Spring Outlook

By Karl Ekberg

Springtime arriving to the mountains of South Carolina brings a wilderness song of rejoicing among the forest creatures. The warmer wisps of southern breezes start to whisk away the colder morning air, and the sun starts to peak over the mountaintops a little sooner each morning, and settle down over the western sky a touch later every evening. These warmer breezes raising the temperatures with ease each day, bring the subtle warming of the mountain creeks, streams, and rivers. The winter grip is not always willing give way easily to spring each year, as we have seen an occasional snowfall accumulation, although this is a rarity rather than a normal occurrence, and as for this year, no snow has fallen at the time of the writing of this article. As far as winters go, this winter has been quite warm, although blessed with plenty of rain precipitation to keep all the waterways in great shape for fishing. Long term outlook has the temperatures a bit warmer than normal and the continued slightly above average, precipitation gauge.

As the warmer spring weather graces the mountains following the drab color of winter, the waterways start to awake with the emergence of bug life again bringing many midge, mayfly, caddis, and stonefly hatches. Hatches for mayflies occur after the nymph has reached maturity, and the bug breaks out of the nymphal shuck and emerges to the top of the water, where the fly awaits for its wings to dry, and fly off the water. At the start of the day of fishing, use the nymph and a soft-hackle pattern for an emerger, each of appropriate color and size, and mayfly will be essential. Great hatch days start with the weather temperatures starting in a range of thirties to forties, and then a warming trend of the highs being anywhere in the fifties and upward. Sunlight beaming down will encourage the hatches to come to life on the river. Take time to stand on a high enough point, riverside on a slick calm pool (polarized sunglasses are a must) and watch the fish start to react as the bugs start their emergence to the surface. Observe also the subtle and acrobatic eating habits of the trout as the bugs helplessly slide down the river awaiting take-off.

Caddis fly emergers are also of great importance at this time of year. Small pupa and the emergers in the mornings up until the hatch happens and fishing on the swing technique will aid in catching fish. Watch the water as double winged bugs start to skitter along the river surface and trout swipe to eat them. Having a dry caddis on at this time, with a dead drift, and as the fly quarters down stream, slowly lifting the rod so the fly will gently bounce across the top of the water, will entice even wary trout.

Exact size and color of flies are important and we take care of making sure we are fully stocked on all hatches of the south here at Chattooga River Fly Shop. Guided trips are always a great outing, try our new three-quarter day trip with a great lunch provided by our in-house chef. We hope to see everyone out on the water and let us all remember to bring out a little more than you walked in with and “Leave No Trace”.

Karl and Karen Ekberg are co-owners of Chattooga River Fly Shop, located 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.

By Gary Turner

At 28 years old, my friend Danny had the first fish of his life on the line! These are the moments I love sharing with my friends. I’ve taught a lot of kids how to fish, and I’ve seen their happy faces when they catch that first fish. Seeing one of your friends who has never caught a fish growing up about to land a nice fish, is what it’s all about. I have probably said this before, but I’ll say it again; you will reach a stage in your fishing life when it is almost as satisfying to see your friends catch fish as it is for you to reel them in yourself.

My friend Matt and I were looking forward to our trip down the Toccoa River with Guide Joe Dipetro, but the weather had other plans and we had to reschedule. I also had a couple of trips lined up to go to Santee, and the weather wasn’t looking great for those either, but Capt. Dewayne has a cover over part of his pontoon that we hide in sometimes while waiting on the bites, so fish on! Stacy, Danny, Rafi and myself were planning on two days of fishing Lake Marion with Capt. Dewayne, but, as luck has it sometimes, Danny and Rafi had some work they had to finish up on Wednesday and Thursday and said they would come catch up with us Thursday night. Thursday night came and they were not there, so I called them. They were finishing up one more job. At 10 minutes after 3:00 in the morning, they came rolling in. I welcomed them to the place we had rented, showed them the 3:00 a.m. tour and their accommodations, and I hit the hay. We were meeting Capt. Dewayne at 8:00 a.m., so Stacy and I headed to Loves at 7ish for some snacks, drinks, and my breakfast of champions: Two jalapeno cheddar dogs! Danny and Ravi rolled out to grab some McDonalds. We finished up and headed for the dock.

When we got there, Dewayne was unloaded and waiting for us. We all boarded his pontoon and took off out of Goat Island in search of Catfish, Blue, Flathead, Channel, we didn’t care. I just wanted to see these guys reeling some in! The day before when me, Stacy, and Capt. Dewayne were fishing, we caught a bunch of nice fish including a

By Scott Norton

Winter can be great for big catches, but we are now entering the really cold months and the bites will slow down. The key to fishermen that get the itch to fishing the winter is downsizing. This is a really good time to focus more on finesse and slowing way down. You will need light line and hooks for this technique. The good thing is the fishing industry has created some interesting technique-specific set ups such as the BFS set up. BFS stands for Bait Finesse System and if you have not heard this term, you will soon. Now you can use bait casters to finesse fish and you’re no longer forced to use a spinning set-up if you don’t want to. The advantage in the BFS set up is that you make longer casts without the line twist.

Now it’s time for the pre-plan; most anglers will travel south to get into warmer water. If you like to keep it local, just find a lake in lower elevations. Rainwater runoff warms lake water rapidly. If you live in the mountains, you do not have to go far to find one these spots. The water will still be cold, but it is about the water warming up as a trend, especially on warm days. If you can find a time and place where these scenarios come together, you will have your pre-plan set up for success. This is now the time to look at Google Earth for a place you think these bass will be hanging around. Google Earth provides you with a time laps of these areas so you can see when the water was low, revealing under water structures and cover you will want try out. The plan you make ahead of time will greatly increase your odds of catches. Looking at these features will tell you what you’re going to use as well. Knowing what you’re going to use in those spots you choose will keep you from taking too much gear with you as well.

When selecting your spots, do not stay too long in one place. You can fish slow, but you want to think about finding that first bite as a starting point. Once you have established that, then you can go back over those spots in different times. Maybe the other spots will turn on later in the day. You can still power-fish those long tapering points with a crank bait or an A-rig to see what the mood of the fish is like. Just pay attention to what the bass are wanting, they will let you know. I hope this helps some of you going out this month. Have fun and maybe you will learn a new way to catch fish.

FISHING WITH MORE FRIENDS continued from page 26

38-pound Blue Stacy pulled in. We knew a front was coming but had high hopes that Friday would be as good as Thursday, or better. Well, as most of us that fish much know, those fronts can be brutal on the fishing, and that was the case this time. We marked fish all over, but they were like little kids at the dentist, those mouths were shut real tight! The wind was blowing and it was cold, but we didn’t care, we just wanted bites. As the day went along, we started picking up a few fish. Rafi got the first fish, then Danny hooked up on his. This was the first fish he had ever caught! He had been fishing before but never caught anything. It was so awesome to see him reeling in that first fish! Rafi and Danny both reeled in several nice blue cats that afternoon. Now they are both Hooked! After we finished fishing, we went to the Lake House in Summerton for dinner and then Danny and Rafi said they were gonna pack up and head home so they could work the next morning. They are half my age, but I can still remember the days I could do that! Dewayne wanted Stacy and me to go check out some swamp with him the next morning, so we did. At the landing, there was a curious little bait shop that had a sign that read “Knock Please”. When the little old man, 82, opened the door, he welcomed us into his neat bait-taxidermy shop…that’s a story for another time. Just let me say that was a very neat experience!

You can get more information on fishing with Capt. Dewayne Profitt by calling him at 740-404-3900 or 803-478-6479. His website is TakinitEasyGuideService.com

Get with some of your friends and take a fishing trip. Whether with a guide or just on your own, GO FISHING!

I’m not sure what next month’s article will be on but remember, if you have an empty seat on your boat that needs filling, shoot me an email and maybe it will be about fishing with you!

If you want to see Danny’s first catch or other videos I have recorded, check out my YouTube channel here https://youtube.com/@ FishingWithGary. You can aso reach me at gary@purgeright.com.

Please remember, if you are not going to eat it, don’t kill it. “Tight Lines and Squeal every time.” Gary Turner

MARCH IS FOR HEROS continued

from page 18 they may show themselves breaking on surface bait but other times I’ve seen them cruising just below the surface. A lone gull will follow these cruising fish and it’s even better if there are more of their flock. Of course, there’s no missing that jolt of adrenaline when you come around the corner and the water is boiling, birds are diving and squawking, rods are tangling, and baits are snapped off because you forgot to open the bail. All hell breaking loose is one of the most addictive things you can run into on the water.

Waters like Fontana have mainly spotted bass and they can tear up the water on their own. Typically, they will break but in smaller groups. When fish are breaking, the most fun bait to throw is a top water for spots or stripers and there’s nothing like a bone-colored spook. I’ve seen them get knocked four feet in the air and then swallowed whole when hitting the surface. So, this is one of the best times of the year to be on the water. Don’t forget to take kids of all ages, nothing like nonstop action to get them started on a lifelong love of fishing. Thank the Lord for our beautiful waters and stay safe. Later, Capt. James

Capt. James McManus owns 153 Charters. Give him a call for a great day on the water at (828) 421-8125

You’re drifting the shallows and there she is…She must be over ten pounds, and she’s just lying there in four feet of water waiting to be caught. To many, this is the most exciting scenario possible; fishing for bedding bass during the spawn. It’s the magical time of year when bass move up from deeper into shallower water to lay and fertilize eggs. It is thought, much like the rut with deer, to be one of the easiest times to catch largemouth.

When water temps hit 58-60 degrees, young bucks begin building nests, then find a female with ripe eggs to nudge into the nest. She lays eggs. He fertilizes them, then looks for another female. He may get three or four females to spawn in the same nest. The spawn all occurs within cycles of the full moon.

The main trigger is water temperature, so the spawn and hatch occur at different times in different regions. In late January, when Virginia lakes may be frozen, Northern Florida guides may see fish on beds. “I may see beds in early January, and I may see them in April,” says Captain Keith Austin, a guide from Crystal River.” There are so many factors you can’t pin it down to a specific period.” Allen Martin (Florida Fish and Wildlife) agrees. “Florida is its own world,” he says. “Winter swings are drastic, depending on where the weather comes from. We can have winter highs in the 70’s, then a front pushes down and it’s in the 40’s.” Martin agrees with Austin about timing. “It’s not unusual to see fish on beds January through April.”

400 miles north, it’s a different story. It’s February 5th, and South Carolinian Dave Thomas checks water temperature at his lake. It’s 48 degrees. “We’re right at the cold point, “he says. “It should start moving up this week. We’re looking at 60’s and 70’s this weekend,” Thomas, a serious sight fisherman, fishes as much as career allows. “Probably midMarch before we see our first beds, maybe earlier.” Scott Lamprecht, SC DNR Fisheries biologist, agreed, saying “Mid-March until mid-May is a typical range for us in this region.”

By Mike McSwain

By David Skinner

Ihear the coffee maker ding; I know its 3:30am. As I lay in bed, I mentally clock in and start the day reviewing the prep list from the day before.

The kayaks are cleaned and loaded, the reels are rinsed and oiled, and new hooks have been put on new lines. The SUV is packed with kayak crates, pedal drives, life vests, snacks, and drinks, and it’s ready to pull the trailer out from the garage. The electronics are still plugged in and waiting to be loaded at the last minute, along with frozen bait. I have four hours and counting until game time.

The drive is always dark, and it takes longer than it should. Although the fastest route tends to wind through narrow roads littered with potholes, the highway is the safest. Forty minutes later, as I near the boat ramp, the beauty of the Wando River exposes itself, the tree line pulls back, and exposes the tidal saltwater river. I spin the trailer and park off to the side where I begin unload equipment and prep the kayaks. Once finished, I examine the water, its flow, clarity, wind direction, temperature, and local birds hunting overhead as the sun cracks the horizon. I decide on a route for the day based on what I see and feel, not the apps on my phone. Two hours until game time.

The outings start off by greeting the clients and placing names with faces. Unknown to each of them, I have already memorized their names and the cities they are visiting from. The range of experience between clients is diverse, and I make mental notes about who to stay close to. My morning speech is always the same.

“Goal one: Safety! You go home the same way you showed up. There are no ouches, boo-boos, Band-Aids, pregnancies, or divorces allowed during our outing today.” This tends to break the ice; clients chuckle, and smiles brighten.

“Goal two: You will get an educational experience in an amazing environment. You’ll have several hours of my voice teaching you everything I can. This includes everything from our fish to our feathered friends, from the alligators and sharks to the dolphins. In addition, you’ll get to know a bit of Charleston history and the habitat you’re entering”.

“Goal three: We fish, we catch.”

One hour.

As a local guide, I know where the oyster beds lie beneath the surface and where the marsh drops off into large underwater trenches. Years of experience have taught me how to read the landscape, wildlife, and patterns of the local fishery. My eyes constantly scan the area, paying particular attention to the water’s edge along the marsh line around us. The bait fish keep breaking the surface, creating tiny ripples. However, I’m waiting for a sudden push of bait fish through the water, shadows just under the surface, or movement along the reeds. The client rods have a variety of small plastics and baits based on color and local feeding habits during this time of year. The Reds and Speckled Trout hunt year-round here, and it’s just a matter of time before someone lands a cast in front of one. Suddenly, there is an excited yell from a client, “I’m on!” their rod is in a beautiful arch, pointing into the water and the client’s face is filled with excitement. Game time.

The same day, Virginia Fisheries biologist Scott Herrmann is out sinking brush piles… Water temp is 46 degrees. “Last year, we had a really cold spring, with ice into March. That pushed back the spawn. But generally, the first week in April through late May is when it happens,” he said. Herrmann also pointed out how many factors are involved and used one word when asked about weather this year: erratic. “12 degrees in Richmond this morning, but 60’s this weekend.”

Travel 700 miles from Richmond up the coast and you’re in Maine. The spawn here probably begins long after it’s finished in mid-Atlantic states, and regulations are tighter. Jason Seiders, a biologist with Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries, said that weigh-in tournaments are prohibited between May 8 and June 14. Scott Lamprecht says this makes sense. “Up there, the recruitment window is small, the spawn is really contracted.” Seiders said mid-May until mid-June is the typical spawn in Maine, but timing can be unpredictable there as well. A few years ago, guide Don Kleiner reported water temperature still at 54 degrees on May 25th, which meant fish could be on beds in early July, 24 weeks after the northern Florida spawn.

So, start in January in Northern Florida and work north. You’ll have about 24 weeks of bed fishing. That is, of course, if nature cooperates. And if you succeed, don’t stop. Canada awaits!