Coastal Angler Magazine | July 2023 | Boston Edition

If you love bass fishing, you need to check out the awardwinning Cobbosseecontee Lake. Featured in Bassmaster Magazine’s Top 100 Best Bass Lakes list for the past 20 years, Cobbosseecontee Lake has always been a great destination for top fishing professionals and elite anglers, not to mention television shows and outdoor writers.

Comtinued on Boston page 1

George K. Regan, Jr. Publisher Boston Edition Julie Kahn Executive Vice President/ Strategy, Sports & Media

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FISHING DEEP DROPS AS

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

Sfrequent, and the pelagics are plentiful. is time of year, you can usually point your boat o shore and eventually run into the mecca. However, these sought-a er pelagic species are moving around through their migrations and nding them isn’t always guaranteed. Sometimes you just get unlucky running and gunning all day, on the hunt for birds, debris and weed lines. Whether you are out there with no signs of life or just can’t seem to get away from schools of undersized sh, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan to save the day and make the fuel bill worth it.

Having a deep-drop rig ready to go can save a day of o shore shing. Sword shing can be an epic day saver, but it takes quite a bit of time, gear and involvement to have a good chance. ere are a lot of opportunities for shing the bottom between the reef and the sword grounds.

With a set-up that can handle shing between 500 and 1,000 feet, you will have what you need to quickly pepper in some drops during your day, without spending too much time setting it up and packing it away. ere are a variety of edible aliens that can be targeted, or even snagged as bycatch, when shing in the deep, but pretty much all

onboard, in case you get hung on the bottom, or adjustments need to be made due to the current. Having the right weight is important, and it is pretty easy to tell a er a drop if you have put on too much or too little. I would recommend having 6-, 8- and 10-pound weights to make your adjustments with. ese leads can be extremely pricey, so look into some DIY methods if this is something you plan to get into.

Depending on what you want to target, there are a few variations you will want for your rigs. Utilizing 300-pound mono and sleeve swivels, space out up to ve hooks along the leader, making the drop-down leaders short enough that they won’t tangle with each other. Play around with di erent size hooks and spacing between them. If you aren’t sure what might be living on a newfound bottom spot, drop a rig with varied hook sizes, having the biggest on the bottom. It is also a good idea to a x a 6-inch, 50-pound breakaway leader to the lead to save the rest of your gear when you inevitably get hung up.

Searching for new bottom spots can be one of the most exciting parts about this type of shing. You might see ledges full of life on your machine, or you might see nothing at all, and still nd sh.

You can even look for changes in the waves on the surface that indicate depth uctuations on the bottom. Mark your spots whenever you get a bite, and start your own collection of o shore honey holes.

Sweet E’nuf Charters’ two-boat eet specializes in deep-dropping out of Marathon, Florida Keys. Call them at (504) 920-6342 to book your trip this summer. Follow Capt. Quinlyn on social media @captainquinlyn.

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THREE DESTINATIONS FOR

For many anglers, yellow n tuna settle right into the sweet-spot of the tuna shing world. ey’re bigger and stronger than black ns, while being far more approachable than giant blue ns. ey’re fast and strong, and they school up, sometimes crashing baits on the surface. ere’s so much to like about this tremendous game sh, and it doesn’t hurt that limits are relatively liberal in most places. Did we mention that yellow ns are made of the delicious meat known as ahi in sushi bars?

Here are three of the best destinations where you can test your strength against a few yellow ns. Win the battle, and you’ll eat like a king.

Venice, Louisiana:

One of the most consistent places in the world for catching yellow ns is out of Venice, e “Yellow n Capital of the World.” Tuna are a year-round possibility here in the Northern Gulf, where the Mississippi River produces rich currents and rip lines that roll out to hundreds of oil rigs and undersea mounts known as lumps.

Summertime brings better weather and calmer seas, when getting o shore more quickly and comfortably can reward anglers with mixed bags of mahi, wahoo, snapper and tuna in the 40 to 80-pound range. However, peak season for giant yellow ns is in winter, and triple-digit sh become the norm when the bite is hot. Fish heavier than 200 pounds are a de nite possibility.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico:

On Mexico’s Paci c Coast, where the landmass begins to curve east, Puerto Vallarta is positioned within range of some of the most proli c tuna grounds in the world. Outside of Banderas Bay, a series of islands and deep-sea banks draw in tuna like clockwork at certain times of year. ese are some of

By CAM Sta

yellow ns here, but shing is best from July through October, with a typical peak season of August and September. With runs of 36 to 125 miles to reach the shing grounds, anglers must commit to long days on the water or overnight trips. e rewards can be huge. A low-end average sh weighs 80 pounds out of Puerto Vallarta. Big ones weigh 350 pounds or more.

Outer Banks, North Carolina:

e Outer Banks get a lot of attention for giant blue n tuna that move through in the winter months, but yellow n tuna are around all year. With the Gulf Stream averaging 30 to 45 miles o shore and all the bottom structure on the Continental Shelf, large schools of yellow ns are frequently encountered along with many other pelagic favorites.

Unpredictable weather makes the deep winter months of January and February a crapshoot, which leaves October through December and March through June as prime time for catching yellow ns. ey run a little smaller here, with 25- to 65-pound sh being normal catches, but the action is usually fast once you nd them. Charters ll limits quickly, with doubles and triples coming tight when you troll through a school of them.

For more great destination shing, visit coastalanglermag.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. BLAKE RIGBY, TRIPLETAIL CHARTERS

K.

Cobbosseecontee Lake - One of the Best

By Dan Kenney

If you love bass fishing, you need to check out the award-winning Cobbosseecontee Lake. Featured in Bassmaster Magazine’s Top 100 Best Bass Lakes list for the past 20 years, Cobbosseecontee Lake has always been a great destination for top fishing professionals and elite anglers, not to mention television shows and outdoor writers.

Being in the fishing and outdoors industry, I get to travel around the country and I'm fortunate to stay at some very nice places, but I have no problem saying that Cobbosseecontee Lake is one of my favorite spots. The fishing is downright incredible and there are wonderful activities for the whole family, both on and off the water. The Cobbosseecontee Lake area has a great atmosphere with natural beauty, friendly people and unique attractions.

Perhaps what makes these trips truly great is our stays

at Lakeside Lodge and Marina in East Winthrop, Maine, just outside of Augusta, where we’ve been going for the past 17 years. With lodging and boating right on the water, Lakeside Lodge and Marina is the kind of place you love at first sight and hate to leave. First, the accommodations are more than you expect. You can choose from efficiencies, two-bedroom cabins with full kitchens, and motel-style rooms. And at Lakeside they make it easy for you to get out on the water, as they sell non-resident Maine fishing licenses and are fully stocked with all the bait and tackle you need. You can bring your own boat or rent one of theirs and boat docks come with electrical hook-ups. There’s even an onsite fueling station!

It truly is the perfect situation—all set up for you to have a great time!

The fishing is obviously spectacular. You’ll find ABUN-

DANT large and smallmouth bass along with trout, perch & pike. Plus, Lakeside delivers fun for the whole family, with great swimming, canoe and paddle boat rentals on the lake, and exciting activities in the surrounding community. The area is brimming with museums, historical landmarks, golf courses, state parks, great restaurants and more. This is a quiet, family-friendly area, yet it’s adding more and more attractions. There’s even a new airport in Augusta!

Founded by Andy and Sheree Wess 30 years ago, Lakeside Lodge and Marina is a genuine, family-owned business and a homegrown Maine treasure. Recently, Andy and Sheree decided it was time for retirement and they’ve passed the business along to new owners Travis Mills and Zach Stewart. Travis and Zach are bent on preserving the incredible atmosphere that Andy and Sheree created while making tremendous improvements and updates.

Fortunately, Lakeside Lodge and Marina wasn't sold to some out-of-state hotel chain.

On my recent stay I saw the hard work that Zach, Travis and their families have been putting in. They have the enthusiasm, energy and mindset that it takes to keep this a true family destination, with sincere, friendly service, local know-how and all the amenities you need for the perfect vacation.

So if you're looking for an economical destination to enjoy between May 1st and Columbus Day, I highly recommend a stay at Lakeside Lodge and Marina.

For my family it's become a tradition that we look forward to every year. I can honestly say that we plan on doing this for as long as I am walking this earth.

Until next time, God Bless & Go Fish!

George

Regan, Jr. Publisher Boston Edition

Julie Kahn President, Regan Marketing & Media

Fly-fishing in Maine… is an age-old tradition where people from all over the world come to fish the state's pristine rivers, ponds and lakes. The best time to go fly fishing is from early spring to late summer. I want to express to everyone that has the thought of coming to Maine to fly fish, not to hesitate and get up here!

Whether you are a beginner or experienced, fly-fishing in Maine will exceed your expectations. Maine has gin clear freestone rivers, lakes and

Maine’s Fly Fishing

By Richard Yvon

remote wild, native brook trout filled ponds waiting to be fished.

Three basic ways to flyfish…Nymph, Dry fly and Streamers

Although there are several variations that can be discussed, I will keep it simple for the novice to grasp the essence of our sport.

Nymph fishing…is nothing more than fishing below the surface of the water using a fly that imitates an aquatic insect. There

are many techniques and strategies.

Dry fly fishing is simply imitating an insect afloat on the water's surface. This method of fishing is sought after by some of the most passionate of fly fishers.

Streamer fishing is simulating forage of bait or baby fish. Commonly used in the spring of the year to imitate a spawning melt and in the fall of the year to provoke a predatory reaction from spawning fish.

Fly-fishing equipment… can be simple or involved. The sport can be considered evolving and one to grow with which is why it’s never boring or complacent. Drift boat fishing is a very relaxing way to visit a river while taking a boat up waterfalls to chase smelt can be an exhilarating way to approach a fishery. Streamside fishing can be as simple as a small stream and a pair of shorts or in more technical waterwearing waders, belt and wading shoes. So anyway you choose to start or

enjoy, be comfortable and always safety first!

Fly fishing rods and reels can be a whole topic all by itself. The important thing to remember is that you can start out with the most simplistic set up to get started. Rods can be carbon fiber, high modulus graphite or fiberglass. All can be good and is considered personnel preference. Our guide service uses NuCast, which is a midpoint priced rod and serves us well. A medium fast rod can be less forgiving while a slower, whippier rod, can be more

forgiving to the beginner. Fly Reels hold line…again, reels hold line! To buy a reel is important although not necessary to break the bank. The best advice I can give to anyone is to try before you buy. See what feels best for you and fits best with the type of fishing you are doing. Every rod can be unique even among several rods made by the same manufacturer. Attending a fly-fishing clinic, sports event or even hiring a guide can be beneficial.

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Boston’s

EDITORIAL

Striped Bass On Saconesset Shoal In The Morning

By Braeden Smaykiewicz

into Waquoit Bay where my Dad guns the boat to 45 mph with no protection from the wind. The Yamaha 250 VMAX SHO engine shows off its power and it feels like we are flying.

We turned left out of the jetties of Waquoit to the rips of Saconesset shoal where there were barely any boats, but we found the spot. I put down the trolling motor and my Dad sets it up for the outgoing tide.

and measured it, and sure enough it was a keeper. There were also some good size Bluefish mixed in. We were pulling them in one after the other until the tide changed to slack.

So we left our spot and went to another where we saw some big stripers that we sight cast in shallow water. We stayed there until the tide had switched over to an incoming, we headed back to the bite.

The wake up call rings around four in the morning. I jump up and get ready for the fun day ahead of me and the others that are going for the striper bite on Saconesset shoal. I get ready as quickly as I usually do when we are going fishing, trying to stay quiet as I go downstairs and meet my Dad who is getting his things together.

I throw on my hat, Costa glasses, jacket and step out the door to a dewy Sunday morning. The 24 foot bay boat, already hooked up to the truck, was sitting in the driveway waiting to be released. I uncovered the white beast and set up the

rods as we were waiting for the others. I put on pinkish lures to represent small squids that were being targeted by these amazing fighters, especially when you are using 3000 and 4000 size reels with 20 pound braid and a 15 pound fluorocarbon.

It was about 5 am when we set out of the driveway for the freeing blue water of the Atlantic. We went to White's Landing in Waquoit to launch the boat. I drove the boat off the trailer and pulled it up to the dock. My Dad parks the truck and trailer while everyone jumps into the boat. We putt out of the river and

The fish were jumping out of the water to get their meal of small 4-5 inch squid. I threw my line toward the rip and it was an instant hit. I was tight and there were no dinky fish. Then, it happened, we tripled up. I quickly took off my fish and casted back out, and again I was hooked up. This fish was bigger though, and stronger. I took my time and got it to the boat. My Dad pulled it out of the water

We set up like we did before just opposite because the tide had shifted. There were a lot more boats now that it was later in the day. The bite was not as good as the early morning bite but it was still pretty good.

Unfortunately it was time to go home. So if you want some great topwater action with a Striped bass go out to Saconesset shoal on the squid bite and you are guaranteed to have a blast.

Plum Island Surfcasters

Sales Representative

Coastal Angler Magazine, Boston

JOB TYPE: PART-TIME

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE: FISHING & SALES

Coastal Angler Magazine, Boston, a company of Regan Communications Group, has an immediate opening for a Sales Representative for our Boston location.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Selling all advertising (both print and web)

• Delivering and managing the distribution of 10,000 copies monthly

• Maintaining all vendor/client relationships

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• A keen knowledge of the fishing industry.

• At least two years of sales experience.

• Candidate must be able to work effectively in a demanding and fast-paced environment.

Club Meeting:

Plum Island Surfcasters have gone fishing for the summer. No club meetings in July or August. We will resume meetings on September 19, 2023.

Check our website (www.plumislandsurfcasters.org) for details on upcoming events

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Meetings at 6:45 pm | Fishing seminar at 8:00 pm Free for all club members. $5 admission for Non-members

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Score From the Shore in Calm Conditions

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

The surf can be bountiful and as easy as shing can be when the seas are calm. On a recent trip to the Gulf of Mexico’s calm shores, I was certain I was going to catch them at will. To the naked eye, conditions were as good as it gets, but many fellow anglers fell short of their dreams on this beautiful day. Here are some modi cations I made on the y that allowed me to come out ahead of most others.

is day provided us with glass-calm seas, clear water and bait everywhere, but one key ingredient was missing, substantial tide. What most of us focused on, including myself, were the calm conditions. is is always the draw for trout shing on the beachfront in Texas, and it is seldom the norm.

I did research the tide, and it was an early high

heading out, which, once again, seems perfect. However, the slope on the graph was a slow outgoing tide, not one that was going to trigger many bites on its own. Once I realized this and watched others leave empty handed, I decided to search for places that would encourage the slow outgoing current to increase in velocity. I sought out guts in the bars perpendicular to the shore. ese same guts have the potential to cause dangerous riptides, and they can also be the best place to sh. You typically see these guts by studying the waves, but with no waves I had to use my polarized glasses. ankfully, the water clarity made this an easy task. I drove along the beach looking for these, and once I spotted them, I stood on the back of my truck to increase my elevation to identify the best ones.

I’d found my pattern. Now the catching could begin! Keep in mind, as slow as the tide was moving, it did not create a dangerous situation

(always be cautious of rip tides on the beach), but it did speed up the current enough to trigger a good bite. I thoroughly worked all edges of these guts, nding most bites on the back side where the tide pulled bait from the shallow gut to the deeper second gut.

When the tide is slow, I like to try and get a reaction strike by throwing something a little di erent or working my lure erratically. On this day, I was throwing a rattling so -plastic paddletail. I also picked one with a bright green tail to stand out from the millions of bait sh traveling the rst and second guts. All of these tactics combined allowed me to salvage a day when most le with empty stringers.

e beachfront can be a great place to sh, and it’s fun for the kids. My boys enjoy wading beside me, and when the shing is over it’s time to play at the beach!

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®

Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures® and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

By Capt. Lukas Brickweg

Alaska shing season started o with a bang for anglers visiting Ketchikan, Alaska. Halibut shing charters produced great catches of halibut, paci c cod, lingcod and rock sh. Salmon shing trips resulted in big king salmon while we awaited the arrival of silver salmon and pink salmon.

Early season typically is more inconsistent than the deep summer months of July, August and September. With that being said, our guests enjoyed better than average shing to start o the 2023 Alaska shing summer.

Fishing tours for cruise ship guests and y-in anglers spent the majority of May bottom shing. ese sheries consist of shing near and o shore waters for halibut, cod and rock sh. Deep-water jigging for halibut had guests reeling in keeper-sized halibut as well as oversized halibut ranging from 10 pounds to 120 pounds. ere’s nothing quite like the thrill of hooking into these deep sea dwellers, and the delicious white meat holds up well when frozen and shipped back home to the lower 48.

Halibut weren’t the only species caught during our halibut shing charters. Paci c cod were a staple while bottom shing for halibut. Cod were concentrated in large numbers on the sandy ats eating a variety of bottom rigs. Traditional halibut shing rigs with glow-in-the-dark squid and cut herring caught the majority of Paci c cod. We also found great success jigging for cod with metal jigs and so plastic swimbaits.

Following up halibut shing with rock sh and lingcod jigging made for a combination catch that had everyone smiling. We do this in shallower water with light tackle. While catching pelagic rock sh such as yellowtails and duskies, we also caught big lingcod. With such a phenomenal bottom shing area, you’re never quite sure what will grab the end of the line. Giant lingcod make a trophy catch for anyone visiting Alaskan waters.

King salmon shing opened June 1. Everyone rejoiced at the opportunity to pursue this iconic sh. Big king salmon catches came in throughout the entire southeast Alaska region. Ketchikan is known as the salmon capital of the world, and it didn’t disappoint. Herring Cove and Mountain Point were the rst areas to open up. is resulted in large numbers of anglers trolling for prized king salmon. As we look forward for the entirety of the region to open, these were the rst areas where big catches came in.

Over the next couple months, the shing will continue to heat up! Halibut will continue to show up in larger numbers as the water temperatures increase. In addition, the salmon shing will see a big burst of silver salmon and pink salmon to combine with the larger king salmon. It’s all happening now!

For more information, visit www.ketchikan shingtrips.com or call (907) 617-4717.

Most of the time the saying is true, bigger baits equal bigger sh! Although elephants eat peanuts, a big bait pro le is something big sh sometimes can’t resist whether you’re shing the open ocean or the Great Lakes. I’ve spent a lot of time in the last couple years experimenting with lures that are larger than what my previous comfort zone was for bass. It is pretty special to see what gets curious to come look at or bite these big baits.

ere are many di erent types of swimbaits on the market, but I’ll break them down into two styles to keep it simple. ere are hard, gliding-style swimbaits with treble hooks and there are so -body swimbaits. Each has a time and a place, and both attract some very big sh.

Depending on where you are in the country and the size of the forage in your lake, a normal meal for a bass is usually much bigger than you would think. Bass have huge mouths to accommodate large prey items. A two- or three-pounder has no problem at all swallowing a 6- to 8-inch bluegill whole. I’ve seen 10-plus-pounders eat gizzard shad up to 14 inches long! Trying to exactly duplicate the larger bait sh in your lake with a natural presentation is the key to drawing attention to your arti cial lure.

With hard swimbaits, my rst choice is a shad imitation. Most of the places I sh are full

of shad, and shad seem to be a favorite food source for bass.

THROW BIG BAITS FOR BIG BASS TIPS FROM A PRO

Crappie are another forage species people sometimes forget about. Lately, when throwing big baits

over deeper water, I’ve caught some big sh with crappie down in their throats.

With so swimbaits, I usually go to a bluegill imitation. I like so baits because they are more weedless, and you can creep them through the grass or along the bottom in places where bluegills live.

Big swimbaits can get mighty expensive. If you are just getting started with them, I would suggest sticking with the more a ordable baits that get good reviews until you get your con dence up. en you can dive into some of the larger, more customized lures.

Learning to sh big baits is best done by getting on the water and doing it. Just get out there and experiment with retrieves until you nd out what works. Of course, throwing giant lures requires special equipment. I like 13 Fishing’s a ordable Defy for a rod. It’s an 8-foot swimbait rod that handles most big lures with ease. I pair this with a 300 sized reel, like the 13 Fishing Concept A3 and some 20- to 25-pound Seaguar Abrazx.

I hope this article sparks someone’s interest to get out there and throw a big bait. Once I stepped out of my comfort zone, I discovered it to be one of the coolest and most fun ways to target big bass all year long. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me on social media if you have questions about these tactics or any others.

Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcott shing.com.

TYLER WOOLCOTT

RECORD WELS

really realized that I hooked a monster. Adrenaline started pumping hard and the fear of losing it almost sent me into a panic. I was alone, facing the biggest cat sh I ever seen in 23 years.

Italy’s River Po has done it again.

Last week, MADCAT pro sta er Alessandro Biancardi caught a 9-foot-long wels cat sh that will likely replace the IGFA world length record for the species. e monster wels measured 285 centimeters (9 feet, 4.2 inches) in length and stands to beat out the existing record by just 4 centimeters, or about an inch and a half.

Biancardi is a veteran cat sh angler who has targeted wels for more than two decades. He landed his potential new record a er a more than 40-minute battle while shing solo in an aluminum

jonboat.

e giant sh ate a so -plastic paddletail shed on a jighead.

“In silence, I approached the rst spot and a er few casts a powerful bite arrived. e sh stood still some seconds before starting a very complicated ght, between strong currents and a lot of submerged obstacles,” Biancardi wrote in a blog post. “I calmly managed to ght what I felt to be a prehistoric sh. I followed it for 40 endless minutes. When it surfaced for the rst time, I

“I tried gloving its mouth two or three times, but it was still too strong,” he wrote. “I decided to go in shallow water trying to land it from shore, and a er few tries, I managed to land it! I tied the sh to let him recover from the long ght then I suddenly realized that the boat was not anchored, and it was going away in the current. I was forced to have a swim to recover it with all my stu .”

Biancardi then called some friends from a nearby sh camp to come help him get a good measurement on the beast. A er taking measurements, the sh was released. Without a weight, it will not be considered for the all-tackle world record, which stands at 297 pounds, 9 ounces for a sh caught from the Po back in 2010.

For more, go to https://madcat- shing.com.

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IN SEARCH OF HAVASU’S WORLD RECORD REDEAR

By Gary Turner

The sun was just cresting the mountains and the moon was low in the west as Capt. Ron Ratlief, of Ron’s Fishing Guide Service, and I began shing for redear sun sh on Arizona’s Lake Havasu. is trip has been on my bucket list for years. I just never made the time, which is ridiculous considering Havasu is pretty much the Holy Land for bream shing.

Havasu is a large Colorado River reservoir on the Arizona/Colorado border. In recent years, the lake has produced a series of world-record redear sun sh, with the current mark standing at 6-pounds, 4-ounces. Havasu’s freakishly large redears are due to a plentiful food source of invasive mussels that have in ltrated the system. e lake also holds some enormous bluegills, which I came to nd out over two days shing with Ron and a third day with my buddy Zac Mickle.

You could feel it was going to be a hot one—over 100 degrees— as the cool morning air evaporated with the sun. A er all, Havasu is an oasis in the middle of a desert. We started the morning sight shing coves. Havasu’s water is as clear as the Keys, and I half expected to see bone sh swimming by. We searched several coves and saw lots of sh, including bluegills, carp, cat sh, giant gizzard shad, tilapia, green sun sh and small stripers, just

to name a few. We also found some redear sun our target species, but they were small, a pound or less, and we were looking for big ones!

We moved to plan B and headed to deeper water. Havasu has the most man-made attractors and brushpiles I’ve ever seen. might be a bunch in South Carolina’s Santee, but you would never see them. e crystal-clear water makes everything visible, and as the sun got higher, we could see even more. We saw structure clearly in 18 feet of water with large redears on it. I dropped a night crawler on a jig head down, and BAM! I had a good bite! We landed a nice redear heavier than two pounds and continued hitting deeper brush, where we saw some big ones and caught a thick 14-incher that was pushing 3 pounds. A er several other sh in the 1 to 1 ½-pound range, Ron suggested we move back to a cove for a few last casts before heading in.

In the cove, I got hammered by a good one, which upon landing was about the same size as the 2-pounder from earlier, but it looked more like a bluegill. I was thinking it might be a hybrid between the two species, which was later con rmed.

If you like bream, you need to check out Havasu. It is a beautiful lake in the desert with some giant redears and bluegills. I might not have

caught a world record this year, but I’ve already booked next year’s trip.

Check out Gary Turner’s shing adventures on his YouTube channel at youtube.com/ @FishingWithGary.

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ELEVATE YOUR CHUM!

By Capt. Judy Helmey

BLOTCHY BASS SYNDROME IS A VIRUS

Check out the crazy markings on this Pennsylvania bass!

Recently the American Fisheries Society Black Bass Conservation Committee (BBCC) posted photos of this striking, black-splotched largemouth bass on its Facebook page.

During the old days of chumming, lots of shermen used glitter in their chum, but we sure didn’t talk about it. Why? It was a serious sh-catching secret, and it works as well now as it ever did.

Of course, back then we hadn’t heard of microplastics. We didn’t equate those tiny ashy akes with pollution. Traditional glitter is made with aluminum and plastic, which is a really bad thing to be throwing in the water. ankfully, today there is biodegradable glitter made of plant cellulose. is more environmentally friendly product enables us to keep using our old tricks without doing harm to the ocean.

When you add biodegradable glitter to your chum, the oils coat

every single small piece of glitter. When it hits the water, each piece of glitter becomes sh attractant. As it slowly spreads through the water column, it catches sunlight and re ects it. e oil onboard each small piece of glitter leaves a trail that only a hungry smart sh would care to follow.

You might ask how do I know that glittering chum works? Well, when you start getting hits and landing sh, open the sh box and take a look. You know how glitter is. It gets everywhere and sticks to everything. Well, your sh box and the sh in it will be coated in glitter. Trust me.

Capt. Judy Helmey runs Miss Judy Charters o the Georgia coast. Check them out at missjudycharters.com.

e photos, by professional bass sherman Grae Buck, show his wife Jessica Buck holding a sh with melanosis. e post goes on to explain that this condition is when something a ects the pigment expression in the skin, turning it black. Termed blotchy bass syndrome, it has been found in black bass species in waterbodies across the United States with increasing frequency.

“While a truly melanistic sh would be all black, we more commonly see parts of the sh black, irregular blotches, spots, or ns,” the post reads. ese crazy colored sh show up from time to time, and previously it has been explained as a genetic mutation. In its explanation of this sh, however, BBCC pointed to research being conducted at the U.S.G.S. Eastern Ecological Science Center in West Virginia.

e research found that this blotchy skin condition is actually caused by a viral infection, an emerging novel adomavirus. Researchers have not pinned down a cause yet, but a U.S.G.S. report suggests higher incidences of blotchy bass syndrome in disturbed-water systems, with a potential link to chemicals. ere is currently broad ongoing research to try and determine the causes and e ects of this infection.

TheReturn of a

Follow the BBCC at www.facebook.com/AFS.Black.Bass.

Home of world class fishing on the beautiful Watauga Lake, rugged Doe River and designated trophy trout stream, Watauga River