The Angler Magazine - July / Greater Atlanta

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GREATER ATLANTA AREA EDITION

Sunglasses

Edition

Tailwater

Trout

Local

Deep Summer Bass

Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events

PHOTO COURTESY OF DALTON TANKERSLEY VOLUME 23 • ISSUE 281

F R A N C H I S E

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

A V A I L A B L E

JULY 2018

W O R L D W I D E

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RADAR

REDEFINED Solid-State Doppler Tracking It’s The

Generation

It’s the comfort of knowing you are safe.

It’s Doppler Radar echoes changing color, showing which targets are a threat to you.

It’s instant tracking of up to 100 moving targets. It’s Furuno’s Bird Mode tracking birds to find the best fishing grounds. It’s the “NXT” innovation in Radar, the all-new NXT Solid-State Doppler Radar for NavNet TZtouch & TZtouch2.

Target AnalyzerTM function, facilitated by Doppler technology, immediately alerts you to targets (displayed in red) that pose a threat to your vessel. Simultaneously track up to 100 moving targets, displaying their speed & course vectors.

RezBoostTM beam sharpening displays higher resolution targets, similar to those from a large open array antenna.

DRS4D-NXT & DRS6A-NXT Doppler Solid State Radar Experience The

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Radar at Youtube.com/FurunoVideo

www.FurunoUSA.com

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FAMILY LEGENDS

and fish tales

BUILT FOR THAT

210 FSH ® SERIES Go where no other boat has gone before. With powerful twin TR-1® Yamaha Marine Engines, ample storage and comfortable bow seating, the all-new 210 FSH provides the shallow-water capability to get to those hard-to-reach fishing spots and the versatility to enjoy watersports with your family.

210 FSH®

210 FSH® Deluxe

210 FSH® Sport

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©2018 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. Follow instructional materials and obey all laws. Drive responsibly, wearing protective apparel. Always drive within your capabilities, allowing time and distance for maneuvers, and respect others around you. Don’t drink and drive. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT YAMAHABOATS. COM OR CALL 1.800.88.YAMAHA.

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A Rare Medium Well Done CEO / EDITOR IN CHIEF : Ben Martin • camads@coastalanglermagazine.com COO : Tracy Patterson • tracy@coastalanglermagazine.com ART DIRECTOR : Rebecca Snowden • graphics@coastalanglermagazine.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR : Nick Carter • editorial@coastalanglermagazine.com WEBMASTER : webmaster@coastalanglermagazine.com ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Corporate Headquarters info@coastalanglermagazine.com • 888-800-9794

FLORIDA

BIG BEND : Mike McNamara • (850) 510-7919 • captmike@coastalanglermagazine.com BREVARD : Chris Milner • (321) 631-1001 • cmilner@coastalanglermagazine.com DAYTONA/NEW SMYRNA/DELAND : Amy Chibbaro • (386) 478-3812 • achibbaro@coastalanglermagazine.com

Chris Chibbaro • (386) 478-9234 • cchibbaro@coastalanglermagazine.com

FLORIDA KEYS : Cliff Lumpkin • (305) 849-9093 • cliff@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT LAUDERDALE : Gene Dyer • (954) 680-3900 • gene@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT MYERS : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER ORLANDO : Phillip & Giselle Wolf • (407) 790-9515 • phillip@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER MIAMI : Gene Dyer • (954) 680-3900 • gene@coastalanglermagazine.com LAKELAND & SUMTER : Mary Brasher • (352) 598-4219 • maryf@coastalanglermagazine.com NAPLES : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com NC FLORIDA/NATURE COAST : Cary & Lynn Crutchfield • (352) 372-4237 • crutch@coastalanglermagazine.com NE FLORIDA : Danny Patrick • (904) 742-4696 • danny@coastalanglermagazine.com PANAMA CITY/FORGOTTEN COAST : Randy Cnota • (229) 834-7880 • randyc@coastalanglermagazine.com PALM BEACH COUNTY : Barbara Ryan • (561) 373-8040 • barbara@coastalanglermagazine.com SARASOTA : Phil Prevoir • (239) 257-4684 • pprevoir@coastalanglermagazine.com TAMPA BAY : Chuck Atkins • (239) 464-5153 • chuck@coastalanglermagazine.com TREASURE COAST : Misti & Gary Guertin • (772) 285-6850 • treasurecoast@coastalanglermagazine.com

flahama@coastalanglermagazine.com

SOUTHEAST

ATLANTA : Bob & Brenda Rice • (706) 614-8231 • bobr@theanglermagazine.com

BEN MARTIN EDITOR IN CHIEF

Dear Reader, Fishing magazines are not really that common, but Coastal Angler Magazine and its interior freshwater publication, The Angler Magazine, are changing the landscape of the publishing industry. Today, these localized fishing magazines are available for the marine enthusiast throughout the continental U.S and Costa Rica. These publications are distinctly different, but all provide great information for anyone interested in the pursuit of fishing.

Coastal Angler and The Angler’s franchise publishing system have produced a field of co-publishers united in their mission of giving the best local fishing information possible. By working with the local fishing guides and charter captains, these co-publishers have their fingers on the pulse of what’s happening across the different fishing areas every month – month in, month out. If your plans have you traveling to a new area this summer, check out www.coastalanglermag.com and review the same quality of fishing information, that you are used to reading in your area, from any area in the magazine’s current footprint.

Want more information about joining Coastal Angler or The Angler Magazine’s team of local fishing magazine publishers? Just give us a call. We are interested in expanding throughout the U.S. and abroad.

For more information, call 321.777.2773, email info@ coastalanglermagazine.com or visit franchise.coastalanglermag. com.

CHARLESTON : Sam Buckareff • (843) 607-8629 • sam@coastalanglermagazine.com CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT : Doug Simmons • (704) 361-6189 • simmons@theanglermagazine.com

Juli Simmons • (980) 333-7273 • simmons@theanglermagazine.com

COLUMBIA/MIDLANDS : John Lux • (803) 807-6885 • jlux@theanglermagazine.com MYRTLE BEACH : Mike Masiero • (732) 674-3019 • mmasiero@coastalanglermagazine.com TIDEWATER/OUTER BANKS : John Tiger • (757) 707-9654 • john.tiger@coastalanglermagazine.com

Laura Tiger • (757) 707-9655 • laura@coastalanglermagazine.com

WESTERN NC : Debra & Joe Woody • (828) 775-9663 • woody@theanglermagazine.com WILMINGTON/MOREHEAD : Kenny Ritter • (910) 550-9094 • kenny@coastalanglermagazine.com

NORTHEAST BOSTON : George Regan • (617) 488-2842 • boston@coastalanglermagazine.com

Franchise.CoastalAnglerMag.com

1-888-800-9794 Franchise opportunities available worldwide.

LONG ISLAND : Lisa & Michael Danforth • (203) 321-7635 • lisad@coastalanglermagazine.com CONNECTICUT/RHODE ISLAND : Lisa & Michael Danforth • (203) 321-7635

Handmade, custom colored, extremely tough, functional handles for all your stainless steel cups.

Universal fit for most popular brands. Made from marine grade shock cord and true 550 paracord.

Pull all you want. We can handle it.

lisad@coastalanglermagazine.com

GULF COAST MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST : Adam Nelson • (228) 627-5903 • anelson@coastalanglermagazine.com

Toby Nelson • (228) 623-1761 • tnelson@coastalanglermagazine.com

ALABAMA/PENSACOLA : Paul Caruso • (239) 980-7738 • paul@coastalanglermagazine.com

GREAT LAKES WEST MICHIGAN : Phil Belsito • (616) 957-1714 • phil@theanglermagazine.com

INTERNATIONAL PUERTO RICO/VIRGIN ISLANDS : Ace Bassue • (407) 285-9453 • ace@coastalanglermagazine.com COSTA RICA : Mike Erickson • (561) 262-2242 • mike@coastalanglermagazine.com © 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher.

Disclaimer: Coastal Angler Magazine / The Angler Magazine will not be held liable for injuries incurred while partaking in activities described herein, or for claims made against products or services provided by advertisers.

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THE LIGHTEST PENN REEL EVER MADE The Lightest PENN Reel Ever Made. The all new Conflict II matches an extremely light weight design with PENN’s legendary durability. Featuring our RR30 body, CNC Gear Technology and HT-100 Drag system, the Conflict II is the ultimate inshore reel.

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POWERFUL FOUR STROKE

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SUNGLASSES OAKLEY PRIZM

NATIVE EYEWEAR SIGHTCASTER

Oakley’s new Prizm lens collection finetunes vision for different sports and environments.

They’ve created the perfect lenses for several outdoor endeavors, and

of course they’ve got anglers covered as well.

In fact, they’ve developed two different formulas tailored to whatever type fishing you do. The Prizm Shallow Water is perfect for sightcasters and skinny-water anglers, whether it’s in the mangroves or on a trout stream. Prizm Deep Water is for open-water anglers who need the ability to peer into the depths.

Prizm Shallow Water enhances greens and coppers and keeps whites bright so anglers can better see hiding spots and fish shadows. The added polarization cuts through the glare of the water.

Prizm Deep Water filters out the shades of blue that overwhelm your vision on open water, while boosting greens and reds and keeping whites bright, so anglers can spot flashing fish and see what’s beneath the surface. The added polarization cuts through the water’s glare, and the dark lens provides comfort on long days out on the water.

With a renowned brand like Oakley, you can rest assured the optical clarity and fit of their Prizm line will be second to none. Now there’s a pair of Oakleys designed specifically for the sport you enjoy.

From fishing the flats to backcountry fly, the fish are biting for the Native Eyewear SIGHTCASTER. Weighing less than an ounce, the SIGHTCASTER is the right pair for the pursuit of a good catch. Color-enhancing, high-def optics allow you to see deeper and 99.9 percent polarization efficiency cuts through glare.

The frame’s wrap enhances protection and coverage while nonslip CUSHINOL rubber temples and nose pads ensure all-day comfort and a secure fit. Starting at just $109, you won’t find a better value for a quality piece of gear.

WWW.NATIVEYEWEAR.COM

WWW.OAKLEY.COM MAKO EYEWEAR BLADE The Mako Polarized sunglass collection launched this year in the United States, featuring a range of technical lenses created for outdoor sports with a particular focus on fishing.

One of the best-selling Mako Polarized sunglasses is the Blade, offering a comfortable fit without sacrificing style. An eight-base design, the Blade wraps close to your face, reducing side light and improving line-of-sight and peripheral vision. Thin arms reduce pressure over the ears and are excellent for fishermen who always wear a hat.

Mako sunglasses are available in four polarized glare-reducing lens types, all made from glass for its scratch-resistant properties and ultimate clarity. All of our sunglasses have an industry-leading 12+ anti-reflective coatings, advanced polarization, and oleophobic and hydrophobic coatings to repel oil, dust, dirt and water.

The featured lens for the Blade is the Green Mirror (G2H5), polarized lens, featuring a special rose base color which helps you see enhanced detail at a greater depth. The internal green mirror reflects the brightest sunlight while its high definition filter removes harmful UV light rays, enhances color and increases contrast.

WWW.MAKOEYEWEAR.COM COSTA CAPE Costa’s new Cape style is an extra-large frame that offers massive lenses and ultra-wide temples to provide the most protection from the sun’s harmful rays.

Manufactured from biodegradable resins sourced from reclaimed castor oil, Costa’s new frame withstands the elements of adventure while also providing comfort and wearability. Cape features Costa’s new innovative sweat management system, with ventilation ducting allowing air to flow through the end piece of the frame, which reduces lens fogging. Sweat management temple channels enable airflow from the vents to cool, wick away and drain sweat and moisture through openings on the temple tips. In addition, a thinned out inner bottom eyewire tucks closely into the back surface of the lens, which allows sweat and moisture to drain down the back of the lens and off the frame.

The new style also features Costa’s patented 580 lens technology, providing 100 percent UV protection and polarization to give anglers the clearest lenses on the planet. Color-enhancing technology filters out harsh yellow light for superior contrast and definition and absorbs high-energy blue light to cut haze and enhance sharpness.

Cape is available in matte black ultra, shiny steel gray metallic, bowfin and matte russet, with lenses in seven lens colors, including Sunrise Silver Mirror and Gray Silver Mirror. The new frame can also be customized with prescription lenses.

WWW.COSTADELMAR.COM

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S RE VIEW2018 RCI OPTICS POWER PLANT

OCEAN WAVES JAX BEACH Ocean Waves Sunglasses, renowned for fishing eyewear, has produced an excellent and versatile pair of fishing glasses with their Jax Beach frame.

The Jax Beach comes in tortoise or matte black and has the widest range of size flexibility and wrap to fit anyone’s head. From small to XL head sizes, the Jax Beach provides a great wrap look, excellent coverage, and comfortable fit and feel.

The Jax Beach can be paired with any of Ocean Waves’ specialized lens types according to the angler’s personal preference and visual needs. Ocean Waves Sunglasses customizes fit, utilizing two lens curvatures, which can be selected in any of the company’s high-quality mirrored lenses: Offshore Blue (OSB), Backwater Green (BWG), Lunar Silver (LS – ultra dark), or Luminator Purple (LP – light enhancing) as well as non-mirrored Grey and Amber. Piece together the perfect shades to fit your style and needs.

WWW.OCEANWAVES.COM

RIO RAY MALIBU Rio Ray Optics is the best new affordable polarized brand on the market.

Designed for the outdoor lifestyle, all Rio Ray sunglasses come with 100-percent optically correct polarized CR39 lenses, frames with indestructible TR90, acetate and memory metal titanium with optical spring hinges for maximum comfort and a hassle-free lifetime warranty.

All Rio Ray hard-coated polarized lenses are made of the highest quality CR39 and contain nine layers of protection with 100 percent UV protection. A hydrophobic coating on the front repels water, sunscreen and dirt, which makes cleaning and maintenance easy. A vibrant flash mirror provides additional glare reduction, and a superior scratch resistant coating prevents lens damage. The backside anti-reflective coating eliminates bounce-back glare.

Rio Ray MaxFlex frame technology makes these the most comfortable sunglasses on the market, utilizing lightweight TR90 nylon, which maintains frame shape and offers incredible durability. Frames are prescription ready, and each pair comes with a full array of accessories including a hard and soft case and cleaning cloth.

The frames here are Rio Ray’s Malibus. Go to their website to see all their stylish models.

For dealer inquires, call 800-498-2104 or email jarrod@riorayoptics.com.

American-owned and based in Florida, RCI Optics is producing the most advanced sunglasses, equipped with more features than any other brand. These glasses, manufactured in Italy, are lightweight and incredibly durable, with optics that are crisp and clean with unbeatable polarization. Built for the elite waterman and outdoor enthusiast, RCI’s glasses are in a league of their own.

RCI’s Power Plants are made with a Ballista 2.0 frame material that’s virtually bombproof.

The Helius 2.2 lens material is six times denser than standard polycarbonate lenses. An ANSI Z87.1 safety rating meets OSHA requirements for safety glasses, and a Mil Std 662 military rating stops a .15 caliber projectile fired at 650 ft. per second. How’s that for durability?

Well, they’re also top-notch in terms of optics. RCT (Radius Curving Technology) offers distortion-free optics for the clearest vision. These shades are 99.9 percent polarized, using injected polarization, not laminated. H780 Infrared blocking technology eliminates harmful radiation. Multilayered antireflective coatings eliminate distracting internal reflections, and permanent hydrophobic, oleophobic and antistatic coatings are applied to both sides of the lenses.

Try a pair for yourself and you will see why they say, “The Advantage is Clear.”

WWW.RCIOPTICS.COM SALT LIFE ANDROS

The most recognizable name on the water, Salt Life, is also the maker of stellar sunglasses.

Their Andros Matte Black sunglasses are performance designed and lightweight, offering extreme comfort for extended wear in the sun. Made in Italy with highquality glass lenses, they allow you to see images crisper and clearer.

Andros are available in lens colors of Smoke Blue and Copper Green. Their lenses are 100-percent UV protected with five layers of anti-glare reflective coating that completely eliminates glare.

Go out and get noticed in Salt Life sunglasses.

WWW.SALTLIFE.COM

WWW.RIORAYOPTICS.COM SKELETON OPTICS MOSSY OAK BREAK-UP COUNTRY SCOUT Skeleton Optics high performance eyewear delivers superb craftsmanship, trendforward innovation and advanced technology for Outdoor enthusiasts everywhere.

From the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, Skeleton Optics sunglasses are designed to empower ordinary people to do extraordinary things, inspiring them to live the “No Boundaries” lifestyle. The Skeleton Optics Mossy Oak Break-Up Country Scout sunglasses are a product of that thought process.

Working with experts at Mossy Oak and Zeiss, Skeleton Optics is pleased to provide hunters and sportsmen with sunglasses featuring the most true-to-nature elements ever produced on camo. Mossy Oak Break-Up Country combines digitally enhanced, life-sized natural elements with perfect color tones to help you blend in and shadowing elements that break up your outline like no other pattern available. A blaze orange nosepiece has been fitted for anti-slip and moisture wicking, and to complete the look,

the Skeleton logo has been hand-painted in blaze orange. No two frames look exactly alike! So, no matter where you hunt, becoming a part of your surroundings won’t be a problem.

Every pair of Scouts include polarized polycarbonate lenses

by Zeiss, designed using an advanced Tri-pel coating to promote clear vision, amazing visibility and clarity, while reducing discomfort caused by glare during outdoor activities.

Designed for those who don’t go where the path leads, the Mossy Oak Break-Up Country® Scout sunglasses are intended for those who instead forge their own trail.

SKELETONOPTICS.COM

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QUIK-CHANGE II ™ Our Innovative, Interchangeable Fixed Blade Cutlery System 9” FILLET 7” FILLET 5” FILLET 3” SERRATED

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rugged canvas roll pack

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By CAM Staff • Photo by Jean-Pierre Bazard

E

very blade-handy angler has their own techniques and tricks for peeling the perfect fillet off a fish. But anyone who has spent enough time around a cutting board knows the perfect way to fillet is a combination of three crucial elements: technique, tools and practice.

Whether it’s a 15-pound red snapper or a 6-ounce bream, the basics of filleting a fish are the same. The idea is to remove the meat along the fish’s flanks, while leaving behind the head, bones and guts.

Step 1: Make a vertical cut just behind the fish’s gill plate and pectoral fin. This cut should go all the way down to the bone and

extend from back to belly.

Step 2: Run the blade from the first cut all the way down the top of the fish, along the backbone to the tail, making a shallow incision as close to the backbone as you can get it.

Step 3: Using that long cut along the backbone, utilize smooth, light strokes to work the fillet away from the bones moving from the back to the belly. The other hand can be used to peel back the meat as you go. Cut around the ribcage when you arrive at it.

Step 4: With step 3 completed, you should have a beautiful skinon fillet. To remove the skin, place the fillet on the board skin side down. Start from the tail and insert the knife through the meat down to the skin, leaving a tab of meat and skin at the tail to hold onto. Turn the knife horizontal and run the blade up the skin to remove the meat.

Step 5: Use tweezers to pick out any pin bones left in the fillet.

The technique seems simple enough, but if you don’t have good, sharp, flexible knives that are sized correctly for the fish on the board, you’re going to make a mess out of your fillets. Havalon has come up with an all-in-one solution for this issue with its Talon system. With five styles of high-quality blades that all fit on the same handle, switching from a 7-inch blade down to a 5-incher or even down to a 3.5-inch utility blade is as easy as pressing a button with their Quik-Change II blade replacement system. The blades can be resharpened as well as replaced to make sure they are razor sharp when you need them.

Also, with a handle that opens up, clean-up is both thorough and easy with the Havalon Talon system. Rinse your tools down and roll them up in the included canvas kit so they’ll be ready the next time you need them.

And next time should be soon, because practice is the final and most important element in the perfect way to fillet. Go fishing enough, and you’ll be peeling off perfect fillets for the table in no time.

Check out the Havalon Talon System at www.havalon.com.

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TOW & STOW ®

THE LAST HITCH YOU’LL EVER NEED

• Rotate the Ball

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• Adjust the Height

• Stow the Hitch

TowingAdventure.com COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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American-Made Innovation At

B&W Trailer Hitches S ince 1987, B&W Trailer Hitches has been using quality and innovation to build one of the most trustworthy names in the industry. Employee-owned and all American, B&W manufactures towing products with the kind of quality that can only be delivered when pride of ownership goes into every step of the process, from design to the final customer experience. While most other manufacturers have shipped their operations overseas, this commitment to excellence has made B&W one of the few remaining hitch makers in America.

Like many American success stories, B&W’s began in a garage. It was 1987 in the Midwestern town of Humboldt, Kansas.

Roger Baker was experiencing declining demand for his skills as a classic-car restorer, and Joe Works had endured several tough years on the family farm. To provide for their families, they began applying their skills in a new way—building custom truck beds under the name B&W. They quickly recognized a way to remove the inconvenience of a gooseneck ball permanently welded in the bed of a truck.

They designed a gooseneck hitch with the mounting hardware underneath the bed and a ball that turned over and stowed in place.

The Turnoverball Gooseneck Hitch was born.

They didn’t know it would revolutionize the industry the way it did, but today nearly every gooseneck manufacturer uses this type of ball storage and mounting system. They didn’t invent the trailer hitch, but they made everyone else reinvent theirs.

A few years later, they applied the same

concepts to fifth-wheel hitches. Using the same under-bed mounting hardware and hole in the bed, they designed a Companion with a single point attachment that was removable when not towing. They also designed the Companion to provide a quiet and smooth ride for the user.

From there, they kept solving problems other hitch manufacturers weren’t, always thinking of the customer’s towing experience.

They set the bar high and built a company that continues to raise it.

Baker retired in 1999, and in 2007, Works began transferring ownership to the company’s 390 employees, who are now employee-owners. With a vested interest in their products, the employee-owners are more dedicated than ever to making the best hitches and accessories possible.

Their product line now includes all types of innovative towing products manufactured on-site in their nearly 500,000-square-foot facility, where they can oversee every detail.

Their steel comes straight from the American Heartland and is forged in mills they’ve known and trusted for years. Because the best labor doesn’t come from the lowest bidder overseas, B&W’s craftsmen are some of the best and brightest in the industry.

“We know that what you tow matters— and so does what you tow it with,” is a company motto.

B&W Trailer Hitches is a shining example of American-made quality and American ingenuity.

For more information, go to www. bwtrailerhitches.com.

There’s a lot going inside a 4-Stroke engine.

Keep it protected with ECSTAR Suzuki Genuine Oil. Available in Gallons or Quarts at a Suzuki Marine Dealer Near You.

RUN LONG. RUN CLEAN. RUN STRONG.

ECSTAR. the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket when on the water and read your owner’s manual. © 2018 Suzuki Motor of Ameria, Inc.

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veryone who goes out on the water wants to have a good time and come home safely. No matter what boating activity you take part in, there is something freeing about that feeling of the wind in your face, the gentle rocking of the hull and the sound of the waves.

Unlike cars, there are no yellow lines to stay between; you can go anywhere you want. But just like in a car, there are some rules you must follow. The Navigation Rules and Regulations Handbook, published by the U.S. Coast Guard, includes the U.S. Inland Navigation Rules or NAVRULES and the international rules known as the COLREGS. These rules were developed for the purpose of avoiding collisions and keeping boaters safe. Every boat owner should have a copy and spend some time understanding them. It is mandatory to have a copy onboard any vessel over 39.4 feet in length. Taking a class on the rules can also be extremely helpful.

To break it down, the rules tell you what to do when you come across another vessel. In this case, the term “vessel” is used to classify almost anything that floats on water that can be used for transportation. That means there is a rule that applies to almost every situation involving everything from a kayak to a seaplane. They cover steering regulations as well as sound signaling equipment and navigation lights.

As a responsible boater, you should not only be familiar with the basics of how the regulations apply to the specific situations for where you are fishing but should try to know and understand all the requirements. If you regularly go fishing on a small lake or kayak fishing in a river, it is probably rare for you to come into contact with commercial vessels, but you still should know how to handle those situations. Also, just because you are fishing, does not mean you are always a “stand-on”

vessel like a commercial fishing vessel using nets or longlines. Knowing the different rules that apply to all of these situations can mean the difference between a good day on the water and tragedy. At a minimum, you should always have a proper lookout, operate at a safe speed and yield or give-way to another vessel when in doubt and to always avoid a collision, even if that means breaking a navigation rule to save lives and avoid damaging property.

Don’t leave the dock without knowing the rules of the road. The United States Power Squadrons–America’s Boating Club offers a seminar that simplifies the sometimes complex COLREGS for the recreational boater. Through examples, you’ll discover how to avoid collisions in various situations, the differences between power and sailboat rules, and the special rules for fishing vessels. This seminar includes student notes with slides. The downloadable U.S. Coast Guard’s Navigation Rules and Regulations Handbook is the supporting text. This seminar is also a starting point for study preparation for the USCG License examination.

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W

e call them “dinks” here on the Gulf Coast of Texas. They are the spotted seatrout that are undersize or just barely legal. There are many anglers out there this summer who will be happy to catch a limit of trout, even though they are dinks. But there is also a strong contingent of anglers, like me, who would rather catch trout in the 18- to 20-inch or larger Derek Change caught this nice trout on a TroutSupport GrassWalker lure. range or go catch redfish.

You can put several things in your favor to help you catch better quality summertime trout. One of those is not fishing too shallow during the heat of summer. The forage better quality trout eat is oxygen level dependent. Species such as glass minnows, silversides and menhaden move deeper in the summer heat. Continuing to fish shallow grass flat edges during July and August is a great recipe for catching smaller-than-average, undersized spotted seatrout. Look for structure that is deeper than 8 feet in your bay system. If it has good current, you’ll find it also has better quality seatrout during the heat of the summer.

On rare occasions, a very large trout will be feeding on the small trout and mullet in shallow water. But trying to target fish in this scenario tends to be a Hail Mary more than a good plan, unless it’s an area that typically holds big trout. Big trout can be caught on structure at the edge of deep water pre-dawn until about sunrise, but many will just stay deep during this period.

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BLUE RIDGE

By Jay Striker

I

have caught some of my biggest fish on jigs, and they have put me in some really good positions while competing. Some anglers have never fished a jig in their life and feel the work that goes into fishing jigs can waste a lot of time. Well, I don’t agree with that. The success of fishing jigs comes down to key factors such as equipment, location and retrieve. Let’s dive right in and make jigs more enjoyable to fish.

The football jig has a football-shaped lead head with a heavy-duty

hook with or without a weed guard and a skirt that can come in a variety of colors. What makes the jig so effective is the versatility.

A good universal set-up is a 7-foot heavy action rod with a pretty stiff backbone, 14-pound line and a 3/8-ounce football head jig in my favorite color, green pumpkin brown. This set-up is my go-to in many situations.

This time of year, as we head into deep summer, I like to find migration routes that lead to and from shallow water out to deeper water. Bass tend to stack up near these locations before they completely retreat to their offshore summer haunts.

Ledges are a prime location to target with football jigs. I increase the size of my jig from 3/8 to 1/2 ounce, and sometimes to 3/4 ounce, to make the jig fall faster on the ledges. I can make contact with the bottom faster and start my retrieve. When fishing a jig in deep water, be sure to let the jig hit the bottom. Once you hit bottom, lightly raise the rod tip to about a 10 o’clock position to tighten the line. Keep a light pulling pressure on the rod tip to move the jig. This action mimics a crawfish moving across the bottom and triggers strikes. Jig fishing around deep submerged structure like rocks, deep wood or brushpiles will pick up some quality fish in deep water.

Location is a key component to being successful with jigs. Try targeting ledges, migration routes, channels or ditches. I like ledges because fish bunch up right off them in summer, where they can move up and down easily to feed throughout the day.

Cast a football head jig on the ledge and pull it until you feel it start to fall off the edge. Allow the line to remain limp on the fall. If the line twitches or tightens even a little bit, set the hook. You have to be a line watcher, especially when ledges are 20 to 30 feet deep.

Take the time to learn how to fish a football jig. Sticking with it will ultimately lead to opportunities at big bass.

Follow tournament angler Jay Striker on Facebook, Instagram and at jaystriker.com. Look out for Striker Nation Live, which will be a 30-minute weekly live show to discuss bass fishing.

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outh Carolina has established a catch-and-release-only zone for brown and rainbow trout on the lower Saluda River near Columbia to protect spawning trout.

Anglers have long enjoyed a “put-and-take” trout fishery in the lower Saluda river below the Lake Murray Dam, thanks to cold-water releases from the bottom of the dam that support hatchery-reared rainbow and brown trout. From the 1960s until the mid-2000s, anglers enjoyed catching stocked trout during the fall and winter and into the spring. During hot summer and early fall, those stocked trout that weren’t caught by anglers would typically die due to decreased oxygen levels in the river.

In the late 2000s, after the South Carolina DNR and other conservation groups negotiated with dam operator SCE&G for a more regular minimum flow through the dam, trout anglers and South Carolina fisheries biologists began to notice something interesting. With the new water flows and new equipment designed to increase oxygen levels, some stocked trout were surviving and growing to trophy size. During 2014, it was also discovered that these “holdover” fish had begun reproducing, with young-ofthe-year surviving in a section of the river between Saluda Shoals Park and Riverbanks Zoo. The SCDNR held a series of public meetings in February to discuss the possibility of creating a “catch-and-release-only” zone to facilitate the reproduction now occurring in the river.

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Feedback from anglers and other stakeholders was positive, and a bill, sponsored by Lexington Senator Katrina Shealy was drafted.

“The establishment of the catch and release zone between I-20 and Stacey’s ledge on the Lower Saluda will provide an opportunity for anglers to experience a very good trout fishery in a very unique location,” said SCDNR Fisheries Chief Ross Self.

“This area should have very good access and is the best area for anglers to wade and fish of any location along Lower Saluda.”

The law was passed by the legislature in May and signed by Gov. Henry McMaster on May 17, 2018.

Effective July 1, “the lower reach of the Saluda River, from the eastbound I-20 bridge downstream to Stacey’s Ledge, is yearround catch-and-release fishing only for all species of coldwater trout.”

The bill also mandates that “the Department of Natural Resources shall make a study of the lower Saluda River trout fishery and make recommendations on any needed modifications to the fishery by Nov. 1, 2023.”

10:01 PM For more information, go to www.scdnr.gov.

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6/18/18 2:46 PM 6/18/18 2:44 PM

Destination Fishing

Hide And Seek With World Record Stripers

By Tom Schlichter

I

t’s no secret really big stripers patrol the eastern end of Long Island Sound. Just ask Greg Myerson; he found the biggest one in August of 2012 – the IGFA world record, which weighed 81 pounds 14 ounces!

Lucky catch? Hardly. Myerson, 50, of Wallingford, Connecticut, has targeted big bass in these waters since childhood. Over last decade he’s hauled in numerous 50- and 60-pounders, plus a 73-pound behemoth, in addition to the top prize.

“I’ve released some others,” he said, “that might have broken my own record.”

What draws such big fish into the area? Myerson believes it’s a search for lobster.

“The eastern end of Long Island Sound is very rocky and, until recently, it held a ton of lobsters,” he said. “Big bass are lazy. They don’t like

fighting strong currents, so they slip in behind submerged boulders or hold in the lee of outcroppings and reefs. That’s where lobsters like to feed, too, so it’s a convenient ambush spot for the bass.”

Myerson noted there is plenty of good bottom to investigate here.

“Southwest Ledge and Southwest Reef make good starting points,” he stated, “but there are other obvious opportunities if you poke around.”

Once he finds a spot, the current striper king follows a specific routine. He’ll chart a path that avoids lobster pots but still allows access to the lee side of submerged boulders. He’ll fish when the tide is flowing slowly and prefers to ply his trade after dark, just past slack high water, and on the last quarter of the moon.

“Lobster feed best from 0 to 1.4 knots of current,” he explained, “so that’s when the biggest bass chew, too.”

Myerson’s secret weapon is a special sinker he’s developed and now markets through his business, World Record Striper Company (worldrecordstripercompany.com). Called a Rattlesinker, it rattles at the same 10-decibel sound level lobsters use to send out a buzzing underwater warning when danger enters the area. When bass hear the rattle, they start looking for food.

Myerson uses a clip to attach the sinker to a three-way swivel and a 5-foot length of fluorocarbon leader that terminates in 5/0 eel hook to present an eel. Using conventional tackle and a braided main line, he bounces the sinker across the bottom as the eel follows behind. The rattling sound and sea snake have proven to be a lethal combination cow bass just can’t resist.

Myerson said he’s sure there’s bigger bass still to be caught in Connecticut’s waters.

“I think it’s possible to break 100 pounds here someday,” he stated, “at least as long as the lobsters stay around.”

If you’d like to give the cow stripers of Eastern Long Island Sound a shot, you can stay at The Water’s Edge Resort and Spa (www.watersedgeresortandspa.com) in Old Saybrook or The Madison Beach Hotel (@madisonbeachhotel). For a charter trip, consider Flying Connie Charters (www.flyingconnie.com) out of Clinton or fish with Myerson though his World Record Striper Company (www.worldrecordstripercompany.com), the same place you can purchase Rattlesinkers should you want to give them a try.

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JULY 2018 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”

To advertise in the largest free fishing publication in the U.S. with over 1 million monthly readers, call 706-614-8231 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

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facebook.com/theanglermagazineGA www.theanglermagazine.com COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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6/17/18 5:08 PM

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To say that predicting this past month was easy for what Mother Nature had in store for us was an understatement. A week of large amounts of rain, then a Tropical Depression that dumped more than a foot of rain and blew up all the rivers and streams around us. The water levels have subsided since the big rains, and wade fishing is starting to be a little easier now. The outlook is for more rain, but we are avoiding the high heat of early summer, which is great.

Due to all of the rain, the trout fishing is good. We have had the best success getting out on the rivers at daybreak and fishing until the early afternoons, and then again very late afternoons until dark. As the daytime temperatures heat up, finding the shady areas of the rivers along with deeper shady runs is the key to a successful day. Trout like cold water, and as the water temperatures rise, they will seek thermal refuge in the bottoms of the rivers where the waters are their coolest. Some dry fly action can be had with flies in pockets of deeper water around the banks, but dead-drifting tandem nymph rigs has seemed to produce more fish. Streamer fishing cannot be forgotten as well, as there is a tremendous amount of smaller baitfish in pocket waters all over the rivers.

Bass fishing the river has been extremely tough to do with the ex-

tremely high waters. Now with the water levels subsiding, accessing the lower points on the rivers will be much easier. Wet wading will be a refreshing way to spend the day catching bass and panfish on the river. We have a full arsenal of what you need for both topwater and subsurface flies to make your day successful. Plenty of fluids to drink to keep hydrated, sunglasses, a hat and some sunscreen will make for an enjoyable day so you’re not sun burnt. Don’t forget about booking your lake fly fishing trip with us, as our experienced certified guide, Zach Hart, will take up to two clients out on a mountain lake boat excursion.

This is a great time of year to take the kids fishing! School is out for the summer break, water temperatures are great, and there are plenty of fish to be caught. We had the pleasure of participating as volunteers with the Kid’s Fishing Rodeo at Burrell’s Ford Campground this past month with the U.S. Forestry Department. Introducing kids to the great outdoors and nature is a wonderful time, and catching a few fish will add to the experience for all. Remember to bring your camera along for your trip and share your photo. You might see your photo in the next edition on the “Brag Board”.

As we are all guests of the forest, let’s remember to “leave no trace” and pack out what we bring in on our trips to the rivers. Keeping the forests clean will add to the enjoyable experience for all. We hope to see everyone out on the rivers!

417 Pea Ridge Road, Eatonton, GA (706) 485-9979 www.tchwatersports.com 2 ATLANTA

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6/17/18 5:08 PM

Local Rivers & Fly Fishing

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

If someone asked this old crusty guide what you enjoy the most after all these years of guiding fly fishing, I would say teaching folks to fly fish.

There is still nothing like introducing someone to the art of fly fishing and seeing them catch a fish on the fly.

My wife, Becky, and I have started a fly fishing school at Noontootla Creek Farms. We feel this is a perfect pairing of years of experience teaching and one of the most pristine trout streams in the Southeast. Noontootla Creek is wading friendly and covered with an abundant insect population.

Our class starts with introductions, learning knots, equipment, fly selection, rigging your rod, and casting instruction.

I am a Certified Master Casting Instructor from the Fly Fishers International and Becky is a Certified Casting Instructor from Fly Fishers International.

Next, we break for lunch for an hour that is provided.

In the afternoon session, we get in the stream to identify insects (match the hatch) and put this all together by helping you land your first trout on a fly!

All equipment such as your wad-

ers, boots, rods, reels, and flies are provided during the school. You only need a Georgia fishing license and trout license.

One of the most common comments from folks when I worked in the fly shop was they did not think that could fly fish, and I often told them it is just another arrow in their quiver.

Yes, I too grew up fishing with bait or spinners in the local streams and lake, but fly fishing offered me something else; a chance to catch a fish on something I made. Catching a fish on a homemade fly is pretty cool.

Whether you throw a piece of mop or some feathers and fur on a hook, catching a fish on your own tied fly can be addicting. Some folks do not have time to tie their own flies but still enjoy catching a fish on a fly.

I cannot complain. I have been fortunate to make a living at it. I have visited some beautiful places, made a lot of friends, checked off bucket lists items, and met my wife thanks to fly fishing.

Visit http://ncfga.net/hulsey-flyfishing-school-at-noontootla-creekfarms/ to learn more about the fly fishing school.

Post a Picture of your catch!

facebook.com/theanglermagazineGA

Max Troutman with an NCF brown trout guided by David Hulsey COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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JULY 2018

ATLANTA 3

6/17/18 5:08 PM

Local Rivers & Fly Fishing

July Fly Fishing Report Rain, rain, go away, come again another day! That was the first part of June for 2018. It completely messed up the fishing all over North Georgia.

With the hot weather setting in and the water temps on Lanier pushing the low to mid-80s, we are finally settling into our summer time pattern.

Striped bass are going to go deep, and while the spotted bass fishing should continue to improve throughout the summer months, it is the carp fishing which holds my interest. The only problem is that with the Corp of Engineers trying to get Lanier’s water level back to sustainable levels, they have had to generate continuously throughout all of June thus far. So what does that mean for July? It means these fish will not have been pressured nearly as much as we would have expected and that should lead to some fabulous carp fishing down the Hooch (if they stop the continuous release of water).

For carp anglers, July can be a

wonderful month. The area around Bull Sluice is generally considered some of the better flats for fly rodders wanting to try their hand at sight fishing. A boat is required in order to paddle or pole the flats in search of common carp. Carp on the Hooch will average 10-12 pounds and they are as wary as a permit! A perfect presentation in terms of the cast is required, and a slow strip followed by a pause will have you anticipating a hook up. Be prepared to throw to 20 fish before you get an eat! They are the hardest of all fish to fool in fresh water on a fly.

A 7 or 8 weight rod with a floating line and a long leader is required to hunt for carp. As for flies, anything dark and small should be good. Size 8-10 trout nymphs and crayfish patterns are the norm. Keep in mind that minimal river flows will surely effect whether the carp migrate up and onto the flats.

Lanier should fish particularly

well for spotted bass. Fish to 4 pounds should be caught daily on fly rod poppers, small Game Changers, Wiggle Minnows and Clousers through July. The first half of the month will offer a better opportunity to get your last licks in on a magnum spot, or maybe with a little luck, a striper on topwater. After that, the topwater action will certainly continue, but it will be with the smaller fish only.

Folks wanting to stay cool during July can fish on the river. Look no further than the Hooch for striped bass action. Stripers can be found from Morgan Falls Dam down through the Peachtree Creek section (below Paces Mill) and everywhere in-between. A slow sinking intermediate line will be your best bet to locate stripers summering over in the city limits. Anglers should fish both early and late day as your best options for river stripers. Fish in the 3-8 pound range are the norm but do not be surprised if a fish in the teens or bigger hits your fly. Best flies are those that are weighted and in the 4”-6” length. Bright pink over white is a really good color for the river!

Baitfish patterns, Coyotes, Clousers and Wiggle Minnows (on a faster sinking line in the deep holes) can be effective. An intermediate slow sinking line can also be effective

for river stripers. I especially like an Umpqua Game Changer fly for fishing the banks. Try to hit the banks with your cast as stripers tend to hide in the structure along the banks or are down in the deeper holes of the river.

The long Hotlanta summer is upon us, but the fishing should continue to prove worthwhile! See you on the pond (or river).

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6/17/18 5:08 PM

Local Rivers & Fly Fishing

Keeping it Close to the Vest

Contributed By: Jimmy Harris

www.unicoioutfitters.com Unicoi Outfitters, Helen, Georgia

As I’m formulating this month’s article in my head, my mind is reviewing the fly tackle carrying equipment I have accumulated over the years in my effort to find that perfect piece of gear for carrying my leaders, tippet material, split shot, hook hones, strike indicators, hemostats, thermometer, amadou pad, Gink, Xink and of course, flies.

Dry flies, wet flies, streamers, junk flies, emergers, cripples, spinners and, well, you get the picture.

I’ve done the same thing with sunglasses in my continuous quest to find that perfect pair for what I want them to do for me. If you spread it all out over several years, you’ll never really notice how much it’s costing.

This is been the trail of my evolution: • First ever investment, an L L Bean cotton vest. Loved it 40 years ago and still think it’s one of the best I’ve ever owned. I still have it, by the way.

• A very technical Simms vest I like but tended to overload it.

• A mesh Simms vest for summer fishing. Lighter weight and fewer pockets for me to cram full of the above mentioned necessities.

• A Simms fanny pack that is great but doesn’t help me control my compulsive desire to carry too much stuff. It has a shoulder strap that helps re-distribute some of the weight from my hips.

• A Fishpond fanny pack that is somewhat smaller than the Simms and has lots of cool places to store stuff and attach things to the outside.

In the past, I did have a tendency to wade out too deep which meant all my gear got soaking wet.

• A small Orvis chest pack that gave me no choice but to leave some of my junk in the car. I wore it like a sling as I really don’t like something sticking out from my chest. It’s in my way.

• A smaller Orvis chest pack that holds one fly box, some tippet

material and hemostats. Carry it under my arm like a sling pack also because, remember, I don’t like things sticking out in front of me.

Great for small, high elevation wild trout streams but nothing else.

• An Orvis sling pack. Actually, I ended up with two since they come in regular and large. The large size was just too much temptation to pack things I had never before even considered necessary to a fishing trip. I sold that one. Great concept though.

• A Fishpond shoulder “satchel” for lack of a better word. Worn the same as a sling pack but hangs down by your waist. Very nice piece of gear that I use quite a lot, but again, not helping me with my self-discipline

problem of overburdening myself.

• So now, today, I find myself into vests once again. Primarily because Orvis has come out with an ultralight vest that feels great, has just enough pockets to let me take more than I need but not everything I own, and it distributes the weight across my shoulders very comfortably. Not one shoulder like a sling pack and not just my neck like a chest pack. As I get older, comfort becomes an overriding factor in the gear I choose.

So, there you have the past 40 years in my life as a fly fisherman and how I get to the stream. Thus far, I’m loving wearing this new vest and have yet to feel like I should have brought just one more fly box.

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JULY ATL.indd 5

JULY 2018

ATLANTA 5

6/17/18 5:08 PM

Local Rivers & Fly Fishing Aerial Mends

The Guide's Angle

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

Contributed By: Chris Scalley River Through Atlanta Guide Service

Winter-stored Water?

How can the Chattahoochee be cold enough for trout in the hot Georgia summer? It’s all about water storage! Let’s begin with Lake Lanier, which is huge with 38,000 surface acres and over 700 miles of shoreline!

It takes a drop of water typically two years from the time it enters the lake until it exits the Buford Dam. We always have to remember that the past winter season cold weather helped to create a tremendous layer of cold, dense water that gravitates to the lake floor. Even though the lake surface temperature is 78F in midsummer, if you were to dive just 15 feet you would feel a dramatic change to cooler water. The warmer, less dense summer water

Trout fishing has a lot of ‘situational’ casts. There is a reach cast, roll cast, pile cast, curve cast, tuck cast and several others. Learning what cast to use in a situation can make all the difference when trying to catch a fish. Often, a slight combination of the cast or adding a mend to the line while it is in the air will make the drift just right, or place the fly on the target.

The use of mends while the line is in the air is called an aerial mend. If it is done while the line is on the water, it is a water mend (and you thought fly fishing terminology was going to be difficult). By the way, mending the line is just repositioning it, not repairing it. So what is the difference and why make a distinction?

Once the line is on the water, there is water tension to contend with.

When the fly line is in the air, we can move our rod tip in different directions with ease and create a desired line layout. For example, a ‘situation’ where you are casting a dry fly downstream and need a neural drift, you can do a wiggle mend. Here is another of those complex fly fishing terms; to do a wiggle mend, wiggle your rod tip side to side as the line is extending out to your target on the forward

cast. This will create waves that are the size of the distance your rod tip moves side to side. Those waves will put slack in the line and give you a longer neutral drift.

Another aerial mend is a reach cast. This will give you a longer drift. It can make it drag free or if using a sinking fly, allow the fly to sink while there is little tension on the line as we follow the line downstream with our rod tip. We do the reach cast by sending the fly out towards the target on the forward cast and then sweeping our rod tip to the side. Think of making an ‘L’ with your rod tip starting from where your rod tip stops on the forward cast, and then as the line extends and falls, ease your rod tip out to the side. Make a triangle from your feet to the target to the rod tip out to your side.

Now combine the wiggle and reach casts. This is not as easy as it sounds, but anyone can do it if you give it a few tries. Forward cast, wiggle, and reach to the side.

Don’t forget to leave enough line to slip so you are not pulling the line away from the target. Put this combo in your bag of casts and look for places to use it. Aerial mends will increase your chances of catching a fish.

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molecules stay higher in the water column and the denser, cold winter water molecules gravitate to the depths of the lake. It just so happens that the Buford Dam “penstocks” or raceways, where the lake water exits the base of the Dam, are about 130 feet deep.

The average annual water temperature from Buford Dam is 56F. In 1957 the Army Corps of Engineers designed and constructed the dam for flood control and hydropower. Little did they know the tailwater would be one of the best trout fisheries in the nation. So while your catching wild and stocked trout on the Chattahoochee in the suburbs of Atlanta this summer, just briefly think about how cold last winter was.

6/17/18 5:08 PM

Local Rivers & Fly Fishing oconee on the fly

July Forecast – Did You Catch That on Purpose?

By Capt. Wayne Moore USCG www.oconeeonthefly.com Some might say that when they see a fat carp on the end of my fly line, but for the fly fisherman, the carp is a worthy challenger. They are very selective at times, always a tremendous fighter, and many here are over 10 pounds. The mayfly hatch has fired up and you will find carp in shallow water under lights at night. I would use an 8-weight quality rod like a Scott. (I always say, “if it’s not a Scott, throw it back”.) Use intermediate line and a 9-foot, 12-pound fluorocarbon leader. For flies, my friend Kyle Askew likes “Jan’s Carp tickler.

I use a large mayfly imitation or the biggest Adam’s you can find. I have also caught them on Cowen’s “Somethin Else”. Often the hybrids and carp are on the same lit dock.

Four-pound hybrids, eight to ten pound carp, that isn’t trout fishing or for the weak of heart.

Hybrids and White Bass: I think the pump back bite at the dam will finally officially fire off soon. Believe it or not, the white bass have been active all the way up to the Swords ramp at first light, especially on cloudy days. However, if it’s a blue-sky day, after sun up they are long gone. A limit can be taken quickly at first light on 16-ounce white Rooster Tails. For the fly rod, use a Wiggle Minnow.

For conventional tackle, down lining shad is very effective right now. Look for clearer water in Richland Creek. The spoon bite has not taken off as of this writing, but it’s a sure thing in July. Sugar Creek Marina has a large stock of spoons,

and they can tell you which ones have been selling. They also have anything else you need for fishing and great prices!

Crappie: Long lining is still working very well. One morning while I was out fishing for hybrids, I saw Jody Stephens from Crappie Daze Guide Service long lining. His group landed 30 in a very short morning.

Fishing over brush piles in deep water is productive and will be throughout the summer.

Largemouth Bass: I have been mixing up my fly fishing for largemouth with throwing a KVD 1.5 or a Shad Rap early in the morning on a medium spinning rod with 8-pound test. Once the pump-back really gets fired up, I prefer the fly rod with a Wiggle Minnow, or if they are active on top, a 9-weight rig with a Charlie Bisharat’s Pole Dancer Fly. This fly moves very much like a Heddon’s Super Spook. When bass are feeding on top, they really slam it hard.

Final words: Its’ that time of year, and recreational boat traffic is hot and heavy by 10:00 AM. I like to start my trips at first light or even before if I am fishing dock lights. I would like to think that we fisherman can set an example. Did you know, “specifically, it is illegal to operate a vessel at greater than “no wake speed” within 100 feet of a designated recreation area, dock, pier, raft, float, anchored vessel, dam, intake structure, or other obstruction unless a different speed limit has been established in the area.” (even if you are in a tournament!)

We are booking up quickly, so call 706-816-4281 or e-mail me at wmoore1700 @outlook.com and request your dates. Remember, we offer fly fishing and conventional tackle trips for the best of both worlds.

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Local Lakes & Forecasts

Say Hi to Hiwassee Lake… a North Carolina Secret Fishin’ Paradise!

By Dickelsby

No secret to our Angler Magazine fishing team are Shane Goebel and Darren Hughes. They wanted to try out Shane’s new 25 foot Carolina Skiff and graciously asked Bob and Brenda Rice, Angler Magazine Atlanta publishers, along with your humble correspondent to join in the fun. We met at Hughes Grocery and Bait (more about that later) on the Murphy Highway in Blairsville right around 0 dark 30 in the morning to take advantage of the early striper bite that waited for us about 30 minutes away at one of the very few boat launching sites on the lake near Murphy, NC. Our timing was just right as we took off in the direction of a close by honey hole where the electronics signaled bait fish swimming at 30 feet followed by hungry predators as we arrived. The Big Ol Fish Guiding Service new boat was fully equipped with new downline rods and my favorite ultralight tackle spinning outfits with light line. The lively baits were hooked up and dropped to 25 feet and the action started almost immediately!

Brenda was first to reel in a nice striper, then Bob follows with another, and Shane and Darren are real busy with their new heavy duty floating net.

Meanwhile, yours truly has been working one of the new ultra-light spin rigs with a bait about half the size of a real crappie! I’m just flipping it out and slowly working it back in when all of a sudden it has doubled over in my hand. It starts swimming towards the gambling casino in Murphy, then doubles back and heads under the boat! Man the drag is totally singing, and I’m not gaining any ground at all. Soon, it is really on the bottom and there it stays seemingly a half of an eternity until the worst possible ending of all time happens when sadly the line snaps, freeing the monster to get chased sometime soon again!

Well anyway, we were having a great time in this beautiful body of water which was formed in the early 1940’s by the TVA. It is joined by the other fine waterways we love to recommend to future guide clients. Blairsville’s Lake Nottely, Blue Ridge Lake in Blue Ridge and of course Hiawassee and GA’s Lake Chatuge. All great venues for those who would like to spend some quality time in the North Georgia Mountains and top it off with a fantastic fishing trip with Big Ol fish Guiding Service.

Stripers, hybrids, smallmouth and largemouth bass, beautiful spotted bass, and occasionally some big bottom loving walleyes are in the mix. I mentioned Hughes Grocery in Blairsville where you can access the new enlarged bait shop for the freshest live herring swimmers available along with the best cathead biscuits anywhere. You can reach Shane Goebel at 828-361-2021 or 1-844-4-ANGLER. He invites you to also check out his website www.bigolfish.com

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carters lakE

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

lakeandstreamguideservice@gmail.com

Water temperature: 83 degrees, lake level: full, clarity: 6 feet.

Summer time has arrived on Carters Lake. Warm water, hot days and a crowded lake signify that summer is officially here. This is the reason we like to get an early start in July. We are concentrating our efforts between 4 and 9am and are starting most trips fishing over the Hydro Glow lights. This does a few things. First it brings the bait in, and secondly, it brings the fish up from the deep water.

We are fishing the upper part of the water column with live alewife and threadfins, pitching them outside the green glow and letting them swim on a piece of fluorocarbon with a circle hook. The hybrid bite has been good using this method with fish up to 12-pounds being

caught in the last few weeks.

The stripers usually aren’t far behind the hybrids and have been showing up and feeding from dawn till about 9am. The rest of the day the stripers go deep and stay there till the following evening. If you’re going to catch these fish deep, please get some sort of relief device with a deflator needle or deep water release device and learn how to use it properly.

The walleye bite has picked up considerably after the bait spawn, and we have been catching more and more on our night trips. Light line and small hooks with just enough weight to feel the bottom is the key.

Any of the rocky points on the main lake are a good place to start.

Spot fishing in the summertime can be like shooting fish in a barrel at times. Schooled up fish are eager to eat, and when you find them stacked, up it’s ON! Enjoy the lake this summer and be safe on the water.

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Local Lakes & Forecasts A Great Place To Stay In Blue Ridge.

Jackson Lake

By Brian Lee leebrian16 @yahoo.com Water temperature: 84-87 degrees, water level: full pool, clarity: stained/ clear.

The dog days of summer are upon us, so get there early to get the best action. In the early morning, run and gun throwing topwater to target the most active aggressive fish. Chase the shade once the sun comes up and target any type of cover that will cast a shadow for the bass to hide under or in. Once the sun is high and bright, a C-rig green pumpkin trick worm on points, humps or offshore brush piles will produce some fish. Down near the dam around Goat Island offers a good amount of brush and rocks to throw a C-rig, shaky head or a Ned Rig. Spotted bass will be the primary target on this end of the lake. If you want to target largemouth, you may have to do some exploring to find

some isolated wood around the mouths of the rivers. Later in the evening, the topwater bite will pick back up, but don’t be surprised if a plastic worm is your best producer. If possible, stay later into the night as the bigger largemouth will move up shallow or get on some of the last few dock lights that are left on the lake.

It can be very tough this time of the year, so don’t get discouraged if the fish don’t cooperate. Remember, it’s hot and the fish will seek cooler water, so any fresh cold runoff from rain or a cooler creek feeding the lake will hold fish. Until next month, tight lines.

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Local Lakes & Forecasts

E E

ce at

Lanier Stripers

Forecast By: Steve Scott http://TeamLanier.wordpress.com/menu The excess rains in late May from Alberto upset the striper patterns once again. The stripers remained scattered across the entire lake. June found us once again in the main lake searching and finding them, and as the summer heat began they were traditionally moving from the backs of the creeks early, out to the main channel by mid-morning. By late morning, water temperatures had been in the mid-eighties.

While we were using weighted flatlines with herring in the backs of the creeks beginning around 6am, we had some success. The stripers would begin to move out to where the creek mouth meets the channel for cooler waters. At this point you should use 4 downlines at staggered depths. Our best successes came while we were over 100-120’.

We used blueback herring and some smaller gizzard shad (smaller than a dollar bill).

While in the deeper waters, we could see stripers in the trees. Here are some tips that could help you get them out of the trees and get a strike.

When it’s cloudy and the moment the sun comes out, drop down on them just above the tree tops. When it’s sunny and then a cloud covers the sun, drop down on them. When it’s windy and then it calms, drop down on them, and when it’s calm then gets windy, you know the rest. Stripers get interested at the slightest changes, so be vigilant to these subtle changes.

Early in July you can start pulling Lead Core targeting 25-30’ depths over humps and flats near deep drop offs. Another place to try would be in the main channel in Flowery Branch from ‘H’ Buoy at 100’ deep following the south contour back to the first set of power lines. Flatlines 50’ and 80’ behind the boat weighted with a #7

split shot will also work for you on the east side of the Saddle Dike and in the mouth of Little River. Umbrella Rigs are a good choice, but you need to run them a little deeper than you did back in May, again targeting depths of 25-30’.

If you are not having much luck on your Umbrella Rigs, do a little change up on them. Instead of pulling the usual bucktail jigs with or without a paddle tail, try using willow-bladed spinnerbaits. It’s a lot of fun to try and fool the stripers into a strike.

Tip of the month: Be sure to have a blueback herring hooked on, sitting in your bait tank on a spinning rod in the event you run into surfacing stripers. See more details on my website at TeamLanier.com. Call me with your questions. Steve Scott, 404-2733481.

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Local Lakes & Forecasts lake lanier crappie

SEMINOLE

Forecast By:

by Paul Tyre paultyrefishing@yahoo.com Water temperature: 78°, lake level: full pool, water clarity: stained.

The bass fishing has been AWESOME this June on Lake Seminole. We have had numerous days with our best five bass weighing over 25 pounds and catching numerous 6 to 8 pounders.

We are expecting July to be really good too. As we go into summer, Lake Seminole is known for its explosive topwater bite and that means frogs, buzzbaits and walking baits like the Strike King Sexy Dawg. I find these baits work well early in the morning and late in the afternoons on overcast days.

The grass (hydrilla) is really healthy this year and that means flipping/ punching for big bass through the grass. If you come to Lake Seminole this summer, don’t forget to bring your flipping and punching gear. I prefer a 7 ½’ to 8’ heavy rod with a 65 to

80-pound braided line to get the big bass out of the grass. My bait of choice is a Strike King 4” Rodent in June Bug rigged on a 4/0 heavy straight hook pegged with a 1 to 1 ½ ounce tungsten weight, depending on the thickness of the grass.

The bream and shellcracker have been bedding all over the lake. We have seen some nice limits coming across the docks at Wingate’s Lunker Lodge.

Crappie are being caught in 10’ to 12’ feet of water on minnows and jigs.

Wingate’s is open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and they have plenty of minnows.

Summer brings some fun evening bass tournaments to Lake Seminole.

The Hydrilla Gnats Bass Club has been hosting a tournament on the first and third Thursdays from 6 pm to 9:15 pm to help founding member, Angelo Koundourakis, with his medical expenses related to his battle with ALS. The entry fee is only $20 per boat with a 90% payout, and your two biggest bass are weighed in. It’s a fun competition.

Forecast By: Dan Saknini, Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club. www.laniercrappieanglers.net Water temperature is in the low eighties, and fishing has been good to excellent lately. The lake level is about 3 ½ feet above full pool. Our fish have gone deep and the bite is much harder to detect. If you see any unusual line movement at all, set the hook! I think some fishermen are missing the bite because they are waiting for more movement than is going to show.

The fish we are catching are holding tight to the bottom around deep brush piles in or around docks.

When you cast your line, take a bite of your donut, sip on your coffee, and then just start reeling.

Sometimes you have to let the jig fall all the way to the bottom, click the bail, then wait and watch the line very carefully for the slightest movement before reeling.

Some people say polarized sunglasses help them see the line better.

Personally, I can see my line better without sunglasses, but experiment and see what works best for you. If you are using live bait under a slip cork, this does not apply, because the cork will go under with a bite. We are targeting docks with structure (brush piles) on the Chattahoochee side north of Gainesville Marina and on the Chestatee side north of Little Hall and Duckett Mill.

The night bite remains good and should continue all summer. Fishing will be better on overcast days this time of the year. Sunny days with blue skies may be tougher. Even so, the early morning bite and late afternoon/ evening bite is best. The cooler nights may keep the fish around our brush piles a little longer instead of heading deeper into the natural timber, but water temps can rise quickly. My advice is to get out and fish while the fishing is good!

Stay safe, wear your life jacket, and watch out for all the crazy boaters and jet skiers!

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6/17/18 5:08 PM

Local Lakes & Forecasts west point

Bass: Fair - Topwater baits such as Chug Bugs, Whopper Ploppers, Senkos and buzzbaits can still be effective for shallow and aggressive post-spawn fish, especially around bream beds or early in the morning.

Some of the better tournament sacks of largemouth are still being weighed in by guys who fish shallow, targeting bass that are around these beds feeding on the bream. First thing in the morning, try fishing rip-rap around bridges with spinnerbaits, small crankbaits, and Senko rigs. Pitching jigs into mid-depth blowdowns and wood cover also is a great pattern this time of year. Later in the month, some fish should stack up on deeper brush piles and road beds as the water warms and lake levels drops a little. Try deep running crankbaits like a Fat Free Shad or Texas rigged Ol Monster worms.

Some spotted bass are still be-

ing caught by casting topwaters early around shoal markers. Later in the day, try Buckeye Spot Remover heads loaded with Shaky Tail worms or just dragging a Carolina-rigged Zoom finesse worm or mini lizard around sloping gravel banks.

Linesides: Fair - Spawned out hybrids and stripes and white bass are still back down lake in good numbers.

Expect the downline bite on live bait to stay fair throughout July. Also, expect improved surface schooling on the main lake. They can be caught casting crankbaits, topwaters, popping cork rigs and Storm Swim Shad lures. Best time for this schooling activity is early or late or on overcast days. Trolling for stripers will also improve in July as the water warms and keeps you comfortable on the hot days as well!

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

docks, you can still do well. Night fishing is usually good in July, and you can beat the heat!

Bream: Good - Don’t forget about our bream and shellcracker. Finding an active bed can take a little effort, but when you do, you can have a ball!

Bedding usually takes place on the full moon cycles in July. Look for shallow cover in the backs of pockets. Sandy flats and stump beds tend to draw the fish like a magnet. Use live pink worms, crickets and small jigs for the

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best results.

Catfish: Good - Lots of channel cat are being caught by the few anglers that target them. Live and cut baits (and worms of course) fished on bottom will catch cats all over the lake as long as fairly deep water is nearby. Jug fishing is also fun and productive. To target flatheads, go to a larger bait like a 4-5 inch bream or large shiner and fish the same areas. Be sure to increase the size of your rigs as fish in the 20 to 30-pound range are fairly common.

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Local Lakes & Forecasts Cajun Vista Lodge

by O’Neill Williams Every once in a while, yearly at least, save your pennies and grab a destination, a new fishing hole, new tactics, new meals, new life long experience, and a few new memories. It’s an idea whose time has come. Get my point?

Well here’s one, one where the fishing’s great and perfect to enjoy with your sons, daughters and even dads and moms. Read on. You’ll get the idea.

This is a good choice for your search.

Cajun Vista Lodge in Barataria, Louisiana. Owned and operated by one of the most pleasant, hardworking fellows I’ve ever met, Thoephile Bourgeois. Well, actually, his name is Theophiles Jean Anton Bourgeois III. Cool huh? Instead of reading on, you can check him and his facility out by visiting www.neworleansfishing.com or www.cajunvistalodge.com, and those two websites will fill you in completely. However, since you’re already into 10% or so of my feeble attempt at communication, stick around a bit. I don’t get paid for this, and only do it because it makes me feel important, so do me a favor and read it. If you stop now, you’ll hurt my feelings, and I’m sensitive.

Barataria Bay is an hour south of New Orleans and, if so inclined, you can stop there for a stroll down Bourbon Street, but since this is a fishing story, we’ll have to handle that subject later.

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So, what’s at Cajun Vista Lodge?

Let’s describe it this way; once you park the truck, you’ll hang there for a few days and not drive another inch. Three grand meals of ultra-fresh, ‘coon-ass’ recipes of seafood smothered with Cajun seasoning with Gumbo and smoked sausage on the side enjoyed daily, prepared and served by loving hands, boats manned with experienced smiling guides, completely at home with the locations of myriads of schooling speckled trout and redfish, and finally, comfortable, spacious private bedrooms and baths. Don’t stay too long. You’ll get completely spoiled.

And why not, you only do this once a year or so. The only downside to the whole visit is that you’ll have to listen to that whiney Cajun music. It’ll get old fast. Tofiel will change the station, but it won’t help, it’s on every channel.

Cajun Vista Lodge can accommodate 60 fishermen comfortably. In a hurry to go? I am, and will be there every October or September with a group of 30 or more. Make your plans now for the fall.

Back to the important part; the fishing.

Ok, here goes. Barataria Bay is inside what it called ‘the marsh’, otherwise known at the Atchafalaya Basin, a 30-mile wide, 90-mile long stretch of rich fertile water full of grass, lily pads, canals, all 4 feet deep with millions of speckled trout and redfish. The ‘marsh’ is the direction and route that the Mississippi wants to flow, but the river has been managed by some very smart people to go to New Orleans via giant

berms. It’s all about economics, and I understand that. We can’t let New Orleans dry up, after all, remember Mardi Gras? As an illustration of the amount of catchable trout, the legal limit is 25 per day per person and by lunch time, daily, the boat with three to five fishermen will have a limit. 75 to 125 trout. Really! Why so great?

For the last ten centuries or so, the Mississippi River has been dumping fertile water into the ‘marsh’ from the Midwest, and the fish population enjoys it. It’s a giant ‘nursery/hatchery’ for game critters.

How about the reds? Wow! Put on a Road Runner with a plastic trailer or a shrimp tipped jig under a Thunder Chicken casting cork, cast to a cut or creek branch filtering from a grass line and hang on. You will have another limit before lunchtime, then go back out. The reds are big, healthy, strong, hungry, brightly colored and living there by the millions ready to break your light leader, bend your rod, and make you smile heartily. If it helps with the struggle, know that you’ll probably be eating the rascal red that

night after he’s spent a few minutes on the Big Green Egg, and he’s served to you with Cajun Rice and hot sauce and, if you’ve been nice, and so inclined, a cold beer.

I’m including a few photos to whet your appetite for such a trip.

It’s only about seven pleasantly driven hours from the Atlanta area and totally worth the expense and effort. The downside is that you will be totally spoiled and desirous to return monthly which, I might add, you can do because the season is 12-months long.

If you like, and haven’t already made plans, be in touch with me, O’Neill, via my Facebook page (oneilloutside) or website or call directly to Cajun Vista and speak to Josie, and come along with us.

It’s a group of guys from here and there that I call the “Deeply Disturbed Fishermen”. The dates are in September or October. Travis and I will be there to exchange stories about each day’s adventure.

O’Neills new book can be found at amazon.com under “O’Neill Outside” or follow the link to my site: http://www. oneilloutside.net/book-orderpage

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Local Lakes & Forecasts

My 2018 Halftime Report Contributed by Wayne Wooten

Every January I start getting fired up anticipating some of those occasional 60 degree days typical here in Georgia in January and February.

The crappie began to stage preparing to spawn, and hybrids and stripers get hungry as well as the bass. By the time March arrives it’s usually wide open.

January and February 2018 were a challenge. We had warm days, heavy rain, changing water levels, high winds and back too cold for a week with more wind. I didn’t fish but 2 times in January and February. When it was in the 60’s, it rained with 15-20 MPH winds, or it would be in the 40’s with high winds. I had to reschedule a charter with Capt.

Mark Smith three times, finally making it in March!

When March arrived, it was back to Clark’s Hill with Larry Barnes

for some hybrid and crappie action.

Weather conditions had improved but not much. Rain and the generation schedule from Lake Russell into Clark’s Hill were all over the place.

This combination caused water levels to vary every few days.

The 2 to 3-pound hybrid bite was on, but not only were we hunting fish daily, we also had to make lure changes throughout the day to keep them biting. I primarily fish with soft plastic swimbaits on jig heads and scroungers. The profile, size and fall rate were key, so I had 4 different rigs ready to go. I had ¼, 3/8 and ½ oz. jig heads swimbaits (flukes) in 4” and 6” also a LilFishy with a ¼ ounce head.

As March moved into April with the weather returning to normal, the 2-3 pound hybrid bite had picked up, but they were still on the move. We were staying on top of them limiting

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May had plenty of rain, but we continued to catch our limit, however the 5+ pound fish had not shown up yet.

The larger fish usually show up in the middle of April.

Crappie fishing was not good to me this year. We fished our normal brush piles, mouths of creeks and grass, catching lots of fish but mainly 8-9” males. I don’t keep them until 11”.

The month of March also brought my birthday and The Bassmasters Classic on Lake Hartwell and the Expo in Greenville, SC. Media Day was on my birthday which added to the fun for me.

The Media Day event was awesome! I interviewed David Walker, and John Cox after a delicious lunch provided by Power Pole.

Kevin Van Dam sat at our table, and my friends Jason Sealock,

Walker Smith and Terry Brown were at the next table over! The Expo was fantastic as usual with vendors showing off their latest and greatest! The Tournament was exciting watching Jordan Lee battle back to win 2 classics in a row! I want to give a shout out to BASS and JamieDay Mathews for once again hosting such a great event.

Lastly, I want to acknowledge my close fishing buddies that left us this year. Rest in Peace guys; Patrick Bunn, Mike Brown, Roger Stanford and Ben Aiken.

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Local Lakes & Forecasts

Summertime Squalls

By Capt. Cefus McRae Nuts & Bolts Fishing Series

Summer is in full swing and it’s time to spend some quality time on the water fishing, swimming, skiing, or just enjoying a relaxing boat ride. Here in the Southeast we are fortunate to have a variety of lakes, reservoirs, rivers and coastal areas to explore.

If you own a boat and have never been caught in a summertime squall, then you probably haven’t owned a boat very long. A beautiful day with bluebird skies can turn to a dark, formidable storm in a matter of minutes. As the squall line approaches, the wind speed picks up dramatically, causing even small lakes to become a torrent of waves and spray. Wind gusts from 20 to 50 miles an hour can seemingly come from nowhere, and that pleasant afternoon on placid water turns into a white-knuckled ride to shelter.

Obviously, the key to not getting caught in these dangerous conditions is to avoid being there when it happens. With today’s technol-

ogy, you have tools that can do just that.

The first of these is your brain.

You don’t have to be a certified meteorologist to know the basics of an approaching weather event.

Keep an eye on the horizon. When those puffy white clouds begin to rise high in the sky, or begin to darken on the bottom, it may be time to head to the barn. If you feel a change in the wind direction, or the air temperature suddenly gets a bit cooler, that’s another signal to start heading home.

Your smartphone can be a huge help as well. Weather apps can keep you appraised of conditions in your immediate area, but cell service can be sporadic or non-existent in certain areas. Updates may be as much as 10 to 20 minutes apart, and that kind of gap can allow you to be caught off guard. I don’t rely completely on my cellphone.

A VHF marine radio is a huge asset because you can get information on the atmospheric weather in

your area as well as the surrounding areas. Plus you get sea state conditions from buoys and other monitoring stations. Unfortunately, the computer-voiced NOAA weather reports can take a while to cycle through all the regional reports and notices until you get the local weather conditions.

There is another option that delivers accurate information with a robust stream of contemporary data, and it appears as an overlay right on your chartplotter. SiriusXM Marine Weather gives you detailed visual imagery showing weather fronts, precipitation, lightning strikes, wind speed and direction, wave height, buoy data and more.

More importantly, all this data is transmitted to your chartplotter via satellite. Now, you don’t have to worry about being out of cell range, or your phone battery dying on you.

As an added benefit, you get all the SiriusXM tunes for when the weather is perfect outside. The monthly subscription is less than a cooler full of ice and the beverages you put in it. When the rain is horizontal and the waves are soaking your family, you’ll wish you had it.

Summertime squalls can be dangerous, even life-threatening.

Even for the most skilled boater, there may be an occasion where you simply get ‘caught’. For those times, you need to know when and how to ride it out. My recommendation is to take a safe boating course offered by the US Power Squadron. These courses are packed with information including dealing with emergency situations.

Summertime is for spending fun days on the water with family and friends. You can’t control the weather, but as a responsible skipper you should be familiar with how to recognize and avoid potentially dangerous situations. Take the time to gain the knowledge, skills and technology that will help you keep your family safe.

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Local Lakes & Forecasts Summertime Fishing Dr. Andrew Cox When you read this, summertime weather and temperatures are now here. The heat and humidity can make fishing during daytime hours uncomfortable. For many, fishing is limited to early morning or evening hours. Some anglers even focus upon fishing during nighttime periods. Georgia and Alabama experienced an extended time of cooler than average temperatures and rain. I find myself missing these weather patterns when enjoying outdoor activities during this month.

Despite the heat and humidity, anglers can still enjoy fishing during this time of year. Though I find it extremely uncomfortable attempting to fish on area lakes during the heat of the day, good angling can still be found during early morning and evening hours. From daylight un-

til about 10:00 am and those hours after 5:00 pm can be more comfortable for the angler. Fish seem to be more active at these times.

Anglers can also explore fishing during evening hours. Fish can often be found somewhat shallower during these hours. You may need specialized lighting equipment on your boat or at your fishing locale to illuminate your fishing area. Tying knots and managing your fishing equipment can be impossible without adequate lighting. Some of the waters that I fish have lighted docks.

These attract fish during the evening hours making them easier to target.

Crappie, bream, bass, and hybrids can be caught in such locales. Larger lakes and reservoirs will also be less crowded with pleasure boaters and quieter during evening time periods. Remember navigation lighting

rules when operating a boat during low light time periods.

The summertime months can also be good times to explore other waters. Fishing rivers and streams with shade and tree cover on the banks will extend your fishing time during daytime hours. Generally rivers and streams will have somewhat cooler waters and shaded banks will provide more fish holding structure during morning and evening time periods. Flowing water over shoals will provide fish holding areas not found on lakes and reservoirs.

Summer months are also good times to fish smaller lakes and ponds. These waters are usually not crowded and may be easier to locate fish even in deep water as the lake is smaller in area. During these months, I enjoy fishing some smaller lakes located in East Alabama. These lakes have a maximum depth of around 15 to 20 feet. Fish can usually be found in the deeper waters of these lakes as well as adjacent to the lakes’ dam areas using deep water fishing techniques.

Don’t give up on fishing during the hot summer months. If you

adapt to fishing a variety of waters, the time of day when you are fishing, and your fishing techniques, fish can still be found and caught.

Be safe. Remember to re-hydrate yourself and protect yourself from the potentially damaging extreme sunlight during this time of year.

Author’s Note: Dr. Andrew Cox is a contributing writer to outdoor publications and newspapers. His writing interests specialize in angling and travel, human interest, and general fishing technique oriented topics. He is a member of the Georgia Outdoor Writer’s Association. He has been fishing the waters of Georgia, Alabama, and north Florida for over forty years. He has also fished the waters of most states within the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and several Caribbean islands. He enjoys fresh and saltwater fishing for bass, bream, crappie, trout, redfish, and speckled trout using fly, baitcasting, and spinning equipment. Dr. Cox financially supports his fishing habits as Professor Emeritus at Troy University, Phenix City, Alabama. He may be contacted at andrewtrout@ aol.com.

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Local Lakes & 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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ity ters! l a u re QEL Mat e h W TE S

with Travis Johnson

July brings with it some great fishing in the North Georgia Mountains, and there’s no better lake to experience awesome striper fishing than Lake Nottely. The striper bite is intense; it’s the perfect time to hit the lake and catch some amazing fish. And what’s the best way to do that? By booking a trip with Blairsville, GA’s #1 striper guide: Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service.

Currently, Lake Nottely is at full pool. Water clarity is clear and slightly stained in the backs of creeks, and water temps are in the low 80’s.

Striper fishing has been excellent.

We have been loading the boat with some big fish in good quantities, averaging 20 to 30 stripers a trip.

The early morning and evening bites are your best times to see action. As far as technique, it’s been all down lines for us. Target creek mouths and points off the main lake channel. Also, during the hot sunny days of summer, search out areas with some good shade. The majority of our fish have been caught from Point 7 to the dam.

The topwater bite has been great as well. Keep a Spook or a Red Fin at the ready to snag surface-busting

fish. The fish will continue to school up through the next couple months and will move to even deeper water.

Just remember to keep an eye on your electronics and watch for schools of stripers when cruising the lake. Also, remember to try to get the fish back into the water as quickly as possible after they are caught.

July is a fantastic month for catching some monster stripers on this North Georgia lake. Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1 rated guide service put you on some of Lake Nottely’s best trophy 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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Forecast by: Clay Cunningham www.catchingnotfishing.com 770-630-2673 The summer heat is here. The stripers are going deeper every day.

July is always one of the best months of the year here on Lanier. The key pattern in July will be downlines over deep water with blue back herring. The downline is a type of Carolina rig similar to the one used in bass fishing. You use a 2 ounce Capt. Mack swivel sinker 6 feet or more above a fifteen pound 100% Trilene flourocarbon leader and a 2/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hook. The

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rod and reel consists of a Shakespeare 7’6” Striper Rod and a Penn Squall line counter reel spooled with fifteen pound Trilene Big Game. Herring will be the primary bait on the downline.

Be sure to take care of your bait. The better your bait, the better your success here on Lanier.

The best fishing will be from Browns Bridge down to the dam due to the better water quality. With each passing week the fish will move further and further south. The stripers will be over open water and 30 to 100 feet deep, so good electronics are important. The Humminbird Solix units work great.

It is time to go catching. See you on the water.

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6/17/18 5:08 PM

Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake Oconee

Lake SINCLAIR BASS

Lake Sinclair is down 1.48 feet with the water stained and the temperature in the mid-80s.

Bass fishing is good. There are still a good number of fish in less than 5 feet of water. Fishing small crankbaits like a ¼ ounce Rat-LTrap or a #5 Shad Rap would be a good choice. Fishing a Texas rig worm right on the sea wall will also bring you a few fish. You need

to cast right next to the sea wall as these fish are very shallow.

There has been a few areas of the lake where the shad have starting to spawn, so be on the lookout for these areas. Put a Zoom Super Fluke on and run the banks and cast this pearl bat right on the bank.

Snap it up to the surface and work it back fast and hold on.

Use the Lowrance Point 1 antenna to get the best and most accurate GPS coordinates.

The Lowrance Structure Scan technology can spot the bait schools close by and then you and can see the bass close by.

“There has been a few areas of the lake where the shad have starting to spawn, so be on the lookout for these areas”

Lake Oconee is full with the water temperature at 84 degrees. The water is stained up the rivers with the main lake clear. Richland Creek is clear.

Bass fishing is fair. The buzzbait bite is producing the first hour of daylight. White/chartreuse seems to be the best all-around color. Keep a trick worm tied on, and if a fish misses a buzzbait, follow it with the trick worm. Small crankbaits fished in the same areas will also be good producers. There is also a worm bite under docks and around wood structure.

Striper fishing is good. Start looking in the usual post-spawn locations, humps and points up the lake up from the dam. The down line bite has been the best bet, and you will need lake shad. Most of the fish seem to be around 20 to 30 feet deep. The umbrella rig bite is also starting to produce on some of the lower lake humps and points. You can also use the Minnie Mack umbrella rig trolled off of points and humps.

Crappie fishing is good. Long lining has been the best producer over the past week. Any jig color will work as long as it has chartreuse in it. The fish are deep, so you need to make sure you are getting your bait down to the fish.

The best locations have been in the mouths of the creeks and big coves.

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Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake Lanier in July – Summer Fun! Contributed By: Jim “Jimbo” Mathley www.jimboonlanier.com Depending on the water temperatures, there are several techniques you can utilize to stay on top of the fish, sometimes literally, and remain successful on Lanier during the hot summer months. Let’s review the locations, techniques and lures you can utilize to ensure you keep catching fish in July.

Location: By July, the majority of the spotted bass are normally in their traditional summer patterns.

While some fish will be relating to key features at the mouths of the major creeks, you will begin to find more and bigger spots active on the main lake. The fish tend to relate to either schools of bait or to some of the hundreds of man-made brush piles that can be found around the entire lake. Look for brush and other fishattracting features around the steeper side of long-running points, rocky

shoals, steep rocky ledges as well as underwater humps throughout the lake. Locating these areas and the man-made cover that is often found on them will be important to your success. Contact me directly through my website, jimboonlanier.com, to discuss the purchase of key waypoints for fishing Lanier in the summer months.

Lures and Presentation: Now that we have explored the location that the spots can often be found in July, let’s examine some of the techniques and lures that can be used to catch these fish.

1. Topwater/Swimbaits – These lures remain a viable approach until the surface temperatures hit the mid to upper 80’s. At this point, the majority of the bait goes deeper as do the fish. Until then, look for this bite to remain solid. The Gunfish and Chug

Bug are two of my favorite topwater lures. When the fish are stubborn, try a weighted fluke as a great second option on missed fish. swimbaits such as a Sebile and the offerings of the Sweet Bait Company are two of the best choices for the hard Swimbaits.

2. SuperSpin – When the topwater/ swimbait bite is tough, pick up your SuperSpin. Tip the SuperSpin with a Super Fluke Jr. trailer and fish the bait over and around brush for your best success. Vary your retrieve speed and depth until you hit on the right combination for that day.

3. Worm and Jig - When you see fish in brush on your Lowrance, try the worm and jig. I like the Picasso Shakedown heads – the tungsten heads give you great feel of the bottom structure. Explore different worm sizes, shapes, and colors when you are fishing. Something different presented appropriately can make a big difference on certain days.

Chattahoochee Jigs in 3/8 ounce are my favorite jigs on Lanier. A PBJ color pattern is often a good bet.

4. Drop-Shot – This is a great tool when the fishing gets tough. I opt for this offering when fish are suspended in or around brush, or when they are suspended on points or humps. This presentation can be made vertically or it can be cast toward the feature. I

prefer the Lanier Baits options on the artificial side, and I do several trips each summer with spot tail minnows.

This is a blast and an easy option for kids or inexperienced anglers. Spottailing turns fishing into catching!

I still have some dates available in July, so call me or drop me a line to have some fun! See you on the water!

Jimbo is a full-time, year-round spotted bass guide on Lake Lanier.

For more information or to book your trip, contact Jimbo on Lanier! 770542-7764. Jimbo’s website: www. jimboonlanier.com

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6/17/18 5:09 PM

Local Lakes & Forecasts Nature’s Intruder By: Ryan Kennedy YouTube: Ryan Kennedy Fishing Instagram: ryankfishing ryankfishing@gmail.com As fishermen, we go out on the lake with the intention of enjoying nature all around us as we relax on one of the many beautiful places on Earth.

Our minds are most likely focused on either what the fish want to bite that day or wondering if you’ve still got that two-year-old snack cake in the rod locker because you forgot to eat before getting on the lake. We get absorbed in the moment around us and completely lose sight of everything in our surroundings. Whether a bald eagle just swooped down, or fish came up schooling on the surface a few hundred yards away, you missed it because you were setting the hook into the “ten-pounder” on the end of your line that is really that gnarly stump in twelve feet of water that has enough lures on it to supply a tackle shop.

My point is that we are a microscopic dot on a map of everything nature has to offer. We are simply a guest at some of the greatest fish and animal homes

in the world. A consistent effort needs to be made to respect the amazing resources around us. That little bit of fishing line you threw in the water after tying on another lure or that worn out soft plastic bait you tossed off the side of the boat may not seem like much, but it adds up. If everyone was a slob on the water and carelessly threw garbage into the water, it wouldn’t take long for our reservoirs to become dumps of floating garbage. Keep in mind the first time you experienced what a lake or river had to offer. That magic feeling of a fish at the end of your line on a massive body of water is a feeling that is truly something special.

We must preserve these resources for generations to come.

Beyond the fact of future generations enjoying the Earth’s natural resources, I imagine the animals certainly appreciate it too. I can’t even fathom what it would be like to have a role reversal with fish driving

boats at ridiculous speeds across the roofs of our houses and dropping the hottest lure on the market down our chimneys. I doubt we would like that situation very much, but I know it would sure be better than all of that plus having them throw garbage all around us.

I know that seems so farfetched, and trust me this isn’t some treehugging, bulldozer block attempt.

This is simply a call to action for true sportsmen. The ones who truly appreciate the resources around us are the ones who accept the challenge to preserve the benefits of nature around us. The fish in the waterways, the

land animals in our forests, and the birds in the sky are all among some of God’s greatest gifts to us on this Earth.

Until next time, tight lines… and God Bless!

D

S

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Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake Burton

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Forecast by: Capt. Wes Carlton Georgia Lake Fishing 770-318-9777 www.georgialakefishing.com Water temperature: 81 degrees, lake level: full, clarity: clear.

Bass: The spotted bass have set up on their summer pattern. Most of the bigger fish are deep at 20 to 30 feet. We have been catching some good fish off the main lake points and humps throwing a Super Spin tipped with a white Fluke. We have also caught some big spots and largemouth in topwater in and around these same areas. A chrome Super Spook has been working best for these schooling bass. Look for the drop-shot bite to pick up over the next few weeks in and around brush piles.

Brown trout: The trout bite has

been decent lately. We haven’t caught very many fish, but the ones we have caught have been big. The trolling bite has really picked up and should continue over the next few weeks.

We have been trolling in the 20 foot depth range. Lucky Craft Pointer 68’s have been the go-to bait lately. Try maintaining a speed of 2.5 mph when trolling. We have caught a few nice yellow perch while trolling for the trout.

Yellow Perch: It’s that time of year when the yellow perch school up in big groups. This is a great time to catch a mess of these. They typically hang in the 15 to 25 foot depths in and around grass. Small spoons and jigs of any color work great. Locating the perch on a fish finder is the key to scoring big on a school of fish. Where there is one perch, there are many more. This pattern should prove to be good for the next few weeks. Good Luck!

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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 Summertime is here and the striped fish are chewing like nobody’s business.

Clarks Hill Lake is hovering around full pool. The current morning surface temperature is 83 degrees, and your opportunity to enjoy fast and furious action has arrived. The down rod herring bite has been phenomenal. Typical early morning spots are 30-40 foot humps and points that are adjacent to the main river channel. The bigger fish seem to respond best mid-morning after bright sunlight forces them to congregate deeper. We will look on the sides of ditches in the 40 to 50 foot range and progressively deeper as the summer continues.

A big key to success is the condition and handling of your baitfish. Blueback herring are delicate creatures, and the faster you can take them from tank to the correct fishing depth, the better chance that the bait will entice a fish.

Change bait often along with active chumming and you should be able to get a feeding frenzy started that will provide you with awesome excitement and great table fare.

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

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Local Lakes & Forecasts Back to the Basics

By Capt. Jake Davis www.midsouthbassguide.com, msbassguide@comcast.net 615-613-2382

I cannot tell you over the past few months how many times that I have been asked “How are you catching your fish?” This usually prompts me to ask the angler “What are you doing?” or I’ll simply say we’re fishing the basics! Then I’ll get the look of dismay combined with “What do you mean?”

In today’s world of Facebook and YouTube videos, it seems every other month there is some new tactic that is all the rage! As anglers, we often forget our roots. While there is nothing wrong with learning new tactics or ways to catch fish, if you are struggling, go back to the basics of fishing! This means tactics such as jigs, Carolina rigged plastics, Texas rigs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits and topwater lures. Here is a little refresher.

The “Rig” or “Old Ball and Chain”; I am a firm believer that

Carolina rig fishing is just about the most effective tactic that anglers can use when searching out that trophy bass. The reason is that Carolina rig fishing is not only very easy, but it is also an extremely versatile method of angling.

Texas rigged plastic such as an 8.75 inch Tomahawk Worm or creature bait like the D-Bomb; both of these plastics will move lots of water during a slow presentation. My Texas rig is made up of a 3/8 to 3/4 ounce tungsten weight followed by a bead and 4/0 hook.

Search baits such as crankbaits and spinnerbaits; my favorite cranks for covering deep water are a Rapala DT 16 (12-16 foot) and DT 20 that dives to 16-20 feet or a Z-Boss 20 or 25 from Profound Outdoors. Color selection really depends upon water clarity and sunlight penetration. A good example would be if the water

is stained or there is little sunlight because of heavy cloud cover, I’ll opt for more chartreuse in my crankbaits.

Once you’ve located a group of bass with a crankbait and caught a number of fish and the bite slows, a football head jig is the go-to setup.

I prefer a 1/2 or 3/4-ounce Mussel Crawler from Tightline Jigs matched to a Missile Baits Twin Turbo Tail or D-Bomb when they want a bulked up profile. Make some changes to your jig; first trim the weed guard down to 2-4 strands. When picking a trailer, use a contrasting color.

For example, if your jig is black and blue, use a green pumpkin trailer.

It may not be sexy but when things get really tough, tie on a shaky head with a trick worm and slow down.

The most exciting bite on the water remains the topwater bite. The Pop-R and Zara Spook have been around forever because they work.

I don’t think there is any tactic that can get the heart rate up and blood flowing like a big fish crushing a hard bait in open water or hollow body frog over grass.

There has been more fish put in the boat and more tournaments won

with the tactics I listed above than all others combined. So, the next time you find yourself struggling, get back to the basics of fishing!

Capt Jake Davis is a USCG Licensed Professional Fishing Guide on Lake Guntersville, Normandy, Nickajack and Tim’s Ford. Visit www.midsouthbassguide. com or call/email 615-613-2382, m s b a ssg ui d e @ comcast.net

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Local Lakes & Forecasts lake HARDING

as shallow as 2 to 4 feet busting on shad.

Sunfish are biting right now.

The Mayflies are just now starting to swarm, and with the full moon the sunfish will be on bed and in shallow water. Fish the bank where bushes and tree limbs hang over the water where the Mayflies will congregate. It is not hard to catch a cooler full of hand size bream or shellcrackers. Now is the time to take someone who is learning to fish or is younger and may not

have truly caught on to fishing.

Bream can be caught with crickets, red wiggler worms or with small artificial spinners or minnow baits like the Renosky Keystone Minnow.

Another fun way to catch sunfish is with a fly rod and small popper or foam fly. This can produce a lot of fish and can be very fun.

Catfish are biting now too. Fish the bottom around structure or on ledges and use bait such as chicken livers, stink baits or other live worms.

also biting well at night and can be caught around docks with lights. Just be aware that many home owners will cut off their lights sometimes if they see people fishing them, so do not get upset with the homeowner.

Well summer is finally in full They do this because some people do swing with the daytime temps in not respect their property and have the high 80’s and 90’s. The water is caused damage to docks and lights. mostly clear but can be stained af- The crappie are still biting, but ter a rain, especially if it is a severe most crappie are being caught in wathunderstorm. The water temps are ter 10 to 15 feet or deeper. Crappie in the mid 70’s for most of the lake can be caught using minnows mostly Lake Allatoona with temps a few degrees cooler up- around submerged structure around river at the shoals. deeper water docks and around Bass can still be caught shal- bridge pylons. Crappie are also bitATTENTION: ________________________________ is on threadfins and small gizzard low, and most bass I have caught or ing under the bridges at night. shad. Make sure you carry plenty of Forecast By: Capt.

Robert Eidson have been on a Texas Striped bassISSUE can still be caught FORseen THEcaught _____________________________ bait with you. Fresh bait is the key to First Bite Guide Service rig worm, trick worm or a swim- this time of year, and I recommend numbers.

770-855-8986 770-827-6282 eidson6260@att.net catching bait. Largemouth and spots can fishing the shoals upriver for stripes

The south end of the lake is by far DATE:_____________________________________ lakecountryshopper@gmail.com be caught in the main lake around or fishing in the morning or afterwww.firstbiteguideservice.com the best bite on the lake right now. docks and along shallow points.MUST CORRECTIONS WITHIN noon BE alongRECEIVED shallow rocky points. 24 HOURS OR AD WILL PRINT Live AS bait SHOWN. fished off of any main lake On the river portion, the best bite The water temps at the shoals are CHANGES PROOF IS FOR CORRECTIONS ONLY. ADDITIONAL AVAILABLE FOR A NOMINAL FEE. point right now will get you bit. Also Lineside fishing is great with is around grass beds and along the still in the lower 70’s. The best baits the summer pattern is in full swing the humps in the mouth of all the ISSUE APRIL bank with structure. Shoal bass are swimbaits, Rat-L-Traps or spin- right now. That means it is time for main creeks fish 2018right 3 r dI have P Rdownlines, O O F U-rigs (Mack Farr) and now. There isarealsoholding can be caught around the shoals on ners such as Red Fish Magic. a good evening the north end of the lake. Bass are seen some monster stripers in water downriggers. The best bite right now bite at the dam.

By Steve McCorkle “Colonel” Stevemccorkle61@yahoo.com

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Local Lakes & Forecasts Cloud Fishing

Contributed By: Noey Vinyard

The Routine

Even before the Marines showed me the definition of routine, I think I have always enjoyed one. I like the fact that even before I open my eyes in the morning that the light ball of fur laying on my pillow next to my head is Pinball the un-cat. I guess it’s a good thing that he never purrs, since it would be right in my ear, and I would probably never get any sleep. If you don’t know who Pinball is, he’s the little cat I brought home that had been run over by a car, and I believe his voice box was damaged, but I assure you he is a very happy little cat.

Now, whether he sleeps on my pillow next to me because he loves me, or because it’s all the bed Festus will give him, he gets up with me while I stumble and turn on the coffee. Festus, his highness, usually stays in bed for another hour or so.

Of course, it’s all the un-routine things that happen during the day that make life exciting. In fact, I believe a good routine may be the only thing that can contain the chaos that can occur on any given day.

I get up about four every morning and I like it that way, because after the aroma of coffee has finally roused me up, I know that it will still be dark outside. I will sit and sip coffee, and it feels like I have the whole world to myself, except of course for the cat in my lap who seems to have a talent for dipping his tail in my coffee. Sometimes, if I close my eyes and pretend hard enough, I can forget the fact that he usually uses the litter box first thing in the morning.

My absolute favorite days are the days I get up that early and have absolutely nothing to do. Those are the kind of days where I have perfected the art of extending morning coffee for a good two hours.

But if you live on any kind of farm or ranch, you know that those days are hard to come by. Usually, about the time the summer sun makes its presence known by starting its job of turning the world outside into a sauna, his highness gets out of bed and we go about our day.

This is where Festus finally 28 ATLANTA

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shows a little pep, because truth be known, he seems to think it’s an abomination that he is forced to share any of his space or time with the cat. To make matters worse, Pinball is a smart little cat, and he has learned how to push all of Festus’s buttons and does it for fun.

Fetus knows that the cat is not allowed to go with us in the morning, so he usually stops pouting after about 10 minutes outside, and that is where the un-routine starts. Nowhere in the world is the routine more beautiful or exciting than the North Georgia mountains, especially this time of year.

The honeysuckle is well into bloom, and although they may never admit it, I bet the people from places like Faberge and all the other perfume places would give a fortune to copy the smell of honeysuckle in the morning. Add to that the aroma of Cherokee rose in a good, steady running creek and you have a scent that I think would make the perfume places stoop to espionage to copy.

It’s a good time of year to make an adventure out of a good walk in the creek. We usually take all the dogs down, and despite the fact that there is a perfectly good clear running creek, they have a talent for finding the nastiest, smelliest mud hole around. In fact, after we got them washed off at the swimming hole, they managed to find three more on the way home, all which required a new trip to the swimming hole, and then it’s a race against the clock. We have to get all the dogs past the mud holes at one time, because all it takes is one dog to find one and then they all want to be in it.

Quitting time routine is just as important. If you are animal folks like we are, sleeping or eating does not even cross your mind until all your animals have been cared for.

No matter how bad the weather is, this part of the routine can never change, but I wouldn’t be able to relax until everybody was taken care of anyway.

The only thing that changes about my evening routine is that instead of having the cat dipping

his tail in my coffee, Festus stakes his claim and manages to take up most of a recliner with the same ease he seems to have taking up the biggest part of a king-size bed.

I would swear sometimes that the dog has magical boundary alarms, because if the cat takes one more inch than he’s already been given, Festus is up in a second and then the cat doesn’t get any of the bed. If you are one of those people that is saying “poor cat”, I agree with you.

I mean, he only has two couches, a recliner and a whole other kingsize bed that he can sleep in. Sometimes, I think it’s just his way of getting a kick out irritating Festus.

And just in case you haven’t noticed, Mother Nature is in full color outside, and if her wicked humidity and cruel heat doesn’t drive you indoors, you can find all of the smells from the day as the sun calls it quits and the moon starts his routine.

See you next month readers

“I like the fact that even before I open my eyes in the morning that the light ball of fur laying on my pillow next to my head is Pinball the un-cat. I guess it’s a good thing that he never purrs, since it would be right in my ear, and I would probably never get any sleep”

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6/17/18 5:09 PM

Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake chatuge

Eric Welch Welch’s Guide Service www.welchsguideservice. com 706-455-2323 Water temperature: 75-78 degrees, lake level: 1 foot above pool, clarity: clear.

Bass: TVA has got the lake level back to summer pool, and the fishing is starting to get back to normal.

Over Memorial weekend we received 7 days of rain that put the lake up in the woods and over the walkways of docks, causing TVA to open all the flood gates, something they’ve not had to do in over 40 years.

July normally starts with a good topwater bite in the mornings. Start out throwing a 90 Series Whopper Plopper and a Strike King Sexy Dawg around points and flats. Once the sun gets up, start throwing a drop-shot with a 6” Roboworm and shaky head around deep banks, brush and boat docks. If you’re wanting to just target the bigger spots and largemouth bass, throw a 3/8 ounce green pumpkin jig.

You should also start seeing fish

out offshore on humps and ditches.

Target these fish with a fluke on a jig head and a 5” spoon. If it’s a windy day, try throwing a 3/8 ounce white spinnerbait around brush and docks. Night fishing is starting to get good, so throw a Texas rig green pumpkin trick worm and a Norman DD22.

Give Welch’s Guide Service a call. We’re your #1 guide service, and we’ve been doing it since 2001.

Good luck.

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Local Lakes & Forecasts Kim’s Kitchen Fish Tacos

Pounders www.poundersseafoodmarket.com

• 1 Taco Kit, complete with crispy corn tortilla shells and taco seasoning packet • 4 small to medium sized fish fillets (~ 12-16 oz. total) • 1/4 C flour • 1/4 C bread crumbs • “Fixin’s”: onions, tomatoes, lettuce, avocados, cheese, beans, etc.

Thoroughly mix 1 package of your favorite taco seasoning with about ¼ cup of flour and ¼ cup of bread crumbs in a large plastic bag.

Remove the fish from the egg wash, cut it into bite-size chunks and put all the pieces in a plastic bag with the taco-seasoned flour mix; shake well to fully and evenly coat the fish.

To a pre-heated/very hot pan (non-stick works best, but a heavy-gauge aluminum pan or cast iron works quite well too) add about two tablespoons of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter.

Note: Heat the pan first and then add the oil and butter!

Add the fish pieces to the pan -- a few at a time until all pieces are in the pan -- and allow them to get well-browned on all sides.

The best way to do this is to move the pan back and forth while moving the fish pieces with a wooden or non-stick spatula.

Place several pieces of fish into warmed taco shells, add your favorite fixin’s, top with some salsa and there you have it!

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6/17/18 5:09 PM

Local Lakes & Tournaments Lake MARTIN Provided By: David Hare Alex City Guide Service 256-401-3089

on any reservoir is boaters under the influence of alcohol, drugs or both, running at night with no lights, excessive speed at night and just plain old no boater operating experience. By saying all of this, I’m telling you by experience this is the time to be on your best defensive driving training. Never take your eyes off the water, and follow all boating safety rules. This is not a time to not have your mind 100% on operating your boat.

If you’d like to book a trip and let us take all the pressures off you and your guests, just give me a call or text at 256401-3089. Happy 4th of July, America!

Water temperature: 82 degrees, lake level: full pool, clarity: clear.

The night trips have been producing really nice striper catches. Right now (in July) you need to spend your time searching for them in main channels, deep water, and expect to see them in the thermocline. You can troll for them with swimbaits, deep running crankbaits, spoons or deer hair jigs. If trolling is not your deal, then fish with live bait, The number one live striper bait is gizzard Brad shad, which is what we specialize in (live Gregory bait fishing). For most fishermen, shad is and friend not a choice for them due to not being showing able to catch them and for not being able off trophies to keep them alive, so your next choice caught would be bream or black salties. on Lake July is a very busy month on the lake Martin both day and night, and the lake will have a lot of traffic (pleasure boaters). The most common problem you’ll witness

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Lake Allatoona will be at full pool (840 feet) until the fall draw down. Tropical storm Alberto brought us a LOT of rain back in May which will affect the lake the rest of the year. The more water Allatoona releases, the sooner we will run out of cool, oxygenated water down deep. The fishing so far this spring has been excellent to outstanding with daily catches on guide boats like Allatoona Guide Service (Capt Fred Duncan), Extreme Stripers (Capt Cy Grajcar), First Bite (Capt Robert Eidson), and Orion Charters (Capt Chris Hughes), are regularly surpassing 50 hybrid in a morning. There is also a great population of larger striper in Allatoona with catches over 20 pounds being reported fairly often.

We are seeing numbers of fish on the lake right now like the old guys talk about “back in the day.” This is very likely related to a change in stocking location enacted by the DNR starting in 2015 after the Allatoona Striper Society meeting held at Striper Soup Bait & Tackle earlier that year. The importance of introducing the hybrid and striper fry to a more estuary-like environment was discussed, and we are reaping great success from this change in the program. The 2015 hybrid are now approaching the 5-6 pound mark, and the striper are slightly larger and will continue

to grow. The baitfish population is good, and our fish are very healthy.

Live threadfin and gizzard shad on downlines will be the ticket. The target depth range on Allatoona is usually 18-22 feet, a little deeper in the immediate vicinity of the dam (the forebay). We will see mostly hybrid and small striper from this point until late October-November when the water cools back down.

At the time of writing this report, the surface feeding has only just begun as spawned out threadfin make their way back out to the main body of the lake. We are anticipating a totally awesome summer of surface feeding! Have your 8-10 pound spinning gear ready with Rooster Tail in ¼ or 3/8 ounce, surface plug like a Spook or Sammy, spoons like a Foley or Kastmaster, smaller jigs in the 1/8-1/4 ounce size, and even popping cork rigs. This is some of the best fishing Allatoona has to offer.

HINT: Please respect the fishery and your fellow angler and only keep as many fish as you can eat.

Released fish will keep growing and give us more to catch in the future.

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Local Lakes & Tournaments Lake Blue Ridge Smallmouth and Walleye By: Shane Goebel Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service & The Angler Magazine Fishing Team www.bigolfish.com 828-361-2021, 1-844-4-ANGLER Lake Blue Ridge is not just one of the most idyllic settings in the North Georgia Mountains, it is also the source of some of the best smallmouth and bass fishing in the area, and July is a great month to hit the water as we move into the prime of the summer season.

Currently, Lake Blue Ridge is at full pool. Water temperatures are in the mid 80’s. Water clarity is clear in the main lake and in the creeks and rivers.

Not a lot has changed out here. We are still catching substantial amounts of smallmouth and spotted bass all over the lake, with the majority of our bigger smallmouth being caught in the Toccoa River area. Target these fish off rocky points, ledges and shallow humps around the lake, though it is not uncommon to find them under docks as well. We are

also seeing a lot of white bass schools on shallow humps. These white bass have been pretty aggressive, and we’ve been slaying them.

Down-lining live herring has been working the best for us. Most of our fish have been in the 25 to 35-foot range. Look for these large schools of smallmouths and spots off rocky points and off ledges near shallow flats. Use your electronics to locate fish, and once you’ve marked some good fish, drop your lines and hang on. These fish have been feeding pretty heavily, and we’ve been going through the bait. It’s not uncommon for us to catch 20 to 30 within an hour or so. For the white bass, use the same techniques but search out shallow humps and flats.

July is a fantastic month for catching some very big fish on this lake. Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1 guide service put you on some of Lake Blue Ridge’s best trophy fish.

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Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake Eufaula

By Capt Sam Williams hawk184@earthlink.net 334-687-6266 Water temperature: low 80’s, water level: 188.87 msl, clarity: slight stain.

Bass are hot now, plenty of smaller eating size to catch. The grass and pad cover are holding plenty of bait and bass. The topwater bite is good early and holds well if cloud cover is present. Worms and trick worms on shaky heads are good near cover too. Deeper fish on structure and attractors are hitting deep cranks, big jigs and Carolina rigs.

Crappie are holding on trees and

trash piles on the ledges. Bluegill are eating crickets and wigglers near shore cover.

Catfish are on the drops and in creeks. Big worms, livers and cut bait are good for bottom fishing.

Jug fishing is always a lot of fun and will keep the kid’s busy while chasing the fish. Cut bait is always a great choice for baiting the jugs.

Put a hook on an old cane pole to lift the jug and you will land more of the bigger fish.

The weather is getting hotter, so be sure and keep plenty of water with you and use plenty of good sun screen safe on the water. Wear life jackets when under way, as we do not any more accidents on the river. God Bless & Good Fishn’ Chuck Patterson and Greg Thomas from Mansfield and Madison GA fishing with Capt Sam Williams

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Local Lakes & Tournaments

Crankbaits!

By Billy Darby

Crankbaits can be defined as almost any hard plastic lure with a forward tilting bill that dictates the lure’s travel attitude and depth when retrieved. This pre-determined design is selected by the angler for certain applications such as depth of lure presentation, tight wiggle or slow wobble, etc. Also included in this category are lipless crankbaits which are generally selected for shallow water offerings.

Seasoned veteran anglers can depend on this category of lures to rapidly cover potential holding areas when searching for patterns, comfort zones and feeding schools.

Each has learned the hard way of the many mistakes relating to proper presentation and success. These

mistakes can lead to poor lure performance, improper size lure selection and depth of desired coverage area.

The choice of line size is the number one mistake most anglers make. Excessive line size can dominate the lure’s intended and designed action so dramatically that it renders the lure ineffective.

Inadequate line size just won’t get the job done and will result in lost fish and expensive lures and heartaches.

Mistake number two is depth choice. Improper lure depth can result in grinding the bottom, which kills the action, causes hang ups and snagged lures. Too shallow of choice will not penetrate the strike

zone. Ticking the bottom is acceptable as this creates silt disturbance and certain sounds caused by bouncing the lures off obstacles such as rocks and stumps, but beware of the stumps.

Mistake number three is speed of retrieve.

There is an old saying that says, you cannot take a lure away from a fish that really wants it.

I believe you can certainly attract many more with the proper presentation. Play with the retrieve speed and feel the vibrations extended to your rod tip. Look for signs of yawing to either side by watching the direction of lure travel. Repetitive yawing can be corrected by slightly bending the tie-on eye toward the low side. If the lure is packaged with a split ring, use it, if not, do not add one.

Choice of lure color is also of great importance. In clear water, light colors are generally accept-

able. In stained water, brighter colors such as chartreuse and yellows should get the job done. Let’s not forget rattles and sound emissions, especially in dirty water, but these may be a distraction in clear water or when approaching spooky fish.

The many variables in each category of design, size, shape, tight wiggle or wide wobble for crankbait fishing that only experience and common sense can guide an angler toward a happy weigh-in and a fat sack or another trip back to the tackle store or to the psychologist.

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Wall of Fame

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

Chris Redd with a huge striper caught in the whitewater rapids on the Hooch in Columbus Bryan Watson with a big bass caught on Country Lake in Alpharetta

Incredible Huk with a pair of nice Lanier stripes

Louis Hill with a rare tiger trout caught at Naco ochee Bend fishing with Unicoi Outfitters

Tommy Cowart with an 8.9 pound bass caught from a lake in Madison County

Nic Jeter and his stepson, Paxton Sapp, with a great catch of Seminole bass

WINNER! Eleven-year-old Ava Nutall with a big striper caught on Clarks Hill with Little River Guide Service

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David Winters caught this beautiful rainbow fishing with Reel Em In Guide Service

Gehrig Presley with a nice slab from Lake Eufaula

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orthern snakeheads are a nasty invasive species, which makes them all the more fun to shoot with a bow and arrow.

Andrew Fox, of Mechanicsville, Maryland, spent Memorial Day weekend bowfishing with buddies at Mattawoman Creek in Charles County, Maryland. He came home with a new state record.

The trio was out on the water for a few hours the night of May 24, waiting for low tide, but despite the favorable tides, recent rains made visibility nearly impossible.

By pure luck, Fox caught a glimpse of a fish illuminated in the glare of the boat’s lights.

Thinking it might be carp, Fox said he was slow to respond, but after a few seconds determined it was a snakehead.

“That’s the biggest snakehead I’ve ever seen,” said Fox. Pulling back his bow, Fox struck the snakehead and hauled in the monster “frankenfish.” With the snakehead in the boat’s hull, Fox removed the arrow and said, “This might be a new state record.”

In fact, it is now the biggest northern snakehead caught in the state of Maryland. Fox’s snakehead tipped the scales at 19.9 pounds with a length of 35.157 inches, breaking a 2-year-old record.

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The team that accumulates the most points for blue marlin, white marlin and spearfish during the event’s three fishing days earns $25,000, while second- and third-place prizes are $10,000 and $5,000, respectively. All billfish must be released, except potentially record-setting blue marlin that exceed 600 pounds.

Teams also can enter one fun fish (tuna, dolphin, wahoo or released sailfish) per boat per day for additional points.

Marlin division competitors can pay an additional fee to compete for $10,000 in the fun fish division. Cash prizes await anglers who catch the three heaviest dolphin, three heaviest tuna (yellowfin, blackfin and skipjack) and three heaviest wahoo.

The Key West Marlin Tournament is to begin with a 4 to 6 p.m. final registration Wednesday, July 18, at the Waterfront Brewery, 201 William St. A captains meeting, auction and raffle are to follow.

Fishing is set for 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday, July 19 and 20, and 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 21. Weighins take place after each day’s fishing on the dock behind the Waterfront Brewery.

Tournament social events include cocktail gatherings, an island-style pig roast and a fish fry. An awards banquet at the Margaritaville Key West Resort & Marina, 245 Front St., is scheduled Saturday night.

Entry fees are $1,800 per boat before June 15 ($2,100 thereafter) for two anglers, a captain and mate to compete in the marlin division and attend social events. Each additional angler per boat must pay $200 to fish.

Entry in the fun fish division is an additional $300 per boat.

For more information and to register, visit KeyWestMarlin.com.

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egendary author Ernest Hemingway fished for “big game” in Key West waters during the 1930s, and contemporary anglers can follow his lead Wednesday through Saturday, July 18-21.

Anglers targeting marlin and other fish are to compete for $50,000 in guaranteed cash prizes in the 2018 Havana Club Key West Marlin Tournament, held in conjunction with the island city’s annual Hemingway Days celebration. The tournament concludes on the 119th anniversary of Hemingway’s birth.

Our stars come out at night.

From bridges teeming with tarpon and snook to swordfish prowling down deep, the night fishing in The Florida Keys is out of this world. In fact, it’s right up there with the daytime fishing, which is nothing short of stellar. fla-keys.com 1.800.fla.keys

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fish like this only comes around once in a lifetime, or several lifetimes considering it is likely the new world record black crappie.

Lionel “Jam” Ferguson was fishing a private pond in Loudon County, Tenn., near Knoxville, when he caught a verified 5-pound, 7.58-ounce crappie on May 15. The huge slab, which ate a Kalin’s Triple Threat grub in John Deere color, smashes the existing Tennessee state record of 4-pounds, 4-ounces.

After DNA testing confirms it is indeed a black crappie, rather than a white crappie, it will eclipse the world record of 5-pounds.

Ferguson knew he had a special fish when he tossed it up on the bank on that fateful Tuesday, and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) agreed. Anthony Chitwood, a Loudon County wildlife officer, met Ferguson and they took the fish to a nearby boat ramp where it could be weighed on a set of certified scales used for bass tournaments. TWRA biologists later inspected the fish to determine it was indeed a black crappie. A fin clipping was taken for DNA analysis to remove all doubt.

Whether it’s a white crappie or black crappie, Ferguson’s fish will be a new world record. The 5-pound IGFA world record black crappie was caught from a private lake in Missouri in 2006. The IGFA world record white crappie was caught way back in 1957 in Mississippi. It weighed 5-pounds, 3-ounces.

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6/18/18 2:32 PM

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By Capt. Chester Reese and Capt. Randy Cnota • Photos by Capt. Chester Reese

ingfish might be the most explosive-biting fish in the Gulf of Mexico.

We often see them skyrocketing a surface bait and jumping 8 feet into the air. They’ll hit live bait doing 30 mph, and all you’ll hear is a screaming reel.

Kings in the 40- to 50-pound class are common here off Franklin County, Fla, with many 20- to 30-pounders mixed in. The state record is 90 pounds. It was caught off Key West in 1975. Kingfish might be in a school of hundreds, or a solitary big one might cruise the reefs and wrecks like a lone wolf.

There are many ways to fish kings, but live bait can be a sure thing. Trolling dusters with a cigar minnow in tow has been a standard in the northern Gulf ever since powerboats have plied these waters. The old guys used drone spoons with long wire leaders to defeat the sharp array of teeth that can instantly cut a leader off. Light tackle is the way most Franklin County anglers fish kings today, and it gives quite an experience to the angler who has never hooked one of these torpedoes. They will hit jigs tipped with bait, trolled plugs and even take a grouper bait off the bottom.

The food value of kingfish is very good, depending on how you prepare and cook them. Being high in omega 3 oils, they don’t freeze well if they are not precooked. Fresh fillets broiled or fried are hard to beat, and you don’t have to get fancy with the seasoning. Make sure to remove the dark bloodline from any part of the fillet, since it offers too strong of a taste for some.

Kings in the 15-pound class are fantastic on the grill, and slicing the fish into steaks with a drenching of Italian salad dressing makes a nice presentation. If you have a smoker, this opens up another great way to do kings. Cut fillets into manageable pieces and smoke them for 6 to 8 hours with a dusting of seasoning. Kingfish makes a superb fish dip, and it is great for parties.

Kings are abundant in our waters, so get out there and catch some. This Aug. 4-5, C-quarters Marina in Carrabelle, Fla. will hold the 15th annual Kingfish Shootout. To date, this event has raised $915,000 to fight leukemia, and this year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever with more than $20,000 in prize money! Come help raise money for the Leukemia Research Foundation, experience the beauty of the Forgotten Coast, and enjoy the sounds of screaming drags.

For a complete list of rentals, charters, supplies and more visit www.floridasforgottencoast.com.

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By Capt. Randy Cnota

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t all started for me when I began focusing on the big bull reds that prowl the waters around the St. Andrews Pass and the bridges in Panama City, Fla. I knew many of them lurked in those deep waters, and using live bait was usually a sure bet, but I get such a kick out of fooling fish with artificial lures that I had to explore the world of deep jigs like the Shimano Butterfly jig and the Offshore Angler Freestyle jig.

When attempting to fool fish holding in water 50 to 100 feet deep, or more, you need a lure that gets down in a hurry. Not many tools can fill this niche, but these heavy, lead, streamlined jigs with the cool paint jobs come through in spades. Equipped with one or two hooks on a short tether, these jigs produce a wild, erratic fluttering on the fall, and when worked correctly, produce an enticing jumping action when ripped up off the bottom with the rod. The action is similar to a spoon more than a conventional jig, and fish of all species fall for it.

It’s crucial to team your jig up with a properly rated rod. Deep jigging rods are usually short and work very well, but many rod types will get the job done. Spinning reels work fine, but I’ve found reels built for bottom fishing, like the Shimano Torium, to be my favorite. They’re smooth and fast, perfect for this technique.

Spool up with 50• Safer to 80-pound test braid and a shock • Easier leader made of • Better 30- to 60-pound monofilament or fluorocarbon.

Typically this is a vertical presentation with your boat positioned right on top of your target. Casting the jig, however, can be a very effective way of targeting fish that may be suspended somewhere in the water column and away from the boat. You can cover a lot of water using these jigs as a searchbait.

Cast or drop the jig and let it settle to the bottom.

Then begin pumping it back to the boat.

Work it with hard jerks several feet off the bottom, and let it settle on a semi slack line.

Usually, a hard jerk works best. This triggers a strike without giving the fish time to think about what it’s looking at. You will feel the strike, and it will likely be on the fall, so hold on! I once had a large fish rip a rod right out of my hand. Down it went, the whole rig.

That was a learning moment! Adjust your drag properly.

I have experienced several days, both nearshore and offshore, when I caught fish about four to one against my partners using live bait. This is due to the bait’s ability to cover a lot of water in a short time with extremely effective results. I’ve caught reds, grouper, bonito, snapper, Spanish and king mackerel, trout, amberjacks, mahi and more using these jigs. It is an extremely exciting and productive fishing technique; give it a try!

Randy “C-Note” Cnota is co-publisher of the Panama City/Forgotten Coast edition of Coastal Angler Magazine and owner of C-note Charters in Panama City, Fla. Check him out at cnotecharters.com.

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For more kite fishing tips, go to

THEANGLER.ROCKS

here’s no denying the effectiveness of presenting lively, active baits on the surface for just about any predatory offshore species.

And kite fishing has to be the ultimate way to do it.

With live bait rigs suspended beneath a kite flown off the stern, live baits remain right on the surface, where they are free to skitter and thrash to draw in kingfish, mahi, tuna, sailfish, marlin and just about any other species that prowls the open water. With the leader and line hanging out of the sky, there’s no line in the water to tip-off a hungry predator. It is a presentation that catches a whole lot of fish when practiced correctly.

For anyone who has thought of adding kites to their offshore arsenal, Taco Marine has released a video that takes all the complications out of rigging and flying kites. Capt. Mark Henderson, 2008 Angler of the Year on the Yamaha Professional Kingfish Tour, lays it all out while catching kings off the coast of North Carolina. Working with his team, the Liquid Fire Fishing Team, he discusses the benefits of kite fishing, techniques for deploying a kite, what types of rods and reels to use and how to prepare a basic rigging kit.

While walking the viewer through the process of launching and rigging his kites, Capt. Henderson shares useful tips such as the best way to rig live baits for kite fishing—with a live bait hook just in front of the dorsal to keep the bait’s nose in the water, and a treble just behind the dorsal for better hookups. He also discusses positioning of kites and rods for more effective line management as well as all the gear one needs to kite fish effectively.

The video also features TACO Marine Straight and Offset Trident Rod Holders with a Tool Caddy. These high-polished, aluminum Trident Rod Holders have a detachable tackle tray Tool Caddy designed to conveniently and safely hold fishing gear, including hooks, pliers, knives, rigs, lures, spoons and a beverage.

For more information, go to tacomarine.com.

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SeaLander II Deck Boat

Since the SeaLander sits so high in the water, it planes quickly with no bow rise. There are no power robbing pontoons to push through the water, so there is plenty of power reserve for towables or wakeboards.

A towing tower and swimming ladder are standard features .

In comparison to pontoon boats, this 90 HP deck boat design provides more power with less horsepower and greater fuel economy . The standard 90HP outboard powers the 8’ wide x 25’-8” long boat up to 32 mph.

The SeaLander handles beautifully in banking turns and incorporates hydraulic steering for easy control with zero feedback from the outboard motor. Personal requirements, ie., colors, seat arrangements, etc, are all optional.

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The SeaLander II is a pontoon type deck on an air boat type hull. The result is a fishing/party boat that floats in 3 inches of water. The 3 inch draft allows the boat to navigate shallow waters and to beach at any shore line.

The front deck extends beyond the shore line and a drop step allows passengers to step on and off the boat without getting wet. The SeaLander needs no dock so it is perfect for campers who want to dock their boat right at the campsite or boaters who want to explore islands or pull right up to beaches or picnic areas. The step arrangement is great for loading and unloading the boat and to allow older passengers and young children to board safely .

Wheelchair accessible ramps are also an option.

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T Buy 3 Bass Bug Poppers Get 1 FREE! Use offer code: ANGLERMAG Offer good through August 2018

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he Surface Seducer Double Barrel Bass Bug is a no-nonsense popper fly designed with one thing in mind—generating a massive pop to trigger attacks from predatory fish!

This foam popper fly won Flymen Fishing Co. the Best of Show—Fly Pattern Freshwater award at the 2017 International Fly Tackle Dealer Show and is now better than ever with a new and improved no-epoxy design. This popper is impossible to crack because there is nothing to crack. You can literally hit it with a hammer multiple times and it will still be fishable (we know because we’ve tried). Fishing guides such as Blane Chocklett report catching dozens and dozens of fish on a single bass bug.

How does this bass bug take a beating so well? The Double Barrel popper body (also available as a fly tying material) is made of durable, soft EVA closed-cell foam, which means it will never get saturated with water. It is made to catch fish over and over and over again. Because it cannot become waterlogged, it remains lightweight and easy to cast.

The Surface Seducer gets its powerful popping action from the deep front cup and extended top lip of the foam Surface Seducer Double Barrel popper body, which allows you to effortlessly trigger loud pops with strong splashes when working your fly.

If you’d like to fish the Bass Bug, it’s available at fly shops, at retailers such as Bass Pro, and at www.flymenfishingcompany.com. Flymen is running a promotion exclusively for Coastal Angler and The Angler readers. Enter the code ANGLERMAG at checkout on the Flymen website to get a free Bass Bug Popper when you buy three. Don’t wait! This promotion is only available through August.

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT Popticals Sunglasses There is a $200 piece of equipment every angler needs.

It is indispensible to our sport. Yet we store this expensive piece of equipment in unsafe ways. Breaking a $200 fishing rod after less than a year of use would be a major loss. Why do we treat our high-quality sunglasses like they are disposable?

The answer: because there’s no easy, safe way to store sunglasses.

Popticals has come up with a new solution to this dilemma that has frustrated anglers since the first pair of polarized sunglasses fell off someone’s head and sank into the depths. Popticals’ innovative new FL2 Micro Rail system allows you to fold your glasses down to fit into a compact protective case.

Sure, all high-end sunglasses come with a case. No one uses them. They are bulky, inconvenient and don’t fit in your pocket. As a result, those highperformance lenses get scratched up or lost when they fall from the front of your shirt or fly off the top of your head.

Popticals are different. The slim case slides easily into your pocket, or you can clip it with the included carabiner to the T-top. Because it is easier to take care of them, Popticals might be the last pair of sunglasses you’ll ever need to buy.

Popticals are also high-quality sunglasses. With NYDEF nylon lenses manufactured by Carl Zeiss Vision, they provide all the clarity of glass and weigh 18 percent lighter than polycarbonate. In optics, they outperform the market’s premier brands.

When you’re tired of looking through scratched lenses and replacing expensive sunglasses, give Popticals a try. You’ll be glad you did.

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he oldest fishing tournament on the Gulf Coast, The Deep Sea Roundup will return July 12-15 to the Texas Gulf Coast to celebrate its 83rd year. Hurricane Harvey roared into the Coastal Bend last year and left its mark on Port Aransas, but the PABA will hold the 2018 Deep Sea Roundup with the help of volunteer and the community fishing spirit.

The Deep Sea Roundup began in 1932 as the Tarpon Roundup and has grown from a handful of Port Aransas fishing and hunting guides pitting their skills against one another to the largest family fishing tournament on the Texas Gulf Coast. The Roundup attracts anglers of all ages and skill levels, drawing over 800 contestants annually.

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t’s summertime, and that means mako sharks on the fly in southern California! If you ever get a chance to try it, mako sharks are the premier summertime gamefish off our coast, and being able to sight fish a fly to them is an experience like no other in fly fishing.

Here are some suggestions on tackle and flies to get you into the Mako shark game.

Rods The fly rod used when mako shark fishing is more a fish fighting tool rather than a casting tool. Fly rods in the 12- to 15-weight range are what I recommend. These rods easily cast a large fly and have enough lifting power to fight a mako shark from deep water. For larger makos, I use one-piece custom rods that are 7 ½ feet to 8 feet in length and can cast a fly to 30 feet quickly and accurately. They are great fish-fighting tools, especially for makos in to 200- to 400-pound range.

Reel The drag system must be able to apply at least 18 pounds of drag pressure at its maximum setting. Most fly reels used in the saltwater these days are designed to apply up to 20 pounds of drag pressure. The reason you want a reel to have this amount of drag pressure is to be able to apply maximum pressure on the fish when it is swimming away from the boat and during the final moments of the fight. You want to be able to “lock down” on the mako and hold it at the boat so you can get a quick release. If the drag is too light (not enough drag pressure), you will never get the mako to the boat.

Line retrieval The rate at which the fly line can be retrieved depends on the size of the reel’s arbor. The larger the arbor, the more line you can retrieve in one revolution of the fly reel spool. I recommend using the largest arbor reel possible. Many fly reel companies make reels with large arbors specifically for big saltwater gamefish like makos, tuna and marlin.

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Flies The flies I use for mako sharks are large-profiled flies with a foam popper head. These flies are typically 8 to 12 inches long and tied on plastic tubing. I prefer tube flies because they are able to slide up and down the steel leader, saving the fly from getting eaten up by the shark.

My hook size varies from 6/0 to very large 10/0.

As for fly colors, red/orange combo is what I like best. This color combo is easy to see in tough lighting conditions. However, I will have one rig with a different color fly. The reason I do this is if the mako gets turned off by the red/orange color combo, a change in fly color can get the mako to react to a different color fly.

Now go catch some Makos on the fly!!

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