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3 Tips for Trout Fishing in the Winter
December is a transition month for me. Getting closer to fishable ice, it gets harder every day to convince myself to take the boat out. This was the scenario I was faced with when I decided to start fly fishing in the winter for trout. If you are considering trout fishing in winter, here are a few suggestions after hundreds of winter days on the water. Continued on Boston page 1
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inter fishing in the Florida Keys can be a double-edged sword. This time of year can be limited by more frequent windy days. However, some of our best fishing occurs very close to land this time of year, and you don’t have to go far to get into the heart of it. Snapper are always a viable option on the reef, and targeting them also provides the opportunity to fill up the livewell with fresh ballyhoo to use for sailfish, which will be showering bait under diving frigates. If you happen to get out there on a sporty day, and the thought of rocking on anchor first thing in the morning makes your stomach turn, wahoo might be a better option. Trolling lures can be productive for targeting wahoo, and reduces the rocking of the boat that causes seasickness. Utilizing deep-diving lures, planers and trolling sinkers, there are countless ways to set up an efficient wahoo spread that can be pulled at varying speeds. Since wahoo like their baits moving quickly, high-speed trolling is a great way to target them while lessening other species as bycatch. Another great option for wahoo fishing is using live bait. This method is more exciting, and uses bait that can be acquired without dropping anchor. With wahoo rigs already set with wire leaders, and extra prerigged leaders on hand, head out to the wrecks to catch fresh bait. When targeting bigger baits like bonita, blue runners and goggle eyes for wahoo, use a heavier rod and reel, with the appropriately overpowered sabiki rig. Accounting for tangles, breakoffs and unwanted mackerel attention, make sure to have more than a few extra sabiki rigs on board. Affix a weight to the sabiki and drop it down to fill the well with blue runners, or troll the sabiki over schools of bonita, hooking them immediately to the wahoo rig and sending them back out. Power drift or bump troll a spread of live baits with some weightless, flatlined on the surface, or even under a kite, and others at varying depths with a breakaway weight or downrigger. Watching a hungry wahoo skyrocket on a surface bait provides all the adrenaline needed to knock any lingering seasickness out of you. Wahoo are excellent table fare, and they are also one of the best fighting fish you can target. Keep in mind that if your line goes slack, they might be swimming toward the boat. It is a wahoo until it’s not a wahoo, so keep reeling until you see the end of your line. Charter fishing in the Florida Keys is busy during the winter, so make sure to book your charter in advance. Sweet E’nuf Charters offers gift certificates for all the Santas out there with fishermen in the family. Capt. Quinlyn Haddon, of Sweet E’nuf Charters, operates out of Marathon, Florida Keys. Check out her website at CaptainQuinlyn.com, her social @captainquinlyn or call (504) 920-6342.
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troll up WINTERTIME SLAB CRAPPIE C
By Nick Carter
old water makes catching fish more difficult, right? Not with crappie, according to allaround outdoorswoman Terrie Huffmaster. She looks forward to deep winter, when she can load the boat with the biggest slabs of the year. Huffmaster is a South Georgia farm girl from Quitman, way down on the Florida border, so she calls crappie speckled perch, or specks for short. “You catch the bigger specks in wintertime,” she said. “I like to go into the deeper water trolling for them.” A great thing about crappie is they’re predictable. In spring they move shallow to spawn, but throughout the rest of the year they are nomads in search of comfortable water temperatures. You’ll always find them near structure or cover, and they are usually schooled up tightly. Huffmaster fishes for specks on Lake
Seminole, a nearly 40,000-acre impoundment that straddles the Georgia/Florida border. It’s a relatively shallow lake, full of stumps, brush and submerged grass. When Huffmaster says “deeper water,” she means the deepest water Seminole has, which is 25 to 30 feet. Trolling delivers both quality and quantity when water temps are in the mid to high 50s. But Huffmaster isn’t looking for a 30-fish limit. She’s hunting 10 or so giant specks in the 15- to 18inch range. She catches a lot of smaller fish in the process, but she throws those back. “When you get on ’em good, it’s crazy how
many you can catch,” she said. This is how she gets on them: Huffmaster has a line she trolls that she’s identified on electronics and with previous success. It’s just outside a channel marker, where there’s a ton of submerged trees, stumps and other brush and debris to hold fish. She pulls jigs over deep water and up over humps and ledges that rise to as little as 5 feet. “You keep that trolling motor on low,” she said, “just enough where your line’s pulling, where you’re barely trolling.” Huffmaster said there’s no need to deploy huge spreads from a bank of rod holders. She fishes just one, maybe two rods at a time. Her favorites are a lightweight Mr. Crappie Slab Shaker combo and a Lew’s 6-foot Ultra Light with a Lazer Light Speed Spin 75 reel. She spools up with 8-to 10-pound braided main line and uses a 4- or 6-pound fluorocarbon leader tied to a 1/16-ounce Crappie Magnet Fin Spin or a Mr. Crappie jig head. Paddletail and curly tail bodies both have their place. Chartreuse/pearl and pumpkin are good colors. She trolls her jigs 10 to 15 feet behind the boat and keeps a loose drag so the hook doesn’t tear out of a crappie’s paper-thin mouth. “Call me old fashioned, but that’s how we do it,” she said. “And we don’t seem to have any problem catching a mess of them… and some big ones. Search up Terrie B Huffmaster on Facebook and terries_dusk_2_dawn_fishing on Instagram.
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Which Would You Change First? By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
C
hange is inevitable. In all aspects of life, change is necessary. This is especially true for anglers. When things are not going right, we immediately think of the next lure to throw. We all embark on our fishing journeys with a plan before hitting the water. We may base it on predicted conditions, time of year, experience, or possibly, but hopefully not, a social media post. Let’s discuss what I would do when plan-A doesn’t produce as envisioned. Imagine we are in the perfect looking spot, conditions are exactly as planned, active bait is visible in the area, the tide is flowing, but nothing is biting. Most of us would make a change, and I think we are all in agreement that our first correction would not be to move with everything looking right. Now, here is where I feel most people will make a mistake. Let’s say we are throwing soft-plastic paddletails. What is the first thing you would change?
PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®.
SIZE OR COLOR:
I bet you said color. Am I right? During my decades of fishing the salty bays and marsh, I’ve found that color is the last thing I should change. If some bass fishermen are reading this article, I am solely basing this theory on saltwater for trout, redfish and flounder. It’s not your fault that you tend to change color first. Let’s face it, color is the first thing someone mentions when they describe the lure they used, and when we walk into the tackle aisle there are significantly more colors than lure choices or sizes. We are bombarded with so many colors. Color must be the key to catching, right? Well, maybe not, most of the time. I’ll use my lure brand for an example. I produce 34 unique colors, but I only produce three different sized paddletails. Having all these color options at our fingertips can be overwhelming, and hearing others focus on the color that landed
the big one has caused fishermen to focus on color first. I have found more success in changing the size of the lure over the color. The fish are typically not feeding on anything that resembles the color we are throwing, but they are feeding on a specific size that we have in our box. Matching the forage size is the better option. If that doesn’t produce a bite, then I will even switch the style of lure before the color in most situations. Ultra-clear water is an exception, and these conditions play by different rules. We can cover that in another article, but until then focus less on color and more on size and action. Take a kid fishing and enjoy the outdoors. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures®, and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
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George K. Regan, Jr. Publisher Boston Edition
Julie Kahn President, Regan Marketing & Media
3 Tips for Trout Fishing in the Winter By Patrick
the waiters and wait- With your area choresses of the riv- sen, it is very importer. They deliver all ant to search multiple types of insect life to depths. I always like waiting fish. When to have the maxia trout is looking to mum number of flies eat, they make their allowed by fishing way to a section of regulations tied on. river with good wa- I make sure that the ter flow. The highly bottom fly is dragging oxygenated water of along the bottom, riffles, fast runs, and with the remaining small waterfalls will selection spread to hold populations of cover as much water fish. This is a result as possible. When usof a concentration of ing a dropper fly, use food, and good water a top fly that is visible conditions in a large to you in the water area. Pay close at- when you can. This tention to the seams will allow you to see where faster-moving where your flies are water currents meet going, and to adjust December is a tran- the winter for trout. slower sections; these depth as needed to sition month for me. If you are consid- areas require mini- cover the water colGetting closer to fish- ering trout fishing mal effort for trout to umn better. able ice, it gets harder in winter, here are a hold, but offer close every day to convince few suggestions after proximity to the fast- Dress warm. myself to take the hundreds of winter est water currents for It sounds obvious, both food and safety. but remember it is alboat out. This was the days on the water. ways easier to take off scenario I was faced with when I decided Fish flowing water. Fish the entire depth layers than add the ones you don’t have. to start fly fishing in River currents are column. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
DECEMBER 2023
BOSTON 1
EDITORIAL Catch and Consume, Not Catch and Release! By Dan Kenney
December in New England – what are you doing sitting at home? Head to Florida for sun, fun, and snakehead fishing! Bullseye snakeheads were first documented in the Coral Springs area in 2000 and are now considered an invasive species throughout southern Florida. They're spawning at incredible rates and competing with native species for food. So what does that mean for you and I? Well, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) makes it very clear: "If you catch one, do not release it!" Instead, you should "humanely euthanize" your catch and, if you like, eat it.
though I kept pulling in bass, it was fun to watch Shane catch several in a row. Those guys fight for every inch and, judging by what they did to the frog baits, they aren't afraid to use their teeth. "Look what he did to that frog, Dan!" Shane said after one of his catches. "That was absolutely incredible. He slashed it like a piranha!"
have medicinal benefits in its native range by Yup, those snakeheads hastening the healing really are fun to battle of wounds and internal with, and it starts even injuries:' before you hook them. With my Typhoon OpIf protecting the Ev- tics sunglasses, I could erglades isn't reason see them coming at enough to make the trip the bait aggressively. this winter, you should Snakeheads "lock in know that snakeheads like radar;' Shane said. are a blast to catch be- "They're like a heat cause they put up a se- seeking missile, just rious fight. I learned oblivious to everything this firsthand when my else around them:' friend Captain Shane Procell took me out in Luckily, I was finally the Miami area. able to experience it for
Snakeheads are not only tasty, they say, but they're "even said to
"We're gonna catch 'em, and we're gonna eat 'em;' Shane told me as we headed into the Everglades. Since snakeheads are known for eating pretty much anything that moves, including toads, turtles and snakes, Shane recommended we start with frog baits. And boy did they work! Even
2 BOSTON
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myself when I caught my first ever snakehead, and my guy did not disappoint. Reeling him in was well worth the waitand so was the delicious meal he made. Captain Shane and I took our catches to Fins & Things, a Caribbean restaurant in Miami, and they were gracious enough to prepare them. Turns out, FWC wasn't lying. Snakeheads make a delicious meal, although I can't vouch for their medicinal benefits. So if you're dreading snowflakes and shoveling this winter, plan a trip to the Miami area. The snakeheads are jumping, and FWC wants you to catch and eat! Until then, God Bless and Go Fish!
EDITORIAL December Fishing
By Early Rise Outfitters
in Western Massachusetts we have wild populations of brook trout. December sig nals the end of their spawn ing run, and can be seen as the end of an annual cycle in the river. If you are lucky enough to have these beau tiful and wild fish near you, you will want to be extremely persistent in presenting flies. For most of November, these fish have been constructing redds, defending their redd from other males, and spawning. Many times the biggest brook trout in an area. will be the hardest to catch since everyone that can see it will stop and make a few casts. When this is the case, I like to scale down my tip pet size to 7X or SX and to rotate through flies every 5-10 unproductive casts. If you are chasing these brookies with a fly rod, San Juan worms and assorted soft hackle flies are great choices, with an egg pattern being
my go-to fly.
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DECEMBER 2023
The blustery cold you will need to accember count for the effects fronts of De are what separate of the cold; not only the everyday angler on the fish, but on from the seasoned you as well. Nothing die hard. If you aren't puts an end to a good already fishing reg- morning of fishing ularly in the month faster than be ing of December, you're cold. Wear lots of missing out on some layers, and try to stay very unique op away from clothing portunities for trout made of cotton as it and panfish species. will trap sweat moisThese fish are made ture that will cool for the cold and you down. Moisture thrive in the rivers wicking clothing and lakes of the re- is avail able all over gion. and can be a literal life-saver in the cold. If you are going to fish in De cember, In many of the rivers
If you are fishing for the assorted cold water panfish we have in the region, you will also not be dis appointed. In lakes and ponds, the water is below 50 degrees everywhere, and most likely closer to 40 degrees. Fish like perch and crap pies excel in the cold have once again repopulated the shallows of most ponds and lakes looking for pockets of warm water and cruising for food. When I target panfish in cold water I almost exclusively use a suspending Rapala, Slug-Go, or small hair jig. These three ings in varying offer colors are enough to cover most of the water column, and each can be presented to ic an injured mim baitfish that is having trouble swimming. tion The erratic ac has an instinctual effect on the fish, and they will often strike with great force. BOSTON 3
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EDITORIAL Tim Moore Outdoors By Tim Moore
in late-winter or early-spring. If you can stand the weather and you have the time, you just might be able to catch a flounder or two using the same techniques you would in the spring. Don't expect the fishing to be fast and furious, because colder water makes the fish feed less often, but you should be able to find some.
December is a tough month for many northeast anglers, mostly due to the weather and opportunities. Migratory fish, such as striped bass are gone, many season have closed, and it can be downright chilly during peak fishing times. However, if you can brave the ele ments, there are some great fish-
December seems to be mostly a freshwater fishing time. Trout thrive in cold water and many states have some excellent win ter trout ing opportunities in fishing available. In New Hampshire, December. the Three Rivers As In the spring we are sociation stocks ceroften asked, "Have tain stretches of the the flounder moved Lamprey, Isinglass, in yet?" Well, the and Cocheco Rivers truth is that winter with some real nice floun der move out rainbow and brook in the spring when trout. the water warms, and move back in This fishery is a catch during the fall. They and release, fly-fishspend the winter in ing only opportunity shallow harbors and for most of the winter estuaries, and spawn and they have already COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
begun stocking. While designated trout ponds are closed in New Hampshire, there is a list of trout ponds with no closed season. Many of these ponds get stocked for winter an glers. There are several ponds that receive retired brood stock fish too. This is your best chance of the year to catch huge brook, brown, and rainbow trout. Most anglers wait until early ice, which often arrives just before Christmas, but some brave the elements and cash in on this amazing opportunity. If you ice fish, December is the perfect month to get ice fishing gear ready. Check the batteries for your electronics, put new line on your reels, tune up and change plugs on gas augers, there is no shortage of maintenance. When cabin fever strikes, I can jump in the kayak or boat and catch a few trout to take the edge off until Lake Winnipesaukee freezes. DECEMBER 2023
BOSTON 5
CATCH OF THE MONTH
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DECEMBER 2023
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ANGLERS GET TWO MONTHS FOR GULF AJ
I
t will be another short season for amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico next year. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council decided in late October to modify both the recreational season and commercial trip limits for greater amberjack. The result for recreational anglers is a two-month fall season, which is expected to close a few days early based on projections. The council chose to modify the recreational season so it opens on Sept. 1 and remains open through Oct. 31, unless the annual catch target is projected to be met earlier. The projected date for reaching that annual catch target is Oct. 26. The council also chose to reduce the commercial trip limit to seven fish, which is equivalent to about 210 pounds gutted weight. This framework action will be transmitted to the Secretary of Commerce for approval and implementation as soon as practicable. In anticipation that this rule may not be implemented before the beginning of the 2024 commercial fishing season, the Council requested that NOAA Fisheries implement an emergency rule to reduce the commercial trip limit to seven fish at the start of the year. Since Amendment 54 reduced catch limits by about 83 percent, and the 2023 commercial annual catch limit was exceeded, a payback provision will reduce the 2024 commercial annual catch target to 56,661 pounds whole weight. Under the current 1,000-pound trip limit, the commercial fishing season is expected to be incredibly short. For more information, go to https://gulfcouncil.org/.
GREAT FISHING!
WHERE THE SUWANNEE & STEINHATCHEE RIVERS MEET THE GULF OF MEXICO
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Sacred Stone of the Southwest is on the Brink of Extinction
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enturies ago, Persians, Tibetans and Mayans considered turquoise a gemstone of the heavens, believing the striking blue stones were sacred pieces of sky. Today, the rarest and most valuable turquoise is found in the American Southwest–– but the future of the blue beauty is unclear.
26 carats of genuine Arizona turquoise B.
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On a recent trip to Tucson, we spoke with fourth generation turquoise traders who explained that less than five percent of turquoise mined worldwide can be set into jewelry and only about twenty mines in the Southwest supply gem-quality turquoise. Once a thriving industry, many Southwest mines have run dry and are now closed. We found a limited supply of turquoise from Arizona and purchased it for our Sedona Turquoise Collection. Inspired by the work of those ancient craftsmen and designed to showcase the exceptional blue stone, each stabilized vibrant cabochon features a unique, one-of-a-kind matrix surrounded in Bali metalwork. You could drop over $1,200 on a turquoise pendant, or you could secure 26 carats of genuine Arizona turquoise for just $99. C.
Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. If you aren’t completely happy with your purchase, send it back within 30 days for a complete refund of the item price.
A.
The supply of Arizona turquoise is limited, don’t miss your chance to own the Southwest’s brilliant blue treasure. Call today! Jewelry Specifications: • Arizona turquoise • Silver-finished settings
Sedona Turquoise Collection A. Pendant (26 cts) $299 * $99 +s&p Save $200 B. 18" Bali Naga woven sterling silver chain $149 +s&p C. 1 1/2” Earrings (10 ctw) $299 * $99 +s&p Save $200 Complete Set** $747 * $249 +s&p Save $498 **Complete set includes pendant, chain and earrings. Call now and mention the offer code to receive your collection.
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Stauer
® 14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. STC851-09, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com
Necklace enlarged to show luxurious color
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NATIONAL 13
We’ve Found the Most Beautiful Endangered Species Theirs sold at auction for $226,000. Ours is JUST $29! Curious? Read on!
T
o art nouveau jewelers at the turn of the last century, nothing was more beautiful than the dragonfly. In the dragonfly’s long body and outstretched wings, jewelers found the perfect setting for valuable stones. These jewelers’ dragonfly designs have become timeless statements of style; a dragonfly pendant designed by French jeweler René Lalique recently sold at auction for $226,000. Inspired by his stunning artistry, we’ve crafted our Dragonfly Nouvelle Collection, an elegant jewelry set for JUST $29!
Buy pend earrings Fant, get REE!
$29
True artisanship in Austrian crystal and yellow gold. This necklace and earring set features gorgeous multicolored enamel paired with Austrian crystals and a yellow gold finish. Ask any jeweler and they’ll tell you it takes true artisanship to properly blend the blues and purples found in this enamel. While art nouveau dragonflies are hard to come by, we’re helping to repopulate their numbers with this artfully stylized depiction of some of nature’s smallest wonders!
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Your Insider Offer Code: DFC208-01 Stauer, 14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. DFC208-01, Burnsville, MN 55337 www.stauer.com
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Over 2 carats of Verdant Peridot in precious .925 sterling silver
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“Known as ‘the Evening Emerald’ because its sparkling green hue looks brilliant any time of day.” — The American Gem Society (AGS)
Ooh and Ahh Without the Ouch Spoil her (and your wallet) with sparkling Verdant Peridot for just $39
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oing over the top on jewelry doesn’t have to mean going overboard on the cost. We’re in the business of oohs and ahhs without the ouch, which is why we can bring you an effervescent verdant peridot ring for a price that simply can’t be beat. Its vivid and unique color makes verdant peridot unlike any other green gemstone. If you are looking to mark a milestone or make any occasion special, the Verdant Peridot Ring is all you need.
This elegant ring features 2 1/3 carats of captivating verdant peridotA. in three perfectly-faceted cushion cut gemstones. And, the .925 sterling silver setting is finished in tarnish-resistant rhodium for added durability and superior shine.
“Found in lava, meteorites, and deep in the earth’s mantle, yellow-green peridot is the extreme gem” — Gemological Institute of America’s Gem Encyclopedia
PRAISE FOR STAUER PERIDOT JEWELRY You could easily “...absolutely beautiful. The picture spend $400 on a sterling silver ring set does not do it justice. It is a real with peridot stones. stunner.” – S. C., Berkeley, CA But, with Stauer in your corner, the sky’s the limit for affording the extraordinary. Priced at just $39, you can treat her to the Verdant Peridot Ring set in .925 sterling silver and save your money and your love life all at the same time.
Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. Indulge in the Verdant Peridot Ring for 30 days. If you aren’t perfectly happy, send it back for a full refund of the item price. Limited Reserves. Don’t let this gorgeous ring slip through your fingers. Call today! Verdant Peridot Ring ( 1/2 ctw) $299† $39 +S&P Save $260 You must use the insider offer code to get our special price.
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Stauer
®
14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. TPR283-02, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com
Rating of A+
• 2 1/3 ctw Verdant Peridot • White zircon accents • Rhodium-finished .925 sterling silver setting • Whole sizes 5-10
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16 NATIONAL
DECEMBER 2023
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ABALONE HUMMINGBIRD PENDANT & EARRINGS COLLECTION Graceful Hummingbird Design Solid 925 Sterling Silver Abalone Mother of Pearl
Matching Abalone Hummingbird Earrings
Complimentary 22” Chain 1.57” Length
Natural Abalone Shell
TAKE FLIGHT WITH THIS DAZZLING DELIGHT The hummingbird is a traditional symbol of love and beauty. Suspended in mid-flight, with a rainbow of iridescence in wave-like patterns, outstanding shimmering Abalone decorates her body and wing. Each unique, one-of-a-kind piece of Abalone shell has been molded into a sterling silver pendant. Traditionally, Abalone shell is believed to induce feelings of calm, compassion and love. It has a tranquil, warm and gentle cosmic vibration. Spiritually uplifting, Abalone is said to soothe the nerves, encourage serenity and bestow a feeling of inner peace. Originally priced at $249, this stunning piece of jewelry can be yours today for a special offer price of just $79 with promo code: CA3DHB
Original Price Without Code $249 - With Promo Code Now Only $79 Abalone Hummingbird Pendant $79 plus S&H Abalone Hummingbird Earrings $79 plus S&H Abalone Hummingbird Complete Collection Now Only $149 (EXTRA SAVING)
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