diving in a cove, terns and gulls flying in circles around a specific area and diving every now and then to grab a shad will be the best signs to find-

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ing fish. Look both early and late in the day to see if any fish are up on the banks in 1-4’ of water chasing baitfish. This is a very common theme for February fishing.

Remember, you need to be stealthy when fishing in shallow water. If you choose to pound the banks, then do so with slow sinking intermediate fly lines. For conventional anglers, a weightless Fluke fished in the back of the coves up shallow is a good choice, and for those wanting to target the deep fish, a .6 Flex-It Spoon or a Fish Head Spin with a small albino Super Fluke Jr. will also help get you a few bites.

If the fish are not feeding near the bottom when you find them on your fish finder, try dropping a ¼ ounce bucktail jig or a small Fish Head Spin with 8-pound test on these fish. Again, fishing slow is the ticket. Use your senses to help locate and feed these wintertime fish as that can help turn a day of lemons into a day of lemonade. If we are lucky and the end of January brings us continued warmer weather, then it is possible that our back of the cove feed on the banks may eventually get going.

Remember to plan your trip on pre-frontal days as that will get the fish moving some. Stay home on the post-frontal days. It is simply all about water temperatures this time of year. If the temps hover around 50 degrees or higher, then the surface feed should still be on.

You just need to prepare for both!

Dress warm, fish slow and show lots of patience. Those are the keys to success in February. By the way...

HOW BOUT DEM DAWGS! See you on the pond!

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING CHATTOOGA RIVER

Snowfall in the South is always a different kind of time. Ice with the snowfall definitely deters almost all from travel, but only the bravest seem to find their way to the rivers and are paid off with the crisp quietness of snowflakes hitting the surface of the water. There is almost an eerie quiet, as one takes in the absolute purest white covered ground imaginable surrounding the rivers edge. A chirp or two of a few birds may be the exception to the undisturbed solitude, then a few casts and a fish on fills one’s head in pure delight of fly fishing solitude. In some places in the country, they have many more opportunities a year to have this incredible experience. We hope you were able to during the January storm, or have the opportunity in the future! Stop in the shop and we can surely help with numerous snowfall flies, and the access points which will be a little more desirable for winter travel. The last thing after a great day of fly fishing is not to be able to get out from the river.

Water temperatures have been hovering around the forty-degree mark for a while, and the daytime temperatures have been from the mid-forties to mid-fifties with nighttime marks below freezing. Warmer days have been producing great numbers and large fish as well. Tight line nymphing has been a great way to land many fish. Fishing near the river bottom, where the water is the

warmest, has been the key to a successful day. Heavy nymphs to get to the river bottom with small fly trailers is the way to go. A pinch or two of split shot may be necessary during higher stream flows.

The use of streamers at this time of year is equally rewarding.

While fishing streamers, one must remember that with the colder water temperatures, the small baitfish are lethargic as well. Casting your streamers slightly upstream, letting them fall in the water column, and twitching them through the drift will be successful. Also, after the drift and twitch, a slow pulsing retrieve can be very beneficial. The use of a sinking leader to keep your streamers down, or a pinch of split shot a foot above the streamer may be necessary.

It will not be long until the warm weather of spring embraces us, and we will be fishing dry flies to many rising fish. The shop has been filled after the holidays with all the great gear for the year, especially with items seen at the fly fishing shows.

We hope to see everyone out on the rivers, and let’s remember to enjoy the beauty of our great outdoors, leave no trace, and bring out a little more than you walked in with.

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING

With the warmer weather and

WHEN THE LOG MOVES, PART TWO Contributed By: Jeff Durniak www.unicoioutfitters.com Unicoi Outfitters, Orvis 2018 Fly Shop of the Year

As a continuation in our series for your Oh My Gawd Moment as you ponder what you’re going to do next to win the war with Moby Dick, Unicoi Outfitters is here again to help you win. After five decades of tussles with tackle-busters, I have a few tips to share. They’ve been learned from my wins, my losses, and my observations of superior anglers. Tune in and see if some of these lessons may suit you, too. It’s not IF, but WHEN you too will hook the log that moves. Here we go: 1) Get below it. Do your very best to outflank your foe. If it runs down or across stream, carefully wade or walk the bank downstream and get below it. You want that whopper to fight upstream, against both you and the current. Have the current work for you and not against you. Also, you want that hook aimed back into the fish. A trophy that gets below you will use the current, headshakes, and an open mouth to spit the hook or snap your tippet. How do I know? Ask me about the biggest Green River cutthroat that my buddy, guide Kyle Burrell, saw me hook and lose that summer. Such memories are painful, but lessons are learned. Whenever possible, force Moby Dick back upstream from you. If midstream, I’ll even kick the water to turn a hot downstream migrant back upstream and enhance my odds.

2) Close the distance. Standing in one spot, with rod held high as your drag screams and line peels 40 yards across the water, may look really cool until you lose your trophy.

Close that distance whenever possible. Wade or walk the bank carefully, but fight the fish on the short-

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FEBRUARY 2022

est line possible. The less line in the water, the fewer bad things that can happen. Ole Moby is trying its best to find those bad things and make them happen. Survival is a powerful incentive.

3) Sidearm it. A high rod tip and bent rod above you looks romantic during the battle, but that stance is a loser. Instead, use the technique I learned from an old Michigan steelheader three decades ago. Fight the fish sidearm. Keep your hands on the rod cork (not the rod blank above it!), drop the rod just above horizontal, and apply constant pressure. The fish will jump less and can be steered in the direction you want it to go.

4) Hi-stick in the minefields!

This is an important exception to the sidearm technique. Trout stream “minefields” are abundant boulders and submerged tree limbs and roots.

These are all obstacles that Moby will aim for in an effort to snap your line. You’re on its home turf, and it has them all memorized. If you close the distance and hold your rod high, you’ll have less line in the water and fewer chances to hang up on a heartbreaking obstruction. Once the brute clears the minefield, then go back to sidearming. I’ve won and lost in Dukes and Chattooga minefields, and won an epic battle with a 22-inch park brown by hi-sticking my 5X tippet through Luftee’s boulders and roots.

Hopefully, these tips will bring you more wins than losses. Enjoy the game, no matter the outcome. If we are standing in a stream, waving a stick, then we are all winners anyway! Good luck with those moving logs. To be continued

BEST TIME OF THE YEAR Contributed by James Bradley Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide www.ReelEmInGuideService.com (706) 273-0764 As February rolls around, it will be the darkest time of the year in many places due to the shortest day length periods. Water temperatures in most streams will have finally bottomed out, hopefully staying above 40 degrees. The trout have very little to eat this time of year, and should be sticking to the bottom of the streams like glue.

Would anyone in their right mind be out fishing during the months of January or February? The answer is yes, but we need to consider some of the outdoor aspects like temperature, pressure systems, etc. The weather plays a big role in whether trout will be active or not.

This means picking the right days to fish and the right days to stay inside.

Water temps play a big role in what trout and insects are doing. As the temp nears the 40 degree mark, everything just about comes to a standstill. High pressure systems are known to kill what one would think to be a perfect day of fishing.

Outside air temps play a big role on our bodies and the ability to stay outside. It can be downright brutal and no fun to be popping ice off your rod guides.

Best time of the year to catch a beautiful rainbow is now through mid-April. They will begin their spawning this month. When trout spawn, their colors become vivid and gorgeous, and especially on the males. Male trout will also get their “kype” during the spawning season.

The kype is when the lower jaw extends past its upper jaw and forms what some refer to as a hooked jaw.

It has been said that the kype is used by the male to nip at the female to help urge her to spawn.

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Tailwaters like the Toccoa or Chattahoochee can be an outstanding place to fish especially on a float trip. This is because the water temps are not affected as much as mountain streams and rivers. Their temps remain more consistent throughout the year due to being lake fed.

What should you plan for when planning your trip to North Georgia for trout fishing during the coldest months of the year? Best hours are normally somewhere from 11 am to about 4 pm. No need to arrive at daybreak during the coldest point of the day. Track weather patterns several days in advance of your trip. Make sure to arrive when no high-pressure systems are in the area or just passed through.

Plan your trip toward the end of the warm-up spells. Water temps may have warmed a few degrees causing some hatching to take place and triggering trout to feed. We have experienced some of our best catches when this happens. You may see some blue-winged olives, black stones and/or black caddis coming off the water during these warm spells as well. Rises will still be very limited, but if you see trout rising, tie on a BWO or black caddis and lay it out!

Reel ‘Em In Guide Service is the only Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide in North Georgia’s Historic High-Country region. They have been offering their services to fly anglers since 2001. They have permits for guiding in North Georgia and North Carolina, offer over 7 miles of private trophy waters across Georgia, and operate float trips on the Toccoa River in GA and the Tuckasegee River in NC.

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING MAKING ADJUSTMENTS IN CHANGING CONDITIONS FOR FEBRUARY TROUT

By Jacob Milholland, Store Manager Cohutta Fishing Company (706) 946-3044

February in North Georgia signals the start of a dynamic spring trout fishing season! With the Black Caddis hatch on the horizon, we’re anticipating one of the best hatches of the year on the Toccoa. Float trips can provide excellent dry fly fishing when the water conditions allow, but don’t get pigeonholed into doing one thing.

In years past, rainy and rapidly changing weather conditions have made wildly variable fishing from day to day in February. Making adjustments based on the conditions is the most important component of solving the daily puzzle that trout present to us. Simple things like depth adjustment, adding or removing weight, fly size or even color change can crack the code that turns a two fish day into your best day on the water.

Depth adjustment is arguably the most important tweak you can

make to better your trout fishing.

Let’s say that I’m fishing a small creek after a heavy rain. Water conditions dictate rigging: the current is too swift for a typical drydropper or light indicator rig that I might use under normal water conditions. Rather than lengthening my distance from the strike indicator to my nymph, I will either add split shot or change to heavier tungsten-beaded flies that will punch through current and allow me to reach the strike zone. This is especially important in pocket water situations that require perfect presentation for as little as a second before the next cast.

In contrast to high water conditions, normal water conditions in our area allow us to make depth adjustments by lengthening or shortening the distance between strike indicator and fly rather than using split shot weights or too

heavy of a fly. Too much weight would cause our flies to hang on bottom too often to make a good presentation, especially in medium to slower moving water.

Water clarity provides a separate challenge – too dirty, and you might as well stay home, but just the right amount of stain can provide an opportunity for fantastic trout fishing. Big fish can drop their guard in stained water, and stain can make trout fishing less technical. The first adjustment that I make in stained water is based on fly size. Instead of fishing smaller nymphs, I’ll tie on a Wooly Bugger, stonefly (think size 8-10 Pat’s Rubber Legs or a size 6-8 TungStone), or a streamer that pushes water and creates a commotion to attract trout (Galloup’s Dungeon is a great example). Colors for streamers in dirty water can also make a big difference; think silhouette under the water. Black or rust will show up better than light colors. Flashy colors like copper and gold can also work.

The difference between a good angler and a great angler is all about observation. If what you’re doing isn’t working, don’t keep doing it! If you’re watching for the Black Caddis hatch or need a fishing report this month, call us at the shop or come by and say hello!

Cohutta Fishing Company is located in the heart of downtown Blue Ridge, Georgia. We carry a large assortment of guide-tested fly fishing equipment and proven fly patterns, as well as have a knowledgeable and friendly staff. Come by and see us!

490 East Main Street Blue Ridge, GA 30513. (706) 946-3044.

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING THE CASTING CORNER

WHY THE FLY LINE TANGLES ON THE LAST CAST Contributed By: Rene J. Hesse Certified Casting InstructorFederation of Fly Fishers & Atlanta Fly Fishing and Camping Meetup Organizer It seems like after a series of good false casts, my delivery cast will be a disaster. Usually, it is on a hurried cast or a long cast. When I make one of the casting errors, it causes a tailing loop. The fly line tangles or lands on top of itself. What is happening is the line is being unloaded above the oncoming line. That is because the rod tip went in a concave path. We want the loop to come off the end of the rod and form a loop over the tip of the rod. Here are the causes and corrections for the tailing loop.

There are a few things that cause the rod tip to dip and come back up in a concave path; • An erratic or abrupt application of power.

• Too short of a casting stroke for the amount of line out of the rod tip.

• Creeping, which is coming forward with the rotation of the rod before the line has extended in back.

• Trajectory - A high back cast and then a high trajectory forward cast.

Corrections; • Erratic Power - Make a smooth constant rate of power through the cast. Apply the proper amount of power at the proper time. When we put that last WHAM on a cast, it is going to drop the rod tip and cause the tailing loop. Keep that smooth power application you are using on the false casts when you do the delivery cast.

• Short Stroke - Think in terms of ‘short cast/short stroke and long cast/long stroke’. As the false casting extends line, make sure the casting stroke length AND casting arc increase.

• Creeping - This is one of the hardest to catch. When you stop in the back cast to let the line extend, if you rotate your wrist and the rod tip starts toward the target, it will

the target and back to it. Don’t let a V form between the back and front cast.

Those are the main reasons I tend to ruin my cast. By watching my back cast unfold, I can often correct a few of the errors. I am being aware there may be an issue if I rush or have the wrong trajectory. There are other things that can cause the rod tip to dip and go in a concave path. There are situations that we can use the tailing loop as part of a cast, too. Being limited in words here, I can’t do it justice, so go to Fly Fishers International for more info.

shorten the casting arc and cause a tailing loop. Instead, when you stop in the back cast, drift your rod tip back toward the unfolding line. Be careful not to rotate down towards the ground with the rod tip, but go up and back. That will increase the arc and stop the creeping.

• Trajectory - Aim your cast a few feet over the target. Too often the forward cast is aimed 10-15 feet over the target on the false cast or delivery cast. There should be a 180 degree line between the trajectories of the back to the target. We want a straight line on all paths away from

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THE 8TH ANNUAL BIGFISHHEADS DERBY AND LAKE OCONEE FORECAST

Contributed By Capt. Wayne Moore USCG www.oconeeonthefly.com

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

Captain Wayne Moore - Oconee On The Fly, Inc 404-317-9556 www.oconeeonthefly.com / wmoore1700@outlook.com 8 ATLANTA

FEBRUARY 2022

Ahh, the excitement is in the air already! Registration is still open for the 8th Annual BigFishHeads Derby here on Lake Oconee. This event is the brainchild of fellow guide, master captain, and good friend, Doug Nelms.

The derby runs for eight weeks, beginning February 12 and ending April 10. Registration fee of $150 must be paid BEFORE opening day for you and/or your boat to be eligible. All the information you need is at: www.oconeederby.com.

Each week the heaviest fish in two categories (crappie and striper/ hybrid) wins a prize. There is also a “Calcutta” bonus point that enables the participants to win an extra $1,000. First place for both the crappie and striper/hybrid categories is $4,000 plus an extra $250 “Cook cash.”

We do some serious “smack talk” during the competition, but this event is a great way to get to know your fellow anglers. The event has turned strangers into friends and enhanced the fellowship we all enjoy here on Oconee. Sign up before 2/12 and join the fun!

Hybrids/Stripers Spin Fishing This has been one of the best seasons for hybrid/striper fishing on Oconee in a long time. This will continue through February, provided the water temperature does not drop much below 50 degrees. Fish a War Eagle 7/8-ounce spoon in white or chartreuse, jigging it right under the boat. If you see birds, approach stealthily and cast the spoon from as far away as you can and you will catch fish.

Trolling a Mini Mack, either directly on your line or behind a planer board, will produce fish when they are stubborn. It is also a great way to scout for them and cover a lot of water. If you are going for bigger fish, long line a bass minnow on 12-pound test, using a swivel and a 10-pound fluorocarbon leader and a #4 circle hook. Put on a #4 sinker or two if you want to go deeper.

Fly Fishing – Fly fishing, targeting fish suspended at up to 15 feet below the surface, has been working. A fast-sinking line, a long cast,

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and a fly like a Clouser, a two-inch Game Changer, or Henry Cowen’s Somethin Else will work if you can find fish on the humps. Look for gulls sitting on the surface or divebombing shad. Cast a Somethin Else with an 8-weight rod using intermediate line and you will be in the strike zone!

Fly fishing on Oconee is all about timing. The best days are overcast, ahead of a front, and a few days before and after the new moon and full moon. I always have spinning gear on board, too. If they are not hitting flies, nothing beats a War Eagle 7/8-ounce spoon.

Crappie – By February the “pushing” bite should be very good.

I run eight rods out of the front that are 14 feet long. I have a ½-ounce weight and under that a 1/16-ounce Jiffy Jig tipped with a minnow. This method produces some BIG crappie.

Final Words - If you want to fish this winter bite, please call 404-3179556 or email me at wmoore1700@ outlook.com and lock in your dates.

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FEBRUARY FLY SELECTION

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

The month of February can be freezing cold or we can have a few decent days that make you want to hit the river. Timing your trip to accommodate the warmer days is a good idea. Hopefully, your fly tying bench has had good use through the winter and you have a pile of flies at your disposal.

Fly selection in the dead of winter can vary from total junk flies such as squirmies, eggs, and mop flies for delayed harvest stockers to carefully selected patterns to match the hatch or minnow for wild or educated trout that were stocked during the DH season. As trout are able to survive for at least a couple of weeks after stocking, they start to figure out what to eat or die. Fly pattern selection for these trout that have never seen the stocking truck gets more critical the more educated they get.

Most February hatches are minimal at best with Tiny Winter Black Stoneflies, Black Midges,

Blue Winged Olives, and Black Caddis making up the bulk of the dry fly fishing opportunities. Surface fishing with imitations of these bugs usually happens on the warmest days with ample sunshine. Small size 16 Black Stimulators for the stones, size 18 Griffith’s Gnat for the midges, size 18 Parachute B.W.O. for the blue wings and a size 16 Black Elk Hair Caddis for the black caddis will get the job done.

The black caddis hatch that usually happens during the last week of February can be a little squirrelly with fish keying in on the emerging or descending bugs. If you see splashy rises, it’s a sure sign that the trout are eating emergers, and the selection of a swung black soft hackle will outperform the dry fly 10 to 1. The same goes for the B.W.O. hatches, where splashy rises indicate an olive soft hackle or emerger would be a more sound choice.

Nymph pat-

terns for the winter seem to work best with less flash and more realism to the tie. By now, brass beads are pretty much trout repellant to the fish, and they will literally move out of the way knowing full well they are a no-no. Use of fluorocarbon tippet is essential to getting more strikes anytime you are fishing underwater but even more so when wild or educated trout are involved.

Streamer fishing in the winter can be excellent, especially when slightly off color water or cloudy, rainy weather decrease the amount

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of visibility in the river. Larger trout know that baitfish are easier to get in range of when they can’t see well, so they are out on the prowl for an easy meal. Slowing down the presentation to a steady strip will make your fly easier to time the impact for the predator. Barring or stripes on the body of the fly also seem more effective in the winter. If you look at any sculpin or darter you spook up while wading, almost all will have distinct markings along their bodies.

Big trout love sculpins, so match the minnow accordingly.

FEBRUARY 2022

ATLANTA 9

LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING THE GUIDE’S ANGLE MATCHING THE SUBSURFACE HATCH Contributed By: Chris Scalley River Through Atlanta Guide Service

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Did you know there are nine species of stoneflies in the Chattahoochee below Buford Dam? They range from size #18 Little Winter Stones to the largest #4 Salmon Flies with a few medium sized stonefly species in between. Each of these stoneflies begin their life cycle as eggs then develop into larvae, or what most fly fishermen call “nymphs”, and breath underwater with gills. These nymphs grow over time into larger larval stages called instars and eventually crawl to banks of the stream in the early springtime to finally shed their exoskeleton transforming

into air breathing adults.

February is when most stonefly nymphs are in their highest prevalence in the river, making them more available to the trout. We call this the “pounds of meat theory”, where if you had smaller or larger food items to choose from, you’re going to pick the whopper with cheese rather than a single French fry if you’re really hungry.

If you’re looking for a good choice for a point fly on a nymph rig for the Chattahoochee, opt for that whopper stonefly imitation from your nymph box!

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE SINCLAIR

LAKE LANIER CRAPPIE

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by Capt Josh Thornton 770-530-6493

Fishing has been good! The water temperature is in the low 50s.

With cold weather, try using smaller jig heads so the jig falls slowly and make small movements in your presentation. The jig colors I had success with this week are the white with black glitter and the electric chicken, which is pink over chartreuse.

Crappie can still be found on deep water brush. We have found large crappie at 30’ deep on brush.

This week I have been finding schools of crappie at 5’- 8’ deep over 40’ bottom under docks. I am also hitting docks in 10-15’ and finding crappie near the bottom. Try adding scent. I add scent when I need some added attraction to make the crappie hit when the jig isn’t attractive

enough to get the bite. I typically just add a Crappie Nibble onto the hook, but scents come in many forms like spray, gel, and even markers. Maybe it helps. Maybe it doesn’t, but I think it does.

Use your electronics to locate structure or bush piles. Crappie love the shade, so cast into the shadows. When dock shooting, the biggest fish are usually the first to bite. Let your jig sink and give it time to get down to the fish and retrieve your jig slowly. I’m using the Skipper’s Jigs Moon Jigs and ATX Lure Company’s jigs with 5-pound test high visibility yellow K9 braid for my line, unless I am using a bobber, then it’s the K9 6-pound high vis line and a Piscifun reel on an Acc Crappie Stix. I use Garmin Live Scope and the Navionics Boating app.

Find me on Facebook and like my pages @crappieonlanier Fishing With Everyday Heroes.

Forecast By: Ken Sturdivant kensturdivant@att.net Lake Sinclair is down 1.6 feet with the water temperature in the 50s.

Bass fishing is good. The fish are shallow and close to wood around docks in the creeks. Bass are biting Bandit crankbaits in bright colors and spinnerbaits. The bass are on the thickest wood anywhere on the bank, but it’s best to stay on the lower lake in the creeks. Use the 1/2 ounce Stanley spinnerbait with large silver willow leaf blades. Slow roll this lure on the points and use a single Colo-

rado blade and a chartreuse and white skirt. Also up lake, work this same lure on thick bank cover.

The Zoom blue pumpkin lizard on a Texas rig has been fair on deep docks and points. Add a glass rattle in the lizard. Afternoons are better as the water warms up. Later each day, use a Zoom trick worm in green and cast around docks down lake and let it sink out of sight.

Watch the water temperatures with the Lowrance Heat Map feature in the areas that are getting more sun. A couple of degrees can make a big difference all month. Continue to look for the bait, and this helps during the colder months. Take the time to find the bait, and fish these areas thoroughly.

Bass fishing is good. The fish are shallow and close

to wood around docks in the creeks. Bass are biting Bandit crankbaits in bright colors and spinnerbaits.

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ATLANTA 11

LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST EXPLORING LAKE LANIER

by Regina Dyer Gainesville CVB 770-531-2664

The fishing is HOT in the winter on Lake Lanier, and we are seeing an influx of tournaments during the winter months on Lanier.

What we’re hearing is that there’s some BIG spotted bass out there, and although they may be slower to hit the jig, they are coming up large. You wouldn’t think kayak fishing would be so popular when it’s cold, but this year we are seeing more kayak bass tournament trails hitting Lake Lanier.

Lake Lanier in the winter can offer great fishing, but also kayak time when there is less summer boat activity. The Gainesville Upper Lanier Water Trail is a 14 mile section of Lake Lanier that is connected to the Upper Chattahooch-

ee River Water Trail. Having these trails established allows paddlers plenty of options to launch and to fish various areas of the lake.

One tip we received is to fish on the sunny side of the lake, because not only will it keep you warm, the fish tend to be shallower than in the colder shady waters! Also, spotted bass are often seen around rocky areas seeking out crawfish, which is one of their favorites.

Additionally, dry or wet suits are recommended and layers help, too. Life jackets and kayaking with a partner is a must.

For more information about fishing on Lake Lanier, kayak trails and parks located along the lake, go to ExploreGainesville.org.

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FISHING NOE OUTDOORS FISHING EXPO NOEoutdoors.com COMING IN FEBRUARY

The NOE Outdoors Fishing Expo sponsored by Miracle Mist will be held February 18-20 at the Clarence Brown Conference Center at 5450 Highway 20, Cartersville, Ga. Northwest Georgia’s premier fishing show featuring the region’s top manufacturers and dealers. Get

a chance to win multiple giveaways.

Tickets $10 adults; ages 12 and under free. Hosted by Noe Outdoors Come out for an enjoyable weekend and check out all the latest and greatest in rods, reels, tackle, baits, boats, and more!

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LAKEBY BURTON PRESENTED Forecast by: Capt. Wes Carlton Georgia Lake Fishing 770-318-9777 www.georgialakefishing.com

Water temperature: 49 degrees, lake level: 7 feet below full pool, clarity: clear.

Bass: Bass fishing has been good.

You can catch them with several techniques. I have good luck with the white Fish Head Spin and herring colored Lucky Craft Staysee 90’s in the ditches. A lot of the bass are already loading up in the ditches to get ready for spawn. You can also catch them off rocky points with a jerk bait or a green pumpkin seed

Cartersville, GA Fri 3-7 Sat 9-7 Sun 9-5

shaky head worm. As the day goes on, try pitching a jig with a Zoom craw as a trailer around deep docks on sunny days. The best days to fish are the days leading up to the fronts that we have been getting hit with.

Trout/walleye: We are seeing a few trout schooling shallow early in the mornings, but they seem to disappear quickly as the sun climbs above the mountains. As the water warms this month, the walleye will be moving in and out of staging areas up the river for the yearly spawn. Try cranking Rapala #7 Shad Raps in the deeper holes of the river for the walleye.

Trout/walleye: We are seeing a few trout schooling shallow early in the mornings, but they seem to disappear quickly as the sun climbs above the mountains.

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FEBRUARY 2022

ATLANTA 13

LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST FEBRUARY – EARLY PRE-SPAWN ON LANIER Contributed By: Jim “Jimbo” Mathley www.jimboonlanier.com

The early pre-spawn on Lake Lanier can be a fantastic time to catch a huge spotted or largemouth bass.

The fish have been lethargic due to the colder water, and biologically, they are triggered to begin feeding in preparation for the arduous spawning process that will soon follow. Typically, the largemouth females emerge from the deeper water first. What triggers this move to shallower water? Where will these big fish emerge? How do you catch them?

These are all excellent questions the answers to which we will explore in detail in this month’s article.

Optimal Conditions: The biggest factor in the bass beginning their trek shallower is the steady lengthening of daylight we experience as the calendar progresses forward. The longer days are nature’s signal to the bass that it is time to start focusing on the reproduction cycle. This integral need will also trigger a feeding urge.

Ideally, from a weather standpoint, look for a 3 or 4 day period of stable weather accompanied by a warming trend. Just a degree or two in surface temperature can make the difference and trigger the fish to move shallower.

Once the warming trend begins, the fish will move shallower to feed in waves.

Location: Fish travel much like we do – on “highways”. Fish highways include areas like the main river channel, creek channels, and ditches within or near those channels. The bait and fish move methodically along these paths and look for cover to which they can relate for food, protection, and often in the case of the bass, ambush opportunity. They travel these “highways” as we have discussed and seek likely stopping points along the way.

Creeks: As I pursue the ditches and channels within the creek near areas that I have been catching fish, I look for likely stopping points; a secondary point with deep water close by, for example. Other viable locations include: deep pockets with a small flat or ledge near the point of entry, small bays, or “guts” that receive all day sun and are located right next to the creek or river

14 ATLANTA

FEBRUARY 2022

channel. Boat docks located over or near a channel bend or creek channel ditch in deeper water can be excellent choices too, particularly if the area in which the dock is located receives all-day sun. Also, focus on pockets that are protected from a north wind; northern pockets.

Main-Lake: The main body of water can also be an excellent location to target early pre-spawn bass. When fishing the main lake during the early pre-spawn period, I like to focus on points and humps that are near the main river channel and offer sharp contour breaks and therefore ease of access to feeding flats or ledges within these areas from deep water. Obviously, cover in these areas will provide an ambush spot for these pre-spawn monsters, so a wellplaced brush pile can improve your results!

Lures and Presentation: Now that we have explored the timing and areas of pursuit of early pre-spawn bass, let’s examine some possible lure choices and techniques to catch these fish.

In selecting and working a lure, remember that the water temperatures are still traditionally cold during the early pre-spawn period, and therefore the fish’s metabolism is reduced. The fish will move slower, and so should your lure presentation. As far as lure colors, I tend to stick with natural colors in the spring as I do all year-long. Green, brown, and white are generally found somewhere in the lures I am utilizing in the spring. If you are not getting bit, switch colors or lure type.

Jerkbait – One of my favorite early spring lures. These lures mimic expiring baitfish and represent an easy meal for lethargic bass. I prefer a deeper-diving model such as the Berkley Stunna in early spring. Work these lures in the areas mentioned above with a very slow cadence. Offer small twitches or short pulls of the jerkbait followed by LONG pauses.

Vary your cadence until you find the right combination.

GA Blade Shad Spin – This can be a very productive lure in the early prespawn period as well as throughout

the spawn and into post-spawn. Work the lure by slow-rolling the bait in the likely areas we have discussed. In most cases, maintaining contact with the bottom is important. I prefer a boottail trailer this time of year. It imparts more vibration in the lure and allows you to work the lure more slowly.

Crankbait – The Rapala Shad Raps are great choices in the early spring.

If the fish are not shallow on the flats and I am unable to get bites with the shallow-running models, I will switch to a medium depth crankbait, such as one of the Berkley Flicker Shad Medium Divers. If this fails, I will probe the deeper depths on the ends of flats, points, and humps with a deep runner, such as a Berkley Dredger.

Work these baits slowly and attempt to deflect the bait off of cover or the bottom as much as possible.

Worm/jig – When all else fails and when the fish are bottom-locked, do not ignore the Shaky Head/worm combo as well as the Georgia Jig. Drag these baits in likely areas very slowly, imparting periods of motionlessness on the bait. Often bites will occur this time of year when you are simply allowing the bait to remain still following a slow drag or slight hop.

Early pre-spawn is a great time of year to fish. Often, this is the time when you are most likely to catch the bass of your life! Get out there and fish!

For more information or to book your winter trip, contact Jimbo on Lanier!

770-542-7764. Jimbo’s Website: www. jimboonlanier.com.

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LAKE ALLATOONA Forecast By: Capt. Robert Eidson First Bite Guide Service 770-827-6282 eidson6260@att.net www.firstbiteguideservice.com Linesides fishing is surprisingly good! It’s kind of a strange start 2022.

Normally, this time of year we start seeing the bite start to slow and start seeing signs of shad kill, but with the warmer weather and the rain, the lake is showing no signs of a kill as of right now.

This time of the year, we are usually spending 100% of our time on the north end of the lake, but the recent

rains has blown out the northern end, and the bait and fish can be found from Kellogg’s to the blockhouse house. The key to fishing right now is to find clear to slightly stained water.

Normal winter techniques are working. Freelines, planer boards, downlines and umbrella rigs are all producing.

Be sure to carry plenty of bait.

When you do find them, they are eating. This time of year, 20 to 50 fish days are very uncommon, but as of now, we are seeing numbers like this a couple of times a week.

Go enjoy them while they are biting.

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Fishing has been fair. We’ve had some cold weather along with lots of rain. The lake is at winter pool, and the fish are scattered. I’ve been catching fish using a drop-shot and Ned Rig out on deep banks and long points and also on a shaky head with a 5” finesse worm. We’ve been getting some fish on a jerk bait out on points and around docks. Try throwing a jig around any brush or

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I have also been marking a lot of fish deep in 12’ to 35’. These fish are in areas where there is a ditch, drop-off or a long point. I target these fish with a Texas rig, shaky head, Ned Rig and a drop-shot. The water temps are about right to start fishing the float-n-fly. If you’ve never fished this technique, it’s amazing what size fish you can catch in the winter on the rig. When the water temps drop on down and the baitfish are not as active, you will see the bass go back to the structure.

Remember, 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 CRAPPIE FISHING ON THE LAKE

By James K. Pressley, jameskpressley@gmail.com It’s hard to not start this article with “I remember when”. However, I remember when the best fishermen on the lake were bass fishermen. We all wanted to be those guys with the Ranger boats and 100 rods with tackle boxes overflowing and the cool shirts with logos on them.

Times, it seems, have changed.

Crappie fishermen, it seems, hold those ranks today.

I had the chance this month to fish with Richard Malcom, local guide and tournament angler who lives in Buckhead. Like me, Richard has fished Oconee and Sinclair all his life. He just chases a different fish. We got to talking one afternoon and Richard assured me he could show me how to shoot docks and put good crappie in the boat without the need for the latest and greatest technology.

We met up right after the rain stopped on a Thursday afternoon.

We launched the boat at Sugar Creek Marina and never got above the 44 bridge, my friends. After just a short run, Richard pulls up to a dock and rigs up his rod of preference; a 6’0” medium-light action Todd Huckabee crappie rod with a 25 series reel and 4-pound test high visibility line on it. His lure of choice is a 1/24th ounce Jiffy Jig with a little bit of Slabslobber on it (a product Richard makes).

The key to dock shooting, while not complicated, is difficult to grasp at first. Keep your rod parallel to the water, pull the jig back towards the reel, and bend it enough to get the distance you need. Start with the jig at the largest guide and pull it back from there. Learn to adjust the angle of approach by adjusting the position of the hand holding the jig, all while remembering to let go of the line a split second after releasing the jig. When you manage to get these all lined up and properly executed, the jig will disappear under the dock and go way back in there where few have gone before.

But wait, there’s more; the retrieve. Once you manage to get the jig back under the dock, you must retrieve it correctly! It’s a slow steady retrieve after counting down the lure to the desired depth. That’s all fine and good, but here’s the hard part; FEELING THE BITE! It ain’t 20 ATLANTA

FEBRUARY 2022

going happen, my friend. You got to watch that high-vis line. When you SEE that line jump, you better swing. Hit him, because he’s got it.

The way they feed, you won’t necessarily ever feel him bite the jig. The crappie will swim up, take the jig, and keep going up for a bit. All you will see is the line jump.

At the first dock we came to, Richard rigs up and shoots back underneath it a good 8 feet to the center of the dock. He doesn’t turn the reel twice before he has a nice crappie on. Crappie lands in the livewell and Richard shoots again. Another crappie. Now, I’m not a smart guy, but I can sense a pattern here, so I proceeded to learn how to do this so I can catch a fish. True to my form, the first fish I catch doing this is… ..a bass. Yep. Shooting docks with a tournament crappie angler and my first catch is a largemouth bass.

After some more coaching and getting the retrieve down, I did manage to finally get in the battle and land some crappie. In the span of time from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm that evening after almost 8” of rain that week, we caught around 40 crappie and kept a mess of 20.

Now, here’s the details on how to get started with this technique. If you already do this, I am sure you will have things you want to add to my list, but if you are just getting started, this is a basic list and how to.

1. Rod is important. You need a medium-light to medium rod with a deep action. You don’t have to spend $90. A Shakespeare or Berkley rod that is 6’ medium-light is going to work just fine. According to Richard, you will break a few learning to do this. I can easily see how.

2. Reel - A 25 to 30 series reel is best. The reason for a larger reel is line memory and the ease of the line coming off the spool. When you shoot the line back under the dock, you need it to come off without twisting and tangling, and the larger spool helps with that.

3. Line - For starters, begin with 4-pound test and HI-Vis. Since with this technique you are not so much feeling a bite but seeing the line jump, you need to be able to actually see it. Berkley makes a good HiVis yellow for instance and even an

close attention to the wind, so you are not blown into a dock, is important.

7. Electronics - All you really need for this is a map. Richard likes docks for the majority of the year that are 12’ deep or deeper and close to deeper water. Look for ditches, creeks, and channels that run into coves or the main lake. Also, the lower the dock, the darker it will be under it. Crappie are light sensitive and will be under the DARKER docks.

There you have it. A 12 month of the year program that you can catch crappie on without spending thousands on new electronics. Go out and catch yourself a fish fry!

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4. Jigs - Jiffy Jig makes a 1/24th and most other manufacturers apparently make a 1/32. Those are the best sizes according to Richard to shoot for beginners. Lighter or heavier and it changes the workings of the whole system, it appears. Colors are not a huge concern for Richard. It’s just the size.

5. Boat - You can do this off anything with a bit of creativity. Richard runs an Xpress bay boat and I run a Robalo bay boat. If I stand in the cockpit area, I can get low enough to shoot under these docks.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE ALLATOONA Forecast By: Joseph Martinelli 404-919-4918 What a fantastic winter we have been enjoying here on Lake Allatoona, and forecasts for February look wonderful all around. The striped bass and hybrid bite has been pretty great overall this winter on Allatoona.

Consistent fish holding areas have been mid-lake from Victoria to Bartow Carver and even south to Coopers Branch/Dam areas. While this time last year, the fish had already loaded into Iron Hill / Allatoona Pass and south, the water clarity and quality have been decent enough mid-lake and the fish have been holding to those areas well.

Downlines baited with threadfin shad and small to medium gizzard shad and small to medium trout will likely continue to be the most productive technique through this month. This is mainly because we can keep the bait right at the targeted depth where we are marking the most activity all while presenting them their natural forage foods.

The hybrids and stripers will continue to be concentrated in the 30-40’ depth range for the most part during the winter. These are not exclusive depths, but your electronics will tell the tale. A lot of the recorded feeding we are witnessing is happening on the edges of the main channels where the linesides have pushed the bait up to from the main channel.

Freelines have been producing well still. Sometimes our freelines are simply baited with a medium shiner on a number 2 or 4 hook on light line complemented by a small 3/0 split shot when trolling at .5 mph. Sometimes these are the only lines getting the bite. Sometimes it’s the smaller bait size, sometimes it’s the shallower depth presentation, and sometimes it is a combination of both. Having the freelines out truly puts us in a better position to hone in on exactly what the fish want.

Side-planers with a bigger bait or two in the spread are a good idea if you can manage it. Sometimes this may be the preferred technique, especially when you are hunting for a larger fish that might be willing to expend some energy to go after a good-sized meal.

Trolling the Mini-Mack’s (125’ out) and full-size umbrella rigs (75-100’ out) will have its moments of glory even through this winter.

These are fantastic tools to use for scouting and locating fish. Sometimes it is this faster moving school of bait that triggers the bite. If you have the capacity to keep even one Mini down even while live bait fishing, you might find this gets the bite before the individual live baits.

The crappie bite has been pretty good and is expected to rock and roll this month! These fish will be staging up in the channels, especially near the mouths of their favorite creeks such as Little River, Sweetwater and Kellogg Creek for the north end, and the same may be

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found in similar staging grounds all the way to Allatoona Creek. Trolling for them will continue to be a very effective technique with as many rods as you think you and your partner can manage.

Don’t let the weather keep you from an Adventure. We hope these guidelines help on your own excursions. We’d love to have you out for an Adventure with us, so feel free to reach out any time via email or directly to 404-919-4918. God Bless you and tight lines!

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST SPRING FISHING PREPARATION Dr. Andrew Cox Springtime fishing is just around the corner with some of the best fishing to be found over the course of the angling year. The crappie, hybrids, and white bass will be running in local waters in about a month, depending upon weather and water conditions. We can even begin catching largemouth and spotted bass on warmer days as these fish prepare for spawning.

You do not want to lose valuable fishing time or a trophy fish due to unexpected equipment failures or other events.

Now is the time to take stock of your fishing equipment and tackle inventory. It is important to check the condition of your line on your reels. Are your reels filled to capacity with line that is not frayed, brittle, and will securely hold knots?

With fly equipment, make sure that your floating fly line still floats and does not have cracks or abrasions.

Sink tip and sinking fly lines should be in good condition. Check the condition of your fishing reels to make sure they are in good working order and adequately lubricated.

Rod guides and reels seats should be inspected to insure that they are not bent or broken and will securely hold your reel in place.

You might also inspect all lures to insure that hooks are sharp and not bent or broken. Inspect line eyes on lures to make sure that they are intact and securely hold knots.

You can use touch up paint on lures to improve their appearance and visibility.

Go through your tackle box to check your assortment of lures and

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terminal tackle. Purchase needed hooks, sinkers/lead, swivels, floats, and specialty lures/baits that may be needed for the type of fishing and fish species that you may pursue in the upcoming months. Inventory and purchase any fishing gadgets that you may need to round out supplies for those fish species that you will be targeting this spring.

You should also take inventory of one of the most important fishing tools that you have: your boat. Make sure that your electric trolling motor, depth/fish finders, temperature gauge, anchoring, and other boat accessories are operational. Insure that your boat’s batteries are holding a charge with adequate power to operate your boat and its accessories. Inspect your boat’s steering to insure boat safety. Ascertain that required safety equipment is on board such as fire extinguishers, life preservers, anchor and anchor rope, and similar items. Most importantly, does the outboard motor crank and run as needed? What a disappointment to put your boat in the water and not be able to get it started. This can ruin a planned fishing trip. Each spring at area launching ramps, I observe boat operators that are unable to start their outboard motors thus changing their fishing plans for the day.

I was recently reminded of the importance in insuring that your boat is in good running order. During the Christmas holiday season, I made a trip to Steinhatchee, Florida for some inshore saltwater fishing for speckled trout and redfish. As both of my boats were in the repair shop, I was forced to rent a boat at one of the area marinas. Of course fishing from a rental boat is a far cry from angling in your own boat that is rigged out for your style of fishing. The rental boat had a T top that interfered with casting, no trolling motor, and few but uncomfortable boat seats. It was simply a vehicle for gaining access to the Gulf of Mexico waters. Certainly, the rental boat’s set up and the expense incurred in renting the boat detracted from the angling trip.

At this time, putting a boat in

the shop for repairs can involve a lengthy time period due to the supply chain issues and difficulty in obtaining boat related parts. These issues are also compounded by the volume of boats awaiting repair in area repair shops.

Making preparations this month are important preplanning activities for the upcoming prime fishing months. Having operational equipment, the right terminal tackle and lures can make the difference between an outstanding or a disastrous fishing excursion. Over the next three to four months, depending upon the waters that you fish, you have a chance to catch a trophy fish of a lifetime. You would not want to lose that trophy due to faulty line, an inoperable reel or rod, not having the right lure or bait at the right time, or a boat that cannot take you to your favorite fishing location.

Author’s Note: Dr. Andrew Cox is a contributing writer to outdoor publications and newspapers. His writing interests specialize in angling and travel, human interest, and general fishing technique oriented topics. 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. He has also fished the waters of most states within the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and several Caribbean islands. He enjoys fresh and saltwater fishing for bass, bream, crappie, trout, redfish, and speckled trout using fly, baitcasting, and spinning equipment. 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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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST WINTER BOAT MAINTENANCE

By Capt. Cefus McRae Nuts & Bolts Fishing Series Hartwell, GA Wintertime is finally here, and your boat has been put on the trailer or on the storage rack to sit out the winter doldrums until the dogwoods bloom in the spring. If boats could talk, this is probably their loneliest time of year with nothing to do and no trips to the water. It’s kind of sad, actually.

If you find yourself with a few extra hours to spare on a winter weekend, there’s a few things you might want to do that will make both your boat and you happy.

You’ll find this especially true when it’s time to put her back on the water in the spring.

Now, depending on exactly where you live, winter may bring sub-zero temperatures for a few days or weeks, or in the deeper South, the thermometer may never go below 40 degrees. Either way, the cold temps and humidity changes can do some funny things to your boat, motor and the gear you may have left on board.

Let’s assume that you’ve done all the winterizing preparations that I’ve written about before; drain plug out, fuel stabilizer, winterize the engine, checked and charged batteries, checked electrical connections, checked the trailer winch, bunks, wheel bearings, and performed a thorough cleaning inside and out. So what could be left to do, you’re thinking? OK, here are a few things to consider.

1. Did you remove your PFD’s (lifejackets and throwables) and put them in a dry place? Lifejackets are probably the single-most overlooked and important items on boats these days. It’s the old ‘out-of-sight, out-of-mind’ thing.

They usually get stored in the bottom recesses of a compartment, and that compartment is probably damp. So check them for mildew, and either clean them really well, or if they’re really nasty, swap them out for some new ones. When you’re checking them, really tug on the straps and the seams where the neck meets the front flotation pieces. If there’s a tear or signs of weakness, replace them. If you get stopped by the DNR, Coast Guard

or Marine Patrol, and they see tattered PFD’s, those no longer qualify as reliable devices on the boat, and you could wind up with a ticket. If you ever find yourself in an emergency where you need them, no one wants a lifejacket that’s falling apart as they put it on.

2. Check your fire extinguisher.

Again, this is another often overlooked but extremely important piece of safety gear on your boat.

The dry chemical extinguishing agent in your fire extinguisher has a tendency to settle in the bottom of the canister. Since boats ‘pound’ as they’re zipping across the waves, the powder can cake up in the bottom. That presents the possibility that if you ever needed it, all that would come out would be the propellant, not the fire extinguishing powder. So, first check the gauge on the extinguisher. Tap it a couple times with your finger to insure that it’s not stuck. Then flip the extinguisher upside down and slap it on the bottom a few times with the palm of your hand or a rubber mallet to get all the powder fluffy again. Another issue that typically happens when boats are stored in the same location for an extended period is caused by dirt dobber wasps. These industrious little critters will build their mud nests right inside the nozzle of your extinguisher, and you’ll never see it. So, take a flashlight and really check the nozzle to make sure it’s clean and free of debris.

3. If your boat is stored outside, leaves and other debris can get blown into the cockpit. Even if your boat has a tarp for cover, it’s amazing how much material can find its way into the hull. Sometimes all this stuff will wind up at your cockpit scuppers and clog them up. It gets damp, turns into ‘goo’, and can stain your gelcoat.

Worse, if it completely clogs a drain or ends up in your bilge, this pile of leaves, sticks, and whatever can prevent rainwater from draining. I’ve seen plenty of boats on trailers with flat tires because the boat’s bilge had filled up with water and the extra weight was too much

for the tires.

4. OK, here’s one more for good measure. Remember point #2?

Well, those pesky dirt dobbers love to stack up their mud in the TellTale outlet of outboard engines, the small hole on the side of the motor that spits out water to let you know the water pump is working. I know, that’s a really tiny hole, but those little wasps can be partial to those openings, and they’ll also build their nests in the fuel vent on the side of the hull, too. To check the

Tell-Tale outlet, straighten out a paper clip and gently push it up into the hole. If it’s clear, you’re good to go. If there’s resistance, then you should probably do a little more investigation.

Well, there’s a few things that can help to remove the boredom of a dreary winter’s day, and you can feel good that you’re doing things to keep your boat in tip-top condition, too. Plus, the time you spend with your boat will make it feel a lot less lonely. Tight lines and calm seas.

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ATLANTA 23

LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST HEAT UP YOUR WINTERTIME BASS FISHING WITH THESE HOT SPOTS Contributed By: Jay Striker www.jaystriker.com Fishing in the winter can be tough on anglers, not only dealing with cold outside temperatures, but also having to find fish in cold and unstable water conditions.

There are three reliable patterns I choose when fishing in the winter, and they are roadbeds, points, and riprap in that order. They are bass magnets when it’s cold.

Roadbeds are some of the most overlooked places that anglers miss when bass fishing. If anglers would take just a little time locating a bass magnet like a roadbed, they would find that fish are there and many times are big and not pressured.

When fishing roadbeds, I try to focus on any irregularity that shows up on my electronics. It may be a rock pile, a ditch with stumps, etc., but if you find something different, you will find fish hanging around it. Bass use roadbeds as a migration route to and from different access areas. Locate roadbeds on a map, and if they are close to a channel or other structure, be sure to fish them. My favorite baits for fishing road beds are Rapala deep diving crankbaits and the Fish Head Spin, as they allow me to cover the entire water column effectively. I then back them up using a Carolina Rig with a standard soft plastic.

Main lake points are the second stop on the list as they are another piece of structure that will be holding fish in the winter. When fishing points, I try to locate the points that run a long way out from the bank and into a drop off. This allows me to use many different presentations and gives bass the ability to move up and down the water col-

umn easily, I usually start out using deep diving crankbaits if the point is deep, because I want to stay in contact with the bottom as much as possible. Using big baits is also key to fishing wintertime points, because bass need the assurance that the bait it chases is worth the energy spent doing so. Slow rolling big spinnerbaits over points in the winter also get the nod. I trick out my spinnerbait by painting the entire bait white, blades and all.

Riprap holds bass in the winter, and it is the third stop on my list. Riprap exists to retain the earth from moving. However, the added benefit is that it becomes a bass magnet. Riprap holds all of the micro and biological food sources that attract baitfish and provides shelter, so when there is bait, bass won’t be far away. When fishing riprap, I always start on the west side of the lake, because it will warm faster, as the sun rises in the east. I start out throwing a crankbait parallel to the bank and work my way off the bank getting deeper and deeper to locate the active zones. I look for some type of change in the riprap because bass are usually attracted to it, so I try to be sure to hit the corners of the riprap as bass use it as an ambush points.

When fishing in the winter, don’t overlook some of the best bass locations on the lake. Road beds, points, and riprap could be the best way to break down a lake in the winter and start catching fish faster. Thanks for taking the time to read and check me out at www.jaystriker.com.

LAKE EUFAULA

By Capt Sam Williams hawk184@earthlink.net 334-687-6266 Water temperature: mid 50’s, lake level: 188.88, clarity: muddy.

The rains, temperature swings and muddy water have the fish in a total state of confusion. The creeks are very muddy; the river will tend to clear up a little faster. The south end will naturally clear up a bit faster with the sandy bottom. The bass are scattered on the deeper structure.

You can find them on your electronics, but they need to be finessed into a strike. Carolina rigs, jigging spoons worked continually among them and big worms on a heavy Texas rig are your best bet. If you see any shad or bird action in the shallow flats, chatterbaits in chartreuse with a white trailer dipped in J.J.’s Magic will attract a fish. If you find any sign of activity, work out the area with several types of baits before moving.

Rocky areas are also a good choice. As the sun rises, these areas warm up faster. Finesse worms and light jigs on spinning equipment are a good idea to work these areas for a bass. You might also work a Pop-R or other topwater lures along the riprap. Again, work it slowly and deliberate.

Crappie do not like dirty water as they must look up to see their prey. It is hard for them in this muddy water.

If you can find cleaner water on the ledges, work the fish attractors and trash piles in 12 to 20 feet with minnows.

Panfish are harder to find right now. Worms worked along bank

lines may get a few. Catfish on cut bait and night crawlers are mostly deep on the ledges. Jug fishing has slowed down until this weather settles down. Odor from the bait carries better in the dirty water, so use some of the store bought stink bait. It will get a good mess for the supper table.

The Scott Woodruff Heart Transplant tournament is coming up March 26, 2022 out of Lake Point. Applications can be found in most motels and tackle stores or call Capt. Sam at 334-355-5057 to have one mailed or go to www. alclaccis.com and click on the Scott Woodruff page to register online.

The Albany Bass Club has elected to no longer hold the fund raising event. We will continue to hold this tournament to help Scott with the expensive post-op meds he is required to take to maintain his new heart. The money we raise goes to the Transplant Foundation, and they administer the funds for this purpose. We are a 501C3 foundation, so your entry fee is a tax deductible donation. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter while you are on the website and receive all the updates on both of our tournaments. Plan to fish our regular AL Classic in October.

Be safe on the water, dress in layers, keep plenty of water and enjoy what God has provided for our enjoyment. Remember, it is up to us fishermen to help get our river back in balance. Eat the bass you catch. They are a very healthy food for your family.

Pray for one another and our country. HE is our only answer.

God bless and good fishing.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST CHECKING SOME OFF THE BUCKET LIST!

By Gary Turner

I threw the frog lure up on the bank, then twitched it through the grass over a rock, and plopped it in the water right at the edge of the water. BOOM! Half out of the water came a snakehead! It had seen the frog as it jumped off the rock and the fish exploded on it as it hit the water.

Now, this isn’t my first time seeing this, but it was the first time I actually hooked up one! My December trip to Pompano Beach with my friends Jamie Smith and Damon Melcho of Xtreme Bait Tanks and Capt. Johnny Stabile was phenomenal!

The first night we got down to Pompano, we headed to Lake Ida to fish for clown knife fish. We deployed the Hydro Glows to see how they would do. The water in Ida was pretty dark, and the lights made a small radius around the boat. It was not at all like when I use the Hydro Glows on Carters Lake in Ellijay.

There they light up a whole cove, and when the bait comes in, it can black out the lights.

We started to see some shad circling the lights and then had our first bite. It was a clown knife, and we let Jamie take it because she had never caught a clown knife. She reeled it in, took quick pics, and released it.

Damon got on a good clown knife on the next bite, and we did CPR again. I caught the next one, and then several more followed.

In two hours, we nailed it, packed it up, and headed back to Pompano where Capt. Johnny dropped us off at our Airbnb. We hit the sack to rest up for a trip the next morning with Hai Truong. I had no idea as I drifted off to sleep that I would catch a potential world record fish that next morning.

We met up with Hai in Miami and loaded into his Jeep. Hai does what I would call urban ambush fishing. You ride to a good spot, sneak up on the fish, toss a couple of free baits, and see if they react. If they don’t, you load up 26 ATLANTA

FEBRUARY 2022

and head to another spot to find some more.

To begin the day, we rode for a while and caught some small cichlids for bait and then headed to the first spot. We checked the fish and a couple seemed interested in feeding. When we tossed in a hook, they changed their minds. I kept trying to find one that was hungry, then one ate a free bait. I quickly tossed a hooked bait to it. You can see everything as this water is crystal clear.

It sucked in the bait and spit it right back out. I reeled in, tossed another bait. It sucked it in, and I set the hook.

Hai was helping Jamie and Damon who were trying to catch a peacock down the bank. He saw I was hooked up and ran up beside me. He said “OH MY, THAT’S A BIG ONE!” It didn’t look that big to me, but this was the first midas cichlid I had ever hooked. I had come to Miami several times in the past but hadn’t managed to hook one. I learned why when we fished with Hai. I had been doing everything wrong and was even fishing on the wrong days.

So, I got this midas reeled in and Hai was going on and on. We took quick pics and dipped the fish again. It weighed 3.8 pounds on the

Boca scale. The current world record stands at 3.0 pounds. So, it’s Saturday morning around 9:00 and I have caught a potential world record fish.

We discuss what it takes in Florida to get a record fish recorded and put the fish in the water to keep it alive while we decide. We had a whole day of fishing ahead of us and Hai wasn’t sure we could find a certified scale that morning. He also didn’t want to harvest this fish and, of all times, we didn’t have my truck with an Xteme Bait Tank or livewell in the back to keep it alive. We decided to let it go after a few more pics. I probably smiled for a few days! That day Johnny, Damon and Jamie caught their first midas. Damon and Jamie also caught their first peacock bass.

We had a blast!

That night we headed to Biscayne

Bay on Johnny’s boat where we saw several large tarpon but couldn’t get any to bite, even though he had worn them out two nights earlier in the week. The next day, we headed to Markam Park with Johnny where we caught a lot more peacocks, mayan cichlids and snakeheads. The next day, we all went to Lake Ida and caught iguanas and a ton more fish!

We had an epic fishing trip, and I can’t wait to check more fish off my bucket list in 2022!

I’m not sure what next month’s article will be on or where I’ll be fishing, 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. Please remember, if you are not going to eat it, don’t kill it.

LAKE SEMINOLE Forecast By:

by Capt. Paul Tyre paultyrefishing@yahoo.com The bass fishing on Lake Seminole has been excellent the first couple of weeks of the new year.

The water temperatures have been in the upper 50’s to low 60’s.The Flint River arm of Lake Seminole has been stained from the recent rains with Spring Creek remaining clearer and the Chattahoochee River side of Lake Seminole has a good stain to it.

As we move into February, the bass on Lake Seminole will be staging in their pre-spawn areas, feeding and preparing for the spawning cycle. Spinnerbaits, swim jigs and lipless crankbaits will be productive lures to cover water.

One of my favorite early spring spinnerbaits is a 1/2 ounce Booyah Covert series tandem spinnerbait in chartreuse and white fished along the grass lines and over the grass flats.

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This is great lure for covering the grass flats.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE HARTWELL

By Preston Harden Bucktail Guide Service www.bucktailguideservice.com (706) 255-5622 Water temperature: 51 degrees, lake level: 4 feet below full pool.

February can be a tough month.

Most game fish don’t eat much as their metabolism slows and they don’t eat. When the water temp gets below 48 degrees, the only good option is crappie. Crappie will eat no matter how cold the water gets.

There are many ways to catch crappie. You have to fish where the crappie are. Small crappie minnows work great. A slip float works to get the minnow to the depth the crappie are holding. Sometimes they are 15 to 30 feet deep. Slow trolling small crappie jigs will catch lots of crappie.

I like to work a 1/32 ounce jig in the shade of a dock or a bridge. I work the jig very slowly on 4-pound test line. The bite will be subtle and hard to detect. Sometimes, the line just

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A rare black crappie from Lake Hartwell. goes slack as they feed up. Crappie are my favorite fish to eat in Lake Hartwell. They taste best when the water is cold.

As we get toward late February, the water can get warmer in the backs of the creeks. Usually the biggest stripers get active first.

If you fish in February, be mindful of hypothermia. I always wear a PFD when I am alone. Hypothermia will set in quickly. Have a plan to get back in the boat with wet clothes that are like wearing weights.

Lake Jackson is full with the water temperature in the 50s.

Bass fishing is fair. Use a Rattle Back 1/2 ounce jig and a larger Pro Pork Trailer by Uncle Josh on the docks and shallow points close to the main lake. Mid-day, use spinnerbaits such as Stanley spinnerbaits with bright gold blades down lake in the creeks. Late, look for shallow strikes as the bass move to the creek banks and points during

the day. The Zoom watermelon seed lizards on a Carolina rig has been fair later each day on creek and old channels and also use a Culprit red shad worm on a Texas rig with the brass and glass combination. Work baits right on the bank around any cover. Zoom Flukes skipped under the docks down lake can also work. Use the pearl and baby bass colors in the Zoom baits.

Watch the water temperatures with the Lowrance Heat Map feature in the areas that are getting more sun. A couple of degrees can make a big difference all month.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LANIER STRIPERS

LAKE NOTTELY STRIPERS Trophy Striper Season is Here!

Forecast By: Shane Goebel Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service & The Angler Magazine Fishing Team www.bigolfish.com

We are a month into 2022 and we’ve had the most confusing weather pattern I’ve seen in many years with temperatures ranging from mid-70s to low 20’s the next day. One thing’s for sure is that the fish are in all kinds of crazy patterns. Fortunately, we are on the water every single day which allows us to keep up with this nonsense, lol.

However, February usually hosts warmer temps here which will really get the fish feeding great! Now, don’t get me wrong. We’ve been slaying the stripers here. You just need to be prepared for several different techniques. Fortunately for you, we can help you score those monster North Georgia stripers. Lake Nottely is North Georgia’s hidden gem for catching some awesome stripers, and, as North Georgia’s #1 full-time guide striper service, we are here to help put you on some hard-fighting fish. Check us out on Facebook and you’ll see!

Currently, water temperatures on Lake Nottely are in the upper 40’s to mid 50’s and water levels are around 16 feet below full pool. Water clarity is moderately clear.

Striper fishing really has been

excellent recently! Just check out our Facebook page. We’ve been catching a lot of nice fish in the 10 to 30-pound range and a lot of them, too. These fish for the most part are shallow and pounding baits on shallow flats in the backs of creeks.

Pulling planer boards and free lines early in the morning has been working great. Huge gizzard shad and blueback herring is always the bait of choice this time of year. It’s so stinking awesome to see a huge 30 pounder explode on a bait at the end of a planer board. Occasionally, we’ll also pull small trout as well. Also, look for these fish in deeper water schooled up, especially on warm days. Our trophy striper season has been in full swing, and these techniques will continue for the next few months.

February is a great month for catching a lot of schooling 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 stripers during the fishing trip of a lifetime. We are Blairsville, Georgia’s premier full-time guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lakes Hiwassee, Chatuge and Lake Blue Ridge. Come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine, and let us help you get your fish on!

Forecast by: Clay Cunningham www.catchingnotfishing.com 770-630-2673 Striper fishing this winter has been better than average except for a few bad weather days. I’m hoping the same for February. We need some sun to warm the water for the bait to make a shift shallow. Most of the bait has continued to be 50-80 feet deep. There have been a few fish shallow that can be easy to catch but not big numbers.

Live bait has continued to be the best pattern over the deep bait. As the bait continues to condense in the creeks, this pattern will not change much except that they will progressively move shallower as spring gets closer. Herring have been the best bait all winter. Keep as many Shakespeare striper rods rigged as possible with Penn Fathom Linecounter reels spooled with 15-pound Trilene Big Game. Rig several of these striper rods with downlines. The downline is more or less a Carolina rig for live bait. Tie on a 2-ounce Capt. Mack swivel sinker, a four foot leader of Trilene 100% twelve pound flourocarbon and a size 1 Gamakatsu octopus hook for the herring. These hooks are tiny but incredibly strong.

Great electronics like the Humminbird Solix will greatly increase your success as well. You should be able to see your bait almost hit the

fish on the head with the electronics. Also, the down imaging of the Solix allows you to see into the bait with more detail. Many times you will see fish with down imaging that is hard to see with old school 2D. If you want to use artificials, the Capt. Mack 3/8 ounce and 1/4 ounce bucktails will come into play in February. In clear water, go with the white bucktail and the chartreuse in stained water. Rig up a Penn Conflict 3000 with 10-pound Trilene Big Game on a 7 foot medium Penn rod and you are ready for battle. If you prefer a bait caster, match up an Abu Garcia Revo with an Abu Garcia Veritas 7’ medium casting rod.

Do not use heavier than 10-pound line. Heavier line will decrease your casting distance. This pattern will be best once the bait moves to the back of the creeks. Right now, the key ingredient is the bait. If the bait is thick, the stripers will be there.

Also of note, February is the big fish month of the year as the females begin to feel the urge of the spring spawn. The metabolism of the big females will increase, and they will be looking for a meal.

Some big fish may show up this February if the weather falls into place. A few big fish have already shown up this winter. The stripers are rebounding from the parasite that hurt the big fish a few years ago. Be prepared and don’t say the big one got away.

Striper fishing this winter has been better than average except for a few bad weather days. I’m hoping the same for February.

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FEBRUARY 2022

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST

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

lakeandstreamguideservice@gmail.com

Water temperature: 45 degrees, lake level: plus/minus 6 feet from full, clarity: 6 feet.

Carters is known as a big fish lake for several species, and the walleye is no exception. February is a chance to see one of those fish. Big pre-spawn females are cruising around on the bottom looking for an easy meal to stuff their already fat bellies. The bigger fish should be moving up into the mouth of the river system just off the main lake and staging to spawn. Typically, they hold in 70 to 80 feet of water where the temps are cold but stable.

We are still fishing them vertically, but with a big, slower action and a bit artificials and live bait. Look for fish smaller presentation. This runs true for just off the river channel headed up

Carters is known as a big fish lake for several species, and the walleye is no exception.

February is a chance to see one of those fish.

from the island. Spoons, jigs, or jig and minnow rigs in 5/8 to ¾ ounce will get you deep enough and still be able to feel the bites deep. Vary the color and speed presentation until you find what works for you and the fish.

Early morning or full moon nights have been best, and that should continue through the month. Later this month, we will switch over to the jet boat and chase these fish up super shallow.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE MARTIN Provided By: David Hare Alex City Guide Service 256-401-3089 Water temperature: 52 degrees, lake level: 480.7, clarity: lightly stained to clear.

As you see in below picture, we are already catching some trophy fish (this one you expect to be a spring time fish). The winter water temps have so far been warmer than normal, so we are catching very nice stripers both deep (downlining) and shallow by pulling boards. The stripers are still feeding on smaller than normal baitfish, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon, probably not until March.

In February there will be a few more sea gulls than usual, which is always a good thing because it’s another tool to use to locate the Lake Martin stripers. Never pass up an opportunity to graph for stripers when sea gulls are in the area.

Sometime in February, the Red Horse Suckers will start spawning here which is an excellent striper bait, and when they are spawning, it makes it much easier to catch them for a good day of fishing.

If you come fishing on your own this month, don’t forget our lake is down an additional 3 feet from the normal winter pool which means you’re going to have many more hazard areas to

30 ATLANTA

FEBRUARY 2022

avoid. Also, I sure do not advise running anywhere north of the railroad trestle until we get much more water depth back in the lake.

This is also the month to start (if you haven’t already) booking your spring time trips with us as March, April and May are some of our most consistent months to catch the 25 to 45-pound stripers we have to offer. Who knows you might break our lake record (which we hold) of 52-pounds, and yes, it was a March fish. In March of 2021 our biggest was 45-pounds, and was a topwater fish. Shoot us a text and we will get you on the calendar. Until next time, stay safe and warm!

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

lakeandstreamguideservice@gmail.com

Water temperature: 44 degrees, lake level: -18 feet, clarity: 12-14 feet.

January fishing was great for walleye. We had consistent catches most days with lots of fish in the 20 to 22” range. Vertical fishing is still the go-to, but it’s time to switch it up a bit. Smaller baits, slower action, and boat control is the name of the game in February. I’m still using the Humminbird to locate fish on the main lake, spot locking on top of them, and hitting them on the head with the baits.

Half ounce spoons, jigs, or jig heads with minnows in a variety of colors will be necessary to consistently catch fish. Look for fish from 50 to 70 feet of water on rock edges or a rocky bottom in low light conditions, especially on overcast days. Fish are starting to stack up around points 5 and 6 as they move up into the river mouth.

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February is the month to catch a giant fish, full of eggs, stuffed with herring and ready to bust. I’m really excited to see what happens this month leading up to the spawn. I’m also looking forward to the end of the month when we will switch over to the jet boat and chase some fish in super skinny water.

For more info on that, visit us at www.lakeandstreamguideservice. com.

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Bass: Fair - Things are picking up a bit as the weather improves in February. The shallow bite for bass is fair, but should improve quickly in February, especially with a warm rain and extended warming trend. Stained water, higher than normal lake levels and water temps in the low 60’s will turn things on quickly. Baits such as crawdad Shad Raps, Rat’l Traps and chatterbaits will produce on these shallower fish. Try to fish these baits in coves and pockets with small feeder creeks or around schools of baitfish.

Keep a jig or shaky head handy to pitch around any wood cover.

Fishing rip-rap can also produce good results. The rocks warm quickly and retain heat. Some trophy size fish are always caught in February! If the lake stays cold and clear, go deep! Big schools of spots mixed with hybrids, white bass and stripers can still be caught on jigging spoons and drop-shot rigs and shaky head rigs on humps and drop-offs.

Target deeper offshore structures like brush piles and old road beds in 20-30 feet of water near the mouth of most major creeks for the best results.

Linesides: Good - The downline bite with shad or bass shiners has improved as the water has cooled off. Most of the fish seem to be holding 25 to 40 feet deep except for those rare days when they are schooling on the surface.

Expect the topwater fishing to be very sporadic. Gulls and loons are here now, which makes it easier to pinpoint schooling stripers and hybrids. The popping cork rig has still been working on schooling 1

to 3-pound fish with an occasional bigger one mixed in. A big RedFin or a big swimbait won’t get many bites but could produce a 20-pound fish on any cast. A 3/8 or 1/2-ounce white Rooster Tail, a chrome C.C. Spoon and a number of other small shad imitators have also been producing. In cold water, a bucktail jig becomes very effective as well. Trolling with mid-depth crankbaits and Flash Mob Jr. rigs also continues to produce some linesides. The mouths of most creeks anywhere south of the Highland Marina area all the way to the dam and Maple Creek have been holding fish. A few fish are usually beginning to make the river run up the Hooch in late February as well.

They can be caught in the mouths of most of the creeks, especially if we have an early spring. Try cut bait in water temps below 60 degrees.

Crappie: Good - In most years, a warm, lake-staining rain in February will set the crappie bite on fire. Fishing with minnows or jigs 3-4 feet under a float will catch them when they decide to move up. Other techniques will work as well. Try tight line fishing with minnows or a 1/16 or 1/8-ounce jig around bridge pilings, brush piles, and blow downs in 15 to 20 feet of water. Concentrate on trees and brush that are close to the old creek channels. Pitching or shooting deep water docks with small tubes or feather jigs around or under the docks can still produce this time of year. Yellow Jacket, Wehadkee and Whitewater Creeks are still producing some crappie. Spider trolling usually works well in February and can be very effective. If February turns unusually warm and wet, the crappie can show back up surprisingly shallow very quickly!

If you are wanting to book a trip with me for the prime April, May or June striper season , email me now to insure your day at Hudsonsprobass@gmail.com or visit my website, LakeWestPointFishing.com.

The shallow bite for bass is fair, but should improve quickly in February, especially with a warm rain and extended warming trend.

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ATLANTA 31

Wall of Fame

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

WINNER!

Syncere Riley Jefferson-Evans caught this big bass on a lake in Canton.

Claire Cooper with a Blue Ridge, Georgia rainbow trout guided by Hulsey Fly Fishing.

Kurt Mogenson with a colorful rainbow trout caught from and released back into Dukes Creek at Smithgall Woods State Park.

Colin landed a North Georgia monster rainbow trout with David at Hulsey Fly Fishing

Brothers Mason and Logan Daniel with a 6.75 bass and a 12.5 pound striper caught on Lake Lanier with their dad Chris.

Jack Mantz withe the North GA Crappie Anglers with a big 1.75 pound Lanier crappie.

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CATCH SMALLMOUTHS IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA

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By Capt. James McManus

ere in the western North Carolina mountains, we get a lot of visitors.

Snowbirds are what we call people who come here from up north to enjoy our milder climate. One snowbird most fishermen cherish is the smallmouth bass. We are at the southern end of their natural range, and almost all of our watersheds contain some.

Smallies have characteristics that endear them to anglers. They are aggressive, eat year-round, grow to respectable size and when hooked spend as much time out of the water as in.

You can find these beauties in most of our sizeable rivers. River fish seem to be more active in summer. I think it’s linked to terrestrial food items being more available. Floating area rivers like the Tuckasegee, Little Tennessee, Hiwassee and French Broad will keep you in fish regardless of your preferred method. For fly guys, any minnow or crawdad imitation will draw strikes, and in warmer weather nymphs and hoppers get their attention. Poppers and sliders can be lots of fun, just remember river smallies tend to be smaller than their lake buds.

I spend more time chasing lake fish. There is less competition from other anglers, and average size is much better. Winter and early spring are the best seasons, in my opinion, only because the females are chock-full of eggs. It is when we catch our largest fish of the year.

Many methods produce, and I throw a lot of jigs and jerkbaits. Lake fish have a variety of forage, so anything resembling threadfin shad, blueback herring or crawdads fits their menu. Dropshot, Shaky head and wacky-rigged worms all catch fish.

Average depth for smallies year-round is 45 feet, or so. However, our clear mountain lakes allow them to identify prey up on the surface. Don’t shy from throwing topwater just because you mark fish deep.

Especially when they are feeding up pre- and postspawn, you’ll find smallmouths on rock or gravel, where they love to eat little lobsters. They also suspend in open water to chase shad, but this is more of a warm-water behavior. On Lake Fontana, my home lake, we troll a good bit, and it’s not unusual to find them suspended at 45 feet over 200 feet of water.

I should note that while we still have good smallmouth fishing, invasive spotted bass have forced their way into smallie enclaves. For this reason, we never kill a smallmouth. If you like to eat fish, take all the spotted bass you want; they are better eating anyway.

Smallies and spots use the same spawning areas and hybridize. While not good genetically, it produces a fish that has that hybrid vigor, hence the name “meanmouth.” Markings and coloration make the smallmouth one of the prettiest of all fish. We should try hard to preserve them so our kids have the thrill of fighting one of the gamest fish around.

Captain James McManus owns 153 charters out of Sylva, N.C. Call him at (828) 421-8125. James fishing McManus/Instagram.

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800-395-2628 • BoatUS.com/Towing *One year Freshwater/Saltwater Towing Membership pricing. Details of services provided can be found online at BoatUS.com/Agree. TowBoatU.S. is not a rescue service. In an emergency situation, you must contact the Coast Guard or a government agency immediately.

REEL LIFE HOODIES

R

eel Life has your back on those cold fly fishing mornings.

Hook elusive permit in total comfort in the Men’s Captiva Hoodie. Wearable on its own, or layered when there’s a chill in the air, the long cotton fabric is super soft. Wear the Captiva Hoodie while at your favorite fishing spot or hanging out at the marina.

Of course, if you don’t fish in winter, you might be looking toward warmer waters. The breathable vented design is ultra-lightweight and breezy to keep you cool without sweating. It’s a delicate balance when fishing for cobia in southern Florida, and a bonus that lets you wear it year-round.

From mornings on the boat to evenings at the beach, Reel Life’s Women’s Sanibel Hoodie helps you have fun in the most comfortable fabric possible.

The Sanibel Hoodie is breezy, ultra-soft, and with six different designs to choose from, there are options for everyone! From fishing and kayaking to boat shows and beach hangouts, the ring-spun cotton is breathable, lightweight and eye-catching.

Reel Life hoodies provide maximum comfort and style, no matter where you REELLIFEGEAR.COM are or what you’re doing.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

FEBRUARY 2022

NATIONAL 11

C-HAWK & MITZI SKIFF: DEPENDABLE SIMPLICITY

T

here’s a certain type of boater who values simplicity and functionality over flashiness. Most anglers fall into this category. A simple boat comes with less hassle, allowing you to spend more time on the water.

Two brands that fit right into this niche for dependability and easy boating are C-Hawk and Mitzi Skiff. Across the product lines for both boats, a no-nonsense reputation has developed a considerable following among people who would rather fish than look at their boats. No trailer queens here!

“We build a keep-it-simple-stupid boat. If you want something you can soft scrub at the end of the day and put it away, you’re my guy,” said Brad Grubbs, the owner and manufacturer of C-Hawk and Mitzi Skiff. “We set out to make boats that are affordable to operate and affordable to own, and the philosophy has worked.”

C-Hawk, which has been around since the mid-1970s, offers lines of 16’ to 29’ center consoles and 22’ to 29’ sport cabins that were originallyw developed for commercial applications. C-Hawks remain widely used commercially, and many recreational boaters also see the value in a vessel

H that’s built to take a beating.

“Really, we just took a commercial-duty boat and put a little lipstick on it,” Grubbs said. “The boat is as tough as it ever was. It’s been the same boat for nearly 50 years.”

Mitzi Skiffs were designed for a specific purpose, yet the same philosophy applies. When the first Mitzi was designed in the mid-1990s, the concept was simple. There was nothing on the market with the shallow draft, clean layout and quiet maneuverability needed for fly fishing the flats. Those ideas propel the company today.

Almost 30 years later, Mitzi’s line of 15’, 16’ and 17’ skiffs achieve those purposes exceptionally well, and they are inexpensive to own and operate.

With the original design and continuing innovation, Mitzi Skiffs are flats boats other boat builders imitate.

C-Hawk and Mitzi Skiff boats are available exclusively through select dealers. Contact your local dealer to find out how they can be rigged out to fit your style of fishing.

SPRINGTIME FISHING...

LET’S GO!

For more on Mitzi Skiffs, go to www.mitziskiffs.com.

For more on C-Hawk, go to chawkboats.net.

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25’ C-Hawk CC

www.MitziSkiffs.com • www.CHawkBoats.net CALL FOR YOUR NEAREST DEALER 12 NATIONAL

FEBRUARY 2022

252-235-2461

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

S

• 2 ct

Flip Flip Hooray!

A perfect symbol of fun in the sun for only $79

H

ere’s a memorable beach moment: You’re basking in the warm sun, toes in the sand, letting the gentle turn of the foam-capped waves lull you into a state of complete relaxation.

As your eyes scan the endless horizon of blue on blue, you’re rewarded with a school of dolphins making their way across the sea. There’s no denying their signature shape as they leap from the water. If you don’t see anything else extraordinary the rest of the day, you can take solace knowing you’ve witnessed one of nature’s most playful and intelligent creatures in their natural habitat.

Why not re-create that special toes-in-the-sand moment with our Blue Topaz Dolphin Pendant? The beloved sea mammal has been captured mid-jump in sterling silver. And, tucked into its fins is a full two carats of shimmering blue topaz.

Nothing captures the shimmering color of the ocean in the midday sun like blue topaz. With its sparkling clear blue color and high refractive index, blue topaz is one of the top-selling blue gemstones. And with our special price, you have quite the catch.

Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. Enjoy the Blue Topaz Dolphin Pendant for 30 days. If it doesn’t pass the test swimmingly, send it back for a full refund of the item price.

A full two carats of shimmering blue topaz set in sterling silver

Limited Reserves. A full two carats of genuine blue topaz set in sterling silver for this price is as rare as a dolphin sighting. We cannot guarantee availability for long. Call today!

Limited to the first 1900 responders to this ad only!

To show exquisite details, pendant shown is not exact size.

Chain sold separately.

“Enormously popular, significantly intelligent and scientifically sophisticated, dolphins are amidst the most beloved animals among people.”

— Dolphins-World

Blue Topaz Dolphin Pendant non-offer code price $395 † Offer Code Price Only $79 + S&P Save $316!

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You must use the insider offer code to get our special price.

“This sterling silver dolphin is absolutely beautiful and the blue topaz is like the color of the ocean”

— Vivian, Cabool, MO

† Special price only for customers using the offer code versus the price on Stauer.com without your offer code.

Stauer

1-800-333-2045

Your Insider Offer Code: DPP325-03 Please use this code when you order to receive your discount.

® 14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. DPP325-03, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337

www.stauer.com

Rating of A+

• 2 ctw blue topaz; ½ ctw Ultimate Diamond Alternative®, DiamondAura® • .925 sterling silver setting • Sterling silver chain sold separately

Stauer… Afford the Extraordinary.®

PARKIT360: THE ULTIMATE TRAILER PARKING SOLUTION S

ave yourself the parking headaches—oneshot your boat or trailer into position every time with one of Parkit360’s Electric Trailer Dollies. Parkit360 units are powerful and easy to use. Even large trailered boats, campers and cargo trailers are infinitely more maneuverable, especially in tight spaces, with a Parkit360 Trailer Dolly.

The Force and Transformer models are compatible with almost every trailer right out of the box thanks to their ball-mounted Stablelock technology. Just freewheel the dolly to the trailer, connect to the hitch and steer your trailer into place. With weight capacities ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 pounds, these portable powerhouses can handle the most difficult parking challenges with ease.

Parkit360 makes compact dollies that make parking easy, even on difficult surfaces. With planetary gearing, all Force and Transformer models include 6.5” tires, standard, which provide excellent traction on a wide range of surfaces like firm grass, packed gravel, asphalt and up to a 6 percent incline.

Unlike a driver who relies on mirrors and backup cameras, the user faces the trailer, giving them complete visibility and control while parking. See exactly where the trailer is at all times and steer within inches of any obstacle if needed.

You can park in ways that are impossible with a truck and have the flexibility to move around the trailer at any time to check its position or for obstacles that might damage your precious cargo. The dolly’s compact design also allows the user to park hitch-end forward as a serious theft deterrent, something that is pretty much impossible to do with a vehicle.

All models include Intelligent Speed Control, a great feature for those looking to move through open areas quickly, and more precisely in tight spaces. The high and low speed

B option starts and stops the motor gradually to prevent potential damage from sudden movements, something that makes these trailer dollies stand out above the competition. Switch speeds any time during parking and get things done faster than ever before!

Have a unique trailer hitch on your boat trailer? Easily move any ball mounted, fifth wheel or gooseneck trailer up to 15,000 pounds with our standard adapters, or try the Telescopic Hitch Adapter. It’s a non-invasive, alternative connection point that bolts around your existing trailer frame.

Want a Dolly that’s ready to park, right

out of the box? Most models include a 12V U1 Interstate Battery with all required cables and hardware. With existing features like the Built-in Battery Charger, Electric/Surge Brake Controller and a full 2 Year Warranty, Parkit360 has truly made parking simple for every trailer.

Parkit360 has been in business for more than 10 years and has shipped more than 15,000 trailer dollies to customers all over the world. Move your trailer with ease, and get in and out of storage faster than ever!

o a and natu fossil years are n B.

For more information, visit Parkit360.ca

C.

“Peo years

• 20"

N

A.

44 million year old honey gold Baltic amber gives you a glimpse into the fascinating world of prehistoric times

Get the complete set for only $249 plus Free Shipping with call-in only!*

Prehistoric Perfection B

44 million year old Baltic amber priced at just $99

oth in love and in gemstones, it can take a long time to achieve perfection. Just as your relationship has matured and strengthened over the years, so has Baltic amber. This natural gemstone is a scientific phenomenon that contains fossilized plant and animal life that date back over 40 million years. In fact, most of the life-forms found in Baltic amber are now extinct.

Thankfully, the fine art of a great deal B. is alive and well at Stauer. The amber pieces you see here feature ample carats of amber from the icy Baltic region, famous for containing the world’s finest amber deposits. And, adding to the prehistoric mystique is the fact that no two stones are identical–– each piece captured something different as it formed, just as every love story is unique.

C. Now, there are necklaces with generous gems of amber going for nearly $15,000. We think that’s barbaric. Which is why we made certain you can bring home 160 total carats of the world’s oldest natural gem for only $99.

“People have been making amber jewelry for over 10,000 years, which could make it the first gem material ever used.”

— The International Gem Society (IGS)

PRAISE FOR STAUER Satisfaction guaranteed or AMBER JEWELRY your money back. Revel in the  unique beauty of Cherry Amber “When it arrived I was for 30 days If it fails to delight, blown away by it’s beauty and uniqueness.” send it back for a full refund of – J. R., Port Angeles, WA the item price.

Limited Reserves. Baltic amber at these prices won’t stick around. Call today before this great deal becomes extinct.

Cherry Amber Collection A. Necklace (160 ctw) ..................... $499† $99 + S&P Save $400 B. Ring (8 ctw) ................................. $399† $129 + S&P Save $270 C. Earrings (15 ctw) ......................... $399† $149 + S&P Save $250 Necklace, Ring & Earrings Set $1297 $299 + S&P Save $998 *Call and ask how to get the set for only $249 with free shipping

You must use the insider offer code to get our special price.

1-800-333-2045

Your Insider Offer Code: CAC193-02 † Special price only for customers using the offer code versus the price on Stauer.com without your offer code.

Stauer

®

14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. CAC193-02, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com

Rating of A+

• 20" Necklace • 160 carats total weight tumbled Baltic amber • Ring set in yellow gold-finished .925 sterling silver • Ring: whole sizes 5-10

Stauer… Afford the Extraordinary.®

AndAlusiA MArine & powersports inc.

Headquarters For All your Boating needs Xpress •

1707 River Falls Street, Andalusia, AL 36421

Alweld •

(334) 427-1428

stingrAy • VerAndA • Quest

All kinds of parts and accessories in stock and ready for delivery!

Innertubes • Ski’s • Wakeboards Ropes • Life jackets Solas and Michigan Wheel Props

certified full line YAmAhA deAler!

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• Humminbird • Garmin • Lowrance • Minnkota - authorized sales and service center • Rhodan • Certified Full Line Yamaha Dealer

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WHEN FISHING SHALLOWS, YOU NEED A REEL WITH A REPUTATION THAT RUNS DEEP.

Packed with more fish stopping features than ever before, the PENN ® Slammer ® IV takes a tradition of excellence to a whole new level. An 8+1 sealed stainless steel bearing system with Hydrophobic Line Roller Bearing makes the reel as smooth as it is tough.

The Slammer IV drag system was upgraded to provide wider range. And the reel body and spool are now even more perfectly sealed. Just like the fate of the fish.

PENN. LET THE BATTLE BEGIN.

© 2021

Pure Fishing, Inc.

PENN ® Slammer ® IV

FOR REEL

GOOD FISHING Visit Upcountry South Carolina Stop by the South Carolina Lakes booth at the Bassmaster Classic Expo, March 4-6, 2022 at the Greenville Convention Center.

Perfectly Seasoned FishUpcountrySC.com

864-233-2690

Lake Hartwell, host of the 2008, 2015, 2018, and 2022 Academy Sports & Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk