The Angler Magazine | January 2020 | Boston Edition

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BOSTON EDITION

THE THRILL OF THE CHASE

George K. Regan, Jr. Publisher Boston Edition

Julie Kahn President Regan Marketing & Media

Happy new year! Don’t let this cold

weather keep you from enjoying your favorite pasttime. We’ve got the tips to stay warm while you’re out there chasing the big one, and as always, some excellent fishing tips, reader-submitted catch photos, and more!

VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 103

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Photo courtesy of Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service, bigolfish.com

W

hether saltwater or fresh, good striper fishing awaits those hearty enough to brave winter on the water.

So layer-up, zip into that parka and go. Some of the biggest fish of the year are feeding right now.

On the southern end of their fall migration, striped bass are holed up for the winter off North Carolina. They’ll be chowing down and following schools of bait up and down the coast from Wilmington to the Outer Banks. Many years, Oregon Inlet sets up as the epicenter for the bite, but striped bass can be found in most area inlets.

The key is to follow the birds and find bass blowing up on menhaden, glass minnows or eels. The action can sometimes come in close enough that surf casters can catch stripers from the beaches of the Outer Banks, but the best bet is to hire a local captain with recent intel and a fast boat.

A little farther south, Wilmington offers another option, as stripers pile into the Cape Fear River, where they hold around structure, drop-offs and creekmouths and can be caught on artificials or even flies. These resident fish are a separate group from the highly migratory fish that winter off the Outer Banks.

Cape Fear stripers are catch-and-release only, and must be returned to the water immediately. Keep an eye out for tagged stripers swimming these waters.

Finally, on freshwater reservoirs across the Southern states and up through the Mid-Atlantic, fisheries stocked with striped bass produce pretty well for anglers this time of year. While smaller schoolie-sized stripers tend to get tough during the coldest temperatures of the year, the larger fish will still feed.

The action won’t be as fast as dropping downlines to massive summertime schools, but the fish that do eat tend to be larger.

Tactics will vary depending on the fishery, but when water temperatures stabilize or during a warming trend of a few days, the biggest fish in the lake tend to move up shallow—sometimes very shallow— behind schools of small shad. Find the flickering shad, and you’ll find the stripers. Sometimes you’ll see them plucking bait near the surface. Stealth is imperative in catching them, and a soft plastic such as a Fluke will usually out-produce live baits in such situations. It’s easier to cast and slowly retrieve an artificial.

Another popular tactic is to cover a lot of water trolling wide spreads of small live baits or pulling an umbrella rig loaded with swimbaits, or both. When prospecting like this, it’s wise to seek out good information on where the stripers are holding. On many lakes they spend winters down by the dam. On others, you might find them way up in the creeks.

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It’s boat show time! And the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), which produces 18 boat and sportshows across the country, is investing in more experiences and education than ever to meet the desires of attendees and inspire the next generation of the boating workforce. Attendee favorites will return, too, from fishing ponds to Super Thursdays. Here are some 2020 show season highlights.

• With a need for skilled workers in the marine industry (more than 31K open jobs), NMMA boat shows are expanding Boating Career Days, offering the chance for students and job seekers to learn more about opportunities in the boating industry, get career advice from marine professionals and check out job openings. Last year the program attracted more than 550 students across eight shows. In 2020, the program is expanding to 14 markets: New York, Baltimore, St. Louis, Kansas City, Nashville, Louisville, Atlanta, New England, Atlantic City, Minneapolis, Northwest, Miami, Norwalk and Tampa.

• New for 2020, NMMA is introducing The Discover Boating Experience (DBX), the “Hub for Boaters,” an educational marketplace that provides space to mingle, enjoy expert seminars, explore new products, learn boat care, discover new technologies, learn to navigate a boat show and more. DBX offers a place to relax and have a drink while enjoying a variety of topics, inspirational stories and live music.

• The Progressive Boat House features an Occulus Rift Virtual Reality boat race game, the Annapolis School of Seamanship’s expert seminars and a docking pool with a remote-control boat and helm station to master docking skills.

• Returning favorites include free fishing for kids and special deals, like $5 tickets after 5 p.m. and Super Thursday, offering deeper discounts, exclusive pricing and incentives.

• Ongoing education for boaters and anglers of all skill levels is a hallmark of NMMA boat shows with free daily seminars.

The Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show, Presented by West Marine cruises into the docks at Miami Marine Stadium Feb. 13-17. Great deals and hands-on experience with hundreds of boats and the associated gear are the big annual draw. Highlights of the 2020 boat show include:

• Costa Conservation Village will showcase the work of some of Florida’s leading environmental organizations, such as The Nature Conservancy, Captains for Clean Water, and Costa’s Kick Plastic program.

• Presentations on sustainable seafood from esteemed Chef Allen Susser and an opportunity to get a signed copy of his new cookbook, “Green Fig and Lionfish: Sustainable Caribbean Cooking.”

• Junior Captains Program, where kids ages 13-17 can learn to operate a boat with Annapolis School of Seamanship.

• Boat US on-water training with Intro To Boating, Women on the Water and Precision Docking.

• The Progressive Boathouse, offering boating seminars, a remote-control docking pond and an Oculus Rift Virtual Reality boat race game.

• Wining and dining at three full-service, sit down restaurants at

the Show including: Latin Café, V&E Restaurant Group Showcasing menu items from Havana 1957 & La Cerveceria De Barrio and SuViche featuring select menu items from Novecento.

• For more information, visit www.MiamiBoatShow.com.

For more information and the schedule of 2020 NMMA boat shows, visit to www.boatshows.com.

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The easiest way to find bait when you’re ready to go fishing is by using the new Baitfinder App, available for free download on both Apple and Android devices. Bait shops are the best possible resource for local information on what’s biting, and on what bait, to ensure you have the right equipment and knowledge before you head out to target a specific species of fish. Everything about Baitfinder is designed for anglers, by anglers, allowing all bait shops in your area to advertise their bait availability in real-time. There’s no more last-minute anxiety about locating bait or driving all over to locate the bait you’re looking for.

Anglers can reserve their bait of choice prior to getting to their favorite bait shop to pick it up, and it’s all easily done on the app! Let your friends know of this free app, and encourage all your local bait shops to enroll at: WWW.BAITFINDER.COM

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By Nick Carter

M

otivating yourself can be tough when daytime temperatures fall into the low 20s and ice forms on the edges of Southern tailwater trout fisheries. Even on these dam-fed systems, where water temperatures remain relatively consistent, trout become difficult when tiny midges are the primary food source.

But there’s a phenomenon that occurs on some tailwaters that makes fishing the cold snaps worth sucking ice out of your guides. It’s called a shad kill. When it happens every fish in the river takes part in the feast.

Shad kills are caused by extended cold weather. When air temperatures drop into the teens or lower for several days in a row, baitfish in reservoirs that feed our tailwaters suffer from plummeting water

temps. Either stunned and dying or just diving deep to find more comfortable conditions, shad and blueback herring get sucked into dam turbines.

What’s washed out into the tailwater is a mix of chopped up, whole dead, and quivering stunned baitfish.

“All of a sudden, they get flushed out into the tailrace. It’s like chumming the river in that upper mile or so below the dam,” said Bill Stranahan, who guides with Southeastern Anglers on Tennessee’s Hiwassee River.

“Good browns and rainbows will key in on it. The ones you catch are so stuffed they look like they’re about to pop.”

Fed by high-mountain winters on Appalachia Lake, the Hiwassee shad kill is a good one. In the Arkansas Ozarks, the White River sees shad kills almost every year. The Cumberland River in Kentucky and Georgia’s Chattahoochee River below Lake Lanier are two other tailwaters where trout put on the feedbag for these events.

But shad kills are not like a hatch you can follow by calendar. It takes rapidly cooling water temps to disorient the numbers of baitfish necessary to be noticeable in the tailrace. During the winter’s hardest freeze, intrepid anglers should hit the water near the dam and watch for activity.

“You’ll see them floating down the river stunned or dead,” said Stranahan. “Sometimes you’ll see fish coming up to the surface to swipe at them.”

White and flashy are the keys to catching fish during a shad kill. White Zonkers or other bunny flies, white Woolly Buggers, anything that looks like a dead or dying baitfish will work. Stranahan said to match the size of the baitfish you see in the water and to experiment with depth and presentation.

Sometimes a jerky retrieve is preferred, while other times a dead drift is the ticket. At times trout will feed on the surface, and some days call for a sinking line to get the fly down.

Shad kills can be ephemeral or they can last a couple weeks when conditions are perfect. It’s the kind of thing you have to be on the water to encounter, and when it happens it brings out the biggest fish in the river.

Contact Southeastern Anglers through their website at www.southeasternanglers.com.

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after wrestling it from between the pilings, it turned toward open water. As I felt the battle shift in my favor, the line parted, likely from earlier contact with the pilings.

“That can happen when you’re fishing up tight like this,” said our skipper, “but some days you have to dig in to get the big ones. Other times we’ll find them in more open water around oyster bars or in the surf.”

Captiva Island, on Florida’s southwest coast, is prime territory for snook, redfish, sea trout, tarpon and a variety of other inshore species.

“Our waters produce so well because we have a ton of bait, structure and opportunity here,” said Fischer, proprietor of Tarpon Fischer Charters (http:// www.tarponfischercharters.com). “Pine Island Sound, on the backside of the island, for example, has several passes that allow water and bait to flow in and out. The Peace, Myakka and Caloosahatchee rivers also empty into here. I run a lot of my charters out of South Seas Island Resorts (https://www.southseas. com) at the north end of Captiva, and from there you can be fishing in the sound or the open Gulf in a matter of minutes.”

Snook and redfish top 40 inches, tarpon range from chickens to 200 pounds and sea trout are abundant. Those species are resident, noted Fischer, but come December and January, offshore action also kicks in with snapper, sheepshead, grouper, kingfish and cobia, among others.

For anglers, these waters call for medium-light spinning tackle. Rig a size 3/0 J-hook or a light jighead on a 2 1/2-foot leader of 30-pound mono to freeline live baits around structure, mangroves or the surf edge. Add a 1/2-ounce splitshot two feet above the hook to get down in deeper water or stronger currents, or add a float two feet above this rig to fish the flats. If you prefer to throw lures, toss a 4-inch paddletail, Rapala Skitter Walk or Zara Spook. Fischer favors a 7 1/2-foot, 8- to 17-pound class Bull Bay rod and Shimano 4000 spinning reels for his inshore fishing.

Keep in mind this area occasionally suffers from red tide blooms.

“It can be here one week and gone the next.” Fischer said. “If it occurs during your visit, simply head for the cleanest water you can find.”

By Tom Schlichter

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apt. Nick Fischer nodded at a boat dock ahead. “There should be a Launching is available at South Seas Resorts (if you are staying there) or good one under there,” he said. “We had a couple there this morning from the Sanibel Island Public Boat Ramp ($5/hr. parking fee: 239-472-6397; but saw a real solid fish just before we left.”

888 Sextant Dr., Sanibel.) Nearby, the ‘Tween Waters Inn is another good spot It didn’t take long to confirm a nice snook was home. I hooked it and, to spend the night. More info at www.fortMyers-Sanibel.com.

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t’s prime time for wahoo in the sparsely populated southeastern Bahamas, where a fleet of boats shows up each winter specifically to target some of the biggest wahoo in the world.

Just off San Salvador and Cat Island, precipitous ledge drops within a 15- or 20-minute boat ride from shore are a magnet for wintering wahoo.

The prime wahoo season runs from November to about April, when fish are densely congregated. Triple-digit weights are not uncommon, and the average wahoo will tip the scales between 50 and 60 pounds this time of year.

High-speed trolling is the name of the game. Pulling lures at 14 knots and zig-zagging along the ledge over depths from 400 to 600 feet is the kind of fishing that produces world records. Five current IGFA line-class record wahoo came from the waters off San Salvador and Cat Island. Two of those weighed more than 150 pounds.

When that reel goes off, screaming from the pull of a big fish moving at 60 mph, it’s important to crank down on the drag and power it to the boat as quickly as possible. Oceanic whitetips are thick in the area, and they’re known to show up and rip a trophy fish to shreds.

For information on lodging and charters in the southern Bahamas, go to www.bahamas.com.

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Winter can be brutal, but to the saltwater fly fisherman it can be the greatest time of year to catch some quality fish on the fly. The beaches, flats and bays are practically deserted, the “sunshine” fishermen having retreated to their firesides at the appearance of the first raindrop or snowflake. It’s time for the serious fly flingers to put on thermals, grab a fly rod, and head for the water.

Two of my favorite wintertime saltwater fish are the speckled trout (or spotted seatrout) and the redfish, two game fish that thrive in cooler water and make for some great fly rod action even “when the frost is on the pumpkin.”

The speckled trout is a coastal fish found on the shallow mud flats and sand flats from North Carolina to Texas. A fish generally traveling in large schools, the “speck” is capable of providing fast action on the fly whether you’re wading or fishing from a skiff, kayak or boat.

A proven way to locate the “speck” is to look for depressions, channels, holes or cuts on or along these areas. Once located, cast into them with a floating or intermediate line, a 9-foot leader and a baitfish pattern. A weedless fly like a Bent Back works well.

The key to catching speckled trout in cold water is to retrieve the fly sl-o-o-o-wly using short, jerky strips. The strike is often as light as an aunt’s peck on the cheek, so keep close eye contact with your fly.

Another worthy wintertime adversary is the redfish, a fish found in the same areas as the speckled trout. Redfish (red drum), can tip the scales from 5-pounds to a heavyweight of 40 pounds. These members of the croaker family take up residence near breakwaters, pier pilings, channels, estuaries and marshes.

They are a great match for the fly rod.

Redfish can be finicky eaters and sometimes the fly needs to be placed close to their noses, especially in colder water.

An accurate cast is essential in fishing for these rascals. Come prepared with a 9- or 10-weight rod, a floating line (weight forward), a 9-foot leader and a pocket full of crab patterns, as reds favor crustaceans.

Don’t hang up your fly gear at the first signs of the winter solstice. Winterize yourself and go fly fishing; it beats sitting in a chair and dreaming of warmer weather.

For more Bowman, go to

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By CAM Staff

E

veryone seems to gets excited about those spring runs, when cobia push north in their migration and can be targeted by sight while cruising the beaches. With the run-and-gun nature of these tactics, it’s arguably the most exciting way to catch them. But it’s not the most efficient.

Die-hard cobia fans know that wintertime, before the big move, provides some of the best fishing of the year. Consolidated is a good way to describe cobia populations during the winter. On the Atlantic coast as well as in the Gulf of Mexico, fish have moved southward and offshore in search of comfortable water conditions.

At no other time are cobia populations so dense around the Florida Keys, but they can also be found grouped up on deeper wrecks and reefs along both Florida coasts.

In the warmer waters of the Keys, deep jigging the ocean-side reefs with butterfly jigs or 1-ounce bucktails will haul up a mixed bag, which will likely include cobia, and chumming them up to the surface is also tried-and-true tactic. Out on the reef line, anchor up and drop a chum bag of chopped-up frozen baitfish and wait for the action to come to you. Cobia will show up with sharks, as well as various mackerel and snapper species. Whether it’s pinfish or shrimp, present your bait weightless, and you might want to add a wire leader for the toothy critters in the melee.

Farther north on both coasts, resident cobia are schooled up and easier to locate than they are at any other time of year. Find a good winter day, with warm sunshine and calm seas, and make the run to offshore wrecks or reefs. The key to this is water temperature, so look for temperature bands with surface temps around 70 degrees, and find some good structure with bait present on the sonar.

Again, chumming can bring cobia right up to the surface, which leads to fast action on live baits, but jigging is a tactic that is both fun and effective for targeting fish you actually spot on the screen more than 100 feet down. It’s quicker, cleaner and more efficient than live bait.

The key to this technique is finding the magic depth where the cobia are schooled up. Drop a 2- to 6-ounce jig, depending on the current and depth, vertically to the depth you’re marking fish.

Experiment with the action until they eat. Some pump a jig up with fast, short jerks, others prefer to swing it up high and let it flutter back down. Both techniques will work, and the jig should be sweetened with either a 7-inch soft-plastic trailer or a natural bait like cuttlefish.

Some of the biggest cobia of the year come off wrecks and reefs in winter. So head down to the Keys or make the run offshore and catch them before they scatter with the spring run.

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By Tonya Wiley, Havenworth Coastal Conservation

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awfish are shark-like rays named for their saw-shaped snouts.

Smalltooth sawfish were once found in coastal waters from Texas to North Carolina; however, fishing mortality and habitat loss led to dramatic reductions in both their numbers and range. Now they are regularly found only in southwest Florida, especially around Everglades National Park. NOAA Fisheries listed the smalltooth sawfish as “Endangered” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2003.

Because of the protections afforded by the ESA, it is illegal to target, harm, harass or handle sawfish in any way. While it is technically illegal to catch a sawfish except with a research permit or in a fishery where incidental take has been authorized, captures do occur while fishing for other species. Mortality from incidental captures in both commercial and recreational fisheries is an ongoing threat to this endangered species. It’s the responsibility of all fishers to follow guidance to quickly and safely release, without harm, all sawfish caught while fishing.

Sawfish are powerful animals that can whip their saws very quickly, which can cause serious injury to the angler and the sawfish. The number one rule to remember when releasing a sawfish is to leave it in the water at all times. Because of the ESA protections, it is illegal to possess a sawfish. Removing it from the water is considered possession and is a clear violation of the law. Do not lift a sawfish out of the water onto your boat or a pier, and do not drag it onto shore. Simply cut the line as close to the hook as is safely possible.

Never remove the snout, called a rostrum, as sawfish use it for detecting and catching food. In addition to being illegal, removal of the rostrum severely limits the ability of the sawfish to find enough food to survive, and could result in death from starvation. Mishandling and

By Will Schmidt

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magine slowly stripping a shrimp fly, with prey in pursuit, when your guide says, “Quick… pick it up before the bonefish gets it.” It seems nonsensical, but it happens more than you think while casting at permit in Ascension Bay, Mexico.

Known to many fly fishermen as one of the most permit populated places on earth, the waters of the southern Yucatan hold much more than world class permit.

the purposeful injury or killing of captured sawfish is both illegal and detrimental to the recovery of the population.

These guidelines ensure the safety of both the sawfish and the angler. If you catch or see a sawfish, take a quick photograph of it, estimate its size, note your location, and share the details with scientists.

The details of your sightings or catches of sawfish help to monitor the population and track the recovery progress.

Share your information by calling 844-4-SAWFISH (844-472-9347) or visiting www.SawfishRecovery.org.

For more information about sawfish research, conservation, and management in the United States visit www.SawfishRecovery.org.

The journey starts with an easy flight to Cancun. From there, a two-hour van ride to Tulum might still have you wondering how to get away from all the tourists. However, once you board your panga and start the hour ride through the pristine waters of the lagoon system of Ascension Bay, you will realize you are truly on the path less traveled.

Once back on land at the Grand Slam Lodge just north of Punta Allen, you’ll be greeted with margaritas and shown to first class accommodations in your beachfront villa. You will also notice there is nothing else around, and you are actually at the end of the road in the middle of nowhere.

This fishery is nothing short of amazing. Home to a lobstering community, there is no other commercial fishing. All the recreational fishing is catch and release. These waters hold more permit than anywhere else I know, but be forewarned they are still permit and not easily fooled. Additionally, the number of bonefish here is staggering, and although not typically as large as the fish you’ll encounter in the Bahamas, they average a respectable 3 to 4 pounds in quantities that are astounding. There are also large numbers of tarpon, snook (which the guides seem to get particularly giddy about), jacks and barracudas to keep you busy all day.

One of the other unique aspects of fishing here is each boat has two guides, the head guide and a junior guide. The second guide is extremely helpful to the angler as an extra set of eyes as well as for quickly changing outfits for the variety of species encountered and to help manage tangle-prone fly line. If you want to be spoiled, two guides does it.

Ascension Bay is one of the greatest fisheries I have experienced. This is a renowned destination for fly fishermen seeking permit and a wonderful intro for anglers new to saltwater fly fishing. To see the quantity and quality of fish here, you would expect to travel much farther and stay in far more rustic accommodations. I recently returned from a trip in the “off season,” which is in reference to the number of tourists not fish. In three days of fishing, I never saw another angler while fishing. It provided us with abundant, pressure-free, happy fish to target.

Will Schmidt is an experienced tournament angler who has been writing about fishing for more than two decades. For more information, check out grandslamfishinglodge.com.

Winter Fishing Tips

by Stephanie Winter

We often overlook winter fishing for two reasons: we move on to winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding or ice climbing, and it’s too damn cold to stand in a river hoping your fingers won’t fall off. However, these two reasons are exactly why you should consider taking your rod with you in the winter months. Skiing and snowboarding destinations often have good mountain streams nearby that offer ideal fishing opportunities on the way to or from the ski hill. The cold will also deter other anglers meaning you'll get a chance to solo fish your jam-packed summertime hole. Here are a few tips to help you overcome that cabin fever and get back on the river.

Ditch the felt. Avoid your felt boot bottoms amassing snow by switching to spikes or rubber soled boots.

Light a fire. Set up a base camp and light a fire (where permitted) or a propane fueled furnace; giving you a space to warm up and relax during those extremely cold and snowy days.

Multiple gloves. Bring multiple pairs of gloves and fingerless gloves to alleviate inevitability soaked, wet fingers.

Pinch your barbs. Make sure to pinch your barbs in advance if you plan on catching and releasing your fish. You'll spend less time wrestling a hook out of a fish’s mouth and thereby risk less hand exposure to the wet and cold. Using forceps or a Ketchum Release tool often means you don't have to remove your gloves or touch the fish at all.

De-ice your guides. Finally, for that pesky problem of ice on your guides pick up a container of Loon Outdoors Stanley’s Ice Off Paste or swing by your kitchen and grab some cooking spray.

Apply when your rod and line is still dry for maximum effect.

These tips plus an unwavering desire to fish regardless of the weather will help you stay out longer. Slow moving fish and limited food sources make winter fishing a great option for anyone willing to embrace the chill. Tight lines and see you on the water!

Buy decent waders! I reversed my feelings of impending doom and hypothermia by switching to good quality waders after floating the Yellowstone in March. Borrow from a friend or buy them for yourself. These are a nonnegotiable item if you want to fish during the winter months.

Layer up. If you’re cold, it’s a layering issue. Pack on the wool and quick-dry synthetic fabrics. Remember to monitor your temperature, adding or removing layers so you don’t sweat or get too cold. Leave the cotton and down at home which will soak up water and never dry.

Stephanie Winter is a fly fishing guide and lover of the outdoors.

You can follow her exploits on Instagram @stephrwinter

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EDITORIAL

How

Photo: “Keep it Safe!” by Richard Yvon

Ice Fishing Lake Trout

Maine Outdoors Adventures with Twin Maple Outdoors Tis the season for getting outside and enjoying Maine’s winter activities! Fishing is always fun and enjoyable when things are sunny and hospitable. Just as soon as mother nature throws weather into your trip, things can get nasty, uncomfortable and unsafe quickly!

Understanding the Lake trout water, you are fishing is key to success in catching these fish of old. There are many lakes that offer a sterile environment and then there are some that have a large quantity of bio mass. By nature, when Lakers are not on the spawn, then they are very likely to be hunting and eating. Finding the mass Having “The right stuff ” will not only keep your trip forage in lake trout water is #1 in finding the fish. When enjoyable, but will keep you safe which is always priority water temps fall, the mobility of lake trout increases, and #1. The Nebulus Emergency Flotation Device is a fish can be found in all depths. compact, portable life-saving tool engineered for use in Lakes with hi bio mass will in-turn make some fish feed ice and water rescue situations. It lets a first responder do more on occasion giving anglers the challenge of finding what they’ve never been able to do before: safely initiate active and hungry quarry. In any case focusing on the a solo rescue without having to wait for backup. Small food will help anyone in their pursuit of the Lake Trout. and light enough to carry in the trunk of a car or on a snowmobile or ATV, the Nebulus inflates in seconds, helping a rescuer reach the victim quickly and pull them to safety. Fully inflated, it can support up to three adults and a submerged snowmobile or ATV. Staying Safe on hard water every day in the Maine winter season, being prepared with “the right stuff ” is vital.

Having proper clothing and safety gear like ice picks is a great way to stay safe. There are many advantages in the hi-tech field of ice fishing equipment such as the warm, floating suit of Artic Armor. This warm fishing suite is also a wearable means of floating. The suit combined with ice picks gives an angler peace of mind while venturing on hard water.

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[Estim of fis indiv afford popu such and meth age fi simil meth to e age o reaso meth simil bony and s grow to t New grow to are daily scale rings and not grow in a s of tre scale micro the a can regul

Brack Erdm Photo: “Staying Safe and Warm” by Richard Yvon

EDITORIAL If you are interested in a Northern Maine Outdoor Adventure, please reach out to Rich!

Photo: “Maine’s Lake Trout (Togue)” by Richard Yvon

How old is that Lake Trout?

[Estimating the age of fish is one of the cornerstones of fisheries management. Understanding the age of individual fish and the abundance of different age classes affords fisheries managers the opportunity to investigate population dynamics and corresponding parameters such as growth, mortality, recruitment, age-at-maturity, and maximum lifespans. Somewhat surprisingly, the methods used to Otolith cross-section from a age fish are very 37-year-old lake trout (Courtesy similar to the of the U.S. Geological Survey methods used Alaska Cooperative Fish and to estimate the Wildlife Research Unit.) age of trees. The reason that these methods are so similar is that the bony structures and scales of fish grow similarly to tree trunks.

New layers of growth, referred to as circuli, are laid down daily on the scales and bones of fish. Much like trees, these daily rings are widely spaced out during the growing season and become condensed during winter when fish are not growing as rapidly. These areas of condensed growth rings, referred to as annuli, can be interpreted in a similar fashion to the dark bands on cross-sections of tree trunks. Thus, fisheries scientists can remove scales or bony structures from fish, view them under a microscope, and count the number of annuli to estimate the age of individual fish. In turn, fisheries managers can then use this information to establish proper regulations to ensure the sustainability of fisheries.]

Bracketed content Erdman – Ph.D.

About Richard Yvon…Rich is a full time Registered Maine Guide and Luxury Sporting Lodge operator. He is a “Certified Yamaha G3 Guide” that runs fly and spin fishing trips with a G3 Jet boat and drift boat. Located in Bradford Maine, Rich guides World Class Maine hunting, fishing and recreation adventures. As well as guiding, Rich is also an outdoor writer, tree farmer, fly-fishing and certified NRA firearms instructor. Spending time in Maine’s North Woods has provided a canvas for Rich to share his passion of the outdoors with all walks of life. When Rich is not in the field, he sits as a director for Native Fish Coalition and The Maine Highlands of Maine Tourism. Rich is in constant communication with visitors, guides, lodges and business owners in Maine promoting the outdoors and conservation. *Due to limited space, booking in advance is highly recommended.

To Book… EMAIL info@TwinMapleOutdoors.com To Call: 207-907-9151 Luxury Sport Lodging also Remote Cabin and Primitive Tent Camping Ice Fishing – Lodging, Heated Fishing Shelters, Instruction Hunting • Moose • Deer • Turkey • Partridge Fly or Spin Fishing • Streamside • Drift Boat • Jet Boat Fishing Trips • Recreation Trips • Moose Safaris • Hiking (Ice Caves, Waterfalls, etc.…)

• Kayaking/Canoeing • Historical Tours Questions? You may contact Rich at: Call: 207-907-9151 Email: info@Twinmapleoutdoors. com Visit: http://www.

TwinMapleOutdoors.com

is contributed by Bradley student University of Maine

and von COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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CATCH PHOTOS Fishing with Shelley By Shelley Wigglesworth You never know what you are going to reel in when deep sea fishing. Here is a sampling of some of the many species of fish harvested, spotted and/or were catch and release onboard the deep sea fishing charter boat F/V Nor’easter in Kennebunkport, Maine.

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CATCH PHOTOS

Shelley (Fleming) Wigglesworth is an award-winning freelance journalist from Maine and a mate on the F/V Nor’easter out of Kennebunkport, Maine. Her work can be found in the following publications: The Village Magazine, York County Coast Star, Yankee Magazine (online), National Fisherman Magazine, Commercial Fisheries News, Points East Magazine, Coastal Angler Magazine and The Maine Lobstermen's Association's "Landings."

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FEATURED PHOTOS BY PETE MCMANUS

Pete McManus is an angler and photographer from Cape Cod. You can see more of his work on Instagram – @pete_mcmanus_

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FEATURED PHOTOS BY PETE MCMANUS

on

Photo: “The FireDisc Cooker” by Richard Yvon

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A Tail to Share

by Edward Acton The declaration of the last drift comes begrudgingly. Feet shuffle, and idle hands get to work. While often an implied admission of defeat, and precursor to a ride home shrouded in the contemplation of ‘what-if ’, there’s a sliver of hopefulness today. Shearwaters and black-backed gulls hit the white-wash eighty yards off the stern. Sand-eels spray as bubbles turn to baleen sieves a bit further beyond. It’s been like this for an hour as the pod of Humpbacks works south, indifferent to the thinning Autumn fleet. “Something’s gotta happen here” I say to my father, who’s in the bow playing medieval brain surgeon to the last mackerel of the day. An evergreen statement for sure, but I said it because I felt it. What we also felt was the building gust out of the North, the increasing pull of the drift as slack tide abated, and the fast-approaching November dusk.

Pinching my index-finger within, and rolling the throat of the yellow latex balloon over my thumb, I fasten the last float and strip line in five-foot increments, estimating but also hoping the angle of the weight thirty-feet below suspends our offering just right. Slowly but surely, the canary-colored bobber works back towards the fray, an alien indicator amongst natural forces. With less tidal drag than my father’s Poland Spring bottle-turned float, my canary arrives at the desired location just in time to avoid fouling his drift. I flip the Tiagra to ‘strike’ and step back to survey our humble spread; a dead-sticked soft bait flanked by a high-low duet of oversized live ones.

With our spread situated, apprehension sets in, knowing full and well we’ve already exhausted the token Bud Light AM, the lucky yogurt, our magic M&Ms and even the afternoon eighties playlist. As we wrack our minds for a forgotten superstition, the bubble-feed behind us breathes, consolidates, peters-out, and then re-forms according to laws of nature we’ll never comprehend. Seconds turn to minutes. Ten minutes turns to twenty-five. Our minds drift to the thought of a warm meal, and those idle hands turn to fidgeting with unorganized tackle…an enemy few anglers have ever vanquished.

The strike comes like a thunderbolt. Riding shotgun on that thunderbolt is a heavy dose of suspicion that we’ve inadvertently hooked a whale tail, which had recently slipped close by the jerry-rigged water-bottle that marked off fiftyfive feet from the bow rod’s offering. Tick-Tick-Zzzzz and the mono top-shot is ancient history, revealing the eighty-wide’s snow-white backing. Eight hundred yards from hero to zero.

Make that seven hundred left. Now six hundred.

Rumbling to life, the engaged outboards fail to arrest the hollow-core braid melting off the spool. Four hundred yards left, now three hundred…maybe. “It’s got to be a whale, we’ve never seen anything like –“, and for a brief second there’s a release of tension, the subtle transmission of a pelagic headshake, some seven football fields away. The marine equivalent of a poker-player’s ‘tell’, the intended show of strength reveals identity: Thunnus. Guilt-free, and motivated by the chance to turn a forgettable day unforgettable, the chase is on.

With the forward deck hectically cleared of obstruction, the pursuit goes from circus to assembly line, the battle for braid turning slowly in our favor. With six hundred yards of insurance secured, the outboards return to idle status, ready, but in reserve until the endgame. Our tuna fish, beleaguered by his cannonball run, lurches into the deep. Instinctually, he’s

driven to slow the build in lactic acid in the cooler substrate, or perhaps more deviously, chafe off our leader on a longabandoned lobster pot. Doggedly, we trade twine, the same fifty yard stretch back and forth. It’s by the handful on our side, by the bucket-full on his. Slowly the runs diminish in intensity, and the headshakes become less frequent…but the gambit hasn’t been played, yet. Then, all at once, what seems like a renewed burst forward commences…begging me to step-back in exhaustion and admire the energy imparted on the line-dumping spool.

And that’s when ‘the turn’ comes. Like an underwater fighterpilot, the Bluefin’s forward dorsal fin expands to full size, arresting all forward motion as the tuna pitches headlong back towards the boat. The rod tip snaps skyward, a dangerous bow forming in the line shooting onto the horizon. Crank and hope is the only response. Crank and hope that your 8/0 circle hook is well-lodged in cartilage where the upper and lower jaws meet. Crank and hope that the resumption of tension doesn’t find a stress fracture in your connection points.

My chest finally decompresses as the guides creak to life and the rod tip bows to greet the tail-pumping Bluefin, now just a hail-mary throw’s distance off the bow. Expecting another dive, I slip back the drag a quarter of an inch. But my opponent stays put, lingering just under the surface in an awkward stasis.

Not usually a species inclined to be cautious, this fish senses something is just not right as he drags our line taut against the water’s blue veneer.

Enter player three. As the Tuna breaks the tension of the surface, from below it hurtles a mature White Shark with a full head of steam. The vertical approach and ‘Polaris’ breach, once thought to be just a niche tactic of South African resident White Sharks, sends both predator and the stunned prey sky-ward. For a brief snapshot in time, both megafauna suspend mid-air, gills flared and tails curled against the unfamiliar lack of fluid resistance. A moment of utter aweinduced silence passes between my father and I…before the single-greatest injection of adrenaline our hearts have ever known. Expletives, superlatives, all the –ives couldn’t fill the descriptive void created by the scene in front of us, but we tried nonetheless.

Nearly forgetting my active role in this clash of the oceanic titans, I’m slow on the uptake to drag our catch free from certain doom. In one swift motion, the one-ton opportunist’s upper jaw unhinges and slams down just behind the secondary dorsal of the Bluefin, the front row of razor-whites sinking in to the gum-line. Sharpened by millennia of evolution, one head-shake is all it takes to separate a fifty-pound chunk of toro and tail from the carcass, the spine snapping like plastic cutlery in a blender. And as quick as its entrance, the White Shark ghosts the scene.

(continued on B10)

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(continued from B9)

broader ecology of the Cape and Islands.

Tentatively, we haul the residual of our tuna aboard, slackjawed by the sight of the meat gone missing. Compared to the average blue-fish snapping up half a live-lined pogy, the scale is commensurate, but a bite the size of a trash can lid was impressive if not a bit unnerving. In this state of half-terror and half-joy, my peripheral vision picks up some flirtation on the surface just eight yards past the transom. Maybe up to sixty percent terror now, I shift my weight and peer into the blue. Sure enough, as the disturbance makes a lazy half circle around our stern, the aqua-camouflage of the shark fin melts away to reveal a menacing sixteen-foot frame just a few arms-lengths away. Never have I felt more thankful for a few centimeters worth of fiberglass separating us from this “threebarrel” monster (Rest in Peace Cap’t Quint).

Being familiar with the stunning spotter-plane photography of Wayne Davis, the encounters of striped bass charter captains in Cape Cod Bay, and the tagging studies undertaken by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, I wondered if we had claim to a minor role in the biological saga unfolding in the waters from the Great South Channel, past ‘the elbow’, to the northern edge of Stellwagen bank. With some 50 sharks tagged by the AWSC this season, and ours presumably not, it’s a small wonder just what that figure equates to as a percentage of the broader population of Great Whites that now use the Cape as a feeding station during their haphazard migration.

After several more elliptical displays of leering curiosity, weaving in and out of perceptible view, the silent fly-bys cease and we’re alone again. We wait and watch, white-knuckling the rails for some time. Finally, emotionally and physically spent, we crumple to the deck in exhausted laughter, all too aware of the cortisol still coursing through our veins. ”What a way to spend your birthday”, I tell my old man. He manages a wry smile and nods, “…ya, your mother might not believe us this time”.

Cutting through the chop on the return home, running parallel to the picturesque coast of Monomoy Island, the broader brush-strokes of our encounter begin to fall into place. Whether it was the mental-clarity induced by our rare moment of primitive vulnerability, or the sight of the resident colony of seals playing innocently in the surf, the gravity of our chance meeting sets in. Certainly, beyond the obvious thrill associated with sights unseen, it was hard to ignore the feeling that our encounter meant something more to the

Is our encounter an exclamation point on the birth of a new White Shark colony in the Atlantic, or have our waters always been a White Shark mecca, the significance hidden by the harvest of Grey Seals prior to the Marine Mammal Protection Act in 1972? Could these Sharks be returning to an ancestral hunting ground deeply imbedded in their primeval DNA? While our day may simply represent a chaotic data point in a long lineage of chaotic data points, it’s incrementally more difficult for us to ignore that our fishery is in the midst of a historic transformation. No matter your stance on the social or economic impacts of the increased shark presence, it’s both humbling and exciting to see our blue frontier in flux.

“Fisherman” and “explorer” used to be synonymous in the time when Cape Cod got its namesake, and so the opportunity to get a glimpse of what that might have been like was an honor we’ll not soon forget. And so, before you pass judgement on this misunderstood animal, know that the relatives of White Sharks have been swimming along for almost half-a-billion years, much longer than humans, crocodiles, and most tree species…so respect your elders.

UPCOMING EVENTS Check out some of these local fishing events and tournaments.

To include your event in this listing, send it to us at boston@coastalanglermagazine.com

The Fly Fishing Show

Marlborough • January 17-19

New England Fishing & Outdoor Expo Boxborough • January 24-26

Jan 21, 2020 6:45pm Success Through The Ice

by Joe Brotz Gear, jigging, bait, and tactics will be covered.

Salisbury Hilton Senior Center (behind the fire station) 43 Lafayette Road (Route 1) Salisbury, MA 01952 $5 public admission / Free for club members

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JANUARY CATCH OF THE MONTH

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Pete McManus admits they aren't all giants

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Send us your catch photos! Email boston@coastalanglermagazine.com or message us on Facebook or Instagram COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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RELENTLESS. RESULTS.

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C

orey Kitzmann, of Davenport, Iowa, knows what it’s like to catch a freshwater monster.

The 57 ¼-inch muskellunge he caught back in August was recently certified as a new Minnesota catch-and-release state record. The nearly 5-foot-long muskie measured 25 ½ inches in girth and had an estimated weight of 47 pounds.

Kitzmann was fishing alone at Lake Vermilion, a more than 40,000-acre Canadian Shield lake west of Lake Superior. He was working a bucktail on 80-pound line when the toothy critter ate.

“When I set the hook, I knew immediately that I had a nice fish on,” he said. “It wasn’t until the fish made its way to the side of the boat that I realized I had a true giant.”

But getting the fish to the boat wasn’t the end of the fight.

Kitzmann was able to net the fish solo, but he had to wave down a nearby boater to help haul it out of the water for photos before a successful release.

Minnesota’s certified-weight state record for Muskie is 54 pounds. That 56-inch fish was caught way back in 1957 at Lake Winnibigoshish. The IGFA all-tackle world record for muskie has stood since 1949. It weighed 67 pounds, 8 ounces and was caught from Lake Court Oreilles in Wisconsin.

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By John Lidington t’s January—named for Janus, the two-faced god who looked forward and backward at the same time. It’s also New Year’s resolution time. That’s when we look at what we should have done, to figure out what we ought to do. Doing this, I’ve come up with a long list of shortcomings that could stand some attention in 2020. But resolutions don’t have to focus on negatives. Accentuating the positives is equally important.

One such positive event was a special snorkeling session at the Blue Heron Bridge. The 6-year-old granddaughter of some friends was coming to visit, and they wanted to introduce her to snorkeling.

They heard the Blue Heron Bridge was a great site, but had never been. Knowing it’s a spot I frequently dive, they asked if I would guide them.

I agreed, and we chose a day with an early afternoon high tide so

I

the weather would be at its warmest. Of course, the bridge delivered its usual magic—magic that was amplified and transformed by a 6-yearold’s reactions to experiencing it for the first time. We swam the full length of the snorkel trail—saw the sunken boat, the shark statues, the rock piles and the artificial reef castings. I pointed out critters left and right to a very excited audience. When we reached the end, she insisted on retracing our path back to the beginning. She wanted to see everything again!

As we wrapped up, it hit me that even though I had not seen a single frogfish, octopus or nudibranch, I was psyched. I realized that I’ve come to treat the standard cast of fishy characters—angelfish, barracuda, porkfish, grunts, parrotfish, porgies and so much more—as background noise while I search for “rarities.” Familiarity had bred complacency. It took the contagious enthusiasm of a 6-year-old to knock me out of my rut.

That was a special afternoon. I’d like to think I helped start someone on a lifetime of appreciation for the marine environment. But it was important for me, too. I felt good that, through a small investment of time and effort, I could make someone happy. I also welcome a renewed enthusiasm for what I had begun to treat as commonplace.

So what’s my New Year’s resolution? Well, I have three grandchildren, spaced a bit more than a year apart, with a fourth on the way. I resolve to offer all of them a good introduction to snorkeling. Obviously, that’s a multi-year resolution. It will let Grandpa interact with them in a way that will keep them excited and my outlook fresh. If I’m really lucky, they will transition to PADI’s Junior Open Water SCUBA Diver program as they turn 10, opening up even more years of fun for us.

If you’ve got someone to take under your wing (or fin), get out in the water with them! There’s no shortage of easy snorkeling sites in Florida, and Pura Vida Divers will show you where to go. The rewards are great for all involved.

Give Pura Vida Divers a call at (561) 840-8750 or make an online reservation through their website at www.puravidadivers.com.

a few inches wider, a few #10 self-tapping stainless screws, some indoor/outdoor carpet and a pool noodle.

G

Tim Barefoot

ot an aluminum jonboat that makes a lot of noise with hull slap? The Silencer eliminates this hull slap noise and allows you to get closer to the fish.

With a few basic hand tools and materials, you can have a jonboat that is as quiet as a V-hull fiberglass boat. Internal insulation reduces the noise of hull slap, but The Silencer eliminates the chop that causes this hull-slap noise all together. Sure, you will have to drill a few holes in your bow, but this simple homemade gadget allows you to get closer to wary fish.

Fish hear your noise way beyond casting distance. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been frustrated by watching trophy fish swim right past the boat in shallow water. These fish have lockjaw.

They’ve heard the boat, and they’re trying to get away instead of smashing that topwater lure.

Noise absolutely matters! Fish are not stupid to the sounds of trolling motors and hull slap. There is nothing I can do about trolling motor noise, but when you need to get closer to fish upwind, the Silencer allows you to get within casting range without the noise from hull slap. I created this method due to my own frustration at watching fish spook before they were in casting range.

From ponds to the Intracoastal Waterway and the sounds, aluminum boats offer advantages for fishermen. But their built-in disadvantage is they are noisy.

The materials for The Silencer are simple. Everything you’ll need for this project can be purchased at the local hardware store or flooring supply store. All you need is .125-inch (1/8 inch) x ¾ wide aluminum (or stainless) bar stock cut to the width of your bow or

STEP 1: Sew a loop of the carpet around the pool noodle (as shown in photo).

The carpet should be as wide as your bow and slightly longer than the height of your bow off the surface of the water.

STEP 2: Screw the aluminum bar stock and the non-pool-noodle end of the carpet to the bow rail. Drill (.187) 3/16-inch (clearance) holes in the aluminum bar stock, and match the self-tapping holes in the bow of your boat to match.

Use an impact driver or drill to “seat” the self-tapping screws into the bow rail, through the clearance holes in the bar stock and the indoor/outdoor carpet.

STEP 3: You’re done. Toss the pool noodle end of The Silencer off the bow. Chop is absorbed by the carpet and pool noodle, leaving an eddy of still water between The Silencer and your hull.

For a detailed video of how to DIY, visit

BAREFOOTCATSANDTACKLE.COM click on: “The Silencer.”

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By Michael Okruhlik • Capt. Michael Okruhlik Photo courtesy of Controlled Descent Lures.

or those who enjoy targeting speckled trout of larger proportions, we know they are not easy to come by. The majority of trophy trout hunting is done in cooler water temps and below normal feeding patterns. Utilizing solunar tables for feeding times can improve your hookup ratio and help you get the edge on gator trout.

When I was a child, I would look at the calendar on the wall and see how many fish were on the day I had a trip planned.

Multi-fish days built the excitement and anticipation while zero

fish still left me wanting to go, but lessened my expectations. During my younger years, I also found no consistent correlation between my success and the number of fish on the calendar and soon felt no reason to review it. I felt it was more of a folktale than a tool. As I matured into a somewhat better angler, and started spending more time saltwater fishing, I once again started to study the solunar tables along with the tides.

To be clear, these tables are not a magic act, nor do they place fish where they are not, but I am a believer that if you are on fish, they will be more aggressive during the feeding times specified in the tables. Many people misinterpret the major as the better bite.

This is not necessarily the case. The major vs. the minor is the length of time the bite will last. The major is typically two hours long while the minor is about an hour and a half. Both can share the same intensity of the feeding period.

I plan each trip around the bite times. Naturally, I fish more than the two hours of the major bite, but I place myself in what I feel is the prime area during the bite. One rule that I stick to is to fish during the feed times rather than travel from one spot to another.

On a recent trip, I wasn’t having any luck and considered moving locations. I checked the time and realized the bite was approaching.

I decided to not move during the bite and continued to fish the once non-productive area to realize an aggressive feed during the specified time slot. I find this approach especially true when hunting gator trout. They do not feed that often and are difficult to catch, therefore utilizing the solunar can give you the edge for catching these larger specks.

As I stated previously, these solunar tables do not guarantee you will catch fish. However, if you have the correct conditions of tide, wind, water clarity, temps, bait and most of all FISH, giving it your best during the feeding times greatly increases your odds of catching fish, and gator trout.

Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

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urf Expo is coming to Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center Jan. 8-10. It is an enormous one-stop shop, where retailers can stock up for the upcoming season. The expo’s Bluewater category is designed specifically for retailers of fishing gear, apparel and accessories.

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MARK SOSIN

A

ll of us have enjoyed those rare days when fish would ingest virtually any lure or bait tossed in the water.

Those experiences are certainly the exception, because fish are selective about their diets and seldom vary extensively in their choice of foods. Only when they cannot find enough of their standard fare will they range in their choice.

Let me share a few examples: It was a beautiful day on the offshore grounds with a strong current that should hold fish. As the hours passed, our frustration increased. We couldn’t even raise a fish. Finally, the captain told us to reel in the lines. It seemed obvious he was going to try another spot, but that wasn’t his intention.

Instead of moving, he took the trolling lures off the rods and rigged them with a single hook. One of the outfits had a sinker so it would go deeper. Then he turned the boat broadside to the current and cut the engine. We were now being pushed by the natural flow of water.

A live baitfish was put on each hook and then streamed off the starboard side of the boat. He chopped up dead bait and threw a handful overboard as chum every couple of minutes. It didn’t take long before the big guys hit the live bait, and it suddenly became a banner day because the skipper did something different.

More than 50 years ago, the late Joe Brooks told me no

one to his knowledge had caught an Allison (yellowfin) tuna on a fly, and he was sure I could do it. Joe set up a trip for me to Bermuda, where yellowfins responded to chum. I had fished chum slicks with a fly with my father since I was a young boy, and we simply cast in the slick and retrieved the fly. I can’t remember ever having a problem with that method.

We were anchored on the edge of a bank in Bermuda, with the current taking chum off the edge into deep water. Tuna were devouring chum, and I was sure it would only take a cast or two to hookup. To say I was wrong was an understatement. The tuna ignored the fly as I retrieved it. They swam around it and kept eating chum. Finally, in desperation, I dropped the fly into some chum that lingered on the surface and did not move it. To this day, I can see that tuna inhaling the fly. It weighed 53 pounds and 6 ounces.

The point to remember is that if the more common method isn’t working, try a modification. A friend and I were both fishing the same plug. He kept getting strikes, while nothing touched my offering. Finally, he showed me how he periodically vibrated his wrist. It made the lure flash, and that’s all it took.

In a similar situation, another friend and I were using diving plugs. He kept hooking fish while I couldn’t buy strike. While I followed a standard retrieve, he would pause for an instant periodically. That allowed the plug to float upward before diving again. Simple, isn’t it?

Before you claim there are no fish where you are fishing, try a few variations to standard practice. You might be surprised with the results.

For more from Mark Sosin, visit

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heepshead are some of the tastiest fish in the ocean. They are abundant throughout the Gulf and up the Atlantic coast, usually holding tight to structure like piers, pilings, seawalls, jetties and wrecks.

Sheepshead are easy to find, but difficult to hook. They have hard mouths and teeth designed to crush the shells of barnacles, shrimp and mollusks. They’ll crush bait, and the hook, without an angler even knowing they were there.

That’s why a dropshot rig is a good tool to have. The standard Carolina or fishfinder rigs are effective, but the added sensitivity of a dropshot, where everything is in line, lets you know the fish is there before it gets away. You’ll get two taps. Set the hook on the first one, because the second tap means the fish is gone.

Fishing a dropshot rig is simple. Drop it to the bottom and reel up any slack. With a sensitive rod, the smallest peck is transmitted to the angler’s hand.

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