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Striper Time! Tips for winter Bass/Trout PHOTO COURTESY OF NICK CARTER VOLUME 23 • ISSUE 287
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By Team Three Buoys
Photos by Michael Grant
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hile mystic grouper can be caught year-round in the Bahamas, the winter months are our favorite time of year. Whenever a weather window presents itself, we point our bow east across the Florida Straights in search of these deep-water bottom dwellers. Mystics are one of the lesser-known grouper species, simply because anglers don’t fish deep enough to target them. Like all grouper, they are excellent to eat and usually weigh from 15 to 50 pounds, although they can grow much larger. It takes special gear to fish the 800- to 1,200-foot depths where we find mystics. Armed with Shimano Tiagra 80 WAs and Shimano Tiagra 50 WAs equipped with Hooker Electric Autostop drives, we string up 65- to 100-pound Power Pro braid on Crafty One Custom’s Deep Drop Rods. We begin by paying close attention to our Humminbird Solix sonar with CHIRP HD digital technology to locate bottom structure. We look for cones, holes, drop-offs, ledges and deep-water ridges. Once viable structure is located, we position the boat above it with engines out of gear to judge how wind and current will manipulate our drift. Then the
boat is repositioned up-current from the structure and the deep-drop rigs are readied. When targeting mystics, we use our www.ThreeBuoysFishing.com grouper deep-drop rigs made with three 8/0 VMC 3x Circle Hooks on 100-pound branch lines off of 12 feet of 150-pound main line. For bait, we prefer fresh-cut 8-inch strips of dolphin, tuna, wahoo or barracuda. Many deep-drop anglers claim, “no light, no bite,” but our experience has proven that, especially with mystics, we catch more and bigger fish without lights. We deploy two rods on opposite sides of the boat. Lead weights in the 10-pound range are the rule of thumb, but weight can be adjusted to the current. After the weights hit bottom, the reels are left in freespool to lay the rigs straight down on the bottom. The engines should be used to decrease the boat’s drift to a standstill, if possible. If the boat drifts, let out line to keep the rigs on bottom. When the rod tip bumps and shakes, resist the urge to lock up the drag and retrieve line. Wait a minute or two for additional fish to sense the commotion. They’ll often eat the remaining baits. When it’s time to strike, lift the reel’s drag to strike (pre-set to 20 pounds of drag) and slowly start your retrieve. Big mystic grouper put up quite a fight at first, and you might even think you’ve hung bottom. Be patient and slowly gain as must line as possible. When fish are about halfway up, their air bladders expand and create lift. They will begin to float your rig up to the surface. For more tips and tactics on deep-dropping and the tackle and rigs to get tight, see www.threebuoysfishing.com. Also, keep up with all of the offshore action @ Team Three Buoys on Facebook and Instagram.
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Finding bait becomes more important than at any other time of year. Goebel likes to get out well before dawn in search of shad or herring flickering near the surface, especially when a big moon keeps baitfish active all night. Diving birds are also a dead giveaway. They are likely feeding on baitfish pushed by stripers from below. “A lot of times if there’s bait there, I won’t even worry about marking fish on the graph,” Goebel said. “I’ll just put out my lines and start fishing where the bait is.”
By Nick Carter
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here aren’t many anglers willing to endure the frigid early morning temperatures of winter on a large reservoir. But for those who can handle a little discomfort, right now is the best time of year to hook up with the striper of a lifetime. Around the Southeast, in reservoirs where striped bass were introduced, falling water temperatures spur changes in behavior that make the largest fish in the lake susceptible to anglers. Those 30- to 50-pounders are feeding up right now. They’re storing up reserves that will take them through the spring spawn. “It’s trophy striper season,” said Shane Goebel, of Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. “The bigger fish are participating a little better. This time of year, we start going after those big ol’ hogs that are chasing the big baits.” The large summer schools broke up months ago. Stripers are spread out and on the move, following baitfish into the creek mouths and up into the backs of the creeks. Big fish move shallow when water temps hit the mid to low 50s on the lakes Goebel guides in the mountains of north Georgia and western North Carolina. It might take some searching to find them, but the rewards can be huge.
Because the stripers are continually moving with the bait, covering water is crucial. Goebel said to troll as many baits in as wide a spread as you can handle. Herring are great on lakes where they are present, but this time of year you should also work some big gizzard shad or trout into the spread. Sometimes it takes a big mouthful to convince big fish to eat. Goebel runs baits 30 to 40 feet behind planer boards. He’ll drop freelines 100 to 150 feet behind the boat. If the area where he finds bait isn’t too shallow, he’ll put a little bit of weight ahead of the baits on the inside boards to cover more water vertically. He slow trolls at about half a mile per hour. This is a pattern Goebel fishes all the way into May, when stripers have moved into a pre-spawn phase. It might not produce the numbers of fish that downlining into summer mega-schools will, but the fish are generally a lot bigger than those 5- to 10-pound summer schoolies. If catching an enormous striper sounds like fun, zip up your parka and get out on the lake. It’s trophy striper season. Check out Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service at bigolfish.com.
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By Tom Schlichter
Capt. Carlos Arguedas (left) shows off a huge cubera snapper caught aboard the Los Suenos charter vessel, Wingman, with Lindor Jimenez. Photo courtesy of Wingman Charters, Los Suenos, Costa Rica.
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Los Suenos roosterfish come big aboard Capt. Carlos Arguedas’ charter vessel, Wingman. Photo courtesy of Wingman Charters, Los Suenos, Costa Rica.
f Costa Rica isn’t already on your bucket list, it should be. Famous for both inshore and offshore fishing, it’s also a country with incredible biodiversity and exciting eco-tourism opportunities. In short, there’s something for every sportsman and adventure seeker here. From a fishing perspective, the west coast of this Central American country is most favored with several significant cities and ports including Jaco, Quepos and, of course, Golfito. It’s Los Suenos, however, where
my wife, Felicia and I found outstanding action on a trip last April. We worked the inshore grounds, catching huge roosterfish, rainbow runners, grouper, jacks and even mahi. We also decked a big cubera snapper. Of course, we did have an edge. Coastal Angler’s very own Costa Rica inshore reporter Capt. Carlos Arguedas and his first-mate son, Christopher, were our charter crew. “This really is a terrific place to fish,” said Arguedas, “We have access to a lot of different spots ranging from very close to the marina to 50 miles away. The roosterfish action is unbelievable here but we also catch big cubera snapper, amberjack, groupers and huge red snappers, too.” Arguedas loves to take clients for roosterfish because they fight so hard, are found close to port, and grow big. He’s had a 90-pounder grace his deck. For these, he’ll slow troll live baits like blue runners, herring, sardines or bonita. All of these baits, impaled on size 8 circle hooks, also attract other large predators; so you never know what to expect when the rod doubles over. “Roosterfish are very impressive when you first see them,” said Arguedas. “They are exotic-looking with big dorsal rays, a huge mouth and striped flanks. They are stunning to see for the first time. They are also exceptionally strong. Fight a 20-pounder and you’ll think you have a 40-pounder at the end of the line. They jump, too, and shake their head, so remember to lower your rod tip when that fish comes up or you’ll tear the hook free.” Among the other big fish that hit the deck for Arguedas’ crew on a regular basis are goliath grouper that can top 400 pounds. These are targeted around local reefs. If you want to run offshore, sailfish, tuna and marlin abound within 10 miles of port. Dorado, sometimes topping 30 pounds, can be tempted within sight of the coast. Costa Rica’s tropical climate makes it a year-round destination. Most travelers prefer to visit during the dry season, which runs from December through April, but you’ll find lighter crowds and lower travel prices during the “green” or rainy season from May to November. Whenever you visit, it really helps to work with a travel pro that deals frequently with Costa Rica to customize a trip here. Blue Water Sportfishing Charters (http://bluewatersportfishingcharters.com) specializes in setting up trips to Los Suenos. They can put you in the right place at the right time for the fish you want to catch, sights you want to see or adventures you want to experience. They’ll also book you with Capt. Carlos—or you can contact him yourself at www.wingmancr.com.
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Center sp Sheri Daye
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he first time I saw someone spearfishing, I was intrigued and wondered out loud how hard it would be to load a speargun. A friend heard me and said, “I’m sure you can do it. It’s probably more about technique than brute strength.” He was right. It’s not uncommon to struggle to load your first speargun, and you might suspect they made the bands too short. If you give it some time and use the right technique, it will become easy. First, some safety tips: 1) Never load a speargun out of the water. 2) Keep the safety on until you intend to shoot a fish. 3) Even with the safety on, treat it like a loaded weapon, never let the tip point at anyone. 4) Use tip protectors when not in use, so you don’t scratch anything. Some spearguns are loaded by resting the butt of the gun on your hip and pulling the bands toward the shaft notches. Others are loaded by resting the butt high on the middle of the chest and pulling the bands toward your sternum. Hip-loading spearguns are commonly used by scuba divers, as chest loading can be difficult when wearing a buoyancy compensator vest. Freedivers are less constricted by gear, so they normally use chest-loading spearguns. These have longer range because the shaft tabs sit closer to the butt of the gun. Now, some loading tips: 1) Wear gloves and wetsuit to prevent slips, scrapes or bruising. Some wetsuits have a loading pad built into the chest. 2) Don’t look down and hunch over when loading the bands. Push forward with your chest and pull the band swiftly with your arms, so the shaft tabs are pushed forward to meet the incoming
band. 3) Use a loading tab (if using a wood gun). This simple device makes things much easier by allowing you to first hip load the band to the loading tab and then raise the butt to your chest for the final pull. Although it’s a two-step process, it can be done quickly and will feel much easier. 4) If your bands are still too hard to load, use three longer bands. 5) Work out, lift weights, work on core and upper body. Try bench presses, seated rows, bent over rows, pushups and pull-ups. Bands and dumbbells can be incorporated into your workout routine, whether at the gym or home. If you want to see a band loading video, check out Coastal Angler online. And remember—you can accomplish anything you set your mind to! Sheri is a world-record holder, host of “Speargun Hunter,” and producer of The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Follow “Sheri Daye” and “The Blue Wild” on Facebook and Instagram.
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JANUARY 2019 To advertise in the largest free fishing publication in the U.S. with over 1 million monthly readers, call 706-614-8231
PUBLISHER: Bob Rice A Free Publication The Angler Magazine Is Distributed Across The Southeast. The Angler Magazine Is Published Monthly By B & B Publishers P.O. Box 766 Madison, GA 30650 706-614-8231 www.theanglermagazine.com Reproduction Of Contents In Any Form Is Prohibited Bob Rice, publisher The Angler Magazine Fishing, Boating, Conservation “Find your outdoors here”
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: 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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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing Downsize and Go Deep
Contributed By: by Wes McElroy for Jimmy Harris www.unicoioutfitters.com Unicoi Outfitters,Orvis 2018 Fly Shop of the Year
Winter fishing can be tough for many anglers with the drastic decrease in water temperatures, but it is one of our favorite times of the year to be on a trout stream. If you adjust your presentation, you can often have some great days on the water in solitude. One of the first guidelines of winter fishing is to not worry about getting to the river at daybreak. Often times the fishing is not going to be very productive until the sun comes out and begins to warm up the water temperatures. During cool winter days, my most successful hours of fishing are typically between 11am-3pm, when the sun is often at its highest. Look for sunny spots, as these areas will have higher water temperatures than other portions of the stream, and you will find increased
fish activity in these warmer areas. While fish can still be caught in faster runs, I tend to favor deeper areas with slower flows during the winter. As the water temperatures drop and bug activity dies down, the fish tend to hold close to the bottom in slower flows where they do not have to work as hard to fight the current. Throughout the winter, our rivers will often run crystal clear. When the water gets cold, much of the sediment will settle to the bottom, which clears up the water. During these conditions, I have most of my success using smaller nymphs. Much of the active biomass found in our streams is generally smaller during the colder months. A few of my all-time favorite winter patterns are Root Beer and Ruby Midges in size 18, Pheasant Tails in a size 16-20, Trout Crack in a size 16-20,
Rainbow Warriors in a size 18-20, and Little Black Stonefly Nymphs in size 14-16. Along with these smaller flies, it is critical to downsize your tippet. At the least, use 5X and 6X tippet, and on occasion you may even drop down to 7X. Lighter line is less visible in the clear water, and will also help get your flies to the bottom quicker, which is very important. Don’t be surprised if you hook into some big fish. Some of my biggest fish are caught during the coldest months of the year. If you use proper fish fighting technique, it’s an absolute blast to land a big fish on light tippet. Due to the frigid water temperatures, most fish are going to be close to the bottom during the winter, so split shot and or tungsten beads are a must. The added weight will get your flies in the strike zone quicker and keep them there longer. Make sure to pay close attention to each of your drifts. Whether you are using a strike indicator or tightline nymphing, a lot of the strikes during the winter can be very subtle. When indicator fishing, I am often surprised at just how subtle a fish
take can be. If it looks like the bottom, set the hook! Sometimes the smallest movement or slight change in the speed of the drift can turn out to be a fish. Winter is the most underrated time of the year for fishing in the Southeast. Not only can you catch great numbers of fish, but also some big fish on small flies, all the while rarely dealing with large crowds of anglers on the water. I encourage you this winter to dress for the occasion and hit the water. You will be surprised at just how successful of a day you can have.
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing
The Guide's Angle
Contributed By: Chris Scalley River Through Atlanta Guide Service
The Ultimate Christmas Gift!? A little known secret is that most southern tailwaters have warm water temps throughout the winter months. In the 38,000 surface acre Lake Lanier, scientists estimate that it takes “two years” for a drop of water from when it enters the reservoir and to then exit Buford Dam into the Chattahoochee River tailwater. Thermocline is the key word here with most large impoundments south of the MasonDixon. In the South, because we have a long warm summer and a long cool winter, there are three thermal layers of water which occur in the lake most of the year. During the fall months, as the days get shorter and cooler, this creates a cooler surface layer which displaces or pushes the warm summer layers down into the water column. These warmer layers
exit the Buford Dam in October, November and December, with my personal river recordings at 61F on a frosty November morning! This is strange to dip your hand in the river on a frosty morning when it almost feels like “bath water”. While the Buford Dam Project was never designed to manage for a trout stream, it could not have been custom ordered better for trout with an annual average water temperature at Buford Dam of 56F! As we approach the end of the month of December, the cool surface layer grows in size with the help of cold weather and wind action. It’s uncanny, but as long as I have been fishing the Chattahoochee River (45 years), the now massive wintersurface-layer will finally mix with the smaller summer layer winter in January and February!
What Is Trout Spey? Contributed by David Hulsey International Federation of Fly Fishers Master Certified Casting Instructor http://www.hulseyflyfishing.com 770-639-4001 Spey fishing or casting originated on the gravely banks of the River Spey in Scotland many moons ago. Long wooden rods up to and some over 15 feet with a wispy line attached were used to propel a hand tied fly long distances to salmon holding in inaccessible runs and pools. Certain casts were developed that enabled fishermen to fly cast even when very little back cast room was available due to vegetation or steep shorelines in the area. This style of fly fishing migrated here to America and beyond giving anglers access to large rivers that at one time were very difficult to fish effectively. Now anglers across every continent are using these techniques and excellent modern tackle to successfully catch a new variety of species from trout to stripers to smallmouth bass. Trout spey is just miniaturized tackle that has been sized appropriately to propel trout sized flies to waiting cold water residents. Rods in two, three, and four weight and 11 to 12 feet in length are the most popular and effective for fishing trout sized rivers and streams. Proper fly line matching is critical for maximizing the potential of your rod and reel combination. Fortunately for us anglers, the Rio Line Company has a chart with recommended fly line to rod matches on their website. This saves lots of time and expense in determining the appropriate fly line/rod balance for your particular combo. Connected to the line a short tip is added to sink the fly
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to the best depth. Trout spey rods are usually pretty flexible and can load deeply into the blank with the heavy spey line hanging out the end of the rod. This use of flexible lever to massive fly line can propel your flies or the neighbor’s toy poodle great distances, making even the most rugged and hard to wade river fishable. Our large Southeastern tailwaters and big freestone rivers are perfect locations for this type of fly fishing. If you are older or have trouble bouncing around the rivers like you used to, no problem, just launch an eighty footer and fish the far bank. Trout love baitfish and the trout spey system can deliver streamers to runs that rarely see a fly due to wading restrictions. Normal streamers work well like Wooly Buggers, Zonkers, etc. Atlantic salmon and steelhead flies also will take a bunch of trout too, and are my favorite to fish with. The trout simply haven’t seen them swing through their lair. Soft hackles and wet flies can be dynamite fished in this manner too. Approach to trout with spey gear is to slowly move downstream casting down and across letting the flies swing through likely runs and buckets as they’re called. A bump or a twitch is sometimes needed or just the smooth swing will work. You just have to let the fish tell you what they want. If you’re interested in learning more about trout spey and how to do it, give me a call at 770-639-4001 and we’ll go swing up a few!
january 2019
ATLANTA 3
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing January Fly Fishing Report Contributed By: Henry Cowen www.henrycowenflyfishing.com This year has clearly been of one of the toughest fall seasons I can remember. Most of the poor fishing has been due to the unstable weather patterns we have sustained. The fish like consistency and we have had anything but that. January normally could be a very iffy month on all our area lakes in North Georgia. Last year January proved to be a difficult month. If the water temperatures continue to hover around 50 degrees or go just a tad lower, fishing will probably be very good and we will continue to see fish feeding near the surface and on the banks for a few more weeks. If however, we get a colder than normal spell and the water temperatures drop into the mid-forties, the fishing will shut down. Everything this time of year is predicated to water temperature. This year, due to the cold unstable weather pattern, the likelihood is that January fishing on all our area North GA lakes will continue to be good! While our fishing got off to an inauspicious start this fall, we are hoping we can get some momentum going. It is best to start looking far north as the shad migrate north and especially into the backs of the coves looking for warmer water that the afternoon sun throws off into the shallows. Mornings can be exceptionally productive as the stripers come searching for an easy meal in the skinny water. Small flies and intermediate fly lines are called for in this instance. Anglers need to just find the coves that are stacked with shad. During low light levels, there is a good chance you will find stripers blowing up on the surface and running shad up and onto the banks. These stripers are easy pickings too! Anytime you toss flies to shallow feeding fish, your chances of hooking up are greatly increased. If you do not find fish in the backs of the coves, then you need to look at the mouths of the coves for large schools of fish bunched together in about 15-
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JANUARY 2019
25 feet of water. These schools of fish will have your fish finder looking like spaghetti. Now is the time to employ a fast sinking line and use a countdown method in order to elicit a strike. If you see fish 15 feet down on your fish finder, you need to allow your sinking fly line to go down for 30 seconds in order for the fly to reach the feeding zone. Our most effective flies will still be the Somethin’ Else as well as a small Polar Fiber Minnow. These two patterns tied 1 ½” to 2” in length will out fish all other artificial baits you can throw. Another pattern you can count on in January is dock light fishing. While most sane anglers prefer to fish lights in the spring and fall, inthe-know striper anglers can wear out fish on dock lights either after dark or in the wee hours of the early morning. Give it a try next time you are out prowling the northern breeches of our area lakes. Dress warm, bring a thermos of hot coffee or cocoa and go have a ball in our North GA winter wonderland. Happy New Year to all our Angler Magazine readers. Hope to see everyone at the Fly Fishing Show @ Infinity Center the first Friday and Saturday in February (1st & 2nd). We will be giving seminars and tying flies all day long! See you on the pond.
oconee on the fly
Buck Fever – Topwater action for Oconee Hybrids and Stripers By Capt. Wayne Moore USCG www.oconeeonthefly.com There are a lot of correlations between deer hunting and fishing, especially for the bow hunter and fly fisherman. Both are challenging, and that challenge amplifies the excitement and exhilaration when success is in sight. Thus, buck fever/hybrid rush! The topwater bite at the time of this writing has finally taken off. On a recent warmer than normal fall day, my fishing partner and I spotted diving gulls and rising fish about an hour before sunset. The fish rising in these pods were mixtures of hybrids, white bass, and stripers. Your heart is pounding as you first motor in slowly, then drop the trolling motor and try to get to the rising fish before they disappear. In the meantime, you grab your fly rod, strip out 70 feet of line into the stripping bucket and prepare to make the cast. If you can do all that without experiencing “buck fever”, you need to see your doctor soon as possible. When you see these pods of fish, use an 8-weight rod with a sink tip or intermediate line. You only need a small section of 12-pound fluorocarbon as a leader, and throw a Cowen’s Somethin Else or a small Clouser. This will make your offering sink below the rising fish where it is likely there a bigger fish lurking. Strip in the line with your rod tip almost touching the water. Short strips are usually the ticket, but as my partner noted yesterday, they wanted a 12” to 15” strip. ALL STRIPS NEED TO BE FOLLOWED BY A PAUSE. This allows your fly to drop, imitating a dying shad. Just as pursuing a deer or buck with a bow, you are not going to see these rises every trip. That is why I like to offer customers combo trips, so we can switch
to conventional tackle for hybrids or crappie when the topwater bite is not on. Here is what is happening now and will continue through January. Hybrids/Stripers – These fish will be anywhere from the mouth on Lick Creek to the dam. If we have three days of good weather, look for the fish to be rising in the afternoon late in the day. If the fish are not on top, flat lining bass minnows will help you locate them. Spoons and downlines will work on blue sky days. Crappie - Right now the crappie are below highway 44 and down to Lick Creek. As we move into January, they will move uplake first to the Sugar Creek area and then above I-20. In January, pushing long poles from the front of the boat allows for a slower presentation which is better in colder temperatures. Final words – I will echo what Jimmy Harris from Unicoi Outfitters said last month. Bring a set of dry clothes and a towel with you this time of year. Have a plan for how to get back in the boat if you fall out. I have seen anglers fall overboard in the winter. No one thinks it will happen to them, but it can be fatal this time of year. Winter fishing is awesome, but dress for the conditions and take extra precautions. Come on out to Oconee and get after the hybrids, stripers, or crappie! Call 706-816-4281 or e-mail me at wmoore1700 @outlook.com and request your dates.
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january 2019
ATLANTA 5
12/12/18 5:07 PM
Local Rivers & Fly Fishing
2019
Casting a Sink Line and Weighted Fly in a Tight Spot Contributed By: Rene J. Hesse Certified Casting InstructorFederation of Fly Fishers & Atlanta Fly Fishing and Camping Meetup Organizer
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
FEBRUARY 1 & 2 INFINITE ENERGY CENTER
“It ain’t pretty”, was my response to Dr. John Mauldin and Jim Long, two buddies who were taking a break as we fished on Unicoi Outfitters property in Helen. I take pride in making good looking casts, and I take a bit of pride in catching fish, but the two do not go hand in hand with a full sink line and a heavy fly. So what is one to do? I choose to go for the fish and find a way to get the fly to them. The following is a cast that worked in tight cover with a sinking line and weighted fly. I don’t really know an easy way to explain it. The cast is easier to do than it may sound, and it would be much easier to show you. See if this makes sense to you. Picture yourself being at the water’s edge, and the trees are up to or hanging out over the water. The fly is heavy enough that it could have been thrown out like a big marble. The line is full sink, so if it gets in the water, it will sink. Duh! That will kill the cast. What now? Keep in mind this is not a long cast, maybe 20-30 feet. Take a look around and know how much room you have above, behind, and on both sides of you to swing your rod tip around. Once you know, strip off enough line to get to the target, but only put 6-8 feet of line out of the rod tip. Place the fly in your line hand. Then, without stopping or slowing down, sweep your rod tip side to side, low to the water, out in front of you, to make another 10 or so feet of line slip out of the rod tip. Without slowing down, start setting up the ‘D’ loop by slipping
more line out making figure eights with your rod tip at about eye level. When you have the right amount of line out of the rod tip and all of the fly line moving, it will want to pull the fly out of your hand. Just before it gets to that point, sweep the rod to the side and send the line under the rod tip like you would on a roll cast, but send the ‘D’ loop down parallel to the bank, not behind you. Send it back with a lot of energy. Before the fly is pulled out of your hand, the tension on the line will be enough to load your rod, but you will need to make a 90 degree change of direction, so make sure you use as long a back cast stroke. Reach back into that ‘D’ loop. Come forward and bring your rod to your target. Release the fly as your loop is going toward the target. Keep the fly in your hand as long as possible. That will keep the water tension issue to a minimum. I don’t know if anyone has named a cast like this. It is kind of a mix of a spey and salt water quick cast. One important thing to remember is that the line movement is all done out in front of you. Another key is line tension. The fly must be pulled out of your hand on the forward cast, not on the back cast. Although the line must have a constant rate of acceleration, it is a slow cast which uses the weight of the line to load the rod. A good way to get the muscle memory for this is to practice pointing your finger as if it were the rod before you get to the water and make the movements. It ain’t pretty, but it works.
“So what is one to do? I choose to go for the fish and find a way to get the fly to them.”
Fly Fishing is NOT part of the show
IT IS THE SHOW!
flyfishingshow.com PHOTO COURTESY OF BARRY AND CATHY BECK.
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12/12/18 5:07 PM
Local Rivers & Fly Fishing Chattooga River
r The holidays have passed, and we hope everyone enjoyed time with their families! Now that the winter fishing season is upon us, it is time to layer up and catch big winter fish. At times with the heavy rains or snow, the rivers will take a few days to subside from extremely high levels and unsafe wading conditions. After this, the rivers will fish extremely well with many large fish being caught. Do not let the cold weather keep you home. Just dress appropriately and enjoy the rivers. We have found using the wicking base layers and the Redington I/O fleece pants to be very beneficial to keeping warm while wading. Let’s not forget about top layers either. Wear a wicking base layer shirt and then a fleece and an insulated coat, depending on the daytime temperatures. Many large fish are being caught using tandem nymph rigs with larger nymphs as a lead fly and a smaller nymph as the trailer, tied off the back end of the lead fly hook. Casting these tandems slightly upstream and dead-drifting these flies through the seams is essential. The seams are those areas where the water is moving quickly in an area of slower moving water. There are many flies to
choose from as the lead flies and as the trailers, and we have a tremendous supply in stock. Please check out our “hot list” as well. As for the streamers, big fish are being caught as well. Casting out and across fast moving water, dead-drifting, and then a strip and pause back to you along the seam lines has proved to be extremely effective. Keeping the streamers low in the water column is also a key to success, as with the colder water temperatures the fish are holding low in the river. The use of a weighted leader or pinching on a piece of weight a foot above the streamer will help. On warmer days, some dry fly fishing may be at hand. Don’t be surprised to see rises as the winter days warm up from the early day cold to the 50’s or maybe 60, and fish start rising. Pre-hatch fishing nymphs and emergers on the swing will be the key, and then switching to dries will be the key to success. If fishing in the cold weather outside is not your cup of tea, join us for a fly tying lesson inside our warm shop. We offer one-on-one fly tying lessons for the beginner, or to those who want to learn new ideas at the vise. Just call for an appointment. And YES, we offer Guided Trips year around! We hope to see everyone out on the rivers!
“Many large fish are being caught using tandem nymph rigs with larger nymphs as a lead fly and a smaller nymph as the trailer...”
Guided Fly Fishing and Conventional Tackle Trips for Hybrids, Stripers, and Crappie Booking now, novice or experienced anglers. On the water instruction, top of the line fly gear! Mix it up with light spinning tackle as well for a great combo trip!
Captain Wayne Moore - Oconee On The Fly, Inc (706)-816-4281 www.oconeeonthefly.com / wmoore1700@outlook.com COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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january 2019
ATLANTA 7
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing
Fly of the Month
Fly of the Month Fire Egg (Pink)
Lake chatuge
Eric Welch Welch’s Guide Service www.welchsguideservice. com 706-455-2323
by Jake Darling Unicoi Outfitters Jake@unicoioutfitters.com
• Hook: TMC 2488H #14 • Bead: 1/8” Gold • Weight: 7 wraps .020 lead wire • Thread: UTC 210, Yellow • Egg: McFlyfoam, Early Girl • Blood Dot: Wapsi Egg Foo Yarn, Red (1 Strand) Eggs are effective throughout the entire year, but micro eggs are a deadly weapon during the winter months. As the water becomes clear in the winter, trout become wary of overly large egg patterns. By scaling down the size of your eggs, you’re certain to put more fish in the net!
Water temperature: 55-56 degrees, lake level: 5.6 feet below full, clarity: clear. Fishing got tough. We’ve had a lot of rain and weather changes, not to mention water temps dropping. I’ve not seen any topwater action going on. I’ve been catching fish on the A-rig, throwing it around docks, brush and points. Most of the baitfish I’ve been marking have been 12-35 feet deep. You can catch fish throwing the
Z-man TRD ned rig around brush and rocky banks, also a shaky head with a Zoom trick worm has been working. If you see fish off a point, you can catch them on a drop-shot rig with a 4.5” Roboworm or a Flex It spoon. With the water temp dropping, it’s time to start throwing the float-n-fly. This time of year you can’t go wrong throwing a #5 Shad Rap. The fishing should get better when the weather stabilizes and it stays close to one temp for a couple weeks. If you’re looking for some great fall 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!
“You can catch fish throwing the Z-man TRD ned rig around brush and rocky banks, also a shaky head with a Zoom trick worm has been working.”
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing
A Day in a Guide’s Life Contributed by James Bradley Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide www.ReelEmInGuideService.com (706) 273-0764
This is a question that I get asked often, as I sit here pondering what to write about for this month’s article, “a day in a guide’s life” occurred to me. I don’t know if many readers have ever thought about what it is like to be a guide other than it’s a gravy job to have. Let’s look in detail at what a real guide goes through in preparation for the next day’s trip. First, after coming home hopefully by 6:00 pm and exhausted from today’s trip, a guide still has many things to do to get ready for tomorrow’s trip. Let’s take a look: Evening before trip • Call tomorrow’s client to make sure everything is good to go and confirm meeting location and time. • Return client’s voicemails while on the water today and hopefully book some trips. • If it’s a full day trip, prepare tomorrow’s hearty lunches. • Load up client’s wading gear. • Check and fill cooler with adequate supplies and plenty of water. • Check that gas tank. Nothing worse than telling your client how sorry you are for being late! • If floating, hook up boat, check lights, store needed gear, and make arrangement for shuttle, if needed. • Tie up any needed flies for trip because sometimes you can never have enough and hope to get in bed by 10 pm! Morning of trip • It’s 5:30 am and time to get up! • Mentally start preparing for the trip at hand. Go through your check list of what to have and load. • Re-check cooler, gas in tank, fly rods loaded and ready, and you have their lunch! • Fetch that cup of coffee and head out the door with plans to arrive 30 minutes before planned meeting time. Meeting time and morning session of trip • Meet the clients arriving around
7:30 am and get them ready for the day’s fishing trip. • Answer questions about the trip like flies, where you’ll be fishing and what to expect. Keep expectations real. There is a happy medium between optimism and being realistic. • Launch the boat and run shuttle if not prearranged. Go over list of rules for your boat with clients before launching. • Spend most of your morning watching clients fish, correcting casting faults and mends. Continue the morning teaching and instructing so your clients will have a successful day on the water, never being critical especially when they miss strikes. • Give out those compliments to your clients when they excel in a good cast, mend or on a hook up! • Take pictures throughout the morning for them, especially pics of that first fish and the smiles! • When floating, work those oars to maintain your boat speed to their drifts all while observing their casts to prevent being hooked, observing their flies or indicators for strikes; and never forget about those slightly submerged rocks! • When wading, position client for that one perfect cast which they should get a hook up on, coaching and encouraging that client with a trout of a lifetime on the other end with a calm voice until it’s in the net. Give a big smile with a fist bump and say great job! • Teach those required skills like reading water, how to properly handle a trout and understanding trout behavior. • Find a place for lunch then pull out the goodies. There are days on the water which will be tough for clients and guides alike, but their lunch should always be a winner!
• Hit those spots that you know hold fish and work them aggressively for strikes. • Spend some time sharing knowledge about the river or stream, the surrounding area, and after spending time that morning watching your client’s casting, teach them something they do not know. A guide should be a teacher at heart. • Continue to keep clients entertained until the bite turns back on. One of my favorite sayings is “fishing is like Novocain, keep giving it and it’ll eventually work”. • If floating, arrive at the take-out and hope there’s not 10 boats in front of you! Be patient and navigate the traffic when there are 10 in front of you! Load boat onto the trailer and tie her down. • Drive clients back to their vehicle. Afterwards • Guides may have to stop for fuel, pick up any needed items from the grocery store, and then make their way back home in time to prepare for tomorrow’s trip. Afterthoughts • There is much more to this than just handing someone a fly rod, rowing a boat, netting fish or taking some pictures. • Good guides, those that are worth their salt, are educators; they are stewards of the rivers, streams and fish; they have spent time themselves learning from the best schools and instructors for guiding and casting; they are CPR/ First Aid certified; they watch out for their client’s safety at all times; they are so familiar with the waters they operate on that they know it like the back of their hand; they will teach you more about that water in a few hours than you could ever read from any book; they remain enthusiastic even when it’s a terrible day to be on the water; and they remain constantly stoked for every fish their clients get in the net. • After your amazing day on the water, remember, there was a guide willing to work his tail off to make it happen. I hope after reading this, you will have a stronger appreciation for your guide and his tireless efforts. If you are a first timer wanting to learn to fly fish, hook up with a guide that has been schooled in the art of fly fishing. Always check out a guide’s accolades and fly-fishing schools he has completed which will usually be in his bio. The best way to get time on the water and learn is from 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, We’ll Hook You Up! James Bradley is the only Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide in North Georgia’s Historic High-Country 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
Afternoon session of trip • After lunch and a few clean jokes, prepare clients and yourself for the lull in fishing for maybe the next couple of hours. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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january 2019
ATLANTA 9
12/12/18 5:07 PM
Local Lakes & Forecasts
NOBODY SAID IT HAD TO BE FAIR FOR THE
Jackson Lake
FISH
By Brian Lee leebrian16 @yahoo.com
gps & navigation
audio system design Water temperature: 45-50 de-
grees, water level: full, clarity:
satellite & tv systems stained. led lighting The winter draw down has end-
ed, and the last month or so has
security systems been great on Jackson. Expect for custom installation January to be almost as good as it
has been recently. The bass are still
manufacturer certified holding on the same structure as
they were a month ago. A crankbait is basically all you’ll need to load the boat. Depending
Your resource for everything electronics, on & off the water. Sales, Service and Installation
on the water clarity on that given day will determine your color of choice, but any crankbait in crawfish or a bright color will catch them. Find rocks and start chunking and winding. Remember to make contact with the bottom. It may be a little slow till you find out how the bass want it retrieved on that particular day. A jig will be a good choice of bait as well, but don’t overthink what you should be throwing. Keep it simple when it comes to bait and just be open minded about your cadence. Bass are bunched up in some places and scattered in others. Till next month, tight lines.
“The winter draw down has ended, and the last month or so has been great on Jackson.”
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Local Lakes & Forecasts VOTED
Lanier Stripers
Forecast By: Steve Scott http://TeamLanier.wordpress.com/menu It’s a new year and are we ready to catch some stripers? January’s water temperatures should be 4650 degrees. You should be deploying planer board spreads with two or more boards out each side of the boat early in the day targeting sunny banks. Downlines should also be used with smaller baits and #6 hooks with 8-12 pound leaders. Jigging spoons like the ½ ounce War Eagle in white or natural shad should be used after the morning bite has slowed. As the bait moves from shallow to deep, concentrate your downlines on underwater humps and ditches. You should also cast Mini Mack’s toward the sunny banks, but be sure your jigs are at a maximum ¼ ounce each. When using your planer boards and directional bobbers, you should use large crappie minnows 45 to 65 feet behind them and vary your speed from .2 to .8 mph. Crappie minnows can withstand water temperatures from 35 to 50 degrees, so your baits will still be very lively in the colder water temperatures. If you see stripers boiling on the surface, throw a threadfin size topwater bait like a Crappie Tube 1¾ to 2 inches in length, or you could use the old standard ¼ ounce Capt
Mack’s Bucktail Jig. Be sure to let it drop to just under the surface to entice the bigger stripers waiting below for an easy meal. Keep your eyes open for diving birds and gulls. Even if they are just sitting on the water, they are probably waiting for the stripers to move the baitfish back up to the surface. You should pull around them, not go through them. If you see a few stripers on your side imaging, drop a few small baits down and move in on them. If no takers, start tapping the floor of the boat. This technique seems to draw those slow-moving stripers to the boat. Idling your big motor can also attract them. How many times have you started your big motor to leave the area when all of a sudden stripers appear? If the water temperature is 44 degrees or less, the bite is over. You should seek out warmer areas like shallow water, possibly in the back of a creek, road beds or submerged concrete near the pond dams. Remember, your presentations should be small and slow. TIP of the month: Don’t forget to look beyond your sonar circle for stripers following alongside your boat but further out to the left or right. This is where having side imaging really comes in handy. See more tips and tricks on my website TeamLanier.com. Steve Scott 404-273-3481. Call me with your questions.
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january 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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JANUARY 2019
January is here and the holidays are gone. The cold weather has really settled in, but this North Georgia lake is more than ready to cater to your new Christmas fishing gear. Lake Nottely offers up some great wintertime striper fishing, and January can be an exciting month to catch that big trophy. So, grab that gear, bundle up and give Big Ol’ Fish a call. It’s time to get your fish on! Currently, Lake Nottely is down 17 feet below full pool. Water clarity is clear in the main lake and slightly stained in the backs of creeks. Water temperatures are still in the upper 40’s. Striper fishing has been great lately! We’ve been catching some awesome fish. The majority of our stripers have been in the 20 to 30 pound range with the exception of a few small ones here and there. Most of our fish are being caught early in the morning on planer boards and free lines with live bluebacks in the mouths of creeks. Believe it or not, the smaller bluebacks have been doing great! On the other hand, big shad have been producing some nice stripers as well. In the upcoming month, look for
stripers to be searching for warmer water, especially on cold sunny days. You can catch these fish in the backs of creeks, around shallow humps and in the river. Pulling planer boards and free lines with live blueback herring and gizzard shad will be your best technique for landing these wintertime monsters. Keep an eye out for seagulls and schools of baitfish. It’s not uncommon to see stripers crushing bait right under those birds. I like to cast a Red Fin or a fluke right into these guys for some nice topwater action. January is a fantastic month for catching some huge monster stripers on this North Georgia lake. Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1 rated guide service put you on some of Lake Nottely’s best trophy stripers during the fishing trip of a lifetime. We are Blairsville, GA’s premier full-time guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lakes Hiwassee and Chatuge (in North Carolina), and Lake Blue Ridge. 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 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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Local Lakes & Forecasts Cloud Fishing Festus in Fall Contributed By: Noey Vinyard
It’s the things that he can ‘almost’ still do that matter. He can almost make a squirrel make a mad dash for a tree. He can still almost catch a chipmunk before it finds one of its many hideaways. He can still almost convince the rabbits that he has a bead on one and is about to chase it down. And he can almost sit on his side of my recliner and let Pinball have the other half peacefully, almost. The most important things, however, are the things he can still do. He can, of course, still take up the biggest part of the king-size bed, while giving Pinball a loaf of bread size area to curl up and sleep on in these days they actually managed to do it together. He can still spot the deer and turkey at a distance and let them know with that signature bark, that no matter what
they are up to, and no matter what their intentions are, they will not bring them around his master. He is carrying a good 20 pounds around the middle, which of course is 100% my fault, and maybe in a show of solidarity I carry them around my own middle too. His shoulder bothers him more often than not, and he limps quite a bit, but it does not stop him from wanting to accompany me on every walk I take. His name is Festus, and he has been my best good friend for over a decade now, and it saddens me to think that perhaps this will be the last time that we enjoy Mother Nature’s beautiful fall color display together. He is mostly terrier with the good dose of ‘I have no idea’ mixed in with it. I like the way he stands next to me and leans against my
leg. I find it comforting, and if such loyal brave companions such as himself could admit it, I think he finds it comforting too. Festus was not put on this earth to be a lap dog, in fact, he gets downright uncomfortable when you try to put him in your lap and pet him. But the one thing he has that is second to no other, is to embrace that role of protector of man. Ready in a second is that challenge bark of his that has never been wrong. When Festus keys in to that challenge bark, there is something there, something I cannot see, and I have never seen him be wrong. I remember the first time I heard that bark. I was sitting inside doing something or another and Festus started a racket outside that I soon came to call his challenge bark. The bottom line is that he was pitching a fit and wanted my attention. When I opened the door to check on the situation, there was a 5-foot black snake trying to make its way to my front porch. Now it’s important to note that the snake was not harmed, just shown that he could live a long and happy life,
elsewhere. I can think of nothing more comforting than at night to be sitting in my recliner with Festus in the recliner next to me. I love to put my hand on his chest and listen to him breathe, and I cannot help but wonder how much longer I will have that. If you are a dog person, you know as well as I do that more than likely we are going to outlive our four-legged friends. While our lives will be the richer for it, and our memories will be happier for it, our emotions will suffer greatly. Even right now he stands out on the porch, nose to the air waiting patiently like he has nothing better to do all day than to sit there and be an alarm system for me. I intend to take advantage of every second of it, and I intend to love him for every moment he has left on this earth. He was a rare breed of dog and knew his role here among humans. He did not seek petting and coddling. He would rather be looking for a threat somewhere, and in that department, the old boy had no equal. See you next month, Blue Ridge.
D
yS
fishin’ for a good realtor?
LAKE OCONEE & LAKE SINCLAIR Kim 706-338-0757 | Lin 770-846-2700 KimLoganKW@gmail.com | www.KimandLinLogan.com COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
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Local Lakes & Forecasts January on Lanier Ditches and Pockets Contributed By: Jim “Jimbo” Mathley www.jimboonlanier.com Many anglers underestimate the viability of winter fishing. While the outside elements are not always favorable, January can offer some outstanding angling on Lake Lanier. Let’s explore some tactics with which you can approach Lanier in January. Ditches: As we discussed in a recent installment, a ditch can be defined as a significant depression which offers a sharp depth change of 2 feet or more from the surrounding structure. Ditches can be naturally occurring or can be man-made. These features exist many places on Lake Lanier, and they hold fish during the winter months. I shared a comprehensive article in December that focused completely on ditch fishing. If you missed it, take the opportunity to go back and review this information – it could continue to play a key role in January this year. Your Search: Use your Lowrance HDS electronics to find creek arms or pockets just off of the main creek channels that offer a deep vein extending back into the arm or cove/ pocket. The farther the deep water extends back into the creek arm, the better for winter time fishing. When you enter these areas and are searching for productive water, search for the presence of baitfish in and around the timber which you will find in the deeper water portions of the ditch. If you do not find bait, you will not find fish. Also, look for the ditches that do have timber at the mouth. The presence of the timber represents the appropriate depth for a potentially productive ditch. Also, key in on special features within the ditch, such as a point or secondary ditch that may intersect with the main ditch. Technique: While our focus is on fishing deep, understand that a shallow bite often exists in these same ditches, even in the dead of winter. Often these shallow fish in the winter mornings are monsters. Try these areas with a SuperSpin, SPRO jerkbait, or SPRO crankbait. Also, a Keitech swimbait on a ¼ oz Picasso Swim Head can be a good option. Your presentation speed with all the above should vary
Boat Review
– Falcon 205 directly with the water temperature. Begin your search shallow in the backs of the creek arm as at daylight, this will be the warmest water in the lake and will often attract baitfish. Often the active fish will be in 10 feet of water or less right at daylight. After the early morning bite, switch your focus to the deep areas of the ditch. Start with the first area of naturally occurring timber you find as you move from shallow to deep in the ditch. An isolated tree can be excellent, but thick timber can hold fish as well. If you can, find the more isolated cover when possible. The timber edges are the often the most productive, so focus on those areas first. Cast and drag a Chattahoochee Jig through the timber the same way as you would work shallower cover. Slow and methodical is the key. If the jig is not productive, fish a Picasso Shak E Football head tipped with a finesse or trick worm in the same fashion. Another option is to jig a spoon vertically over fish you see on your Lowrance electronics. A drop shot can also be an effective presentation. Experiment daily as fish preferences change like the wind. Stay open in your approach and remain flexible. I guide year ‘round on Lanier and I would enjoy the opportunity to help you with your winter fishing. We can help you learn the techniques you need to stay on fish all year! Give me a call and let’s fish! For more information or to book your winter trip, contact Jimbo on Lanier! 770-542-7764. Jimbo’s Website: www.jimboonlanier.com
SPECIFICATIONS Length – 20’ 4” Beam: 99” Rear Deck: 48” L, 84” W Front Deck: 91” L, 84” W Fuel Capacity: 50 GAL Approximate Dry Weight: 1890 LBS Available at Stillwater Marine, 4115 Winder Hwy., Flowery Branch, GA. (770) 530-6865. Manufacturer: Falcon Boats, www.falconbassboats.com Falcon Boats provides a wealth of knowledge on what goes into making the best fishing boat. The boats are designed with a triple main beam stinger grid and a 99” beam to provide increased stability and an improved ride on rough waters. A Falcon boat is fast, stable and handles rough water with ease. This boat sports and extra wide beam that creates a large casting deck with added stability. It has a great layout built for fishing with innovative rod storage, with the exterior rod access (ERA) rod boxes, making it easy to load and unload rods. Additional compartments provide easy access to batteries and pumps. These are quality built boats at an affordable price and handle the roughest of water with ease. They are super stable with a huge fishing platform, not to mention they are deceptively fast and affordably priced.
Check one out at Stillwater Marine, 4115 Winder Hwy., Flowery Branch, GA. (770) 530-6865.
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Kommander-Pro Series
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake blue ridge
SEMINOLE Forecast By: by Paul Tyre paultyrefishing@yahoo.com Water temperature: 59 degrees, lake level: full pool, clarity: stained. The bass fishing has been great on Lake Seminole. As the water temperatures continue to fall, the bass have been feeding up for the winter. Recently, it took 29+ pounds to win a five bass limit tournament and took over 25 pounds to get a check! The bass have been bunching up, and when you find them, you get some incredible action. Reaction baits have been very productive in finding the schools of bass. The main ones are crankbaits, jerkbaits and swim jigs. The crankbaits we have been having the most success with is/are a Strike King Pro Model Series 5XD and 6XD in any shad color. These lures have a great ability to deflect off of cover which triggers a reaction strike from the bass. I prefer to fish these crankbaits on a 7’3” Powell glass rod with a parabolic bend that really enables the bass to take the bait, get a good hook set and most importantly, put the bass in the boat. A lipless crankbait is working well over and around the grass beds on the lake. The sound of the rattles and the unique action of the Red Eye Shad drives the big bass crazy. When fishing the Red Eye Shad, I prefer a 7’3” medium heavy rod with an Abu Garcia Revo STX 8.1 reel spooled with Cortland’s 30-pound Master Braid. The Master Braid’s small diameter allows the bait to glide through instead of hanging up when working through and around the grass. A swim jig has been working well over and through the grass too. The Strike King Hack Attack Heavy Cover Swim Jig has a Gamakatsu Siwash hook which allows you to get the big bass out
By: Shane Goebel Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service & The Angler Magazine Fishing Team www.bigolfish.com 828-361-2021, 1-844-4-ANGLER
Brian Tylicki from Montgomery with a nice one fishing with Paul Tyre. of the heaviest cover. When fishing the swim jig, I prefer to use a 7’3” heavy action rod with an Abu Garcia Revo reel with a 6.3.1 gear ratio and spooled with 50 or 67-pound Cortland’s Master Braid. The crappie have been schooling in 10 to 12 feet of water and have been being taken on minnows and jigs. Even though Wingate’s Lunker Lodge suffered tremendous damage during Hurricane Michael, Mr. Smokie made sure his campers had docks to put their boats because those folks love their crappie fishing. The entire campground at Wingate’s, Bass Island was destroyed, several of the log cabins and the marina suffered significant damage, and there are trees down everywhere. It will take a good long time for it to recover, but the campers who live there have been moved to a safer location on the grounds and can still fish, which is why they love the place. For an awesome fishing adventure on Lake Seminole or up-to-date information on lake conditions, please contact Paul Tyre at (850)2647534 or paultyrefishing@yahoo.com
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Don’t let the wintry cold air stop you from hitting the water. Lake Blue Ridge is a must when the outside temperatures drop. The cooler water really gets these North Georgia smallmouths fired up and they are a blast to catch. Currently the lake is down 12 feet below full pool, and water temps are in the upper 40’s. Water clarity is clear on the main lake and slightly stained in the creeks The smallmouths and spots have been feeding strong. They’ve been schooled off rocky points and shallow humps, and we’ve been wearing them out. We’ve also had an excellent early morning topwater bite. Work rocky points, ledges and shallow areas that have been holding bait. I promise the fish are nearby. These guys have been hitting just about anything you can throw at them, but downlining live bluebacks have worked the best. Planer boards and weighted freelines have also been working well but is a little slower pace style of fishing for this lake. However, it’s a good way to cover some ground and find new fishing holes. Now that the water temps are getting cooler, the walleye are starting to come up from the deeper water column. These Lake Blue Ridge walleyes will head out of the channel toward the river and shallow ledges. Look for these fish in the 20 to 30 feet range. A couple good
Lake SINCLAIR
Lake Sinclair is down 1 foot with the water stained and the temperature in the 50’s. The water is mud red from just above the Railroad Trestle north and stained from the railroad trestle to Little River Marina. The water is stained up the Oconee above Shoulder Bone and in the backs of a lot of creeks and pockets
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January techniques to target walleye are slow trolling jointed Shad Raps and crankbaits and downlining live bluebacks 6 inches from the bottom. With walleye being so sensitive to light, the early morning and dusk bite is going to be your best chance catch these boys. Remember, January is a fantastic month for catching a lot of trophy smallmouth and walleye on this North Georgia lake. Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1 rated guide service put you on some of Lake Blue Ridge’s best fish during the fishing trip of a lifetime. We are Blairsville, GA’s premier full-time guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lakes Hiwassee, Chatuge, and Nottely. And for all your live bait and tackle needs, check out Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA. So, come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine, and let us help you get your fish on!
even the back of Rooty Creek. There really are no distinct places. Anglers will have to look around to find the bait and the fish will be close by. Use a fire tiger and a Spro Little John Baby DD in chartreuse. Just look for any indication of bait present. Chatter baits are another loud lure to draw the fish to lures. Use your Lowrance HDS electronics to find schools of bait around the mouth of creeks in the channel and drop your spoon or drop shot vertically below the boat.
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ve We ha e ol-fre n a h t e ats! o b r o gas f 4501 Monroe Hwy, Watkinsville, GA 30677
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Find Your Georgia Grown Products Here If you’ve ever driven past Stripling’s while the smoker is rolling, you’ve probably smelled it. It’s the glorious aroma of pork ribs cooking to perfection the way it was intended, slow and with plenty of smoke. Stripling’s ribs, either St. Louis style or baby back, are the perfect main course for your next tailgate or really anytime you crave authentic barbecue. Seasoned with Stripling’s Famous Pork Rub, these are not the ribs you get at a barbecue chain, they are competition-quality barbecue and pair well with any of the multitude of sauces available at the store. Stripling’s ribs are pre-packaged and ready to roll out the door, allowing you drop in, grab some grub and be on your way. Or, if you’ve got an event planned that calls for a bunch of good food, call ahead and make a special order. They’ve got all the fixin’s to make a meal out of it. Cole slaw, potato salad, baked beans and fantastic Brunswick stew made in-house round out the perfect barbecue meal. They also have smoked chickens, half or whole, Boston butts and hams if you’re looking for a little variety. So let Stripling’s handle the cooking for
your next tailgate, picnic, party or dinner. You’ll be glad you did.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Prop Talk
By Bobby Snellgrove
Dothan Prop ShopCustomizing Your Prop Do you own a $30,000 to $50,000 boat that can’t keep up with other boats because of a slow hole shot or no bow lift? Are you being out-run to the honey holes? Are you having to leave early to return to the weigh-in because your boat is slower and you have the same or better equipment than your competitors and even have a $600 - $800 propeller? Most new props come with a tolerance + or – pitch. In order to get the maximum performance out of your boat and motor, you will need to have your prop customized. Faster
boats are having their props customized to get peak performance out of their investment. A customized prop offers better hole shots and a reduction in vibration, as well as increased fuel economy and enhanced top end performance. If you would like to get better performance out of your boat, or have a prop that needs repair, or if you are in the market for a new prop for everything from a small fishing boat to an offshore cruiser, we have the perfect selection of boat propellers for you. Whether you have an outboard motor or a stern drive boat, we can help you select the right propeller for your boat. Give us a call at 334-792-5798 or send an email to dothanpropshop@yahoo. com and we’ll give you the help you need to get back in the water.
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january 2019
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Four Days Only! Georgia’s Biggest Boat Sale JANUARY 10–13, 2019 Georgia World Congress Center, Hall A
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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 Morning surface temperatures are hovering in the lower 50s. Chilly conditions have moved in and the hybrids are responding well. Early morning activity remains fast and furious on shallow ledges and underwater islands. The options for presentations are as limitless as your imagination. You can cast, troll, downrod live bait or present a freeline with or with-
out planer boards. The birds will help locate feeding fish throughout the winter months. There are many cold mornings, but there are also many days that are mild and in the 50s that provide enjoyable fishing weather all day long. We specialize in large groups and lots of activity, however, if you are looking for a trip to trophy waters, we can accommodate you as well. There will be plenty of availability until March, so don’t miss out on great fishing and an uncrowded lake.
Competitively priced full-day fishing charters for all levels of experience, equipment, bait, tackle and fish cleaning provided. Fish from the most comfortable, safe and stable boat on the lake.
Little River Guide Service is a three boat operation targeting stripers and hybrid bass on Clarks Hill Lake. Capt Tony Shepherd and Capt Rocky Fulmer.
(706) 210- 3474
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Local Lakes & Forecasts lake lanier striperS Forecast by: Clay Cunningham www.catchingnotfishing.com 770-630-2673 A new year has arrived and fishing has been pretty good. As always this time of year, the weather is a big factor. Many times in January, the best fishing is in the afternoon. Let the sun warm the water even a little. No need to get out super early and freeze most days. The other key to the stripers this time of year is to find the bait in the back of the creeks. Every creek on the lake will have some stripers in it. Another huge advantage this time of year is the bait being in the back of the creeks which narrows your search immensely. Once you find the bait in the back of the creeks, several patterns can develop. First and foremost is pulling live bait on a freeline. The freeline is basically a hook and a live bait back behind the boat. Be sure to use a premium swivel like the Spro Power Swivel and flourocarbon on the leader like the Berkley 100%
Flourocarbon. So far this winter, herring has been the best bait, but trout are working as well. Early in the morning and during any time of low light, pull the herring or trout on a freeline somewhere around a 100 feet behind the boat. This is the best way to catch bigger fish most days. Big fish do not get big being dumb. Try to stay away from other boats and keep your baits fresh. The other pattern is the downline bite right on the deep schools of bait. Find the bait and drop the smaller trout and herring right on top of the bait. Start with a five foot leader, but do not be afraid to shorten it. With the colder water temperature, the stripers may not want to chase the bait. If you do not want to use live bait, be sure to try a spoon as well. The spoon bite has been strong for stripers and spotted bass. The most popular spoon on Lanier is the .6 white foil Flex It spoon and the 1 ounce Capt. Mack Super Spoon. You should be able to see your spoon bounce on the bottom on your electronics. Great electronics like
the Humminbird Solix are critical for seeing the spoon. Many times you can see the fish eat the spoon on today’s electronics. Give it a try and see you on the lake. For a great striper trip on Lake Lanier this winter, give us a call at 770-630-2673.
Carter Cunningham fishing with Catching Not Fishing.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts west point
Bass: Fair - The shallow bite remains fair now and could improve even more, 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 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 this time of year, especially after a warm rain. Yellow Jacket and Whitewater Creeks continue to produce. By the end of the month, the water should clear back up and the lake level should drop. Big schools of spots mixed with hybrids, white bass
and stripers can be caught on jigging spoons and drop-shot rigs and shaky head rigs on humps and dropoffs. Target deeper offshore structures like brush piles and old road beds in 20-30 feet of water near the mouths of most major creeks for the best results. Linesdes: Good - The downline bite with shad or bass shiners has improved as the water has cooled off. Freelining a live bait will also work at times. 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. Keep your eyes open! 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 (within reason of course). Also, 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 middepth crankbaits and Alabama Rigs continues to produce some linesides in these same areas. Crappie: Fair - Try tight line fishing with minnows or a 1/16-ounce
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or smaller jig around bridge pilings, brushpiles, and blowdowns 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. As usual, crappie seem to love shade and cover. Yellow Jacket, Wehadkee and Whitewater Creeks are still producing some crappie. Spider trolling usually starts soon as well, and can be very effective. If January turns unusually warm and wet, the crappie can show back up surprisingly shallow very quickly!
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
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Glory Holes
By Billy Darby Corridors, ditches, pinch points, funnels, you name it whatever, but those descriptions relate to the type of terrain that fish traverse to and from resting, feeding and social behaviors including spawn-related activities that determine their daily routine of survival. A common denominator is always 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 end of underwater bars or short distances between land masses are all conducive to theses marine life highways. One such given area is only one mile from my home on the banks of Lake Eufaula and only a short distance from the Sandy Branch boat ramp. 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 that is no larger than an average
size carport cannot be counted or measured. 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 ten such “glory holes” come to mind. 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 ole mossy back 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 “glory holes”, so can you. An old saying goes; the value of any land, whether above water or below, is determined by location, location, DETECTION.
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Forecast By: Capt. Robert Eidson First Bite Guide Service 770-827-6282 eidson6260@att.net www.firstbiteguideservice.com Water temperature is 62 degrees with the water clear. The bite has been incredible this month and we expect it to hold into the month of January. The big fish are moving back out of the rivers and into the main lake. The smaller fish are bunching up in big schools and are eating. The north end of lake has
been best for the bigger fish. Flatlines and downlining large gizzard shad is the ticket if you want to catch a trophy. Look for these fish from Fields Landing to Duckhole. If it’s numbers you’re after, look for big schools of hybrids from the mouth of Kelloggs to Clark Creek on the edge of the river channel. Seagulls are giving these fish away. Threadfin fished 18 to 30 feet deep mid-day has been our better bite. Like I said earlier, this is the best fall fishing we have seen in years. It’s been a very pleasant surprise for me.
“If it’s numbers you’re after, look for big schools of hybrids from the mouth of Kelloggs to Clark Creek on the edge of the river channel.”
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Local Lakes & Forecasts The Good ‘Ol Days By: Ryan Kennedy YouTube: Ryan Kennedy Fishing Instagram: ryankfishing ryankfishing@gmail.com Well, the year 2019 has finally come around. From one standpoint, it seems like the turning of a new year is similar to birthdays. People may ask if you feel any different, but when it comes to cold hard facts, it’s just another day to check off the calendar. Or is it? The way I see it is a continuation of opportunity. Whether you have a personal goal or if you just want to live life to the fullest this year, a new calendar year seems to give people hope of a “fresh start”. Maybe you are trying to catch a new personal best fish this year, harvest your biggest whitetail deer ever, or maybe you are just open to the idea of new opportunities knocking at the door this year. Personally, I want to make 2019 the year where I seize every opportunity the good Lord gives me to its fullest potential. If you read my December 2018 article, you may remember me saying how thankful I am for growing up with God-fearing parents, a best-
friend for a brother, and great friends that constantly supported me and encouraged me to be the man I am today. I want to make sure that I can show that never-ending support and love to others around me. As outdoorsmen, we almost have a “club” atmosphere. It doesn’t matter where we are or what we are doing; we can carry on a conversation with just about anyone that shares the same passion of the outdoors as us. One of my best friends, Grant, moved out to Oregon going on a couple of years ago now. Between hunting and fishing alone, I can’t even begin to count the memories we have had together. We became friends due to a shared passion and love for the outdoors. Through this bond, we developed a friendship so close that I consider him to be a brother of mine. Even though he now lives on the opposite corner of the country, we still stay in contact every chance we get. Grant came back into town back in
December, and just like the “good ‘ol days”, we picked up right where we left off, and I don’t mean from back when he lived in Georgia. I mean we picked right back up from the conversation I had with him the day before he came down. I say all of this simply because even though God had plans for him to move out West, we still seize the opportunity of friendship given to us to its fullest extent. There is no number of miles that can separate a strong bond. People seem to always say “I wish there was a way to know when you’re in the ‘good ol days’ before they are
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over.” To that I respond by saying to just look around. When the good Lord created each one of us, He masterfully drew out a plan for our lives. Now sure, we often times lose our sense of direction, but God has placed opportunities and people in our lives that allow for His will to take place. Grant, I am forever thankful for you and the memories we have had together, and I am looking forward to a lifetime full of them. Thank you for your friendship, love, and support you have given to me over the years. To everyone reading this: Welcome to the “good ‘ol days”.
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Contributed By: Jay Striker www.jaystriker.com The winter can be the best time of the year to get out and go fishing. One of the things I enjoy the most is that in the middle of winter there is very little traffic on the water and the fish start to become more predictable. Three key items to pack in the winter that allows me to catch fish; some patience, some soup, and a jig to throw all day long. Packing some patience - Wintertime fishing is a slower process, especially bass fishing. You may only have a small window or feeding period that will only present itself a few times throughout the day. So just know going out when it is 35 degrees that it will be a bit slower and that you will need to be patient. Know that bass are cold-blooded, and when the water temperature drops, so does their need to feed. However, with some patience you can catch some fish. Now do understand, that just because fishing can be slower, does not mean that all the fish are not biting. I have had fish bite my faster moving baits even in the winter. When I go fishing in the winter and I know the mercury will be dropping, I will always have something warm to have on the water. I often will take some soup in a sealed thermos so that I can have it warm throughout the day. Since I like coffee, I do enjoy having a cup or two when it’s cold. The wintertime is a great time to go fishing, however, respecting the water and the elements is a must. Keeping warm liquids on the boat during the cold weather will be a big plus while waiting on the bites to pick up. There are many baits I like to throw in the winter, however, the one bait I will keep in my hand all day long and only switching it out for a smaller one or a bigger one, would be the jig. Most times of the year there is always room on my front deck for a jig, especially in the winter. When throwing a jig in the winter, you do have to cover a lot of water, and it can be a slow process. When you do get a bite, it could easily be one of the biggest fish of your life, which will make the wait of a bite that much stronger. Don’t let the sun set on the opportunities to go fish in the winter. When going, be sure to pack the essentials; patience, soup, and jigs. Although my list is not all inclusive, my experience on many different lakes in the winter provides me the opportunity to share my basic rules for going fishing in the winter. I hope that when the temperature drops, head to the lake, as you may just catch one of the biggest fish of your life. Please check out my website: www.Jaystriker.com
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake MARTIN Provided By: David Hare Alex City Guide Service 256-401-3089 Happy New Year to everyone! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Here on Lake Martin, December has been very active to say the least. Large, and I mean very large, quantities of stripers have been being boated on a regular basis. In saying this, I predict January to be no different than December. We are finding huge schools of fish in several areas of the lake, not just limited to any one area. To help locate these massive schools, look for baitfish on your electronics and keep a watchful eye out for the sea gulls whether they are actively feeding or just sitting still on the water. If you see gulls, you will find bait close by. Once you locate the stripers, you can approach them using several different techniques. My favorite is live bait, but if you are not a live bait fisherman, then you can try topwater lures, and if they doesn’t pay off, then try jigging some hair jigs in the school or maybe even pulling some
crankbaits through them . I didn’t mention any one certain area this month simply due to the fact that I don’t want anyone to think they can’t find them in most any area of the lake. You also don’t have to depend on just an early or late bite, because the bite will be good all day long in the cooler water temperature. Now for some things you definitely want to take advantage of the next few weeks are as follows: The Atlanta Boat Show, GWCC / Hall A, January 10-13, 2019 (See me at booth # 24) and the Birmingham Boat Show, BJCC, January 24-27, 2019 (See me at booth # 2). Very exciting news for our area is that the American Striped Bass Challenge is having an Open Striper Tournament here on Lake Martin on February 09, 2019. If you’d like to fish on one of our guide boats for a chance to win some big money and or great prizes, then give me a call at 256-401-3089, or if you had rather fish it on your own out of your boat, then call Brian Bear at 803-370-7334. This is going to be an awesome fun time on Lake Martin, and you will not want to miss it. Until next time, tight lines.
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“To help locate these massive schools, look for baitfish on your electronics and keep a watchful eye out for the sea gulls whether they are actively feeding or just sitting still on the water.”
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
Local Lakes & F
Lake Eufaula
carters lakE
Forecast By: Eric Crowley Lake & Stream Guide Service (706) 669-4973
lakeandstreamguideservice@gmail.com
Water temperature: 50s, lake level: full, clarity: 3 to 5 feet. It’s cold, but not too cold to fish. Dress properly and be prepared, and you can have some great days on Carters in January. Everyone has their favorite way to fish when it’s cold. Ours happens to be pulling planers with live trout or shad. Don’t be intimidated by planers if you have never used them. They are quite simple and can be very effective. I pull a spread of 4 boards and 2 flatlines all with live bait. I put the baits approximately 50 feet behind the boards and let the boards out to the desired distance away from the boat. Covering water is key, and I very rarely stop the boat
after getting everything out. You can cover shallow water early and deeper water later in the day with the same spread. I typically pull baits between .8 and 1.5 mph. Points, drop offs, bends in the river, and secondary points in the creeks are all good places to target. If the fish won’t come up shallow and feed, you can always go to the standard Carters Lake downline setup with a long leader, 1.5 egg sinker and a small circle hook dropped just above the fish on the sonar. In the winter, I like to just sit on top of the fish and make it as easy as possible for them to get the bait. The spot bite has been amazing with live trout. On points 20 to 30 feet deep is where we are finding the fish right now. Same deal. Just hit them in the head with it and hang on. Bart’s Bait and Tackle has trout in stock in Talking Rock. Good luck, stay warm, and we will see you on the water.
By Capt Sam Williams hawk184@earthlink.net 334-687-6266
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how to support our efforts in helping our children at COA. The doctors are doing Niemann-Pick disbeen topwater on these any kind of ease research to save terminal By Brian Lee in soldiers water 2-8 feet.DWS. Soft Water temperature: upper 50’s structure kids and our through leebrian16 catch fish, but the bites to low 60’s, water level: 188.22 msl, plastics Sign upwill for our 2019 tournament. @yahoo.com are finicky at and times. clarity: muddy. God bless goodCarolina fishing! rigs The cold fronts, storms and are producing some fish as well. Water barometric temperature: changing pressures80are Back off rocky points and pick them 90 degrees, 1 footBass below keeping thelake fishlevel: confused. are apart. Brush piles are holding fish, full pool,chatterbaits clarity: stained/muddy. hitting along shore cover but you have to be in the deepest Bass fishing has been tough cover. with parts of them to produce fish. and heavy spoons on deeper As the water color and level the constant water level changing. Buzzbaits and other noisy lures are starts to subside back to normal, Although you can still catch them a good choice. Large red and bright early in the day, the bite gets tough the fishing will get better. Get there colored plastics are also working after mid-morning. Run and gun early and tie on a topwater and have well when fished really slowly. throwing topwater, spinnerbaits fun. Till next month, tight lines and crankbaits. Crappie are on deep cover in 10 remember to introduce a kid to and to The 18 feet of water. Jigs tipped most productive bait with has fishing as they are our future minnows will get a bite. Catfish always make a tasty meal and are eating cut“We bait in have the creeks. Jug fishing also had success working is fun and can be exciting for young- Ryan and Adam Arnold fishing brush with jerkbaits with off Hog of Heaven the main Fishing and The er fishermen. lakevisit channel. ” “Dude”. Please www.alabaachild-
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Lake Oconee
The lake is full and stained over most of the main lake. The Richland Creek arm of the lake is clear. The temperature is 50-56 degrees. Bass fishing is good. You will need to match the color of your bait to the water color. You can fish muddy water up the rivers to clear water in Richland Creek. Pick the water color you like and go for it. Sugar Creek is not as stained as the main lake. Spoons are the hot ticket in the south end of the lake in the light stained water around humps and just off the river channel in about 30 feet of water. Small crankbaits also work fished around docks and sea walls from the middle of the creeks to the back of the creeks. Eight foot water depth at the end of the docks seems to be the best producer. Small spinnerbaits in white and chartreuse fished in the same area will also produce. Don’t forget a Rat-L-Traps
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fished around the bridge rip rap. Striper fishing is good. As the mud line moves further south, so will the stripers. They do not like muddy water. The stripers are in the river bend area of the lake as of this report, but they will move south as the muddy water moves down the lake. Downlines as well as flatlines will produce. Fish are also showing up in the mouths of the coves. Use your Lowrance to locate the schools of bait and the stripers will be close by. Now is the time to go bait hunting. Find large schools of bait and the fish will be close by. Watch for the sea gulls. Crappie fishing is fair to great. This is the best fishing on Oconee right now. Long lining (trolling) will produce some nice catches. You will need to run your jigs about 10 to 12 feet deep. Downlining crappie minnows into tree tops and on ledges on the main lake at 10 feet deep will also produce a lot of fish. Use your Lowrance to locate the fish in the tree tops and then drop your bait down to the fish.
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Local Lakes & Tournaments
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Kim’s Kitchen
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Mix together the cooked rice, nuts, apples, onion, and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Wash the bird inside and out. Pat dry. Fill the cavity of the goose with the stuffing, skewer closed, and lace string around the skewers. Truss the bird. Roast in a preheated 325F degree oven, breast side down, for 1 1/2 hours. Draw off the fat as it accumulates. Turn the bird over, and roast another 1 1/2 hours. When done, the juices should run clear when the bird is pricked where the thigh attaches to the body. Remove trussing strings and skewers before carving.
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Local Lakes & Tournaments
Tips for Buying a New Boat By Capt. Cefus McRae Nuts & Bolts Fishing Series
As winter approaches, so does boat show season. It’s the time of year when manufacturers and dealers showcase both the new water toys for the coming year and have some tremendous sales on last year’s models. If you’re in the market for a new boat, this is probably the best opportunity to get a great deal on the boat of your dreams. For me, the year kicks off with the Atlanta Boat Show January 10 – 13 in the Georgia World Congress Center. You can find small boats, big boats, outboard motors, accessories and virtually any accoutrement that makes your days on the water safe and fun. So if you’re serious about achieving new boat nirvana, here’s a few tips to consider when making your decision. 1. Consider how you will be using the boat most often, and look at hulls and layouts that are purposed for those activities. Will you be pulling skiers or wakeboards? How many people do you plan to have on board? Will you be boating on calm lakes, coastal areas or offshore seas? Fishing or lazy afternoon cruising? There’s not one boat or hull design that does everything perfectly, so choose the design that covers the majority of your preferred activities. 2. What is your current skill level as a skipper? Don’t think that just because you’ve been running a 17 foot skiff for years, you are automatically ready to take off in a 42 foot twin-inboard cruiser. Make sure you acquire the skills necessary to safely operate and maintain, your new vessel. And take the time to train someone else who will be a ‘regular’ on the boat on the operation as well. That means launching and loading, start-up procedures, helmsmanship, docking and so on. 3. When you find a couple boats you like, really inspect the construction and quality of components used by the manufacturer. If you’re looking at two different 24 foot fishing boats with similar features and one costs $20,000.00 and the other is $60,000.00, there has to be some significant differences in how they are made. Is the deck solid or does it feel spongy? Are hatches finished on
both sides? Is the wiring labeled and nicely laid out? Look at upholstery, hinges, breaker panels, plumbing and thru-hulls. Are they all top-shelf components or lower quality? Pricing differences usually do (but not always) indicate a better caliber boat and a better manufacturer that stands behind their product. 4. As you are narrowing down your choices, consider regular maintenance that must be performed. How quickly and easily can you clean the boat at the end of the day? If it takes 3 hours to wash down the boat, you’ll have to factor that into your day trips. And that can get really old after a while. 5. Quiz the dealer on service intervals and turn-around time required for those services. If your boat is sitting on their service lot for 2 months out of the summer, you’re spending a lot of money and wasting a lot of great boating time. Talk to the mechanic and find out the most common issues (if any) with the boat you’re considering. Talk to some friends or other boaters about the dealer and their service department. Try to choose a dealer near where you do most of your boating, if possible. 6. Don’t get ‘Two-foot-itis”. That is, purchasing a boat that’s smaller than you really need to accomplish your objectives. You’re going to have this boat for a long time, so consider the size relative to the number of people you’ll have for a crew and the waters you’ll be in. 7. Is the boat properly powered? More and more, I’m seeing boats advertised at great prices, only to discover the accompanying engine is half the horsepower of what the boat is really rated for. The smaller engine lets them sell the boat package for less, but you may be less-than-satisfied with the performance on the water. 8. Insist on a sea trial. If this new boat is one that you have little experience with, insist the dealer include several hours (a day would be best) to orient and train you and your crew on the operation and maintenance of the boat. If the dealer won’t do that, find another dealer. 9. Go big with electronics. Even if you don’t plan to fish from this boat,
have a chart plotter installed, and get the biggest one that will fit on the console. You’ll appreciate the size of the bigger screen when the rain is horizontal and the water is frothy during a summertime squall. 10. Select a boat with fun AND safety in mind. If you get a boat that’s more than you can comfortably handle, it’s no fun for you, and you could potentially be a hazard to other boaters. Yep, that’s harsh, but it’s true. You are totally responsible for the safety of
the people on your boat, and you’re responsible for any damage your boat (or its wake) does to other people’s property. I strongly suggest taking the Boating Safety Course offered by the US Power Squadron and the Coast Guard Auxiliary. The more you know, the better off we all are on the water. You can download our Boat Buyer’s Guide from NutsAndBoltsFishing.com to help you in your search for the perfect boat.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts lake lanier crappie
Lake Burton
Forecast by: Capt. Wes Carlton Georgia Lake Fishing 770-318-9777 www.georgialakefishing.com Water temperature: 48 degrees, lake level: down 8 feet, clarity: clear. Bass: The bass bite has been great the last few days! We have caught some huge spotted bass and largemouth on ledges close to the main lake channels. These fish are aggressive and hit with determination! We have been casting in and around deep water docks close to outcroppings. A sinking swimbait has been the most productive. This pattern should last a few more weeks as we transition into a deeper water spoon bite. Trout: The brown trout bite has been decent the last few weeks. Most of the trout we have caught have been
on trolling small spoons and casting to piles. Channel docks are also Forecast By: Dan Saknini, surfacing fish. We have caught a few holding fish, and the water is not Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club. bigger browns on blue back herring nearly as stained as the backs of www.laniercrappieanglers.net freelined over the main lake channel. creeks. This pattern should continue for the Bobby Garland’s Mr. Crappie Water temperature was in the and the Panfish Assassins, combined next several weeks. Walleye: The walleye bite has mid-fifties earlier this week. With with 1/24 ounce Davis jig heads, are begun after a long awaited warm fall. the cold days and nights, expect a good choice. If you prefer it, our We have been catching most of our the water temps to be 50 degrees “go to” hair jig continues to be a fish on a 20 to 25 foot bottom. We or below. Currently, fishing is good, Jiffy Jig. Because the bite has slowed, have been trolling crawler harnesses but with the change in water temps, you may want to consider a change (night crawler) at about 1.5 mph in I expect the bite will slow and the to 2-pound test line, if you are not and around brush piles. These fish are fish will go deeper. Once they adjust, already using it. We are catching clinging close to structure and will the bite should pick up. With last quality fish, but 2-pound test allows not travel very far from these areas. week’s rain, the backs of creeks are you to feel the action better and Rocky banks and points have been still moderately stained. If you are should still be sufficient for the another good area to target the North fishing in stained water, using darker size fish. My advice for fishing in Georgia walleye. Try working an area colored jigs works better. cold weather is to always fish with several times before giving up. These To have a successful day, we a friend. Accidents can happen, and LARGEST OUTDOOR STORE IN THE LARGEST STOREareINhaving THE AREA to cover a lot of water the fish sometimes OUTDOOR take some coercion best defense is to watch out for and don’t always bite on the first pass. until you find the right spot with one another. The walleye bite should continue to get schooling fish on submerged brush Be safe! Wear your life jacket - it 1151 Harris St., Sandersville, G OUTDOOR STORE IN South THE 1151 GA better over theSouth next fewHarris weeks. St., Sandersville,LARGEST can save your life! AREA HuntingandFishingCount 478-552-2005 Good luck! 478-552-2005 HuntingandFishingCountry.com
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Preparing for the Upcoming Fishing Season Dr. Andrew Cox
This month is one when many outdoor enthusiasts experience cabin fever. Typically in the South, we experience some of our coldest temperatures and inclement weather during January. Though some days will be suitable for fishing and can be quite productive with the right techniques, many of us spend a lot of time indoors. This month is a good time to take stock of your fishing equipment and tackle inventory to determine what you might need for the upcoming fishing season. Now is a good time to inspect your equipment to make sure it is in good working order and to complete any equipment maintenance that may be required. You do not want to lose valuable fishing time or a trophy fish due to equipment failure, faulty line, or not having the right lures or tackle items when they are needed. It is important to check the condition of your line on your reels. Are your reels filled to capacity with line that is not frayed, brittle, and will securely hold knots? With fly equipment, make sure that your floating fly line still floats and does not have cracks or abrasions. Sink tip and sinking fly lines should be in good condition. Check the condition of your fishing reels to make sure they are in good working order and adequately lubricated. Rod guides and reels seats should be inspected to insure that they are not bent or broken and will securely hold your reel in place. You might also inspect all lures to insure that hooks are sharp and not bent or broken. Inspect hook split rings and line eyes on lures to make sure that they are intact and securely hold knots and hooks. You can use touch up paint on lures to improve their appearance and visibility. Take the time to clean your lures to restore their finish and color. Toothpaste and a toothbrush will work miracles on dirty lures. If you
tie flies, now is a good month to restock your fly patterns or try your hand at tying some new patterns. Go through your tackle box to check your assortment of lures and terminal tackle. Inventory and purchase any fishing gadgets that you may need to round out supplies for those fish species that you will be targeting this spring and summer. Don’t forget about one of the most important fishing tools that you have; your boat. Make sure that your electric trolling motor, depth/ fish finders, temperature gauge, anchoring, and other boat accessories are operational. Insure that your boat’s batteries are holding a charge with adequate power to operate your boat and its accessories. Inspect your boat’s steering to insure boat safety. Ascertain that required safety equipment is on board such as fire extinguishers, life preservers, anchor and anchor rope, and similar items. Most importantly, does the outboard motor crank and run as needed? What a disappointment to put your boat in the water and not be able to get it started. Over the next three to four months, depending upon the waters that you fish, you have a chance to catch a trophy fish of a lifetime. You would not want to lose that trophy due to faulty line, an inoperable reel or rod, faulty lure parts or terminal tackle, not having the right lure or bait at the right time, or a boat that cannot take you to your favorite fishing location. Author’s Note: Dr. Andrew Cox is a contributing writer to outdoor publications and newspapers.He is a member of the Georgia Outdoor Writer’s Association. He has been fishing the waters of Georgia, Alabama, and north Florida for over forty years. Dr. Cox financially supports his fishing habits as Professor Emeritus at Troy University, Phenix City, Alabama. He may be contacted at andrewtrout@aol.com.
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Wall of Fame Bubba Binns from Atlanta with a nice Eufaula bass caught using a chatter bait fishing with Capt Sam Williams.
Win A Free Angler Magazine Cap! A Angler Magazine cap will be given away each month for the best reader submitted photo!
Ronnie Hicks with some big crappie on Lake Eufaula.
Tim Hartzell caught this slab crappie with Tony Adams on Lake Eufaula.
Dee Ann Reed with a 28 inch rainbow guided by Dalton with FlyFishBlueRidge. A happy Landon Glander with a striper caught with Capt Clay Cunningham.
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Jason Chambers with a 19 pound Lake Nottely striper fishing with Big Ol Fish Guiding Service.
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Paul Messer with a dandy rainbow fishing with Reel Em In Guide Service.
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