The Angler Magazine | February 2019 | Atlanta

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Cutthroat Lonestar Lunkers PHOTO COURTESY OF BRETT CANNON

VOLUME 23 • ISSUE 288

F R A N C H I S E

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THEANGLERMAG.COM O P P O R T U N I T I E S

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LIFE ON THE COAST IS BETTER WHEN YOU STAY CENTERED.

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Our all-new 19-foot center console boats have been redesigned from the ground up for more fishing and family fun. A saltwater corrosion resistant driveline protects you from the harshest elements. And with an extra spacious layout and new storage pods to keep all of your gear, the 190 FSH Series will put you in the middle of everything you love about living on the coast. Starting at $29,799.

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For: Coastal Angler

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FROM SHIP TO SHORE

All trademarks mentioned are owned by, or licensed to, the AkzoNobel group of companies. © AkzoNobel 2018.

© 2 0 1 9 H AVA LO N K N I V E S

AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN.

The new Havalon® TalonTM Quik-Change IITM Multi-Blade Cutlery System brings together nearly 40 years of expertise in the surgical field and decades of quality time spent out in open waters.

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Micron® WA is a water-based formula that’s powered with advanced Water Activated Matrix technology to efficiently release active ingredients over time for valiant multi-season protection. Micron® WA is easy to apply and clean up, making it ideal for boaters in all waters and regions.

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Tampa Bay, A Jewel On

Florida’s Gulf Coast

By Rosemary J. White

T

ampa Bay has some of the very best fishing in the state of Florida, which means it is some of the best fishing in the world.

What makes Tampa Bay so unique is the many different varieties of both freshwater and saltwater fish to catch, as well as the many different ways to catch them.

If you are not a boat person, Tampa offers the world’s longest fishing pier, the Old Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Here you can catch snook, tarpon, grouper, black sea bass, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, cobia, sheepshead, red snapper and pompano. That’s 10 species of highly desirable fish from just one location, without a boat! And if that list alone is not impressive enough, fishing the bridge is convenient, too. You’ll need some specialized gear, but once

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you’ve got it you can drive right onto the pier to your exact sweet spot and unload. It’s also lit at night! There’s no limit as to what time of the day you can fish.

Feel like delving into the ocean world a little deeper than a concrete bridge? Tampa Bay boasts the stunning Fort Desoto County Park. Here you can simply slip on a pair of old sneakers and wade into cerulean blue waters and lush seagrass beds. Sound surreal? It is. Wading is a stealthy approach to fishing. In addition to species from the list above, you can also catch redfish, trout and flounder.

Looking to fish the deeper waters of the bay? About 45 miles out, the water depths start to reach the 80-foot range. Out here, the possibilities are endless. Varieties of grouper, assortments of snapper, arrays of sharks, blackfin tuna, sailfish, mahi, amberjack, jack crevalle, permit and bonita can be added to the previously mentioned lists of available species.

What if you tend to lean more toward the fresh side? Tampa Bay has some of the most diverse freshwater fishing opportunities one can imagine. Use a kayak to quietly glide through the tannic waters of our creeks to catch largemouth bass that grow upwards of 10 pounds. The creeks also hold massive bluegills, crappie, toothy alligator gar, tilapia, catfish and carp. The secret to what makes our freshwater fishing so thrilling is that you never know what you are going to catch. You see, many of our saltwater species inhabit our freshwater, as well. It is not only possible, but it is common to catch a big largemouth and then five minutes later a 15-pound common snook.

Tampa Bay offers a temperate climate, direct access to the Gulf of Mexico, artificial reefs, a unique slowly sloping continental shelf, and an abundance of freshwater feeds. From grass flats and mangrove systems in our inshore ecological system, to the deeper channels throughout the bay and Intracoastal Waterway, anglers have the opportunity to catch anything from sharks to Goliath grouper. The potential for the catch of a lifetime exists on every cast.

*At Ma sal inc

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NauticStar Introduces

SEE IT AT THE MIAMI INTL BOAT SHOW BOOTH A237 The 251 Hybrid offers a fresh new look and a new 25-foot model to NauticStar’s very successful hybrid lineup. This unique multipurpose vessel offers the perfect size and features for a family friendly pleasure boat and a tournament ready fishing platform.

NauticStar has also moved into the 30-foot plus category with its

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newest member of the family: the 32 XS Offshore. This outstanding saltwater performer delivers all the necessary fishing features for the serious angler with a smooth, dry, comfortable ride with cutting edge styling and comfort features never before seen in a boat of this style and size.

With its 10’ 6” beam, the 32 XS Offshore offers a spacious and comfortable bow that features large forward lounge seating with arm rests and plush wrap-around bow seats. The head console has a fully lined interior with a sink, SeaDek floor and electric flush toilet. It has a spacious and ergonomic helm to allow for dual 12-inch or 16inch multifunction displays. The leaning post features ergonomically correct Llebrock double billfish seats with flip-up bolsters and pivot arms. It has a sink, tackle storage, and a slide-out, 35-quart YETI cooler. The D-channel, integrated T-top can be fitted with a variety of options such as a retractable shade and fold-down cockpit television.

Aft, the jump seats flip-up for a spacious fishing deck with sizable, infloor fish boxes and large port side dive door.

“Engineered for exceptional reliability and performance, the new 32 XS Offshore carries forward NauticStar’s 100-percent wood-free construction and one-piece foam filled fiberglass stringer system,” said Ryan Witt, director of engineering. “Additionally, we’ve added some great new design features such as sculpted hull sides, a sideentry cockpit door, and large insulated in-floor fish boxes. The 32 XS Offshore also features cutting edge technologies with NaviOP digital vessel control system and Klipsch custom-tuned audio system.”

“I am very proud of the team and all they have accomplished over the past year,” Schiek added. “These new models are truly exciting and we look forward to introducing many great new models in the future.”

The 251 Hybrid and 32 XS Offshore will be on display in Miami at booth A237 and available for test rides in the Yamaha in-water display.

For more information on each of NauticStar’s new model introductions, please visit: 195 Bay - https://nauticstarboats. com/boats/nauticbay-boats/195-nauticbay/ 251 Hybrid - https:// nauticstarboats.com/boats/hybrids/251-hybrid/

TI EES EHT TA LTNI IMAIM WOHS TAOB 732A HTOOB

auticStar Boats, a subsidiary of MasterCraft Boat Holdings, Inc., has been reinvesting in the business at an accelerated pace, specifically, modernizing the plant and developing leading edge new products. The Company launched the new 195 Bay Boat in August, followed by the 251 Hybrid in September and will debut its largest offshore model yet, the 32 XS Offshore, at the Miami International Boat Show.

“To say we have been busy at NauticStar is an understatement,” NauticStar President Tim Schiek said in a statement. “We have assembled a strong team of marine experts focused on delivering the highest quality and best performing boats in their segment. This is not only driving continuous improvement in our boat building processes, but throughout the entire organization. We have also implemented a more disciplined product development process that is delivering more new products, at a faster cadence, with increased consumer insights and innovation that ultimately will deliver the best boating experience for our consumers at a reasonable price.”

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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With its sleek lines and stylish contours, the new 251 Hybrid offers a fresh new look and a 25 foot addition to the NauticStar Hybrid lineup.

This unique multi-purpose vessel offers the perfect size and features for a family friendly pleasure boat and a tournament ready fishing platform. If you need a serious fishing machine for yourself or a boat with enough room for a large crowd, the 251 Hybrid is the boat for you!

Check out all the incredible features of the 251 on our website and design the boat of your dreams.

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Call (662) 200-4664 or visit our website:

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By Tom Schlichter

Winter Bulldogs Out Of Ocean City, Maryland

By Tom Schlichter

Ron McClelland caught this 24-pound blackfish aboard the Fish Bound out of Ocean City, Md. in April of 2018. Mate Kevin Twilley helps hoist the beast. Photo courtesy of Fish Bound Charters.

K

enneth Westerfeld was expecting a big blackfish when he set up on a solid, single-tug while wreck fishing out of Ocean City, Md. back in January of 2015. What he wasn’t expecting was a new International Game Fish Association (IGFA) world record at the end of the line.

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“We were into big blackfish right off the bat,” explained the Queens, N.Y. angler, “and I knew immediately when I set the hook that this was a double-digit white chin. I got three quick turns on the reel and then all I could do was hold the rod high and tight while she dove for the wreck. More than half way to the top, however, she got a second wind and tore 40 feet of line from my drag, which was nearly locked tight. I couldn’t believe the power.

That’s when I knew this one was more than special.”

When the monstrous bulldog finally hit the deck, Westerfeld was stunned by its size. Back at Sunset Marina in Ocean City, the huge white chin officially tipped the scales at 28 pounds, 8 ounces. That blackfish, still the all tackle world record for the tough-lipped bottom feeders, was decked aboard Capt. Kane Bounds’ six-pack charter boat Fish Bound, a vessel on which Westerfeld has taken several ’teen-sized bulldogs over the years.

“I’m convinced there’s even bigger blackfish in Maryland waters,” he said. “A couple of years ago, an experienced SCUBA diver reported seeing two giant blackfish on an offshore reef there—the smaller one he estimated at 30 pounds.”

Capt. Kane agrees that bigger fish probably lurk in the 80- to 150-foot depths where he concentrates most of his blackfish efforts. “I think our ’tog have a little longer growing season than up north,” he reasoned. “That makes a difference with a fish that can live more than 30 years. In 2017 alone, we had five that broke the 20-pound mark. Three of those were released.”

You’ll want to fish heavy in these waters if giant ’tog are your target.

Bounds recommended conventional outfits with smooth drags and 50- to 60-pound test braided lines. He also goes big on hooks, choosing 5/0 and 6/0 sizes over more traditional 3/0 and 4/0 selections. Expect to need 8 to 12 ounces of lead to get to the bottom.

Monster blackfish bite right through the winter months, with many of the largest fish decked each year in February, March and April.

Westerfeld advised anglers looking for the blackfish of a lifetime to use fluorocarbon leaders no matter which rigs or hooks they choose.

“Maryland’s waters are pretty clear in the winter and low visibility fluorocarbon leaders really provide an edge,” he said. “Seaguar’s 60-lb. test Blue Label fluorocarbon leaders have worked well for me. They have great abrasion resistance and impact strength, plus very little stretch—three things you really need with these brutes.”

To fish with Capt. Kane on the six-passenger Fish Bound, contact: www. fishboundcharter.com; 443-497-1361. Open boat fans can check out the Morning Star (http://morningstarfishing.com; 410-520-2076).

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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Central Florida Bass Are On The Beds

By Nick Carter • Photo by Brett Cannon

W

hile largemouth bass across much of the country remain hunkered down in a winter pattern, bass in central Florida are running full tilt in all three stages of the spawn. Right now tournament angler and guide Ricky Congero is wearing out big Florida strain largemouths on the eight Kissimmee Chain lakes around Orlando.

Whether you’re an angler in need of a road trip or if you’re sitting in an easy chair waiting on your reservoir to get right, Congero’s tactics might help steer you to the largemouth of a lifetime.

Starting in November and December, Kissimmee largemouths begin staging up in prespawn behaviors. The first big waves of fish hit the flats toward the end of January. They’ll move in and out with the passage of cold fronts, but from January into early March there will be fish in all stages of the spawn. The key to locating them among miles of thick vegetation is to find hard-bottomed shallow flats.

“You can pattern them year-round based on the spawning flats,” Congero said. “During prespawn, they’ll be staged in the first grass maybe

100 yards off those flats. Postspawn, they’ll move out into the dense hydrilla and hyacinth.”

Congero starts by covering water with moving baits like swim jigs and Chatterbaits in search of bass preparing to move up. When the smaller males arrive on the flats to fan out beds, it’s an indicator that fishing is about to get very good.

“If you start catching a bunch of young bucks on the flats, the big females won’t be far behind,” he said.

In the tannic waters of the Kissimmee lakes, it’s difficult to spot fish on the bed. Instead of sight fishing, Congero looks for the locations big females prefer.

“You always find the bigger females bedded on isolated pads, as opposed to the big clumps of pads,” he said. “They’ll spawn right at the base of the stem.”

And while heavy braid and heavy-duty tackle are mainstays for hossing big fish out of thick vegetation, fishing beds requires stealth and finesse. Sizing down to 17- or 20-pound fluorocarbon, Congero likes a short 5- or 6-inch Senko. A staple on the Kissimmee lakes is black with a blue tail. He Texas rigs it with 1-ounce tungsten bullet weight, which is pegged to the head of the worm. This allows him to feel when his bait hits the stalk, at which time he lets it sit on the bottom until the bass picks it up.

“Don’t set the hook as soon as you feel her pick it up,” he warned. “She might just have the tail in her mouth and you’ll come back with half a worm. Wait until she’s swimming off with it. Reel up all the slack and give her a second or two before you set it.”

For a guided trip, contact Congero at (973) 6998981 or email info@blackcloudfishing.com. Follow him on Instagram @Ricky_Congero.

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VISIT AND Visit andEXPLORE Explore Burnsville, NC Burnsville, N.C.

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hether you’re hiking, exhibits. The restaurant, conces- through Yancey fishing or camping sion stand and gift shop are open County. hether you’re hiking, fishing or Mountains and the South Toe in the mountains or May thru a fun camping in the mountains, at- October.

River Campground Valley. StretchingEnjoy nearly has 9 tent sites only. attending a performance at Parkfilled day on tending a performance at Parkway 500 miles through the mountains the Playhouse ororcoming North Virginia way Playhouse comingtotothe theMt. Mitchell Winding of along the Carolina southern and water, catching Crafts Fair Crafts or Carolina Literary without a single red light, Mt. Mitchell Fair orMountains Caro- edge of Yancey County, the Blue the the fishBlue native to Festival, there’sLiterary alwaysFestival, a good day waiting Ridge one of the best lina Mountains Ridge Parkway givesParkway travelersisan our mountains. for you in Burnsville, North Carolina, espe- scenic drives in America. there’s always a good day waiting amazing view of the Black MounWe is guarantee cially for travelers who like to discover their The Blue Ridge Parkway the forown youjourney. in Burnsville, North Car- tains and the South Toe River your fishing only access to Mount Mitchell County is home State Park at Hwy andwill mileolina, Yancey especially for travelers whoto waterfalls, Valley. Stretching for nearly 500128trip be full campgrounds, hiking post It’s five miles sumSnakeroot Ecotours offers custom tours like to discover theirbackroads, own journey. milestrails, through the355. mountains of to of the fish-catching clean rivers, and six the 10tohighest peaks mit. and The Parkway

by Civilian Con-Observation at Mount State Park. of one ofplatform the wildest andMitchell most scenic corNorth Carolina Virginia was – built Yancey County is ofhome experiences! in the eastern United States. servation Corps labor in the 1930s. Workers ners of Western North Carolina. They invite and not one single redlight – the waterfalls, campgrounds, backToe River, Located in southern Yancey County, used dynamite to blast tunnels through the you into astoundingly Southern diverse Appalachian habitatsMounand Blue Ridge Parkway is one the a Carolina roads, hiking trails,(6,684 clean feet) rivers,is the Hemlocks, Black Mount Mitchell highest mountains andofcarve road through rough, and reveal the mysteries of the Southern Appatains. More info at www.snakemountain of the peaks Mississippi River.

It drives remote terrain. The Parkway rises to an el- lachian scenic in America. and six of theeast 10 highest in best Mountain Campgrounds are all lo-Mountains. See more info at www. rootecotours.com. was designated North evation over 5,000 as it off passes through snakerootecotours.com.

Blue Ridge Parkway is thefeetcated Eastern America. the first state park in The Highway 80 in the South The Burnsville-Yancey ChamCarolina in 1916.

Today it features an obYancey County.

Located in southern Yancey only access to Mount Mitchell Toe River area of Yancey County. servation platform on the summit next to Enjoy a fun-filled day on the water, The Burnsville-Yancey Chamber of ber of Commerce and Visitor State Park at catching Hwy 128the andfish mileCounty, Mount Mitchell (6,684 State Park and and Visitor Center is located at Elisha Mitchell’s grave and an interpretive nativeMount to ourMitchell mountains.

Commerce Center is located at 106 West Main post 355. It’s miles to thefishing feet) is the highest mountain East Crabtree Meadows

by Main Street in Burnsville. Inside museum with historical and environmental Wefive guarantee your trip will be full are of accessed 106 West findofa inforhelpful The restaurant, standThe Parkway fish-catching experiences! was built by the Blue Ridge Parkway. you’ll find aStreet. of exhibits. the Mississippi River. It wasconcession des- summit. helpfulInside staff you’ll and lots and gift are park openinMay through River, Carolina Hemlocks andEcotours Black offers staff and lotslodging, of information mation shopping,on CCCOctolabor in theToe 1930s.

Workers ignated the shop first state North Snakeroot cus-on attractions, ber. Theincampground limited to used only nine Mountain are all located off dining and local businesses and services.

The attractions, lodging, shopping, dynamite to blastcampgrounds tunnels tom Carolina 1916. Today itisfeatures tours of area one of of the wildest tent sites.

Highway 80 in the South Toe River Visitor Center and office are open Monday& dining, and local businesses through the mountains and carve an observation platform on the most scenic cornersthrough of West-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call Winding along the southern edge of Yancey County. Mountand Mitchell State Park road through rough, remote ter- ern summit to Elisha services. Visitor Center and office Carolina.

Yanceynext County, the Mitchell’s Blue Ridge a Parkway and Crabtree Meadows areNorth accessed by theWe invite (828) you 682-7413. givesand travelers an amazing view ofrain. the Black Blue Ridge Parkway.

The Parkway rises to an ele- into astoundingly diverse habitats open Monday thru Friday 9am to grave, an interpretive museum with historical and environmental vation over 5,000 feet as it passes and reveal the mysteries of the 5pm. Call (828) 682-7413.

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SOUTHEAST

Photo by Capt. Jordan Todd, Saltwater Obsessions

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s we transition from winter to spring, the fishing really starts to heat up along the Franklin County, Fla. coastline. Many pelagic fish are still not quite readily available, but Spanish mackerel usually show up in a big way just as soon as water temps start to warm a bit. Once located, Spanish can provide non-stop action trolling a Clarkspoon Mackerel Tree rig or other small spoons.

Casting at schools with spoons like the Hopkins Shorty or Kastmaster can be especially fun and productive. Spend some time cruising around looking for diving birds, they’re usually feeding on the same baitfish as the Spanish.

Here’s a tip for your Clarkspoon Tree rig: Try sliding a 1-ounce

or heavier egg sinker on the main line above the leader. Trolling it this way gets the rig deeper for more bites. Also, vary your trolling speeds from slow to fast to see what’s working best for that day; slow is usually best, but not always.

Early season means sheepshead to many folks here, and these fine-eating fish are plentiful. They’re not always easy to catch, but light line, small hooks and live shrimp or crabs will get lots of bites.

Getting them hooked and landed is at times the challenge. They like to be close to rocks and bridge pilings, and some can be large, hard fighters.

Locations like bridges, causeways and inlets offer deeper water that holds redfish and black drum… and they can be massive in size.

Once located, they can be stacked up and very aggressive, which makes for some big fun!

A strong outgoing tide is best, but an incoming or slack tide doesn’t mean fish are any less hungry. Live bait like pinfish or menhaden work great, and live or fresh shrimp will really get the job done too. Black drum are especially fond of fresh shrimp. Use a simple Carolina-style rig with a 1-ounce or heavier weight and a 16- to 24-inch leader of 20- to 50-pound-test mono or fluorocarbon matched with an appropriate sized hook.

Offshore, mangrove snapper are a good bet for reef fishing, while the abundant red snapper are out of season for harvest. Chumming chunks of Spanish sardine or cigar minnows, followed by a chunk on a free-line will get some big bites. Use a 30- to 50-pound fluorocarbon leader with a small but strong circle hook. They can be tricky to coax into biting, so fluorocarbon line is important. Try to bury the hook in the bait so it is not visible to the fish.

Experienced guides are at the ready to put you on some great early season action, but this fisherman-friendly area is perfect for accommodating boaters, so drag your rig down for the early season bite and have a ball!

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BLUE RIDGE

By CAM Staff

W

hen it comes to trophy managed trout waters in the Southeast, not all are created equal. There are a multitude of factors to consider when fisheries managers set out to create a trophy fishery. Balancing the needs of the fish with the expectations of paying anglers is a trick that can be tough to master.

While any yahoo with some stream frontage can stock a few hundred trout and feed them until they’re fat and sloppy, it takes careful strategy to nurture a fishery for trout that not only grow large but also retain the natural instincts that make them such worthy game fish.

North Georgia’s Noontootla Creek Farms (NCF) is an example of trophy trout fishing done right. Guide David Hulsey will be the first to tell you that location has as much to do with their little creek’s productivity as anything.

To begin with, Noontootla Creek is a thriving wild trout fishery without any help at all. Upstream of the 1,200-acre NCF bird-hunting and trout fishing preserve, Noontootla flows off Blue Ridge Wildlife Management Area as one of the best public wild trout streams in the state. Its pristine, cold and clear waters provide almost everything required for a trophy fishery… including trout.

Hulsey said the farm doesn’t need to stock any fish at all. The trout are mostly stream-born rainbows and browns. A few stocked brookies and bows show up from time to time, likely migrants from the Toccoa River downstream, and the appearance of these introduced fish is dull in comparison to the bright wild fish that remain on the NCF property year-round.

Noontootla offers small-stream fishing for big trout over 2 miles of private water. With supplemental feedings, their fish grow to 2 feet and longer, but these are not pellet pigs. The fish at NCF exhibit the looks and feeding behaviors of wild trout, and it takes a certain amount of skill for anglers to catch them.

The fishing is limited to fly gear only, with barbless hooks and a strict catch-and-release requirement. The creek is broken into four half-mile beats to control the amount of fishing pressure. Through this careful management, NCF has created a trophy fishery that is as close to natural as they come, which means it can be as challenging as it is rewarding.

A strong stonefly population makes stonefly nymphs a good option year-round, while seasonal hatches of various caddis and May fly species keep trout tuned to natural feeding patterns. One of the highlights each year is the summer terrestrial bite, when giant trout jump on big, high-floating hopper patterns.

For information, see ncfga.net or call or email David Hulsey at 770-639-4001 or david@ncfga.com.

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FEBRUARY 2019

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C

orridors, ditches, pinch points, funnels—whatever you name them, these descriptions relate to the terrain fish use to travel. These corridors carry fish to and from resting and feeding grounds and play a major role in social behaviors, including spawn-related activities.

A common denominator in these fish thoroughfares is the attractant source to both predator and prey, which is current flow.

Culverts that allowed small creeks to flow under road beds that were flooded on impoundment, deliberate cuts that were established to permit boat travel, blowouts in flooded dams, road support bridges across terrain gaps, the tip ends of underwater bars or short cut-throughs between land masses are all conducive to these marine life highways.

One such area is only a mile from my home on the banks of Lake Eufaula, which sits on the Georgia/Alabama border. The now underwater confluence of Dry Branch and Sandy Branch is only 50 yards east of where a concrete culvert passed under the old highway 39. The amount of bass and crappie I have caught in this one spot cannot be counted or measured, and the area is no larger than an average-size carport.

So stretch your imagination and come up with a figure that might represent the total pounds of fish that have been caught by all anglers visiting this exact spot in 54 years, the age of Lake Eufaula. I am going to declare this one spot to be nominated to the Bass Fishing Hall Of Fame.

As I sit here plinking on my computer writing this article, at least 10 such “honey holes” come to mind. No matter where you fish, careful study of your Lake Master Maps and Humminbird units will disclose multitudes of these fish-concentration magnets. When you find one that has not previously been discovered, you just might encounter Ol’ Mossy Back, a fish that has never before seen a fishing lure.

Arguably, no person dead or alive has more fishing hours on Lake Eufaula than yours truly. Having fished this lake for a portion of 150 days a year for 54 years equals a bunch of fun. So if I can find new “honey holes,” so can you… wherever you fish.

An old saying goes: the value of any land, whether above water or below, is determined by location, location, DETECTION.

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Nick Carter Henry Cowen Dr. Andrew Cox Jim Farmer Jimmy Harris Capt. Cefus McRae Chris Scalley Gary Turner Noey Vineyard O'Neill Williams Rene J. Hesse Jimbo Mathley James Bradley David HulseY WAYNE WOOTEN jay striker wayNe moore ryan kennedy dicklesby kim nunery Graphic Design: Kathleen CARREIRO

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february 2019

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1/20/19 11:50 AM

Local Rivers & Fly Fishing The Big Fishing No No

Contributed By: Jimmy Harris www.unicoioutfitters.com Unicoi Outfitters, Orvis 2018 Fly Shop of the Year

There’s been a discussion going on at the Trout Unlimited Online Community recently that I have a particular interest in. I’ve actually written about this, but it needs to be repeated. It began with someone asking what would happen to an angler if they fell in the river and their waders filled with water. The short answer is, you are about to be in some serious trouble unless you keep your wits about you. Let me tell you a story and then some background.

A number of years ago, I was involved in rescuing a young man who had waded out too far to retrieve his fly off a limb. The current, although moderate, was enough to scour out the gravel around his boots, so he kept getting deeper and deeper and more anxious. He grabbed the limb where his fly was hanging, but he could not move.

As I coached him to stay calm and hang on until we could get him out, his father ran up and immediately jumped in to save his son. His father is a big dude, former college football player and very physically fit. The river plays no favorites. The gravel immediately scoured out under his boots also, and he found himself being washed downstream, waders rapidly filling like a water balloon. He grabbed an overhanging limb less than 6 feet above a strainer blocking the river. He looked every bit like the Michelin Man with his waders full of hundreds of pounds

of water.

The problem was his belt did not function properly. It was not woven nylon. It was neoprene, and it stretched like a rubber band and was no protection at all. If he had been wearing a belt that didn’t stretch, he would certainly have not taken on as much water. He could have still been in trouble but not necessarily facing a life or death situation as he now was.

He yelled to me that he couldn’t hold on any longer. The force of the river on those swollen waders was more than he could take. I screamed back that he would never make it through that strainer just a few feet downstream behind him. I was able to get his son out of the river safely, and when I did, the dad seemed to regain some strength. We crossed the river at a safe place below him and were able to reach down and give him just enough leverage to pull himself out of the river. I would have bet money there was a better than even chance we were going to lose one of those two that day. Fortunately, it had a happy ending.

So, how can you avoid getting into that type of situation and what actions should you take to get out of it. Number one, always wear a good wading belt and cinch it up tight above your hip bones. You just improved your odds of survival by at least 90%. Second, if you do find yourself with a few hundred pounds of water in your waders, don’t at-

tempt to swim against the current; it can’t be done. Try to get your feet downstream of your body and, as you float with the current, work your way toward the shoreline as soon as possible. You WILL NOT be able to stand up and walk out!

Roll onto the shore so you’re sitting or lying on the ground then try to position yourself to drain out most of the water. A lot of anglers who have experienced this scenario swear by having a knife handy to cut your waders open if necessary.

All of this is going to happen lightning fast, so it’s a good idea to have a response thoroughly rehearsed in your mind beforehand.

As someone who has fallen in more than I would like to recall, as a wading angler, it’s not “if ” but “when”, so be prepared. Oh yeah, and regardless of how young you are, keep a wading staff with you and use it when fishing a stream that has the potential to take your life. And you wouldn’t believe what a small stream that could be. The stream in my story above was the Willowemoc in New York. The width where it happened was may-

be 10 feet and the average depth was less than knee high. A cobblestone bottom and a scoured-out hole with a strainer at the tailout was the perfect storm. We were all blessed that day to walk away and continue fishing.

This kind of thing doesn’t just happen to novice anglers. Some very experienced anglers have lost their lives this way. Don’t let your name be added to the list. Be safe, wade carefully and pay attention to what’s going on around you as you wade.

www.northgeorgiacrappieanglers.com A Family Oriented Fishing Club Sponsors Of: Fall Children’s Fishing Classic Military Hero’s Fishing Classic 2 ATLANTA

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1/20/19 11:51 AM

Local Rivers & Fly Fishing

The Guide's Angle

Contributed By: Chris Scalley River Through Atlanta Guide Service

Bathwater Trout Winter is usually a time when frigid air and water temperatures cause trout to slow down and more or less hibernate in most settings in North Georgia, but not Southern tailwater trout. While the air temperatures plummet, the water temps exiting the penstocks at Buford Dam remain in the upper 40’s or even low 50’s all winter. In comparison, the water temperatures in most mountain freestone streams can dip into the high 30’s to low 40’s on average. Even though the trout don’t truly hibernate, their metabolism slows significantly. Because of the thermocline and the water storage in the Lake Lanier impoundment, these thermal layers cause warmer water temps in the Chattahoochee tailwater, enabling trout to

thrive and feed all winter.

Growing up along the Chattahoochee River, we used to run trap lines for fur bearing animals and run coon hounds at night. This was a wintertime season when southern animal furs were at their best and what fur dealers called prime pelts. Since raccoons are nocturnal, we naturally would run hounds at night in the dead of winter, often hunting in the teens or single digits with no cell phones, no GPS, just flashlights and a compass. Sometimes our dogs, usually young pups, would swim across the river in pursuit of their quarry. I lost count how many times my brother or I would strip down and swim across the river to retrieve our dogs. It felt just like bathwater!

The Revisit?

Contributed by David Hulsey International Federation of Fly Fishers Master Certified Casting Instructor http://www.hulseyflyfishing.com 770-639-4001 Some New Year’s resolutions are more fun than others. Losing weight, exercising, drinking less, nahhh… not too fun. By February, most of these have fallen by the wayside of another month that is long of suffering and sweat. For a more welcome change how about revisiting old riffles and runs of memory of first trout on a fly or standing in a pool of gin clear water with a million spring wildflowers all around. Revisiting these places can rekindle the fire in your fly fishing soul that makes our world go around.

Just the same as a familiar song or music can take you back to another place and time, the sound of water bouncing off eons old rocks can trigger the feelings of pure angling joy that the special places hold. Found waterfalls with pools below full of jewels like brookies that are so far back of beyond you’re sure you and maybe a noble Cherokee are the only eyes ever cast upon the flow. These are the places that are worth a revisit by the fly angler. Places and times that mold a fisherperson into an angler are sacred. My New Year’s resolution is to revisit these places. I think I will be able to hold on to this one all year.

The gear needed to fish sacred lifechanging waters has changed. A few proven patterns in a small special fly box replaces the five full boxes of every possible fly needed for the Southern Appalachians. Knowing now it’s the angler with a thousand days on the water that replaces a thousand fly patterns. The familiar tug of the

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cast from an artistic piece of bamboo art made by a dear friend is all that’s needed to propel a delicately made Catskill dry fly to an eagerly waiting painted rainbow trout. A screeching antique reel from a long passed mentor keeps the words from him echoing in my ears; “let him run Dave, let him run!” Going light and agile to the places clear the mind and body of the drudgery of carrying a lot of useless junk. Meaningful objects are welcomed into these sacred waters and provide new memories for the thoughtful angler.

Take the time this year to revisit the times and places that made you fall in love with fly fishing in the first place. Don’t worry about the unpleasant other resolutions you made on the 1st. I’m sure right now you are thinking about the good stuff. Give me a call at 770-639-4001 to book a life changing fly fishing trip. I’d be honored to be a part of it.

february 2019

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1/20/19 11:51 AM

Local Rivers & Fly Fishing February Fly Fishing Report Contributed By: Henry Cowen www.henrycowenflyfishing.com 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 Georgia lakes. Fishing in January has been fantastic and will hopefully continue throughout all of February.

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!

How do we do this you might ask? Well, 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 in 30-40 seconds. Now 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. Fishing without a fish finder means you are fishing blind. These electronics are your underwater eyes and are the 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. The key to February is to look at “what lies beneath”. A greater 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 finding 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 4 ATLANTA

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baitfish. Remember, you need to be stealthy when fishing in shallow water.

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 as previously discussed, 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 some warmer weather, then it is possible that our back of the cove feed on the banks may still be going strong. 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. What comes after February is trophy time. See you on the pond!

oconee on the fly

February Forecast – Fishing after the Monsoons

By Capt. Wayne Moore USCG www.oconeeonthefly.com At the time of this writing, Lake Oconee is recovering from heavy rains. Statewide, we had nearly 12 inches of rain in December and a little over 70 inches for the year.

Compare that to 2016; 3 inches in December and a little over 38 inches for the year. Drought is not good for the farmer, but from my experience, it does help the angler, especially the fly fisherman.

So how do we adapt here on Oconee? First, look for water that is less stained; that means fishing in Richland Creek. Once you find the fish, flat line bass minnows behind the boat. I had a group of 4 out recently and we had a lull in the bass minnow bite, so we tried long lining 1/16 ounce jigs for crappie.

To my surprise, the hybrids and stripers (good size ones!) were hitting those jigs aggressively. It was a blast watching the customers landing hybrids on ultralight spinning reels with 6-pound test.

Here is what I believe February has in store for us: Hybrids/Stripers – As long as the monsoons end, the water will become clearer and the fly bite will be very good, especially in the afternoon when Georgia Power may be moving water and the gulls are active. So for the fly guys, there are two patterns. The first is to deploy mid-day and find the fish in the mouths of creeks in 35 feet of water. You will notice large schools

of bait usually mixed with stripers and hybrids. (Interestingly, when I move to 15 feet of water, it looks void of fish). Use sink tip line and a Cowen’s Somethin Else fly. If the fish are 15 feet deep in the 35 foot water, count down 30 seconds and start stripping the fly back in short strips followed by a 20 second stop.

Later in the day, look for the birds. Switch over to intermediate line and use the same fly and retrieve. You may not see these fish on your electronics, but if the birds are dive bombing shad, it’s a good bet the linesides are there! If you are not fly fishing, long line bass minnows on 12-pound test with a #4 sinker, swivel, a 10-pound fluorocarbon leader and a # 4 hook.

Crappie – Crappie do not seem to mind the stained water as much.

My friends that specialize in crappie fishing have all been catching large numbers of fish long lining from the mouth of Lick Creek and south nearly to the dam. They are already above I-20 as well, but at the moment it is very heavily stained. The bite in February for very large crappie is above I-20, and if your boat is rigged for spider rigging and pushing out the front, hang on!

Final words - The fishing season is in full swing now. If you want to learn how to catch your favorite quarry here, hire a guide!

I have some openings in February, but if you want to go anytime in the next 3 months, call 706-8164281 or e-mail me at wmoore1700 @outlook.com and lock in your dates. Like I said, the season is in full swing now!

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1/20/19 11:51 AM

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february 2019

ATLANTA 5

1/20/19 11:51 AM

Local Rivers & Fly Fishing Changing Your Casting Plane

Wintertime on the Fly

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

Contributed by James Bradley Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide www.ReelEmInGuideService.com (706) 273-0764

As we move into February, our streams and rivers up here in the southern Appalachia’s should become the coldest of the year. Extreme cold water and trout usually do not go hand in hand very well.

Trout simply slow down in everything they do.

Trout are cold blooded creatures and they become whatever the environment is. So, that fish in 40-degree water is 40 degrees. Think about how you would feel in an environment such as this. It’s surely not like that spring day with the sun on your back.

A trout’s behavior will greatly change when comparing 40-degree water temps to say 50-degree. They will be more inclined to find good holding water that still has some current. Keep in mind, the current is what will bring them food. Trout will use larger rocks for cover, but any log jams will offer better cover and habitat. Look for deeper water, especially, anything over three feet or deeper. If you know where an underground spring enters the stream, ground water will be warmer than surface water. These are all keys for locating wintertime trout.

Trout feed when there is food to be eaten, but the amount depends on their size, availability of food and the water temperature. Water temperature affects their metabolic rate and their desire to eat. When the water is cooling off day in and day out and the temperature gets down to around 45 degrees, trout will need less food.

This doesn’t mean they stop eating but just not as much. Once the temperature reaches 40 degrees, trout become fairly lethargic. If water temperatures reach the 35-degree mark, it is possible that death will occur.

Just as trout slow down on falling temperatures, the opposite will usually occur on increasing temperatures. Carry a thermometer to check the water temperature.

Here are some things to keep in mind for wintertime fishing. Don’t be shy with weight. Many trout will hug the bottom of a stream during the wintertime since it has the least current, and they can almost sit there 6 ATLANTA

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effortlessly. Continue to add weight to get your flies to get them down to the proper depth - the bottom! Dress for success. Nothing can be worse than being frozen while on the water.

Remember, you cannot wear what you do not have with you. Try to hit the stream from 11 am to about 4 pm as this is usually the warmest period during most days. One last note, try to fish after warming period. Usually the third or fourth day of air temps in the 50 to 60-degree range will make for some fun hookups!

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

Give us a call and we’ll hook you up!

James Bradley is the only Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide in North Georgia’s Historic HighCountry region. Reel Em In Guide Service has been offering their services to fly anglers since 2001. They have permits for guiding in North Georgia and North Carolina, offering over 6 miles of private trophy waters across Georgia, and operate drift boat trips on the Toccoa River in GA and the Tuckasegee River in NC.

The casting plane can be described as the angle off vertical that the rod tip travels, from front to back on the back cast, and then to the target on the forward cast. Can you think of a few situations that you would want to change planes on the forward cast compared to the back cast? Can you think of why you don’t want to do that? What is your natural casting plane? What would you change if it is windy or are casting a heavy fly rig? Here are some thoughts on changing your casting plane.

When we have a heavy fly rig on and need to create an oval path of the rod tip so the heavy fly or multiple fly rig will not collapse on the bottom leg of the loop, we change planes. Lift the rod tip to clear the line from the water as we sweep the rod tip out to the side at about eye level, and then change planes on the back cast to an over the head position on the forward cast. There is no pause in the back; it is a constant tension cast.

When we have wind coming at us into our casting arm side, we can do a wind cast. Use the same concept as the above cast, and on the forward cast move the rod tip to the other side of your body. As you are going forward, allow the wind to push the line to the downwind side of your body, and the line will not slap you in the face.

A single spey cast or switch cast changes planes. If you are not sure what that is, check out YouTube or the FFI website. It will start with a sweep of the rod to the side, setting up the ‘D’ or ‘V’ loop and then at a little higher plane on the forward cast.

Changing the casting plane can serve a purpose at different times, but there is no place for that in a distance cast, and it will hinder accuracy casts as well. Be aware of what you use as a natural default casting plane. Knowing if you are switching back and forth is important. Knowing ‘when’ to switch is reaching another level of awareness in the casting journey.

“A single spey cast or switch cast changes planes. If you are not sure what that is, check out YouTube or the FFI website. It will start with a sweep of the rod to the side, setting up the ‘D’ or ‘V’ loop and then at a little higher plane on the forward cast.”

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1/20/19 11:51 AM

Local Rivers & Fly Fishing Chattooga River

r

To say the rivers around the Chattooga River Fly Shop have been high would be an understatement.

Heavy rains every five to six days and then a clearing off period have made fishing somewhat tough. If you were able to make it out fishing a day or two just prior to the next storm, you were fortunate, and the fishing was productive. To say we could use a break from the heavy rains would be a prayer we would all like answered.

The extended forecast is for more rain, snow, and colder weather. Let’s remember as February sets in that we are still in the winter, even here in the South. Temperatures will range from the teens to 20’s in the mornings with daytime temperatures ranging from the 30’s to even 60 on any given day. The water temperatures will range from the mid 30’s to 40’s, and possibly hit 50 at times.

Good cold weather gear is a necessity for fishing during these cold winter days. Wearing cotton or denim jeans holds the moisture against your body, which cools you down quickly while standing in the water. Save your jeans for after your fishing trip and casual wear. Wicking base layers and heavy wool pants (Redington I/O Fleece), and upper layers are great ideas for keeping warm. Wicking socks are a must to keep your feet warm and dry. Let’s

remember not to let yourself get too cold while fishing, and a walk along the river bank for a few minutes to get the blood flowing back through your lower extremities will help you warm up quickly.

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 of the river is the warmest, has been the key to successful days. 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 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. We hope to see everyone out on the rivers, and let’s remember to enjoy the beauty of our greater outdoors while leaving “No Trace”

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ATLANTA 7

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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing

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!

Lake chatuge

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

Fishing is little slow. We are still getting a lot of rain and weather changes, not to mention the lake level has come up this month. I’ve been catching fish on the Z-Man Trd Ned Rig, fishing it slowly around rocky points and brush. You can also throw a 3/8 ounce pb/j jig in the same areas. I’m also using my electronics to find fish off points out deep in 20-45 feet of water. When finding them, I’m throwing a drop-

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

shot with a 4.5” Roboworm in red crawler and a 6/10 ounce Flex It spoon.

If you’re out after a couple of warm days and it’s sunny, I would throw the Alabama rig around the back of pocket and around shallow docks that have rock that will allow the water to warm up quicker. If you are a Float-n-Fly fisherman, it’s also working around sloping rock walls.

Best color flies are white/chart/black or light blue/chart/pink.

If you are looking for some great winter bass fishing, give Welch’s Guide Service a call. We’re your #1 guide service and we’ve been doing it since 2001. Good luck!

Captain Wayne Moore - Oconee On The Fly, Inc (706)-816-4281 www.oconeeonthefly.com / wmoore1700@outlook.com

“If you’re out after a couple of warm days and it’s sunny, I would throw the Alabama rig around the back of pocket and around shallow docks that have rock that will allow the water to warm up quicker”

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Local Lakes & Forecasts Dreams Do Come True. Put in the Work and Never Give Up! Contributed By: Jay Striker www.jaystriker.com Let me start this article by saying thank you to all who have read my articles in the Angler Magazine.

It has honestly been an honor and I look forward to hopefully providing value-adding content each time you pick up the Angler in 2019. As we settle into a new year, I want to discuss the importance of having goals, dreams and ways to achieve them by visualizing them, writing them down, knowing the difference between NO vs. KNOW and having a strong work ethic.

It will help if you visualize your goals: The first order of business to achieving a dream is visualizing it happening and seeing yourself doing whatever it is you are trying to accomplish. When I decided that I wanted to be a professional bass an-

gler, I could visualize myself one day competing against the best anglers in the world. I had to have a visual of me doing it, and the visual had to be clear each day.

Please write down your goals: It is proven that when your task is written down, you are more likely to stick with it and get things done. If I told you I was going to fish the FLW tournaments this year, it would be a blanket statement with little specifics. However, my goal would sound like this; today I’m planning to fish the FLW event and finish in the top ten on March 1st, 2019. I encourage you to have clear, specific goals.

Understand the Difference between NO vs. KNOW: The twoletter word NO is a big reason many people never reach their goals. The

fear of getting a No for an answer is a powerful deterrent. You need to look at the word NO differently.

When I went after my first sponsor for bass fishing, the first word I heard was NO, and many times afterward. What I learned was to look at the phrase NO, not as a twoletter word, but a four-letter word.

I had to look at N-O as if it were KN-O-W. The sponsor I’m trying to land does not KNOW enough yet for them to give me a YES. I soon realized that all the times I heard the word No was not No at all, just that I’m not giving enough information to get a YES. Change what you’re saying and provide enough information to turn No into Yes. Let your work ethic do the talking: Another important noun in goal setting is work ethic. You have to have a relentless work ethic, and you are the only one who can control it. You have to make a plan and work your idea to be successful.

When another angler defeated me in a tournament, he told me he was pitching and flipping jigs that got him a large sack of fish. I asked him

to show me how he did it. I soon realized for me to learn this new technique I had to put in the work to be successful at it. I had to flip and pitch jig thousands of times, so much that I forgot how to do it wrong. This is an example of having a strong work ethic.

Never give up on your dreams.

Visualized your goals, write down your ideas, look at NO differently, and let your work ethic do all the talking. You will soon find yourself reaching and surpassing all the goals you set for yourself. Please follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and You-Tube. Please stop by the website www.jaystriker.com and be on the lookout for Striker Nation Live on You-Tube soon.

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Local Lakes & Forecasts

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lake lanier striperS Forecast by: Clay Cunningham www.catchingnotfishing.com 770-630-2673 Weather continues to be the biggest hurdle here on Lanier. Lake is still over full pool and water clarity is all over the place depending on where you decide to fish. Most of the north end is stained and the south end is fairly clear. Water temperature is still trying to hang on to 50 which is great.

The good news is the fishing has been much better than average. If the weather continues to be warm and moist, look for the fishing to be great.

Right now, the downline bite looks to be the pattern going into February.

Herring has been the primary bait

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all winter. That being said, medium shiners are catching some better fish on the south end of the lake and that should continue into spring.

Be sure to use a tiny number 6 Gamakatsu Octopus hook on the medium shiners and a light action Shakespeare Striper Rod paired with a Penn Fathom 15 Linecounter reel.

The new Penn Fathom Linecounter is the reel of choice now. Check it out.

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For the right set up, be sure to check with your local tackle shop. They can give you the details. You will need heavier tackle and an umbrella retriever. See you on the water.

“The good news is the fishing has been much better than average.”

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1/20/19 11:52 AM

Local Lakes & Forecasts Jackson Lake

this time of year, other than sight fishing, is paying close attention to your electronics. We have caught a few largemouth on steep ledges with swimbaits. This bite should pick up over the next few weeks if water temperatures hold.

Brown Trout: The bite has been ok and should continue to get better once the silt from the recent rains settles. We have caught some trout trolling Rapala Countdowns and Yo-Zuri 3D Crystal Minnows.

Trolling at a speed of 2.8-3 mph seems to be the ticket. We have caught a few rainbows on some smaller Mepps spoons the last couple of days. Good luck!

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

By Brian Lee leebrian16 @yahoo.com Water temperature: 46-50 degrees, lake level: full, clarity: stained/muddy.

Bass fishing on Jackson can be challenging. With all the rain, the lake has been out of the banks.

With the water levels up and down just like the weather, the bass have become hard to catch. If the weather can stabilize for about a week, the bass will start to transition to their normal patterns for late winter.

February marks a month of bass fishing that a lot of anglers look forward to. The days are starting to be a little longer which means the sun has longer to heat up rocks and anything that’ll collect heat. This month, I’d throw a crankbait in shad patterns for clear water or crawfish for stained/ muddy water. Get the bait to the bottom and then slow it down keeping contact with the bottom.

The more erratic the bait is, the better your chances are at hooking up. I’d do this for about the first 2-3 hours of the morning. Let the fish tell you if you should switch up to something a little slower.

If the bite dies, pick up a jig or shaky head and fish the same kind of structure. Stay back off the bank just in case the fish have pulled out a little deeper, but keep yourself to where you can reach the bank. If the fish are closer to the bank, move in and flip the

Lake Burton

Water temperature: 45 degrees, level: full pool, clarity: slight stain.

Bass: The spotted bass bite has been good the last few days. We have caught fish both shallow and deep. Most of our bigger spots have come off a 30 foot bottom mid-way back in the creeks.

Spoons and underspins are the ticket right now and should continue to be over the next few weeks. The key to catching fish

banks. You’ll see that if the fish are shallow, it’s going be an aggressive bite. The deeper fish will be a little lethargic and the bite may seem very mushy feeling.

Remember, hook sets are free, so if you’re not sure, use one. This time of the year when you feel a “bite” it’s actually the fish spitting the bait out. The bite will just be heavy or something that felt different. It can be hard to decipher bites, but to be a tournament angler, you’ll need to know. A crankbait can/will catch them all day, but you’ll need to cover lots of water. Remember the fish may be in a transition moving in or out. You just have to mix it up a little to find them. Also, take a child fishing so they too can enjoy the outdoors.

“The spotted bass bite has been good the last few days. We have caught fish both shallow and deep.”

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february 2019

ATLANTA 11

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Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake NOTTELY STRIPER By: Shane Goebel Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service & The Angler Magazine Fishing Team www.bigolfish.com 828-361-2021, 1-844-4-ANGLER

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february 2019

February may not boast the warm temperatures of summer, but it’s an optimal time to hit the water for some huge trophy stripers.

Fortunately, we can help you score that monster North Georgia striper.

Lake Nottely is North Georgia’s hidden gem for catching some awesome stripers, and, as Blairsville, GA’s #1 professional full-time guide service, we are here to help put you on some hard-fighting fish. Guaranteed! Check us out on Facebook and you’ll see!

Currently, water temperatures are in the mid 40’s and water levels are around 15 feet below full pool.

Water clarity is moderately clear and stained in the creeks and rivers.

Striper fishing has been excellent recently. We’ve been catching a lot of nice fish in the 20 to 35-pound range. These fish are shallow and pounding bait up on the banks and 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. It will definitely have you hooked on striper fishing once you experience this thrill. Back on track now, occasionally we’ll also pull small trout as well. As the sun comes up, we’ve also seen some pop-up schools in deeper water.

Down lining bluebacks will be your best bet to snatch these fish. So, keep an eye on those electronics for some nice schools of fish. These techniques will continue for the next few months.

February is a fantastic month for catching a lot of stripers on this North Georgia lake. Book a trip with Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service 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 also serve Lakes Hiwassee, Chatuge and Lake Blue Ridge in Blue Ridge, GA. And for all your live bait and tackle needs, check out Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA. They carry everything you need for a successful day of fishing and have the best live blueback herring around. So, come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine, and let us help you get your fish on!

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1/20/19 11:52 AM

Local Lakes & Forecasts

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february 2019

ATLANTA 13

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Local Lakes & Forecasts Clarks Hill Striped Bass, Hybrids and Crappie

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

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Surface water temps are between 46 and 48 degrees in the morning. Winter has set in and for a lot of species, the metabolism has slowed down a bit. The one group that continues to feed voraciously are the hybrid striped bass. We continue to catch these fish on down rods with live herring or medium minnows. We are finding more fish relating to the river channels or large creek channels rather than the shal-

low flats or points further towards the backs of creeks. Look in 45 to 64 feet of water along channel bends.

There most likely will be trees present, but don’t let that deter your efforts. Take the time to use electronics to find a gap in the trees that allow you to fish the entire water column without constantly hanging up. One day, they prefer to run the bottom and will not chase bait. The next day, they will come up from the bottom and feed best around 30-40 feet. Remember to keep changing baits and experiment with sizes to find what they want that day. Tight lines.

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1/20/19 11:52 AM

Local Lakes & Forecasts February – Early PreSpawn 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.

The trend upward in temperature does not have to be huge, 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.

1. 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 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.

2. 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 well-placed 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 yearlong. Green, brown, and white. If you are not getting bit, switch colors or lure type.

1. Jerkbait – One of my favorite early spring lures. I prefer a deeperdiving model such as the SPRO McRip in early spring. Work these

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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.

2. SuperSpin – 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 boot-tail trailer this time of year. It imparts more vibration in the lure and allows you to work the lure more slowly 3. 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 SPRO 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 SPRO Little John DD. Work these baits slowly and attempt to deflect the bait off of cover or the bottom as much as possible.

4. Worm/jig – When all else fails and when the fish are bottomlocked, do not ignore the Picasso ShakeDown Head/worm combo as well as the Chattahoochee 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! See you on the water Jimbo is a full-time, year-round spotted bass guide on Lake Lanier.

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

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

february 2019

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Local Lakes & Forecasts Cloud Fishing

Contributed By: Noey Vinyard

Running Buddy He limps a little bit when he walks, but that’s okay, so do I. He is carrying a few extra pounds around his middle, but that’s okay, so am I. He’s not as quick as he used to be, but the squirrels and rabbits still make a dash for safety when they see him coming. He still takes his duties as my personal guardian very seriously.

Every morning he makes his routine patrol around the house and leaves his marks as a warning for those who should not be there.

And every evening he walks to the end of the driveway and stands as still as a statue, his nose in the air and barks once or twice to put all things who would bring me harm on notice that he is still on duty. But most importantly, his unique challenge bark is still always right. He has never been a whiner or a dog that barks just for the heck of it, but

he has a certain bark that lets me know when anything that shouldn’t be there is close. It’s quite an impressive bark that has a great deal of fierce growl mixed in with it, and I have learned over the years to pay attention to it.

I remember very clearly the first time I heard it many years ago. It was about six months after he showed up on my doorstep as a stray. He was outside on the porch and started such a ruckus and his bark was so serious that I went outside to check and see what was happening. When I opened the door, I will never forget what I saw. There was about a 5 foot black snake trying to make its way under my porch, and Festus had put himself between it and my house. They had a Mexican standoff going on. He was a much younger dog then and could easily avoid the snake when it struck.

And although the large snake’s bite is harmless, I didn’t want to see him get bitten. The snake would strike, and Festus would dodge and grab it by the tail and pull it further away from my house. I believe that was the moment that I knew in my heart that this little dog would never let anything get close to me without warning.

I cannot even count the adventures we’ve had through the years, but I can say that I never go anywhere without him. When I get invited to dinner or to somebody’s house, my friends know that the invitation is always a +1. When somebody rides in the truck with us, he pouts when he can’t have his place, and he absolutely cannot stand to ride in the backseat. At bedtime he seems to grow to the size of a horse and in my king-size bed. I am allowed just a small sliver to sleep on.

I have had many dogs in my life and I am a dog man. I realize that I will probably outlive Festus, and God willing, I will live to have several more dogs. But Festus was my running buddy through some of the roughest times of my life. When I

was working as a horseback guide, he made every ride with me, and I can remember him coming home and just collapsing on the floor having covered probably 20 miles that day.

I have special memories for all the dogs I have had in my life, but Festus gets a little extra space in my heart. When I was going through the hardest times in my life, he always had my back. I have every intention of making the last years of his life as easy and comfortable as possible. Like the knights of old, he has earned his place of respect and honor. See you next month.

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february 2019

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1/20/19 11:52 AM

Local Lakes & Forecasts Lanier Stripers

Forecast By: Steve Scott http://TeamLanier.wordpress.com/menu Striper fishing this month will be a challenge and will require more planning as the catch times are more mid-day than early morning times.

During these slower bite times, it would be helpful to use your friend network as I have mentioned in previous reports. You only need to ask about the pattern. Also, check those informative logs that you have so diligently been saving from previous trips with same air and water temperatures. While searching areas for bait, keep an eye on temperature differences such as the usual clay banks, sandy beaches and the areas around reef poles.

Planer boards with medium shiners out 80-100 feet behind the board, downlines at staggered

depths, always keeping one near the bottom, and a freeline spread out the back of the boat from 70 to 120 feet weighted and unweighted should be used moving along slowly from .3 to .6 mph. Stripers are not aggressive feeders in colder water. They want to use less energy, so smaller baits like shiners and threads become their goto baits.

In addition to the smaller baits, you should still put out something bigger as an attractor like a small trout or a small gizzard shad. Mini Mack’s and using smaller baits on umbrella rigs in the ½ to ¾ ounce range will follow the downsizing I am speaking of, but you should also slow down the presentation by fishing them a little deeper and at a slower speed to accommodate the action.

Stay in the creeks looking for diving or sitting birds, loons and schools of bait. These are the areas

to concentrate on. Try to move to a creek that has had less pressure from other anglers. If birds are seen in the area, put out a spread of downsized baits using downlines and Mini Mack’s on planer boards to cover the vertical column. Casting Mini Mack’s toward the deep drop-off

points is another method to try.

TIP OF THE MONTH: When using this slower method of fishing for stripers, be sure to use a longer and lighter pound test for your fluorocarbon leader. You will get more bites. For more information visit my website at TeamLanier.com.

“Striper fishing this month will be a challenge and will require more planning as the catch times are more midday than early morning times.”

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1/20/19 11:52 AM

Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake Alatoona

Lake SINCLAIR

Lake Sinclair is down 1.44 feet, with the water stained and the temperature in the low 50’s.

Bass fishing is slow. Expect only a warming trend to get them going.

There are some fish shallow on the docks in the creeks, but they are stuck heavily under the dock. If there is a warm up this week, get

the weights off the baits and look in the sandy areas for small bass to start roaming around.

The best fishing has been down lake to the dam. Fish any clear water with a Zoom all black trick worm and no weight around wood in the creek mouths. Add some Jack’s Juice garlic scent to any soft plastic green pumpkin or red shad small Zoom Bush Hogs on a pegged Texas rig can work on the docks and add a glass rattle in the bait.

February 19th Full Snow Moon

Forecast By: Capt. Robert Eidson First Bite Guide Service 770-827-6282 eidson6260@att.net www.firstbiteguideservice.com Linesides fishing is very good!

Despite the heavy rains and rising and dirty water, the fishing has remained good. The key to catching fish right now is to find clean water.

Most of the clean water is in eyesite

of the dam.

Everything thing is working right now. Freelines, planer boards and downlining threadfins, shiners, gizzards shad and small trout out over the river channel has been our best bite. Once the sun comes up, trolling U-rigs and dark color crankbaits near the dam has been very good.

Even with the tough conditions this has been the best winter bite we have seen in years.

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Local Lakes & Forecasts

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By Dickelsby

Hosted by none other than the Oconee-On-The-Fly guy himself, Wayne Moore and his sharp new guide boat and a crazy weather Friday afternoon. Bob Rice, The Angler Magazine Atlanta publisher and your humble correspondent questioned the weather all week. Should we or shouldn’t we …..Could we or couldn’t we was the big question as the ever changing atmosphere struggled to give us a clue. And so it went until Wayne calls and says “let’s go.

We got 3 hours of clear air and the fish should be soon coming to the top. All we have to do is follow the birds.” We agreed and off we went into the light breezes and spotty sprinkles. We all were pretty pleased to be out there with a few other hearty boats taking their limit of nice crappie, but we had much loftier aspirations of doing battle with hefty hybrids!

As I’m sure you guessed by now, we were there to try to catch stripers and hybrids using fly rods and special fly offerings. Captain Moore was ready for anything, though, as he also had some fresh live bait and spin rigs ready just in case. The electronics indicated plenty of action with schools of shad along with some big fish trailing. The water temps were just right, but we knew they would soon lower and ‘fish- Bob and Wayne had their fly rods out fore and aft while I observed and offered some encouragement. Although the fish were at 30 feet, we were hoping to see some curious enough to get closer to the top, then BINGO, Bob Rice is fighting a small striper that was trying to pull him into the water!

The aforementioned fighter finally was netted and photographed! Score one for the fly rodders!

We continued on searching the skies for circling sea birds but saw very little as the action slowed down a bit. Occasionally, we thought we viewed something aloft but turned out to be just a mirage like on a desert searching for water! This went on a little too long so Capt Wayne started baiting up a few trollers with nice

big shad so we had something else to keep an eye on for an hour or so.

Then the cell phone called our attention to order as one of Wayne’s buddies, Master Captain Doug Nelms, suggested a few lake spots to try anew as he said some birds were starting to get more active there. It never ceases to amaze how some of these guides work so well together in order to please the paying customers. They readily share tips and bait selection and electronic info as if they were partners in a common cause. We reeled in the live bait and headed in the direction of the call and soon noticed some real flying bird action…..no mirage this time!

As we arrived at the suggested location, we noticed birds hitting the top of the water. Ka Boom! They went into a feeding frenzy and both Bob and Wayne had connected with hungry fish on the fly rods giving me plenty to do with the landing net as three more were headed for the photo gallery.

It was then my turn to see what I could do with magic flies. It took practically no time at all for that beautiful lightweight rod to double over as I pulled it up on a hooked monster. The fight was on! The hybrid took off and headed in the direction of Reynolds Plantation like he was late for a Friday afternoon tee-time!

Thus ended our adventure with the score: live baits trolling 0 and fly fishin’ a big ol’ 5 count! Please don’t hesitate to set up your late winter, early spring trips with Capt Wayne Moore at 706-816-4281 or email wmoore1700@outlook.com . Also check out www.oconeeonthefly.com.

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1/20/19 11:52 AM

Local Lakes & Forecasts

r

west point

Bass: Fair - Fishing has been a bit of a roller coaster so far this winter. Up and down water temps, lake levels, clear to muddy water, wind or no wind, generating and not generating, all affect the bite.

With the cold weather predicted for late January and early February, I don’t expect a big improvement anytime soon. The shallow bite remains fair at best now, but could improve, especially with stained water, higher than normal lake levels and water temps in the 50s.

Baits such as Rat-L-Traps, square bill crankbaits and chatterbaits are catching some of these shallower fish. Try to fish these baits in coves and pockets with small feeder creeks or around schools of shallow baitfish. Fish the open water in the pockets with an Alabama Rig or Flash Mob Jr. Keep a jig or shaky head handy to pitch around any

wood cover. Fishing rip-rap can also produce good results, especially after a warm rain. Yellow Jacket and Whitewater Creeks continue to produce.

If it turns off cold and dry during the month, the water should clear back up, cool down in the low 50 or 40’s, and the lake level should drop.

If that happens, expect big schools of spots mixed with hybrids, white bass and stripers to 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 2030 feet of water near the mouth of most major creeks for the best results.

Linesides: Fair - The water has been really muddy most of the winter, but the downline bite with shad or bass shiners has improved slightly as the water has cooled off and begun to clear up some. Most of the fish seem to be holding 20 to 30 feet deep when they are not schooling on the surface.

The fish are still moving around a good bit but should “lock in” to a

certain thermocline as the water cools. Expect the topwater fishing to be sporadic. It’s usually best very early and very late or on overcast or rainy days. Gulls and loons are here now, which makes it easier to pinpoint schooling stripers.

The Flash Mob Jr. has still been working on schooling 1 to 3-pound fish with an occasional bigger one mixed in. Casting 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, and the colder it gets, the better the fishing usually is. As the water cools, a bucktail jig or Fish Head Spin becomes very effective as well. The mouths of most creeks anywhere south of the Highland Marina area all the way to the dam and in Maple Creek have been holding fish. Trolling with mid-depth crankbaits and Alabama Rigs continues to produce some

If it turns off cold and dry during the month, the water should clear back up, cool down in the low 50 or 40’s, and the lake level should drop.

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linesides in these same areas. Please don’t forget to book your striper trips for this upcoming spring!

Please contact me at my email HudsonsProBass@gmail.com to reserve your day!

Crappie: Fair - Try tight line fishing with minnows or a 1/16-ounce or smaller jig around bridge pilings, brush piles, and blow downs in 6 to 15 feet of water.

Concentrate on trees and brush that are close to the old creek channels.

Pitching or shooting docks with small tube or feather jigs around or under the docks can still produce this time of year. Bridge pilings also hold fish. Yellow Jacket, Wehadkee and Whitewater Creeks are still producing. Spider trolling usually starts soon and can be very effective.

If February turns unusually warm and wet, the crappie can show back up surprisingly shallow very quickly!

february 2019

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Local Lakes & Forecasts

Lake MARTIN Provided By: David Hare Alex City Guide Service 256-401-3089 Surface temperature: 50-55 degrees, lake level: 486.33, clarity: stained to very stained.

It goes without saying that we all have had more than our share of winter rains with Lake Martin being no exception. Our lake rose approximately 5 feet in January. Hopefully, by the time you are reading this things are back to somewhat normal.

Yes, January was a tough month for catching, but most days we caught our limit or more of stripers. How did we do this you ask?

Well, we searched for cleaner waters which wasn’t an easy task, but when we found it, we fished right on the break of the dirty water and cleaner water. The stripers, for the most part, were right on that break. As the day progressed, we had to move with the current from them pulling the water to be able to stay on the fish. My days on the water didn’t produce much topwater action as it has in the past years in January, but the deep water bite was active.

Now to get into February forecast, I personally don’t think you’re going to see many changes until at

least mid-February. Hopefully, midFebruary will bring a little more consistent weather and less rain. If this is the case, then your past year’s favorite February spots should produce. I’ll probably be planer boarding early morning and then switching over to some downlining on through the day. My past Februarys have let me boat fish from one end of the lake to the other end. It all depends on which area I prefer to target that day. February also should begin some creek action for these stripers, so do not overlook the creeks.

This month also produces a lot of tournaments and more than our share of weekend fishermen, so always have respect for each other.

You need to have an extra careful attitude while on the water. Do not assume the other boat or boats see you, because that’s not always the case. Be a defensive driver at all times, wear your PFD and kill switch, follow all boating laws, and you should have a safe day of fishing.

If you haven’t booked your springtime trip with us yet, then don’t hesitate any longer. Call me now at 256-401-3089 to reserve your favorite date.

Until next time, catch one for me.

Bad Ramp Protocol

By Billy Darby

Hypothetical questions can only be answered in one’s own mind No.1 - Where do these people come from who are totally obnoxious about boat ramp protocol? Rather than utilizing waiting time for launch preparation, they occupy the launch ramp for untold minutes unloading the tow vehicle, transferring coolers, life jackets, etc. to the boat. This is after removing the boat cover and securing the Bimini top. This is after jack-knifing the trailer during multiple attempts at backing down the ramp, not to mention the dead cranking battery and jumper cable delays.

No.2 - Are these the same individuals who fail to pull completely into the parking slip while leaving the trailer protruding into the parking access road then more

than likely hooking the boat trailer at an angle behind the adjacent slip, thus capturing the victim one slot over?

No.3 - Subsequently, due to unexpected adverse boating conditions, pleasure boaters and anglers alike return to the launch site a little early to find this same vehicle so jammed across both ramps with trailer so entangled in the shoreline protection rip-rap that it will take a Ram Hemi with big tires to pull it free.

To those who have been exposed to this idiocy or rookie behavior, instead of enjoying a day on the water, visit a boat ramp and tape the “not so funny” humor, then send your recordings to America’s Funniest Home Videos for all the world to see. You might win $100,000.00 for the most hilarious entry.

“This month also produces a lot of tournaments and more than our share of weekend fishermen, so always have respect for each other.”

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1/20/19 11:53 AM

Local Lakes & Forecasts

Deception at its Finest By: Ryan Kennedy

l

YouTube: Ryan Kennedy Fishing Instagram: ryankfishing ryankfishing@gmail.com

When most people think of fishing, they rarely think of an act of skill. Experience is needed to truly understand the craft of fishing.

Contrary to the popular belief that all fishing is done with a cane pole, a bobber, a box of red wigglers, and a healthy serving of luck, as outdoorsmen we know the true commitment that is involved in a successful fishing trip. To me, fishing is the ultimate showcase of the art of deception. Whether you are into fly fishing, tournaments, or even if your style leans more towards a cane pole and a bobber, deception is present.

Now we all know I’m not referring to the evil connotations surrounding the word deception, but rather we want our presentation to each fish we encounter to not throw any red flags of danger.

Like a mouse to a trap we want a fish to be so tempted by what we have offered that it is willing to go after the bait, no matter the cost.

So far it seems like all I have described is a bag of trickery, but I stand

by my words that this deception is truly an art. If we hit “rewind” before the fish takes the bait, we see a fisherman carefully combing through lure after lure attempting to find the perfect match for the situation. The deception taking place between the pursuer and the game is all but unplanned. Between the placement of a perfect cast, to the sharpness of the hook, the moment of capture has been long awaited and carefully mapped out.

Let’s hit “fast-forward”. The fish rapidly approaches the lure as all warnings in its head of possible danger are flung aside until a subtle pressure change occurs in the fishermen’s line.

What happens next is far greater than any Hollywood special effects could ever portray. The rod is snatched to the side as the tension shoots down the line forcing the point of the hook into enough flesh to bury the barb in the fish’s mouth. Within an instant, the ultimate fight has begun. Moments later a victor has been declared and the

search for another battle goes on.

Hold on… that sounds a bit heroic to me. Let’s take a closer look at the deceiver in this picture. If I understood that correctly, I’d say that the fisherman seems to be the master of deception.

I’m just not really buying into that idea. This makes me wonder where he learned all the tricks up his sleeve to put on such a majestic performance in this situation. Let’s hit “rewind” one more time. STOP! Right there. Wait, no… a little more. YES! Right there.

The moment the fisherman walks to the fishing aisle at the sporting goods store. Hit “play” and see what happens.

Acworth, GA

The fisherman looks all around the aisle looking for a new tool to add to his arsenal until, BAM! Something glimmering catches his eye. Within an instant a strong feeling of desire overcomes him to the point of sprinting towards the checkout line without a care in the world. As fast as he can be told his total, his credit card violently swipes through the store’s payment system!

A twenty-dollar lure never looked so good! Folks, the fisherman is good at fishing because he has been fished!

Until next time, tight lines and God Bless!

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Local Lakes & Forecasts carters lakE

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

lakeandstreamguideservice@gmail.com

Water temperature: 47 degrees, level: full to over full pool, Clarity: 2 to 6 feet.

Carters in the winter is a pretty standard pattern for stripers; live baits out early. Planers, flat lines and slightly weighted flat lines are our go-to pattern to start the days.

I typically pull 6 baits out the sides and back and always one down line about 25 feet deep. Worley, Ridgeway and the upper reaches of the main river are good places to check first.

After the sun gets up or about mid-day if it’s overcast, I have been

switching over to Capt Macks Umbrella Rigs pulling various colors from 100 to 175 feet back at 3mph.

Following the contours lines on the edge of the river channel or creek channels in 40 to 80 feet of water has been the ticket. If you’re not getting bit, change up colors until you see some action. Stripers, hybrids and spots are all eating the rig sometimes 2 or 3 at a time.

The evening bite has also been good with live bait. Lots of spots are being caught the last hour of the day and several nice stripers as well have fallen to live trout and a circle hook fished on the drop-offs leading in and out of Ridgeway and around the Doll Mountain ramp area. Bart’s Bait and Tackle has live trout if you are looking for bait near the lake. Stay warm and we will see you on the water.

SEMINOLE Forecast By:

by Paul Tyre paultyrefishing@yahoo.com Lake Seminole bass fishing has been incredible this January as the bass have been schooling and feeding heavily on shad. Most of the bass tournaments have taken over 25 pounds to win and in the low 20+ pounds to get a check.

We are expecting this February to be as good as February 2017, where it took over 31 pounds to win local fishing derbies each weekend!

If you are planning a trip to Lake Seminole this February, there are some key baits that you will not want to leave behind. A lipless crankbait is a must on Lake Seminole in the early spring. I prefer a Strike King Red Eye Shad in ½ and ¾ ounce sizes in shad and crawfish color patterns. This bait has a unique sound and action that drives the big bass crazy. It is best to fish the grass flats that are closest to deep water.

A swimming jig is another great lure on Lake Seminole in February.

A 3/8 ounce Strike King Pure Poison in chartreuse and white with a Strike King Caffeine Swim’n Shad threaded on makes a combination that the bass can’t resist! This bait can be fished up on the flats in 4’ to 6’ of water.

The crappie on Lake Seminole have been bunching in big schools, and we have been catching them on bass 26 ATLANTA

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lures as big as over 2-pounds, which makes for some fine eating. The crappie have been coming out of 8 to 10 feet of water adjacent to spawning flats.

For a memorable Lake Seminole fishing adventure, give me a call at (850)264-7534 or email me at paultyrefishing@yahoo.com.

lake lanier crappie Forecast By: Dan Saknini, Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club. www.laniercrappieanglers.net Water temperature is around 48 degrees. If you go above Laurel Park on the Chattahoochee side or north of Thompson Creek on the Chestatee, you will notice that the water is more stained as you get into the “S” turns.

Also, the water temperature drops a few degrees at this point. The river channel docks with warmer water temps at 48 degrees will be your best options.

Our dock shooting technique is producing well. We’ve been catching better quality fish on the Chattahoochee side of the lake, however, if you want to catch greater numbers, the Chestatee side of the lake will be your best option. The bite is starting at fifteen to twenty feet, but it is amazing how quickly the entire school will shallow up if they decide to feed, sometimes up to eight feet below the surface.

Many community docks and marinas are holding fish. If you are willing to invest the time to find them by scanning with your electronics, it can pay off. When you locate them, note the depth that the fish are suspended and work the jig directly above their heads. The way the eyes are positioned on the

crappie’s heads. They are always looking up. Therefore, if the jig is below them it is difficult for them to see and respond to it.

Jiffy Jigs in a variety of colors and hair jigs are working well, but the soft body Bobby Garland jigs tend to skip the water easier. This will assist you in getting your jig all the way to the back of the dock when using the shooting technique. I’ve been trying many different Bobby Garland colors new to me, and I am very impressed. Bobby Garland is by far my favorite bait right now, especially with their exciting new colors.

The fish are holding tight to the structure, and it is very critical to keep the jig in their strike zone.

With the colder temperatures, their metabolism has slowed, and they are not willing to chase your jig.

You will also notice that the color of the crappie has turned to pale white, which is an indication they have gone to deeper pockets. The females have begun to develop eggs, and you will see their bellies starting to become distended, even though the spawn is still a good distance away. The bait will lead you to the fish, so pay attention to your graph.

Threadfins are the bait of choice for crappie.

Stay safe on the water and wear your life jacket!

“We’ve been catching better quality fish on the Chattahoochee side of the lake, however, if you want to catch greater numbers, the Chestatee side of the lake will be your best option”

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1/20/19 11:53 AM

Local Lakes & Tournaments Lake Eufaula

By Capt Sam Williams hawk184@earthlink.net 334-687-6266 Water temperature: low 50’s, water level: 187.88 msl, water clarity: very dirty.

The water is dropping and finally getting colder. Moving water with noisy baits are doing good. Soft plastics around shore cover are working as well. Rocks and rip-rap will keep water warmer and will be ideal for morning bites. Buzzbaits and chatterbaits around the old pad fields are good. Keep an eye out for shad working the surface. Lipless crankbaits under these schools will get the bigger fish. Work baits slower in colder water.

Crappie are still deep on structure and fish attractors. Jigs and minnows are the trick.

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God Bless and good fishing.

Feb 7 Mid GA Thursday Feb 16 ABA AFT Feb 28 Mid GA Thursday March 2 Berry’s March 10 Boating Atlanta March 2 BFL www.sugarcreekmarina.com March 30 Mill Minor League Fishing 353 Parks Road • Buckhead, GA 30625 706-342-2231 April 4 Mid GA Thursday April 6 Berry’s April 7 ABA AFT (Sunday) April 20 American Legion May 2 Mid GA Thursday *Subject to change

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Local Lakes & Forecasts Kim’s Kitchen

Pounders

Whole Grilled Fish www.poundersseafoodmarket.com Ingredients 1 whole fish, scaled and gutted, up to around 2 pounds or so (snapper, bass, trout, flounder, striped bass, and bluefish work best) 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste 1 Lemon Directions: 1. Heat the grill on high. Once the grates are hot, turn down to medium. If using charcoal, simply rake the coals to ensure an even layer of heat. Clean the grill with a wire brush.

2. Make three diagonal cuts in each side of the fish, straight to the bone. Rub both sides of the fish with the oil, then salt and pepper it.

3. Lay the fish on the grill, uncovered, and go away—grab a beer, check the score of the game, anything. After 5 minutes, use tongs to gently pry the fish from the grates to ease it free from any sticky spots. Set it back down and go away for another 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Slide a long-handled spatula beneath the fish’s heaviest section and gently roll it over. Pretend that it’s a baby on a rug who’s fallen asleep on your remote. To get that remote, you want to roll that baby up and over without waking him.

5. Continue cooking for up to 10 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. To check for doneness, use a knife to probe the diagonal cuts you made in the flesh. The meat should look opaque. Gently place the fish on a platter, squeeze some lemon juice onto it, and serve.

This recipe works well for all kinds of white fish, fresh water or salt water.

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Local Lakes & Tournaments

Freshwater or Saltwater Fishing? Do Both!

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By Capt. Cefus McRae Nuts & Bolts Fishing Series

I love all kinds of fishing. Big fish and little fish, saltwater or freshwater, it’s all fun. After decades of enjoying this wonderful sport, I’ve got tackle boxes stacked to the ceiling and probably more rods than should be legally allowed.

Over the years, I’ve had people, who almost exclusively fish freshwater, ask me what kind of gear they need to get started fishing in saltwater.

My response is usually pretty simple; “You’ve probably already got 95% of what you need already in your garage.”

In reality, the big difference between saltwater fishing and freshwater fishing is the species you’re targeting, and the fact that you’ll need to factor current and tidal flow into the equation. Beyond that, the differences are rather small.

For instance, if you have rods and reels for spotted bass fishing, then you’ve pretty much ready to start fishing for speckled trout, slot redfish, flounder, pompano, and dozens of other fun saltwater species. You can use many of the same lures and rigs you already have for bass as well. A big trout or redfish will absolutely attack a Zara Spook or Chug Bug on top, and reds, flounder and Spanish mackerel will slam a Johnson spoon or big blade spinnerbait. Project-X paddletails are a favorite with trout, reds and flounder as well. Pompano love to eat short grubs on a ¼ ounce short-shank jig head. Those 8 to 12-pound class outfits you use for spots and largemouth are just right for inshore fishing.

If you have gear for big stripers, then you’ve got the majority of what you need to fish for nearshore and offshore critters like king mackerel, cobia, snapper and grouper. You’ll potentially need to beef-up your gear for big grouper, amberjack, billfish and sharks. Most bottom dwellers like snapper and grouper are caught using a Carolina rig. You just increase the size of the egg sinker to keep your rig vertical in the current. Your 20 to 30-pound class gear will be just fine for most offshore species, just be sure

you have reels with lots of line capacity and very smooth drags.

The point is you don’t have to completely stock up on all new ‘saltwater’ gear, unless you want to.

Now, you will need to enhance your tackle bag a little bit, though.

You’ll need some fluorocarbon leader.

Always use leader because it’s virtually invisible and because it’s more abrasion resistant. There are a lot of things in the water that can wreak havoc on your line, including some of the fish themselves. You’ll want to learn how to twist wire and tie a loop knot.

You’ll want to add a few popping corks, like the Thunder Chicken cork, for fishing the flats with live baits or jigs. The corks serve to keep your bait at a specific depth and add a lot of fish-calling noise as you work them back the boat.

For nearshore and offshore trolling, you’ll want a couple of big spoons like the Clark Spoon in a #3 or #4, and perhaps a couple deep diving plugs like the Mann’s Stretch 30.

After that, it’s a matter of doing your due diligence on where to fish.

Look for the same kinds of geographic features you would for spots or stripers; creek mouths, rock piles and shell bars, piers and pilings, dramatic bottom depth changes, and the like. You will want to fish when the water is ‘moving’. I prefer the last half of the falling tide inshore. For offshore, I just want there to be current. Fishing around structure like reefs, live bottom and man-made artificial reefs is best for grouper, amberjack and snapper.

That’s about it; same gear, different fish, similar tactics, different location.

So if you’ve been thinking about taking a trip to the salt, but felt like you didn’t have what you needed, well there’s nothing stopping you now.

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Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake Chatuge Hybrids

Report By: Darren Hughes Owner: Hughes General Store & Bait Shop The Angler Magazine Fishing Team & Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service www.bigolfish.com

(706) 745-6569 (828) 361-2021

Hard winter has held off thus far, and we’ve seen some unseasonably warm days. This has led to some great winter fishing on Lake Chatuge this season. Remember to book your trips now for this spring because we are booking up quickly.

We guarantee you’ll have the fishing trip of a lifetime with us, and the spring is an excellent time to hit the water for some nice hybrids and spots.

Currently, the water temps are in the mid to upper 40’s. Lake water levels are slowly on the rise due to the recent rains and are presently around 6 feet below full pool.

Clarity is clear to stained in the creeks.

The spotted bass bite has been really good for this time of year, and we’re seeing an awesome early morning to mid-day down-line

bite. We’re still averaging about 20 to 30 spots a morning out here.

Live blueback herring has been the key here. Topwater has been decent and should pick up in the next few months. Look for these fish to be holding off points and ledges off the main channel. We’ve also seen some nice schools of bass on shallow flats throughout the lake. Look for these spots to really fire up in the up-coming months. Last year we had several 50-plus fish days.

While fishing in the spring, these bass are bedding, so try to quickly get them back into the water. Preserving the quality of the bass will ensure years of great fishing on this lake.

Our hybrid bass bite has also been fantastic, with early morning being the best time to target these fish. Pulling planer boards and

free-lining live bluebacks and shad have been the best techniques. We have also been catching some nice fish in the 10 to 13-pound range in the backs of creeks and off some sloping points.

February fishing on Lake Chatuge is always exciting. Remember, live bait on this lake can be the difference between a successful day of fishing and a horrid one. For all of your bait and tackle needs, come visit us at Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA. It’s the best place

around for quality live blueback herring. We also carry ethanolfree gas and have some of the best hot, made-from-scratch biscuits in North GA. For guided fishing trips on Lakes Chatuge, Hiwassee, or Nottely, or questions about the bait shop, call me, Darren Hughes, at Hughes General Store. And whether you’re a seasoned angler or just starting out, give Chatuge a shot for some of the best spotted bass and hybrids in the area. Good luck, and get hooked!

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Local Lakes & Forecasts Outdoor Events to Whet Your Fishing Appetite Dr. Andrew Cox

Various shows across Georgia that promote fishing and other outdoor activities are held over the course of the next two months. The cold and wet weather across the state may have prevented you from actually enjoying fishing in our area.

However, several outdoor shows are held across Georgia that highlight fishing and to some degree hunting in Georgia. These shows are excellent sites to look at new or specialized outdoor equipment as well as attend seminars to hone or develop new angling skills.

Though already come and gone by the time you read this article, the annual Atlanta Boat Show was held at the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia on January 16 through 19, 2019. This show had plenty of fishing and pleasure boats and equipment to view and purchase.

There were also numerous seminars regarding fishing and other angling topics held at the show. I found the seminars on use of electronics and crappie fishing techniques to be quite informative. I learned new pointers on using and interpreting the electronics equipped on my boats as well as techniques to target crappie.

There are upcoming shows that may be of interest to anglers across Georgia. The Fly Fishing Show will be held at the Infinite Energy Center, Duluth, Georgia on February 1-2, 2019. I have attended this event in years past. The show has many vendors highlighting fishing products as well as angling destinations.

This show also has various fly tyers demonstrating fly tying and fly construction techniques. Seminars are conducted throughout the show describing fishing destinations as well as angling techniques for specific fish species of interest to fly and shallow water anglers.

The Great Outdoors Show sponsored by the Georgia Wildlife Federation will be held on February 8 through 10, 2019 in Perry, Georgia.

This event is also known as the Fisharama and Turkeyrama. This event also has vendors illustrating their angling and hunting products, out-

door destinations that may be of interest to anglers and hunters as well as educational seminars. The seminars can assist new and experienced anglers in developing or improving angling skills.

Bass Pro Shops/Cabelas also host fishing seminars during the late winter and early spring months at their various Georgia locations. These seminars can be informative describing various angling techniques and products.

Though not held during this time period, anglers can put on their calendars the Georgia Outdoor News Outdoor Blast held July 26 through 28, 2019 at the Infinite Energy Center, Duluth, Georgia. This show provides diversion from Georgia’s summer heat into outdoor products and angling techniques. Keep abreast of this show through internet posts and information.

If you miss some of the Georgia outdoor shows mentioned within this article, surrounding states also have similar outdoor shows and events to include boating, hunting, and fishing shows. Internet searches can provide the dates and locations for such shows held in surrounding southern states.

If your schedule permits, take some time to attend and enjoy these outdoor shows. They will whet your appetite to enjoy fishing and other outdoor events as spring approaches. These shows may also help you to improve your angling skills or to identify and perfect other angling techniques.

Author’s Note: Dr. Andrew Cox is a contributing writer to outdoor publications and newspapers.He is a member of the Georgia Outdoor Writer’s Association. He has been fishing the waters of Georgia, Alabama, and north Florida for over forty years. 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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Wall of Fame

Win A Free Angler Magazine Cap! A Angler Magazine cap will be given away each month for the best reader submitted photo!

WINNER! Buster Wright fishing with Unicoi Outfitters guide Jake Darling at Noontootla Creek Farm

Bill Holland on a recent trip to Brazil with Unicoi Outfitters

Dave Studeman with a nice fly rod striper caught on Lanier with Henry Cowen.

Jessica Spell caught this dandy rainbow fishing with Reel Em In Guide Service

Mark Martin with some big slabs on Lake Eufaula Scott Pouncy with a big crappie caught on Constitution Lake in Atlanta. He put up a fight!.

Andrew and high school team member Gracyn Hunt from Canton, GA fishing Lake Eufaula with Capt Sam Williams

North GA Crappie Anglers new member Tonya Jackson with her first ever crappie caught on Lake Lanier.

Craig Mealer with a huge North GA mountain buck F2019 ATL new.indd 32

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nglers from across the Southeast are waiting for the unofficial opening of the 2019 season: the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show, Feb. 1-2 at the Infinite Energy Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth.

The show will feature a tribute ceremony to the late fly fishing icon Lefty Kreh plus demonstrations and audio/visual presentations each hour together with wall-to-wall displays of the newest rods, reels, lines, boots, waders, clothing and flies.

In addition to tackle, lodges and exotic destinations, show visitors can view continuous fly tying demonstrations, how-to seminars and presentations ranging from Fly Fishing the Carolinas to Dorado in the Bolivian Jungle to Blue Marlin on a fly.

Seminars include those on striped bass with Henry Cowan to Fly Fishing for Bass Top to Bottom. Casting demonstrations are scheduled by Gary Borger, Bob Clouser, Landon Mayer, Brian O’Keefe and George Daniel among others.

Featured fly tiers include Ed Engle, Mayer, Cowan, Clouser, Borger and Dave Whitlock.

For the first time at the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show, the Women’s Showcase offers a women’s seminar on Saturday from 10-4 with presentations

by Heather Hodson of United Women on the Fly; Maurrie Sussman, Sister Number One of Sisters on the Fly; Emily Mauri of Bullsugar; Jen Ripple of DUN Magazine and others.

The southeast premiere of the 2019 Fly Fishing Film Festival will be held Friday at 6:30. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.

Fly Fishing Show admission is $15 for one day, $25 for two days. Children 5 and under are free as are Boy and Girl Scouts under 16 in uniform.

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By O’Neill Williams

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outh Carolina’s Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie form what is known as the Santee Cooper Lakes. They are connected by a diversion canal. Lake Marion is the larger of the two lakes, covering 110,000 acres. Lake Moultrie covers 60,000 acres. They spread out between Charleston and Columbia, S.C. The Santee Cooper Lakes have gained a well-deserved reputation for yielding some of the best catfishing in the world.

Capt. Darryl Smith (www.captaindarryls.com) fishes out of Canal Lakes Marina in Cross, SC. It’s a good, safe, clean place to overnight, and Mac Daddy’s Restaurant is there with some good eats. Darryl guarantees you will catch at least 100 pounds of catfish per day. After all, he has 23 line-class world records. Call Darryl, and you’ll be fishing out of a 30foot pontoon boat with a shelter, so you’ll be dry and warm no matter what.

Darryl guides on the lake 320 days per year. In 2018, he averaged

W

ith winter fishing in full swing, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is asking the public, in particular anglers, to report any sightings of hellbenders (water dogs) to the

agency.

Reported sightings are an important part of a long-term inventory and monitoring project for hellbenders that agency staff, along with partners, began in 2007. Agency biologists want to learn more about where hellbenders—gigantic, aquatic salamanders averaging 16 to 17 inches in length—are located and how their populations are faring.

In North Carolina, hellbenders are found only in fast-moving, clean mountain streams in the western part of the state. Hellbenders, also called “snot otters” and “Alleghany alligators,” were once common but have disappeared throughout much of their habitat, due mainly to declining water quality and habitat degradation, and to a lesser degree to persecution from anglers who mistakenly think that

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catching 60 catfish per day. His largest blue weighed 140 pounds, which pushed the lake record of 143 pounds.

I’ve fished with Darryl three times, each time producing a television show. Once we fished the shallow backwaters filled with trees and stumps. Twice we fished “out in the lake” over sunken islands and old river channels. We always caught a giant cooler full, about 50 or more cats ranging from 4 pounds to 35 pounds. I think my largest blue with Darryl was 63 pounds. On many occasions, we’d have three hooked at once. Think about that, at a 20-pound average, which is very conservative, we’d have 60-pounds of cats on at once. To complete the necessary television production, Darryl and I have never been fishing more than 5 hours. I’m going back soon.

What makes these lakes so fertile to be able to produce what may be the best catfishing destination in North America? In simple terms, the water temperatures, amount of both freshwater and sea-run baitfish, shad, clams, mussels, shrimp, menhaden, even black mullet abound.

The various species of catfish: blues, channel, yellow, mud, flathead, etc. spawn up to seven times per year. It’s the perfect catfish habitat.

So, what do you have to bring along? Tackle if you like, but Darryl has just the right stuff.

You bring food and drinks and a big smile. The only other thing I might suggest is to bring some children. It’s perfect for children. The fish are very friendly and there are plenty of them. Darryl will set the rods and reels, bait up the rigs and make the casts. All you need to do is start reeling when the rod tip dips. Think about what that might do for a child’s confidence, reeling in catfish as big as they are.

At Santee Cooper, the bottom is paved with giant catfish. Go get some. But don’t wait too long. I’ve already made reservations for 2019.

The column above is one of the chapters from new book “O’Neill Outside, The Outdoor Experience,” coming out in April of 2019.

hellbenders decrease trout populations.

Although they may occasionally go after a trout on a line or stringer, looking for an easy meal, hellbenders eat mainly crayfish according to wildlife diversity biologist Lori Williams, who has done extensive work on hellbenders. “They may also eat unsuspecting minnows and scavenge for dead fish, discarded bait or other dead animals,” she said. “However, fish can be bigger predators of young or larval hellbenders than hellbenders of fish.”

Contrary to popular belief, hellbenders are not poisonous, venomous, toxic or harmful to humans, although they may bite if someone tries to pick them up. Leaving them alone is not only good for hellbenders but also it is the law. Hellbenders are listed as a species of special concern in North Carolina. Because of this listing, it is illegal to take, possess, transport or sell a hellbender or to attempt to do so.

A violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor, which can result in a fine and up to 120 days in jail.

Williams also cautions people to refrain from moving rocks in mountain streams as these rocks provide shelter for hellbenders, as well as other species of fish, salamanders and insects.

Anyone who finds a hellbender is asked to leave it alone but to note the location (physical location or GPS coordinates) and take a photo, if possible, and email that information to Williams at lori. williams@ncwildlife.org. If anglers happen to catch one on hook and line, they should carefully remove the hook if it is safe to do so without harming the animal or cut the line as close as possible and return it back to the water. People also can call the commission’s Wildlife Interaction Helpline (866) 318-2401 and provide details of the observation.

For more information, visit the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s hellbender webpage at www.ncwildlife.org.

To learn more about the Hellbender, go to

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FISH & FISHING

r spread C

onsider this an important decision.

Other than deciding whether or not to use one, a surprising number of anglers seldom give leaders much thought. As long as there is some type of buffer against the deadly dentures of some species or the abrasive hide of others, fishermen tend to be satisfied.

Their attention shifts to other aspects of the sport.

Choosing the right material and proper construction for an effective leader are some of the most overlooked challenges in rigging. The ultimate, of course, centers on fishing a light line without a leader. That seldom is possible on the saltwater scene.

Experience will prove to you that the fish you hook has teeth, abrasive skin, or the bottom is rugged. Any of these factors will end the battle almost before it starts.

The general rule is that the heavier the leader material, the fewer strikes you will get. The solution demands a compromise. You want the strongest leader possible without sacrificing too many strikes. Monofilament leader invariably produces more strikes than single strand wire or nylon coated wire.

Sometimes you have to use wire or every fish of a given species will cut you off. When you do use wire, rely on the shortest length that will produce favorable results. For offshore trolling, a short length of wire makes it easier to rig a bait.

Some anglers even insist that a skipping offering being trolled works better if there is a short length of wire in front of it.

The length of the leader is equally significant. From

MARK SOSIN a protective standpoint, if the species you seek has an abrasive body, the leader should be longer than the average fish you might catch.

Then, when the fish is moving away from you and the line streams over its back, you have the protective advantage of a leader. This part of the leader does not have to be as heavy as the short length around its mouth and gills, but it should be stronger than the line.

Fly fishermen become aware of a leader’s importance very quickly. In that type of fishing, the leader helps to turn over the fly properly so it lands on the water delicately.

In very clear and shallow water, a longer leader enables the caster to enjoy a more delicate presentation where the fly line lands farther from the fish. This is particularly important on the saltwater flats for a variety of species including bonefish, permit, tarpon and redfish.

Fly leaders take many basic forms, but the most important thing to remember is that each succeeding section should be shorter than the one before.

The majority of tournaments and all recordkeeping organizations establish specific leader requirements.

It makes sense to study them before you decide to compete or fish for a record. Leaders are a critical part of rigging each outfit you use. Cutting corners or ignoring details can be a serious mistake.

If you lose a trophy fish because of a faulty leader, you’ll have a hard time forgiving yourself.

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Queen Conch In The Bahamas Sheri Daye

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hile hunting for that perfect fish for dinner, you sometimes run across other tasty treats. One of my favorites is from the Bahamas: the famous queen conch.

This creature is as delicious as it is beautiful and deserves to be treated with great respect.

Their slow growth and late maturation makes them susceptible to overfishing. Once abundant in the Florida Keys, it became illegal to harvest them in the 1980s when they were harvested to the point of collapse. It’s taken quite a few years to see the beginning of a comeback, but they will likely need continued protection for years to come in the U.S. In the Bahamas, the importance of this valuable resource has been realized and rules are in place to protect it. The recreational limit is six, and they must have a thick, well-formed lip—meaning they had a chance to grow into adulthood and reproduce. Also, they must be harvested while freediving.

Inside the conch shell is a soft-bodied mollusk, which is in the same family as clams, oysters, octopi and squid. They live near coral reefs and seagrass beds and can reach up to 14 inches long. Besides humans, they have a few predators in the water—loggerhead turtles, nurse sharks, spiny lobsters and more. The meat has been consumed for centuries by islanders in the Caribbean and serves in a multitude of dishes such as salads, chowders and fritters.

Conch Tips:

1) Regulations are subject to change so double check before harvesting any marine life.

2) When diving, it is easy to see that in certain places in the Bahamas, especially close to highly populated areas, the conch are 16

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not as abundant. Do not take any from these areas, even if it’s legal.

3) They are easy to spot and move slowly, so use good judgement. Target mature adults that have reproduced and are toward the end of their lifecycle. Consider taking less than the legal limit.

4) The mollusk is not easy to extract or to clean, so if you don’t know how, make sure you have a professional on hand at the end of the day to help you or teach you.

5) Don’t forget to check for pearls in the mantle. These pink pearls are beautiful and more rare than traditional pearls.

6) The inedible part of the conch (the guts, also called “slop”) makes excellent bait for fishing, especially for mutton snappers. Nothing goes to waste!

7) You might (or might not) want to eat the pistol, also known as “Bahamian Viagra.” It is part of the conch’s digestive system and looks like a clear noodle.

8) The Bahamas exports conch to the U.S., but bringing your own conch meat back to the U.S. by boat is strictly prohibited.

Safe diving and Happy Hunting!

Sheri is a world-record holder, host of Speargun Hunter, and producer of “The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo” in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Follow “Sheri Daye” and “The Blue Wild” on Facebook and Instagram.

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As fisherman, we all know how hard live bait can be to find. Seasonal weather patterns change the way fish are biting, so a variety of bait is key. Bait fishing is so important that fishermen spend weeks prior to tournaments catching bait and then keep them penned up all for a couple epic days of fishing.

The last thing you want is for your bait to die because of a pump failure. At Hooker Electric, we have designed a durable, strong and long-lasting baitwell system. This system is capable of supplying multiple livewells with its adequate DC brushless motor.

You will no longer need multiple pumps to supply each livewell.

Now, by adding the Hooker Electric custom manifolds, you can divert water to the designated wells by adjusting the amount of water flow to each well with our variable flow knobs. This allows you to run all of the wells from one Hooker Electric pump and have another one for redundancy.

The system is easy to use with the variable flow dial, without having to restrict the pump. This Hooker Electric livewell system is a plumb-andplay setup with a variety of sizes. It’s available in 2500, 4500 and 7500 GPH and we also offer an on/off feature for the pumps.

For more information, visit www.hookerelectric.com or check out their Instagram page @Hookerelectric_pumps.

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Tim Barefoot

he older I get, the more I like to fish inshore for all the usual suspects from the Northeast, down through the Carolinas all the way to the Keys. From stripers and specks, to drum and snook, every fish loves a shrimp or minnow imitation under a float. And this includes many freshwater predators.

I always keep a float rig tied on when fishing inside. Popping, cigar and oval floats all have their place, and an added “clicking” sound adds value, especially when fishing a soft plastic shrimp under the float.

There are plenty of commercially available floats, but I want to share a simple and effective way to achieve the same end result… and one that will rarely foul or tangle. Whether the beads are external or internal, the clicking sound is perfectly married with the splashing sound that drives fish bananas.

To make the simple external-bead-style clicking float, view the video below. Allow 1/16- to 1/8-inch clearance (total, not both ends) between the beads and ends of the pegs to allow the beads to tap the plastic pegs.

Follow the instructions below to make the internal-bead-style clicking float.

Materials: 80-pound fluorocarbon; small plastic beads, like those found in sliding cork kits; small swivels; a commercially available foam slip cork with plastic pegs.

Steps: • Thread braided mainline through the plastic peg and one of the small beads.

• Feed the mainline through to the other side of the slip cork and then tie it to one side of the swivel.

• For the other side, thread a fluorocarbon leader through the other peg, thread on a small bead and tie it to the other end of the swivel.

• Press one peg securely into the slip cork, and then pull the bead and swivel into the float’s interior channel.

• Press the second peg into the cork, and your slip cork is now a clicking float. The tiny beads slide back and forth on the line to tap the plastic pegs inside the float.

• Tie a 3/8-ounce jig head and a soft plastic shrimp onto the leader, and… just add water.

There are a number of opinions on how deep to fish below the cork. I like between 18 and 24 inches of fluorocarbon, depending on water depth.

This same tackle works extremely well in freshwater for striped and hybrid bass in moving water. Just use a fluke-style soft plastic instead of a shrimp. The largest largemouth bass I caught this year was under cigar float with an internal clicker. I was fishing a Super Fluke for striped bass.

Smallmouth bass in rocky rivers are complete idiots over this same rig.

Wherever you are, and whatever you’re fishing for, a float rig is something you should keep tied and ready on the deck.

Visit Barefootcatsandtackle.com.

For video instructions on making a clicking cork, see:

FORTHELO VEOFFISHING.COM

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www.dexteraxle.com

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nglers are catching a lot of big largemouths in Texas. Last year’s Toyota ShareLunker Program, which tracks bass heavier than 8 pounds, certified 486 bass caught from 89 Texas lakes in 2018, and that’s just the fish that were reported.

At the beginning of 2018, the Toyota ShareLunker program debuted a new year-long season for anglers to enter bass for prizes, recognition, and to help enhance bass fishing in Texas.

Anglers entered largemouths into four categories including six “Legacy Class” bass of 13 pounds or heavier that were entered during the spawning window Jan.1 through March 31 and loaned to TPWD for the selective breeding and stocking program. The total number of entries in other categories who provided citizen science data included: five “Lunker Legend” bass 13 pounds or heavier caught outside the spawning window or not loaned for spawning, 107 “Lunker Elite” bass weighing 10 to 12.99 pounds, and 368 “Lunker” bass at least 24 inches or weighing between 8 and 9.99 pounds.

The top five ShareLunker producing lakes in 2018 included Lake Fork near Quitman with 73 entries, Lake Conroe near Houston with 41 entries, Lake Athens in Athens with 28 entries, Sam Rayburn Reservoir near Jasper with 21 entries, and O.H. Ivie Lake near San Angelo with 17 entries.

For updates on the Toyota ShareLunker program visit https:// www.facebook.com/ShareLunkerprogram and https://texassharelunker.com/.

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CA YMAN BILLFISH

RUNDOWN

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others withou Ad while fi length dethro Ga cords, caught longer class r Py der no where ery sin amid,

by Joh

All currency in USD.

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FRESHWATER Nevada’s WORLD-CLASS CUTTHROAT

T

he International Game Fish Association (IGFA) keeps the most extensive list of fishing records in the world. With categories for all types of tackle and species, some records are more impactful than others. This potential all-tackle length world record for cutthroat trout is without a doubt an impressive fish.

Adam Garcia caught and released this giant cutthroat on Nov. 11, 2018 while fishing Nevada’s Pyramid Lake. The fish measured 85 centimeters in length, or more than 33 inches. Once the paperwork clears, the fish could dethrone the old 81-centimeter length record.

Garcia is no newcomer to the record books. According to IGFA records, he holds four line-class world records for weight, all cutthroats caught from Pyramid Lake in 2016 and 2017. Some of those were actually longer than his Nov. 11 fish. The biggest one, which holds the 16-lb. line class record, weighed 24 pounds.

Pyramid Lake is a large and natural desert lake near the California border northeast of Reno. It is the world hotspot for giant cutthroat trout, where anglers can wade from shore and cast jigs for record-class fish. Every single one of IGFA’s line class cutthroat records were caught from Pyramid, as well as the all tackle world record, which was caught back in 1925

by John Skimmerhorn.

Surprising Winter is the Best Planting Time

I am often asked when is the best time to plant fruiting plants. My answer is usually the same; the best time is 20 years ago or today. The second best time to plant is during the winter months. Plants are dormant, and can be easily shipped and planted with no stress on the plant because there is not a lot of maintenance once the plant or tree has been planted. Simply dig a good hole, water thoroughly

at planting, and take the rest of the winter off. Even though there are no signs of growth above ground, the root systems will have time to get adjusted to their new location and begin to initiate new root growth.

There are plenty of advantages of growing your own edibles. First of all, you know what has been done over the course of the growing season from a chemical stand point.

Second, the fruit just taste

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better coming out of your home orchard versus buying fruit from the grocers that have little to no flavors. Thirdly, it is good for your soul and you will feel more connected to the environment and nature.

Whether it is an apple tree, muscadine vine or a blueberry bush; now is the time to plant. Let’s Grow Together.

Greg Ison, Ison’s Nursery and Vineyards, 800733-0324, www.isons.com

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TIPS FROM A PRO

Cold-Water Bassin' BRANDON LESTER

F

ebruary is one of those transition months.

Spring is just around the corner, and it might have already arrived in some places, but it’s still wintertime for most of the country’s bass fisheries.

Bass are cold-blooded animals, which means the colder the water is, the more the fish’s core body temperature decreases.

That also means the fish’s metabolism slows down.

Metabolism is the chemical processes that occur which allow the fish to maintain life, grow, heal and make energy.

Humans are warm blooded, so our body temperature stays a steady 98.6 degrees. A fish’s temperature drops with the water temp, which makes them more sluggish the colder it gets. If you’re like me, you’re ready to eat three meals a day and some snacks 365 days a year. It’s different with fish.

In warm water, fish feed every day, throughout the day and into the night. In the winter they don’t feed nearly as often. One reason is they don’t move around as much, so they don’t come into contact with prey. Fish feed-up heavily in the fall when the water is still warm to put on weight. Bait is plentiful then, and instinctually they feel cold weather coming.

I have way more 20- and 30-fish days in spring than winter.

You’re not likely set any records for fish catches in cold water. Fish bite for two basic reasons, either because they’re hungry and the bait looks like food or because the bait has come into their territory

and they instinctively attack it. Reaction strikes are greatly reduced during the winter. In water mid-50 degrees and lower, you really need to make the fish want to eat in order to catch them.

I try and fish the warmest water on a lake, as fish in these areas will be more active. A couple degrees in water temperature can make all the difference.

Slower-moving baits work best for cold-water bass. I like baits that stay in one place and can be worked slowly, like a jig. A suspending jerkbait with Mustad KVD trebles will hang in one place, hopefully right in front of their face. Use lighter line in cold water, as it allows the bait to move more realistically. Eight or 10-pound Vicious fluorocarbon is preferable on a jerkbait.

Objects in the water, especially rocks, retain heat. On sunny days, the shallow water near rocks on the bank will often be warmer. Keep in mind that fish don’t bite nearly as hard in cold water. You will feel them kind of “load up” on the bait instead of slamming it. The fish are just picking up the bait and doing as little as possible to catch it. Those “light bites” increase the importance of having a sensitive rod.

I build my own rods and will tell you that MHX Rods from Mud Hole Custom Tackle help me catch more fish, especially in cold water. Higher quality graphite makes a more sensitive rod. MHX Rods are much more affordable and the quality is better than a vast majority of rods out there. For extremely light bites, I recommend the NEPS series of blanks built with Winn Grips.

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L E A S S EVEN R E T IN T W With Special Offers For the 2019 Boat Show Season Your Suzuki Marine Dealer has exceptional deals in store for you when you purchase a new Suzuki outboard from 25 to 350 horsepower during the winter Boat Show Season. Get Suzuki’s 3-Year Limited Warranty plus 3 years of Extended Protection at no extra charge.There are Instant Savings on select models, and Low-Rate Financing is also available. See your participating Suzuki Marine dealer for all the details.

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