The Angler Magazine | January 2024 | Great Smoky Mountains & The Upstate Edition by Coastal Angler Magazine

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE EDITION

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PHOTO CREDIT: COBI PELLERITO IG: @COBI.PELLERITO VOLUME 28 • ISSUE 346

F R A N C H I S E

GIANT SMALLIES

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WELCOME

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

Tuna Town TO

had only been fishing a few years when I wound up taking a job in Venice, Louisiana. I had gotten the lead on a first mate position through a mutual friend of a captain who I had never met before. When I called the captain, I asked when he needed me. He told me, “yesterday.” So I went to the tackle shop, bought my first pair of slickers, and hit the road. The only thing I knew about Venice was that there was no cell phone service and no women. As I drove down the road south of New Orleans, I began to notice ships on both sides of the road simultaneously. I realized I had better call someone to let them know I was heading to a deadzone in the middle of nowhere, filled with lonely, salty men. I arrived at night and located my captain’s houseboat, where I would be staying. I made the jump across to the boat and opened the door without knocking—as I was instructed to do. A dozen men, drinking beer, went silent as they stared at me. I looked around the room at the welcoming party, and the walls that were lined with shelves of alcohol bottles and a deer head decorated with Mardi Gras beads and bras. They offered me a beer and I declined. After the 14-hour drive, I most definitely wanted a beer, however, this did not seem like the time and place to let my guard down. The captain showed me the boat docked out back, my bunk where I would be staying, and told me what time to set my alarm for the charter the following morning. I had no idea what to expect or what I had gotten myself into, but I quickly fell in love with the fishery and a week-long trip turned into a year and a half. The fishermen there were nothing but respectful and treated me like one of the guys. I had only been fishing for two years at the time and had a lot to learn. I spent evenings teaching myself how to tie snell knots and throw a cast net. When the locals would go out fun fishing and bring back coolers with hundreds of trout, they were more than happy to teach me how to fillet fish. The fishermen didn’t cut me any slack for being a woman, which I was grateful for. I worked just as hard as they did, earned respect, and learned everything I needed to become a competent fisherman. I was openly doubted every step of the way, until I was able to learn and prove myself, which I did. But I was told that if I made it to the fall, there was no way that a woman could handle shrimp-boat season. Shrimp-boat season involves pulling behind shrimp boats and then boarding them by jumping from the bow of your boat onto the tires that hang from the stern of the shrimp boat. Then you promptly scurry up before your bow has a chance to crush your feet. You then shovel bycatch into a bag or basket, get it back to your boat, and hopefully get yourself back on the boat before your crew hooks up to a big tuna and abandons you there for the fight. The goal is to not die, break your ankles or get murdered by the shrimp-boat crew in the process. I did make it to the fall, and I did survive shrimp-boat season, and it was some of my favorite fishing I’ve done, to this day. It wasn’t until I left that the ball-busting ceased and I received positive feedback, when a captain called to tell me I did a really great job and that I’d earned a place and should come back for the following season. I am so grateful Tuna Town was a stop on my journey to where I am now. I am indebted to the fishermen there who helped teach me things the right way, without mercy. Capt. Quinlyn Haddon, with Sweet e’nuf charters out of Marathon, Florida Keys, can be reached at (504) 920-6342. See CaptainQuinlyn.com and @captainquinlyn.

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THROW UMBRELLA RIGS FOR WINTER BASS

When the bass are feeding up on baitfish in the winter, the natural bait ball presentation with multiple baits swimming together drives these bass absolutely crazy. It can make for a very fun day on the water. Setting up your “rig” is not complicated. Depending on how deep you are looking to fish, use 1/8-ounce jig heads for shallow water (10 feet or less) and ¼-ounce jig heads for anything deeper than 10 feet. Pick TYLER WOOLCOTT out some small 3- to 4-inch natural shad colored boot-tail swimbaits to attach to your jig heads and that’s all there is to it. inter can be a tricky time of year to go fishing, The winter months is typically the time when bass to feed up before but I want to tell you about a bait that might help you put some more fish in the boat. In fact, this lure is so good that they spawn. Whether you see it going on or not, they are eating a lot of bait somewhere on your some tournaments don’t allow body of water. You can throw anglers to use them anymore. this rig basically anywhere, I’m talking about the Alabama and if there are fish around, rig, which some people call they will bite it! I throw it the umbrella rig. around grass, rocks, docks, This device made its debut open water, points and on the bass fishing scene in ditches. 2011 and absolutely dominated the tournament fishing scene Gear for a few years before it was When throwing an A-rig, eventually outlawed by most it can get pretty heavy once professional fishing series for you add all the jig heads and basically being an unfair way swimbaits onto it. You’ll want to catch fish. The rig consists to use a big heavy rod with of a baitfish-style head where some strong line. A 13 Fishing you tie your line with multiple Muse Black 7’6” rod paired metal-wire arms that extend with a Concept A 6:8:1 reel is out where you attach jig heads a good fit. Spool this up with with a swimbaits. Most come 20-pound Seaguar Abraz-X standard with five metal arms line and you are good to go! and five jig heads. Good luck out there! Even though the Alabama rig is outlawed by most pro fishing leagues, that doesn’t mean you can’t use it when you are out fun Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. fishing or even fishing smaller tournaments. It is a fish-catching machine! Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com.

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JANUARY 2024

NATIONAL 7

A GREAT LAKES FORMULA FOR

By Nick Carter

JUST ONE FISH

obi Pellerito’s goal in a day is just one fish, and with the surge in Great Lakes smallmouth fisheries, there’s a good chance he’ll find what he’s looking for: one giant smallie. “Big smallmouth is my jam,” he said. “It’s not like tournament fishing, where you’re looking for a limit. I’m out there looking for one big fish.” Pellerito theorized that three invasive species are responsible for Great Lakes smallmouth achieving grotesque proportions with weights in the 7- to 8-pound range. European round gobies and rusty crayfish from the Ohio River Basin have become important prey species since their invasion. European Zebra mussels are forage for another smallmouth favorite: perch, and these filter-feeders also create clear water, which is great for visual hunters like bass.

8 NATIONAL

JANUARY 2024

Pellerito bemoaned the destruction these invasives wreak but figures we might as well take advantage. THE FORMULA: The size of the Great Lakes system is incredible. From a home base in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, Pellerito has explored parts of it from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, downstream through lakes Michigan, St. Clair, Huron, Erie and over to the St. Lawrence River. Over this vast expanse, state fisheries reports tell him where the largest smallmouth are. “Once you’ve picked a fishery, there’s no substitute for time on the water,” he said. “Find the most desirable structure in the lake or in the part of the lake you’re fishing.” Smallmouth can be patterned seasonally. From there, Pellerito fishes long days to eliminate water. He looks for big points and transitions in bottom composition. He seeks out subtle structure like boulders or logs on barren flats. Bait presence is important, whether its gobies or crayfish in the rocks, perch in the grass or balls of suspended baitfish. THE FISHING: When he finds an area he likes, Pellerito covers water quickly with a crankbait. He likes a Megabass Deep-X 300, which dives 12 to 15 feet. “Covering water until you find where the fish are is important, then you slow down,” he said. “The biggest fish tend to be a step off from where the rest of them are.” Big smallmouth hold in “wolf packs” of two or three fish, and this can sometimes lead to days of more than “just one fish.” Recently, Pellerito boated an incredible 35-pound, 9-ounce five fish limit. Find one big fish, and it pays to pick that area apart. For this, Pellerito switches to classic drop shots or tubes. A standard tube crawls through the rocks like a goby or a crayfish. With the drop shot, Pellerito fishes a Megabass 3-inch Hazedong, which looks like a goby. It takes light line to draw strikes in clear water. Pellerito uses 15-foot leaders of 5- to 7-pound fluorocarbon with a main line of 8- to 10-pound braid. He’s experienced tremendous success with these tactics. This season, he boated 39 fish heavier than 6 pounds, 19 heavier than 7 pounds and two heavier than 8 pounds. To see more of Cobi Pellerito’s giant fish, see his Instagram @cobi.pellerito.

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JANUARY 2024

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 1

TENNESSEE/KENTUCKY/ALABAMA

CAPTAIN JIM DURHAM FISHING KY / TN FISHING REPORT

wner StriperFun Guide Service, Tennessee and Kentucky Walleye, Bass, Crappie and Muskie Charters, Superbaittanks. com, Captain Jim Marine Electronics and much more…… DATE OF REPORT: January 2024 Greetings to my readers! I hope the world finds you and your family doing well!

COME VISIT LAKE CUMBERLAND, CHEROKEE AND NORRIS LAKE FOR FABULOUS WINTERTIME STRIPER FISHING TRIPS – BIG MUSKIE ON DALE HOLLOW AND CAVE RUN LAKE! LAKE CUMBERLAND, CHEROKEE AND NORRIS LAKE STRIPER FISHING

For decades, as the owner, I have spent the fall and winter months on the above waterways “trolling” Captain Jim Special Umbrella rigs for stripers! For customers that want to experience this exciting way to “fool” stripers on artificial lures (AND NOT HAVE TO GET UP AND CATCH BAIT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!), the trolling of umbrella rigs is one of the hottest ways to present a “schooling” effect of lures to the big stripers. I run four (4) Captain Jim Special umbrella rigs at a time, trolling them at 2.2 MPH in about 25 to 35 feet of water all winter. It is “Kabam and Kapow”, with umbrella rigs getting “ripping down” so hard the rod tips are in the water in 1/10th of a second! Book a trip on one of these waterways and have a blast or go to our website to order your own Captain Jim Special umbrella rigs!

BIG MUSKIE ON DALE HOLLOW AND CAVE RUN LAKE

Captain Jim Fishing also offers muskie charters on Cave Run Lake in Morehead KY and on Dale Hollow Lake in TN. Muskie is a very elusive fish, known as the fish of 10,000 casts. Although they are not caught as often as other species, they are extremely cherished and revered trophy fish! Cave Run Lake, located in the northernmost portion of the Daniel Boone National Forest, is just 60 miles east of Lexington Kentucky. It is one of the top “big” muskie lakes in America! Dale Hollow Lake holds the record for the most muskie caught over 50 inches, held by my dear friend EC Reagan, who passed away a couple of years ago. I am blessed that he shared with me his techniques, lures (I troll his antique handmade muskie lures!) and honey holes. Since the muskies in Dale Hollow have to be 50 inches long just to keep one, this keeps the population of huge fish healthy and protected. Call us at 931-403-2501 to book your fishing trip of a lifetime for stripers or muskie! It is great to be alive and be a “free” American! I look forward to seeing all of you this year on the water. Always remember to stop and shake the hand of a person in uniform or wearing garb that shows they are a veteran! Their service is why you speak English, can vote and can enjoy the freedoms you do! Until next time, blue skies and tight lines! With full State licensing and insurance, all Captain Jim’s Guide Service guides (16 guides on 16 waterways) can take you on a safe, fun and unforgettable fishing adventure! Check out all of our fishing services as well as our exclusive “online” store at www.striperfun.com or call 931-403-2501 to make reservations today. 2 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

JANUARY 2024

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Ho W tro

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

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Hey pal, could you help a guy with a few pointers??

________________ By H. Eddie Fields

hose words and that question in the title began my lifelong love and interest in fly fishing. As the years have gone by, I have often thought about that auspicious beginning of my fly-fishing journey forty-two years ago. It all started when I approached a total stranger on the banks of the Watauga River, and humbly asked him if he could help a novice with some pointers. I use the word “humbly” because that was the first of many times I have been humbled with a fly rod in my hands, but I have learned to embrace those times too, because it is good for the soul to listen, pay attention, and learn some patience. I am blessed to have spent many days standing in the soothing embrace of crystal-clear water flowing all around me, casting in the natural rhythm and whirl of the fly line, while soaking in the beauty of God’s grace all around me. The fellow I approached that day probably doesn’t even remember that day or me, because as guys often do, we didn’t even catch each other’s names! But I will always remember him, and I want to go on record and thank him. I am originally from Southwest Virginia and grew up fishing the creeks and streams where we lived. I typically fished from the bank using live bait and the occasional spinner for smallmouth. After college I got a job in Kingsport, Tennessee and quickly found out that fishing in upper East Tennessee was quite different from my experiences of fishing

the creeks and streams where I grew up. After quizzing my co-workers, it appeared I had two choices, I could either buy a boat and fish the local lakes or learn how to trout fish in those “tailwaters” everyone at work was talking about. I certainly didn’t have the money or know anything about buying a boat, so fishing the tailwaters of the South Holston and Watauga rivers was the best choice for me. I asked my co-workers all the questions I could think of and set out with my spinning rod, brand new waders, some Panther Martins and hit the Watauga River with great expectations. It didn’t take long to figure out that I had fallen woefully short in both my research and questions! First of all, no one bothered to mentioned that the rocks would be that slimy and slick, so I took two baths in the first hour, freezing me to the bone. I was shocked and amazed that the water could be so cold! The big learning, however, was on my very next outing, when I experienced first-hand, the hidden hazard of fishing TVA Dam controlled tailwaters. Of course, several of the guys at work had mentioned the TVA Dam generating schedule and told me I needed to be careful, but I had no conception of what they were trying to describe. I found out however, after about an hour, when the water and flow increased (in less than 15 minutes} to ten times the flow rate than when I first stepped in the water! I think trying to describe tailwater generating schedules and

4 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

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JANUARY 2024

flows to someone is kind of like trying to describe a hangover, you can’t explain it, you just have to experience one to fully understand. Thank God I was close enough to reach shore and get back to the dry bank before my waders completely filled and washed me downstream. That one experience was a lifetime lesson and enough for me to make sure that it only happened once. I never stepped into the water again without calling the TVA Lake info number for the generating schedules for Wilbur or South Holston. I was not deterred however, because if I am nothing else, I am stubborn and I was determined to persevere and figure this puzzle out. I asked more questions, and I took the time to get the generating schedules and actually timed the flows with my watch until I figured out that it took about two hours after the generators started, for the flows to peak at the section of the river I was fishing. After several trips, I began to adapt to the new experience and started to be successful in catching fish. In fact, at times the fishing was amazing, especially on the Watauga in those days, long before the NARC fish kill. I have always practiced catch and release and I experienced days when I caught several dozen fish. There were times when using spinners and plugs resulted in not only large numbers of fish, I also routinely caught

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trout in the three-to-four-pound range. I was in the groove now, and for a couple of years, I really enjoyed fishing my spinning tackle and plugs, BUT, I also began to notice something that really intrigued me...just as there were successful days, I also experienced days when NOTHING happened, no matter what spinner or bait or plug I threw, I had trouble catching fish. But yet, fish were active and consistently feeding all around me, splashing water and jumping within a few feet of where I was standing. On those days, it seemed no matter what I tried, I could only catch the occasional fish. Apparently, the fish had to be feeding on some type of fly hatch, because I observed surrounding fly fisherman catch fish after fish. I was amazed at the proficiency in which they caught fish and was even more impressed with the rhythm and beauty of the method. I was so intrigued, I promised myself then that I was going to learn how to fly-fish. (To be continued next month in Part II) H. Eddie Fields is a fly shop owner, author and life-long fisherman.

JANUARY 2024

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 5

November on Cherokee!

_______________ By Perry Hensley

ell, November is in the books as far as the East TN Crappie Club Tournament goes. JD Dyer and I were able to break the top ten against some of this region’s best crappie anglers, as always. We would like to thank our sponsors—Slab Happy Lures, The Angler Magazine, Mammoth Campground and RV Park and Artistic Printers. We appreciate your support.

Cherokee Lake Tournament Results East TN Crappie Club held its 3rd tournament of the year on Saturday Nov 18th, 2023. We had a great turnout with 16 boats entering the event, especially for the opening day of deer season. We were blessed with mild temps and a beautiful day to be on the lake. All anglers who entered the event were able to catch and weigh fish. Anglers reported catching fish in a lot of different manners, however the top two teams reported catching their fish on structures in depths of 20 to 30 ft of water. The baits the used were BoneHead Tackle Stump Bugs in Blue Ice and Nightstick. Crappie Magnet in Sho Nuff and Black/Chartreuse. Also, SLAB HAPPY LURES in Polliwog. –The Winner of the event, with a 7 fish bag of 9.13 lbs., was Matt Xenos. Congrats sir on the great bag! –In second, with a 7 fish bag of 8.47, was the team of Scott Bunch and Rusty Proffitt. Good showing gentlemen! –Rounding out the money in third was LaRue Isom, with a 7 fish limit totaling 8.25 lbs. Nice sack sir!

Photo Credit: The East TN Crappie Club

–Winner of the Sniper Marine LLC big fish pot, with a 1.65 lb. slab, was Jesse Mayes. Nice fish Jesse! Thanks to Sniper Marine for sponsoring the big fish. Taking home the ACC Crappie Stix roll the dice prize of two brand new rods was Chris Sims and partner Josh Sims. Enjoy the new rods guys! Thanks to ACC for sponsoring our club and providing the rods. Congrats to everyone who fished in the tournament and thank you all for showing up. Our next event will be held on Ft Loudon Lake on December 9th out of the Ish Creek boat ramp. Registration will be from 6:30 to 7:00. See everyone there! As always God bless and tight lines. Perry Hensley

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JANUARY 2024

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JANUARY 2024

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 7

Wintertime Boat Maintenance Tips

____________________________________________ By Capt. Cefus McRae, Nuts & Bolts of Fishing Series

fish year ‘round. Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean the fish quit eating. I’m not a big fan of fishing hard water, but folks in the Midwest actually look forward to sitting on an iced-over lake in single-digit temperatures. And they catch some big fish too. If you choose to let your boat hibernate during the winter months, in the garage or at a boat storage facility, you have the perfect opportunity to perform a few maintenance chores that will have your boat ready to go next spring. Spending a few hours now, will help insure you are ready to hit the water again when the weather warms up. Here’s a few tips to get you started. First, if you didn’t clean your boat when you hauled it out for storage, now is a good time to do that. A wash-down and coat of wax will make it easier to clean next summer. If the gelcoat is starting to fade, roll up your sleeves and polish the entire exterior of the hull with a light or medium polishing compound, then a good coat of marine wax. Take your time and really deep clean all the storage compartments, live wells, the bilge, console, upholstery, etc. While you’re doing this, you’ll be able to see gel coat cracks, loose screws on hatches, and damaged or corroded electrical connections. I think it’s fair to say a lot of boating problems are due to electrical gremlins. First, examine your batteries for that ‘blue goo’ that develops on the terminal posts. That’s corrosion. Clean the posts and check the battery cable lugs and the wire inside the lug for corrosion too. That ‘blue goo’ can

migrate down the filaments of the battery wire (and other wires) and cause a voltage drop. If you see that, then you may need to cut the cable back to the point where you see pristine wire again and re-attach a new terminal lug end. Many boats have a buss bar where all the ground wires connect, and some even have buss bars for the positive wires too. Check these for corrosion, and make sure the screws that hold the wires are snug. Apply a thin coat of an anti-corrosion spray like Boeshied T-9 spray to all your electrical connections. Consider putting a trickle charger on your batteries to keep them topped off during the winter. While you are cleaning your bilge area, check your bilge pump. If your pump has an external bilge pump float switch, it’s an easy check. Just lift the switch up, and the pump should come on. If the float switch is ‘internal’, then the best way to make sure everything is correctly functioning is to put the drain plug back in the transom and pour a 5-gallon bucket of water in the bilge to see how the entire system works. You can check your hose connections at the same time. Check all your safety gear. Take out lifejackets and the throwable cushions and check them for tears and mildew. If they are damp, let them completely dry out and check them again. If they are torn or tattered,

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JANUARY 2024

Continued, see BOAT MAINTENANCE Page 16

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA GREAT SMOKIES

Make the Most Out of January

______________________ By Capt. James McManus

appy New Year to everyone. January is probably my least favorite Lanier was down 8 feet he merely stated he was fishing on the lower end. month when I think about fishing, but there are lots of things Well, stay warm, stay fed, plan ahead and eventually you might even get related that can occupy your time. Not to say that I wouldn’t head some equipment cleaned up. out with an unusual warm snap, but those aren’t always dependable. If it Later, Capt. James does happen the fish very likely will be obliging. Lots of times we have Capt. James McManus owns 153 Charters. Give him a call for a great caught fish and dipped the rod in the water to break the ice out of the day on the water at (828) 421-8125 guides, but it’s still tough on an old man. This time of year I am thinking along the lines of sprucing up equipment, new line, oil and grease reels, check guides etc. What I’ve really been meaning to do is take all my old plugs, lures, spoons, jigs and clean up, throw away, rehook, reswivel just in general make them new again. But alas, hunting, eating, football, and more eating has been overwhelming those plans, but they are still down there just waiting for a free moment. There are also things like the display box I want to make for some of my old plugs...maybe one more piece of pie and I’ll get started on that. Once the sun goes down there are fishing shows on YouTube where you can plan future trips. I trust the raw, homemade videos for the more truthful, less edited versions of destinations. I’ve been on the other side of the camera enough times to realize the star is probably wearing the same outfit three or four days in a row to shoot a 20 minute video. The one exception was the fellow in Georgia on Instagram that claimed he had caught the huge largemouth in Lanier that week. When someone suggested he was lying because the lake behind him was bank full and

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JANUARY 2024

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 9

Winter Bass Strategies

______________ By Scott Norton

ater temperatures are starting to bottom out and you need a plan. When water temperatures are dropping, bass will follow where the warmest water will be. You will find most bass in the main lake points, or somewhere nearby, on features where they can draw warmth from the sun. Look for hard structures and covers like wood and rock. You will find that most of the time you will have a bite window for only a few hours, so a plan to locate bass is very important. Starting on the sunning side of the lake will place you where they like to be when they are warming up. If you find that the bite is starting to taper off move to the other side of the lake when the sun starts hitting that shoreline. To catch them after that you will have to catch them deep, so that means you need to know how to read a graph. When fishing deep I look for saddles, humps, and bluffs. To continue to catch bass throughout the day means you need to adapt your strategy to follow bass where they are. When the water temperatures starts to get into the lower 40’s you will notice a large die out of the shad population. You will find on your graph huge pods of shad in certain areas down deep, and they will be grouped up around underwater springs to stay alive. Using baits that act like a dying shad will turn on those winter bass. The most popular baits to use will be a blade bait, tail spinner, under spin, jerk bait, lipless crank bait, jig, and drop shot with a fluke. If the bite is nonexistent then you will want to put down those conventional sized baits and up size your lure for more drawing power. This is also that time of year when you can catch the biggest catch of your life. Large bass still have to feed but they are not willing to burn

10 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

JANUARY 2024

calories to catch a meal. Dragging a large swim bait is your best bet at that point. The speed at which you have to drag your bait is much slower than you think. You have to use a swim bait with a vortex tail instead of a paddle tail because a paddle tail is too aggressive and unnatural looking for that situation. If you live in the mountains you can always go with the elevation game. Moving to lower elevations will give you a water temperature advantage. If the water is a degree or two higher, you’re still better off than going with colder water, so keep that in mind. Hope this helps out and have fun learning new things. Scott Norton is a Western North Carolina native. Born in Asheville, N.C., he is a long-time hunter, angler and weekend warrior.

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CAPT. CRAIG HENSEL

hat’s going on everyone, Captain Craig here with AWOL Fishing Charters. I hope all of you had an awesome Thanksgiving. It’s well into December and I’m still full from all the food. UGH.. Anyways let’s jump right into what’s been going on. I have only been fishing 3 bodies of water here lately: the Cape Fear River, Jordan Lake, and Shearon Harris. I have done a handful of catfish trips and they are just not on fire due to water levels being so low during this drought we are having in these parts. I have been running a lot of crappie fishing trips lately and every one of them has produced quality fish. Things have fired up for sure. The colder night temps have dropped the water temps fairly fast, and the crappie have been responding on schedule. We have been doing a lot of live scoping and a lot of slow trolling on those days where the wind is not in our favor for live scoping. The Cape Fear River has produced quite a few 11-13 inch fish when the water temps finally hit the lower 50’s. We are starting to see them school up by the thousands in various places. A lot of the schools are smaller fish with the bigger ones holding closer to the bottom around 1821 feet. So getting down past the smaller ones can be quite a task. We just had a bit of rain, and the river prediction chart has it coming up 4 feet so we will see what happens within the next few days with the crappie and catfish. I cannot wait to drop some fresh Gizzard Shad in the water and start targeting big wintertime blue catfish. So stay tuned hopefully things

are going to fire up by the time I write the next article. Let’s talk about Jordan Lake and Shearon Harris real quick. At Shearon Harris we have been pulling huge numbers of Crappie up to the boat. We are finding them right now in about 30-35 feet of water but most of the bigger ones are suspended in about 6-15 feet of water depending on the time of day. Our best times have been first thing in the morning and just before sunset. These fish are coming up on 1/8th ounce jig heads topped with a Bobby Garland Shad. I don’t care what color you’re throwing they’re smashing jigs at the moment. Most of my customers love slow trolling their minnows while some are live scoping at the front of the boat with jigs. Both techniques are producing large numbers. The wind has not been in our favor on some days forcing us off the main lake into the deeper creeks out of the wind. But the fish are there. I usually anchor up and wait for them to come to us. Jordan Lake has been producing good numbers of keeper fish as well. I have seen anglers catching nice size Crappie at the bridges while I’m driving through on the way to my spots. I typically don’t fish the bridges because of all the traffic and people bumping into one another. I don’t like all the sonars pinging off one another as well. It’s just not fun to me. I typically stay away from the community holes. They obviously have a lot of pressure and can make you scratch your head and wonder why they’re not biting. Get off of those community holes and go scan around you will typically

12 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

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find a brush pile or ledge holding big fish that no one knows about. I appreciate all of you! Until next time, keep those lines tight, drags set, That’s the biggest secret to catching bigger fish and larger numbers of and catch a big one!! Captain Craig Hensel, AWOL Fishing Charters with fish. Stop fishing for boats and look for your own spots. I can’t stress that Capt. Craig Inc. - 910-916-3138 enough. Don’t tell your buddy where you’re catching them because he’s going to tell at least one and then so on and so on, then when it’s time for you to go fish that hole its empty. So just keep that in mind. But get out on the water when you can and drown a few baits. I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas and a much better 2024. If you guys are interested in booking a trip visit our website, awolfishing. net and give us a call. We would love to have you. I will be at quite a few shows this year starting in January with a few of my sponsors. We will be at all the shows in NC except Greensboro, we will be at the Richmond show, the Catfish Conference in Louisville KY, and a few more in several more states. I hope to see you guys there. I will be with Deep Creek Lures, Catch the Fever Rods, 4REEL Fishing, and The Angler Magazine. If you guys would please be sure to check out the following websites for some awesome fishing gear and apparel, WWW.DEEPCREEKLURES.COM use promo code: Carolinacraig and save 35% off your order. WWW.4REELFISHING. COM use promo code: AWOL10 and save 10% off your order.

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GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 13

SOUTH CAROLINA

Winter is Both Challenging and Rewarding

___________ By Karl Ekberg

s the holiday season has now passed by for another year, there is still the hope that nature will bring us a white blanket of pristine snowfall. Fly fishing in a stream, snowflakes falling to the water’s surface and big fish stretching the line makes for magical dreams. A four wheel drive vehicle, all snowfall without the sleet or freezing rain, actually makes this scenario a reality for those willing to make the trek. Slowly,

the rain has started to fall across the mountains of the Southeast, and the creeks, streams and rivers are in full appreciation. Now that the presents have been unwrapped from the holidays, it is

Continued, see CHALLENGING AND REWARDING Page 16

14 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

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GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 15

BOAT MAINTENANCE continued from page 8 replace them now. Check your fire extinguisher. The indicator needle should be in the green. If it’s not, replace it now. Also check the nozzle on the extinguisher too. Wasps love to build a nest right in that small hole, and that could prevent the extinguishing agent from coming out when you really need it. And by the way, did you know fire extinguishers now have expiration dates? Check that too. Next, spend some time with your trailer. Are the tires properly inflated?

CHALLENGING AND REWARDING continued from page 14

Is your winch strap in good shape? When was the last time you added grease to the wheel hubs? Is your brake fluid reservoir properly filled? And finally, don’t abandon your boat all winter long. Stop by and say hello every now and then. I’d strongly suggest taking it for a short tow around the block. This will keep your wheel bearings and brakes in good shape, and it will prevent your tires from developing a ‘flat spot’. This isn’t a complete list of every boat maintenance item, but it’s a good start. And these few tasks will go a long way toward a quick and easy return back to the water when the dogwoods start to bloom. body turns cold. When water temperatures are reaching the low thirties, the use of good wicking clothing, including socks made of merino wool or synthetic material, good fleece or wool pants and at times a good base layer will greatly improve insulating the body from the cold air and water temperatures. For the upper body, the same ideas as the lower body, no cotton shirts or over-layers. Base layer wicking clothes are a best bet start, with layers leading to a wool/fleece top layer. Beanies or wool caps are best to stop heat loss from the head, as the summertime hat needs to be put up for warmer weather days. Hypothermia can set in, bodily functions start to slow, and things quickly go from bad to worse. So, getting out of the water and a small hike to get the blood circulating throughout the body is beneficial to keeping warm as well. The fish are still going to be in that spot: they’re not moving much either. As we enjoy the greater outdoors on the rivers, streams and trails, let’s all remember to “Leave No Trace”, as we want the many generations to come to enjoy what we enjoy today! We hope to see everyone out on the rivers.

time to try them out on the river, and nowhere is better than in the Delayed Harvest areas of the Chattooga or Chauga rivers. Full of fish from helicopter stocking in November and then truck stocking on a regular basis from the Walhalla State Fish Hatchery, big fish are ready for a winter meal. As the waters cool down from the winter stronghold, it is time to get deep. Not in philosophy, actually in the depths of the water column, with flies being presented to the fish. Heavily weighted, sparsely dressed flies will aid in the ease of descending fly patterns to the bottom dwelling trout. The use of split shot, tungsten putty, or sink tip leaders may greatly add to the assistance of presenting such meals to lethargic fish. Hatches of bugs throughout the winter will be minimal, with the exception of those wonderfully warmer Southeastern days we all cherish. Bugs hatching this time of year tend to be much smaller, so smaller diameter tippet and or leaders are a necessity. With colder weather, a wintery mix of weather and falling water temperatures, keeping warm for the day is essential. First and foremost, Karl and Karen Ekberg are co-owners of Chattooga River Fly Shop, located wearing the proper clothing will be beneficial for a long day on the water. And first of all, no cotton. Wearing cotton apparel will keep moisture from at 6832-A Highlands Hwy, Mountain Rest, SC 29664. Give them a call at (864) 638-2806 and visit their website at www.chattoogariverflyshop.com. sweat and condensation close to the body, which in turn cools, and then the

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ENTICE BIG TROUT WITH

ERRATIC ACTION PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®.

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

common principle anglers abide by during winter months is to slow down their retrieve or presentation. Although this is a good default option, it may fail to entice strikes of those big, cold, winter trout. Let’s discuss. Some of my favorite lures for targeting trophy trout in the winter are those that suspend, slow sink, and have an erratic movement. When I

define a slow presentation, I am referencing the speed at which the lure moves toward the angler, the retrieve speed, not the motion. As a young angler, I was always told to slow down when it’s cold and then slow it down a little more. Although this has its place, it should not be set in stone, or ice if it’s really cold. OK, enough of the bad jokes. When trout are cold and may not be feeding

as aggressively as we would like, an extremely erratic motion can entice the strike. This erratic motion makes the lure dance in place with little to no forward movement. I use a rod with a whippy action for this. This allows me to point my rod tip at the lure and shake it up and down aggressively causing the lure to almost dance in place. I then let it pause, suspending or slow-sinking as I reel up the slack. I then repeat this practice, modifying according to the conditions. Fishing braided line is imperative for this method. The stretch in mono will not allow your slow-sinking lure to dance in place at the end of a long cast, but the zero stretch of braid makes it move like it is on a wire. I learned this the hard way 20 years ago. I was fishing with four friends, and I was the only one using mono and the only one not catching. I mimicked every move my buddy made to no avail. I then ask him to cast his lure and retrieve it near me. I watched it dance past with great action. I then cast my lure near him. Although I moved my rod more vigorously, he said my lure was moving in a straight line as if I was just reeling it in. I switched to braid on the next trip and never went back, and of course this dancing method started to produce fish! If you pay attention to the strike, this method will let you know if you should modify your retrieve. If they bite on the pause, you may want to slow it down a bit. If they bite on the shake, you may want to speed it up. I hope this helps you land more big trout this season. Good Luck! Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures®, and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com

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t was a chilly winter morning, and my crew—a good friend Zach and his two sons—all knew it was going to be either a tough day or a great one. It was a typical morning for winter here in the Daytona, Fla. area, with overcast skies, highs in the low 60s and a dominant wind and swell headed from the northeast. The inshore bite is typically pretty good this time of year, with a variety of different species usually willing to cooperate. Red drum are a favorite backcountry target during the colder months. When they move up on the flats to feed, it can lead to good action on spoons and paddletails. On the end of the outgoing tide, we hoped to bag a few redfish before the switch, but the bite never happened. We kept busy with some small permit, pompano, mangrove snapper and even a flounder. By the time the tide switched mid-morning, the bite had slowed down with just a few small sheepshead taking our bait. Sheepshead are delicious, and around here the causeways of the Intracoastal along with barnacle- or oyster-encrusted docks, bridges and jetties are a pretty good bet for picking up a few for the cooler. They love sand fleas and fiddler crabs but will also eat shrimp on a jig head or Carolina rig. Something I like to do while targeting other species is to leave baits out for red or black drum. I had two dead stick bottom rods out the back soaking halved blue crabs in the hopes that a drum would be hungry enough to pick it up. With the action pretty slow, and while we still had some time left in the trip, I decided we should make a move. I told Zach’s younger son Gavin, who is an employee of mine at Yellow Dawg Bait & Tackle in Ormond Beach, to reel in the back rods that had been soaking. At first it looked like he had a snag as the rod bent when he picked it up, but then the drag took off. Big black drum are tanks! It’s almost like they have shoulders and they’ve been working out all week waiting for you. The big ugly that highlighted that trip was somewhere in the 50-plus-pound range, a trophy for sure! Gavin, who is the younger guy in the photo, will be in U.S. Coast Guard boot camp when this edition hits the racks. His dad, Zach, is a veteran, along with his other two sons Logan and Cameron. A big thanks to all the men and women out there who serve our country! Capt. Jamie Thrappas is Co-Publisher of Coastal Angler - Volusia County and owner of Yellow Dawg Fishing. Check out yellowdawgfishing.com. To win a free half-day inshore or offshore charter with Capt. Thrappas, enter the Fish with Coastal Angler drawing at coastalanglermag.com/contest.

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Delayed Harvest Trout By Nick Carter

AT FIRES CREEK, N.C.

delayed harvest trout stream is a better place than most to spend a winter afternoon, and if you can find a two- or three-day warming trend, there’s a good chance you’ll get into some pretty good fishing. North Carolina’s Fires Creek has a 2-mile stretch of delayed harvest water on U.S. Forest Service land off U.S. 64 between Murphy and Hayesville. Rainbow, brown and brook trout are stocked in the creek and protected under catch-and-release, single-hook, artificial only regulations during the October into June delayed

harvest season. It’s a small-stream setting with more and bigger trout than one would find in most creeks this size. The creek is gorgeous, with clear plunge pools and deep bend runs sliding into skinny pocket water that twists for miles through the bottom of a rhododendron-choked valley. Even the rounded river rocks are notable for their beauty, with striking dark gray and tan bands that’ll make you want to stash a few flat stones in your vest to take home. The fishing is about like any other delayed

harvest in terms of fish size and the density of stockings, but it is a small stream, so you’ll be tempted to—and you should—explore your way upstream instead of settling in on the big holes. Small streams are just more fun when you fish them that way. Around each bend lies a new challenge, another series of pools and runs. Tightlining nymphs is probably the most effective way to fool fish this time of year. They might fall for the standard “junk flies,” but a few months into the DH season, the fish might also be looking for something more natural. In winter, the aquatic insects will be small. Little black stoneflies, midges and blue-winged olives might hatch off on a warm afternoon and lead to some dry fly action, but unless you see bugs in the air, you’re better off fishing subsurface imitations of these insects. A double-nymph rig with a big attractor nymph below a smaller more natural looking nymph is always a good option. The foot bridge at the Fires Creek Picnic Area is the lower boundary of the DH water. Access above the foot bridge is easy on a streamside trail and also along Fires Creek Wildlife Road. This gravel track parallels the creek way up into its headwaters. The delayed harvest ends at the Forest Service 340A bridge. Upstream of this point, the trout population trends toward stream-born rainbows that top out at 10 or 11 inches. For GPS coordinates to access points and detailed maps of North Carolina and Georgia’s best trout water, check out “Flyfishers Guide to North Carolina & Georgia.” It is available at fly shops, on Amazon, and signed copies are available from the author by e-mailing nsc8957@gmail.com.

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A FEW THOUGHTS ON

SHEEPSHEAD By CAM Staff

heepshead have become a wintertime staple when water temps drop and the regular cast of inshore characters become more difficult to target. If you’re a cold-weather inshore angler, you’re probably already familiar with sheepshead, so here are a few tips you might not have heard yet. Finding Fish: Convict fish travel and feed in packs. Once you locate them, the action can be fast, but you have to find them first. Obviously, they like structure like bridges, docks and jetties, where they can happily gnaw on barnacles. When considering structure, older, rambling docks with lots of pilings provide more surface area for established colonies of crustaceans. These can be honeyholes, but keep moving if you’re not catching fish. You might run a dozen different structures in a day and catch 90 percent of your fish on one. In the clear water of winter, sheepshead can often be sight fished, and they don’t really spook, so look for them before casting. If the water is too dingy to see them, you can sometimes hear them crunching shells if you listen quietly. Chum ’Em Up: This might sound silly, but sheepshead get excited about free food just like any other species of fish. Keep a shovel on the boat and scrape barnacles off the structure you’re fishing. This rings the dinner bell, and it’ll also help you spot them as they dart around to pick off the falling morsels. Looking for scraped pilings is also a good way to identify where other anglers have chummed sheepies before. Play the Tides: Pretty much every fish feeds best on a moving tide, but a ripping flow can be detrimental when fishing for such a structure oriented fish. Fast moving water tends to pin sheepshead right up against structure. This, and the tide itself, can make presenting baits more difficult. Find a moderate tide, and

sheepshead will spread out and move around a little more, which makes them easier to catch. Position yourself up-current and allow your baits to drift down into the fish. The Business End: Although they are not skittish, sheepshead can be selective. Whether you’re fishing fiddler crabs, shrimp tails, sand fleas, oysters or clams, use a small, short-shank hook and hide it inside your bait. Also, fish braided line. Braid has less stretch, so those little bumps when a sheepshead taps your bait translate better to the rod tip. Braid also has better abrasion resistance for when they pull you around a piling, but the increased sensitivity is key. With their black and white bars, convicts are notorious bait thieves. You need to know it the instant they suck in your bait.

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16 NATIONAL

JANUARY 2024

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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Flip Flip Hooray!

A perfect symbol of fun in the sun for only $79

ere’s a memorable beach moment: You’re basking in the warm sun, toes in the sand, letting the gentle turn of the foam-capped waves lull you into a state of complete relaxation. As your eyes scan the endless horizon of blue on blue, you’re rewarded with a school of dolphins making their way across the sea. There’s no denying their signature shape as they leap from the water. If you don’t see anything else extraordinary the rest of the day, you can take solace knowing you’ve witnessed one of nature’s most playful and intelligent creatures in their natural habitat. Why not re-create that special toes-in-the-sand moment with our Blue Topaz Dolphin Pendant? The beloved sea mammal has been captured mid-jump in sterling silver. And, tucked into its fins is a full two carats of shimmering blue topaz. Nothing captures the shimmering color of the ocean in the midday sun like blue topaz. With its sparkling clear blue color and high refractive index, blue topaz is one of the top-selling blue gemstones. And with our special price, you have quite the catch.

Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. Enjoy the Blue Topaz Dolphin Pendant for 30 days. If it doesn’t pass the test swimmingly, send it back for a full refund of the item price.

A full two carats of shimmering blue topaz set in sterling silver

Limited Reserves. A full two carats of genuine blue topaz set in sterling silver for this price is as rare as a dolphin sighting. We cannot guarantee availability for long. Call today!

Limited to the first 1900 responders to this ad only! To show exquisite details, pendant shown is not exact size. Chain sold separately.

“Enormously popular, significantly intelligent and scientifically sophisticated, dolphins are amidst the most beloved animals among people.” — Dolphins-World

 “This sterling silver dolphin is absolutely beautiful and the blue topaz is like the color of the ocean”

— Vivian, Cabool, MO

† Special price only for customers using the offer code versus the price on Stauer.com without your offer code.

Blue Topaz Dolphin Pendant non-offer code price $395 † Offer Code Price Only $79 + S&P Save $316! You must use the insider offer code to get our special price.

1-800-333-2045

Your Insider Offer Code: DPP349-03 Please use this code when you order to receive your discount.

14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. DPP349-03, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com

• 2 ctw blue topaz; ½ ctw The Ultimate Diamond Alternative®, DiamondAura® • .925 sterling silver setting • Sterling silver chain sold separately

Stauer… Afford the Extraordinary.®

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