The Angler Magazine | December 2023 | Great Smoky Mountains & The Upstate Edition

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE EDITION

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inter fishing in the Florida Keys can be a double-edged sword. This time of year can be limited by more frequent windy days. However, some of our best fishing occurs very close to land this time of year, and you don’t have to go far to get into the heart of it.

Snapper are always a viable option on the reef, and targeting them also provides the opportunity to fill up the livewell with fresh ballyhoo to use for sailfish, which will be showering bait under diving frigates.

If you happen to get out there on a sporty day, and the thought of rocking on anchor first thing in the morning makes your stomach turn, wahoo might be a better option.

Trolling lures can be productive for targeting wahoo, and reduces the rocking of the boat that causes seasickness. Utilizing deep-diving lures, planers and trolling sinkers, there are countless ways to set up an efficient wahoo spread that can be pulled at varying speeds. Since wahoo like their baits moving quickly, high-speed trolling is a great way to target them while lessening other species as bycatch.

Another great option for wahoo fishing is using live bait. This method is more exciting, and uses bait that can be acquired without dropping anchor. With wahoo rigs already set with wire leaders, and extra prerigged leaders on hand, head out to the wrecks to catch fresh bait. When targeting bigger baits like bonita, blue runners and goggle eyes for wahoo, use a heavier rod and reel, with the appropriately overpowered sabiki rig.

Accounting for tangles, breakoffs and unwanted mackerel attention, make sure to have more than a few extra sabiki rigs on board. Affix a weight to the sabiki and drop it down to fill the well with blue runners, or troll the sabiki over schools of bonita, hooking them immediately to the wahoo rig and sending them back out.

Power drift or bump troll a spread of live baits with some weightless, flatlined on the surface, or even under a kite, and others at varying depths with a breakaway weight or downrigger. Watching a hungry wahoo skyrocket on a surface bait provides all the adrenaline needed to knock any lingering seasickness out of you.

Wahoo are excellent table fare, and they are also one of the best fighting fish you can target. Keep in mind that if your line goes slack, they might be swimming toward the boat. It is a wahoo until it’s not a wahoo, so keep reeling until you see the end of your line.

Charter fishing in the Florida Keys is busy during the winter, so make sure to book your charter in advance. Sweet E’nuf Charters offers gift certificates for all the Santas out there with fishermen in the family.

Capt. Quinlyn Haddon, of Sweet E’nuf Charters, operates out of Marathon, Florida Keys. Check out her website at CaptainQuinlyn.com, her social @captainquinlyn or call (504) 920-6342.

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troll up WINTERTIME SLAB CRAPPIE C

By Nick Carter

old water makes catching fish more difficult, right?

Not with crappie, according to allaround outdoorswoman Terrie Huffmaster. She looks forward to deep winter, when she can load the boat with the biggest slabs of the year.

Huffmaster is a South Georgia farm girl from Quitman, way down on the Florida border, so she calls crappie speckled perch, or specks for short.

“You catch the bigger specks in wintertime,” she said. “I like to go into the deeper water trolling for them.”

A great thing about crappie is they’re predictable. In spring they move shallow to spawn, but throughout the rest of the year they are nomads in search of comfortable water temperatures. You’ll always find them near structure or cover, and they are usually schooled up tightly.

Huffmaster fishes for specks on Lake

Seminole, a nearly 40,000-acre impoundment that straddles the Georgia/Florida border. It’s a relatively shallow lake, full of stumps, brush and submerged grass. When Huffmaster says “deeper water,” she means the deepest water Seminole has, which is 25 to 30 feet.

Trolling delivers both quality and quantity when water temps are in the mid to high 50s. But Huffmaster isn’t looking for a 30-fish limit. She’s hunting 10 or so giant specks in the 15- to 18inch range. She catches a lot of smaller fish in the process, but she throws those back.

“When you get on ’em good, it’s crazy how

many you can catch,” she said.

This is how she gets on them: Huffmaster has a line she trolls that she’s identified on electronics and with previous success. It’s just outside a channel marker, where there’s a ton of submerged trees, stumps and other brush and debris to hold fish. She pulls jigs over deep water and up over humps and ledges that rise to as little as 5 feet.

“You keep that trolling motor on low,” she said, “just enough where your line’s pulling, where you’re barely trolling.”

Huffmaster said there’s no need to deploy huge spreads from a bank of rod holders. She fishes just one, maybe two rods at a time. Her favorites are a lightweight Mr. Crappie Slab Shaker combo and a Lew’s 6-foot Ultra Light with a Lazer Light Speed Spin 75 reel. She spools up with 8-to 10-pound braided main line and uses a 4- or 6-pound fluorocarbon leader tied to a 1/16-ounce Crappie Magnet Fin Spin or a Mr. Crappie jig head. Paddletail and curly tail bodies both have their place. Chartreuse/pearl and pumpkin are good colors. She trolls her jigs 10 to 15 feet behind the boat and keeps a loose drag so the hook doesn’t tear out of a crappie’s paper-thin mouth.

“Call me old fashioned, but that’s how we do it,” she said. “And we don’t seem to have any problem catching a mess of them… and some big ones.

Search up Terrie B Huffmaster on Facebook and terries_dusk_2_dawn_fishing on Instagram.

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DECEMBER 2023

NATIONAL 7

Which Would You Change First?

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

C

hange is inevitable. In all aspects of life, change is necessary. This is especially true for anglers. When things are not going right, we immediately think of the next lure to throw. We all embark on our fishing journeys with a plan before hitting the water. We may base it on predicted conditions, time of year, experience, or possibly, but hopefully not, a social media post.

Let’s discuss what I would do when plan-A doesn’t produce as envisioned.

Imagine we are in the perfect looking spot, conditions are exactly as planned, active bait is visible in the area, the tide is flowing, but nothing is biting. Most of us would make a change, and I think we are all in agreement that our first correction would not be to move with everything looking right. Now, here is where I feel most people will make a mistake. Let’s say we are throwing soft-plastic paddletails. What is the first thing you would change?

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®.

SIZE OR COLOR:

I bet you said color. Am I right?

During my decades of fishing the salty bays and marsh, I’ve found that color is the last thing I should change. If some bass fishermen are reading this article, I am solely basing this theory on saltwater for trout, redfish and flounder.

It’s not your fault that you tend to change color first. Let’s face it, color is the first thing someone mentions when they describe the lure they used, and when we walk into the tackle aisle there are significantly more colors than lure choices or sizes. We are bombarded with so many colors.

Color must be the key to catching, right? Well, maybe not, most of the time.

I’ll use my lure brand for an example. I produce 34 unique colors, but I only produce three different sized paddletails. Having all these color options at our fingertips can be overwhelming, and hearing others focus on the color that landed

the big one has caused fishermen to focus on color first.

I have found more success in changing the size of the lure over the color. The fish are typically not feeding on anything that resembles the color we are throwing, but they are feeding on a specific size that we have in our box. Matching the forage size is the better option. If that doesn’t produce a bite, then I will even switch the style of lure before the color in most situations.

Ultra-clear water is an exception, and these conditions play by different rules. We can cover that in another article, but until then focus less on color and more on size and action. Take a kid fishing and enjoy the outdoors.

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

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GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 1

EAST TENNESSEE AND KENTUCKY

CAPTAIN JIM DURHAM FISHING KY / TN FISHING REPORT

C

apt. Jim is owner of StriperFun Guide Service, Tennessee and Kentucky Walleye, Bass, Crappie and Muskie Charters, Superbaittanks.com, Captain Jim Marine Electronics and much more. Date of report: December 2023 Greetings to my readers! I hope that the world finds you and your family doing well! Come visit the beautiful Cumberland River for fabulous wintertime fishing trips–call early while we still have dates available!

MONSTER TROUT FISHING BELOW THE LAKE CUMBERLAND DAM!

Captain Jim Fishing offers Trout charters December through April below the Lake Cumberland Wolf Creek dam in Kentucky! This type of fishing is both “drift fishing” jigging bait (for huge Rainbow and Brown Trout up to 13 pounds!) and casting small lures on ultralight rods and reels to catch “schooling” smaller (1 to 3 pounders) Rainbows.

You will love this new and exciting type of fishing!

CUMBERLAND RIVER WALLEYE AND SAUGER – HOLSTON, POWELL AND CLINCH WALLEYE

Tennessee Walleye Charters stays busy fishing for Walleye and Sauger on the Cumberland River near Gainesboro, Tennessee all

winter long – December running through the end of March! The beautiful flowing waters of the Cumberland River is loaded full of big fish. The Cumberland River is a world class Sauger and Walleye destination (fishing for 2 people only on the Cumberland River)!

We also offer Walleye charters on the Holston, Powell or Clinch Rivers in Eastern TN. The Fishing for the Clinch River is year around and the Holston and Powell River fishing begins December 15, running through the end of March! Be sure to book your December through March Walleye and Sauger trips on the Cumberland River and Walleye trips on the Powell, Holston or Clinch Rivers in Eastern TN! You are really going to love this exciting way to fish these beautiful rivers!

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.

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DECEMBER 2023

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

3

The 2023-2024 ETCC Tournament Series _______________

By Perry Hensley

T

he East Tennessee Crappie Club Tournament Series kicked off back in September hosting some of the best Crappie Anglers that our region has to offer. The first one of the season was held on Chickamauga Lake here in beautiful East Tennessee. My tournament partner JD Dyer and I placed 11th out of 17 of those top notch Anglers and we were proud to get it.

In our 2nd tournament, held in October, we fished Dale Hollow Lake, just added to the roster this year located on the Kentucky / Tennessee border. Needless to say, after having two of our best fish die before weighing in, my partner for this tournament (Louis Gibson) and I didn’t fare as well, but we had a blast just being out there competing and conversing with all of our fellow Anglers on the tournament trail. We did however win and leave there with 2 ACC Crappie Stix!

Now as we move into the month of November, we get to fish one of our home lakes here in East Tennessee and that will be Cherokee Lake. My partner, JD Dyer and I will be fishing this event, looking to fare better on this one, but the level of competition is going to be great as always so we will remain optimistic on this one like always.

I would like to thank our Sponsors for this 2023-2024 season and they are Artistic Printers, The Angler Magazine and Mammoth

Photo credit: East Tennessee Crappie Club

Campground and RV for supporting us and helping to give us the opportunity to do what we love. It is greatly appreciated.

As always get up and get out there and make those memories with those friends and loved ones and enjoy all our creator has given to us.

God Bless and Tight Lines, Perry Hensley

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DECEMBER 2023

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

5

Breaking the Smoky Mountain Jinx

O

_______________

By Mike Tapscott

n July 20, 1969, man first set foot on the Moon.

On January 8, 1935, Elvis Presley was born in a two-room, shotgun house in East Tupelo.

On October 25, 2023, I caught my first trout in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Three momentous events.

But I know what you’re thinking: “Come on, Mike, that fish is tiny, hardly bigger than your hand. That’s nothing to brag about.”

Don’t be fooled by the little fella. This diminutive rainbow is a genius at survival in unforgiving waters, the culmination of eons of evolutionary changes and adaptations that help it evade predators, especially clumsy anglers clambering boulders strewn in the frothy, churning waters of GSMNP streams. Brown, rainbow and brook trout in the park are notoriously wary and small. They don’t come to hooks easily, nor do they usually grow much larger than your hand.

I devoted three days to fishing GSMNP in October of 2014. I drove on dirt roads and hiked up mountain trails to remote streams that tumbled down mountains while looking over my shoulder for black bears. I knew it wouldn’t be easy and sought advice online and from fly shop clerks. There was plenty available. Use ultra-thin line, crawl up to streams to avoid spooking the fish, cast no more than twice to a fishy-looking spot of water, hold your mouth right, wear earth-tone clothes, stand on one leg at the water’s edge while reciting three Hail Marys. I did it all and got skunked.

I prefer to think I’m a smarter angler today than nine years ago.

(I’m not sure why I think that.) Buoyed by that optimism, I returned

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DECEMBER 2023

to the GSMNP last week to have another go at the elusive trout that dart about the Little River, Abrams Creek and Cataloochee River that flow through the park. The helpful folks at Little River Outfitters just outside the Townsend, Tennessee, park entrance sold me flies deemed most alluring to the GSMNP trout. They also dispensed the standard advice on fishing the park along with the warning that abnormally low water during the ongoing drought makes the spooky park fish even more finicky. Stealth, they cautioned me, was doubly important with water flows half the normal rate.

Just before I departed the shop, a pessimistic clerk gave me a sympathetic smile and said, “It’s not easy to catch fish in the park.” No kidding.

The next morning, I ate a leisurely breakfast at the Best Western in Townsend and then drove into the park, my destination the Tremont hiking trail that follows the Middle Prong of the Little River. I parked at the trailhead, geared up and climbed down a gorge to the creek.

The water flowed clear and shallow in the narrow stream. It tumbled from one shelf of rocks to another and rushed around Volkswagen Beetle-sized boulders. The soothing noise of the moving water drowned the whisper of yellow leaves fluttering in the autumn breeze.

Acting on the advice of the fly shop people, I tied on a faux grasshopper that floated and dropped beneath the hopper a nymph resembling aquatic insects that drift from the stream bed to the water surface during hatches. If a fish snatched the nymph, I would know because the floating hopper would sink. I drifted the hopper

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and a series of nymphs in pools and runs up and down Little River all morning. Nothing. Not even a nibble that tugged the hopper underwater. It was 2014 all over again. So much for my confidence that I had progressed as an angler in the last nine years.

After my favorite streamside lunch of Ritz crackers and Vienna sausages washed down with a Diet Coke, I decided to change tactics and fish so-called dry flies – those fake bugs that remain on the surface of the creek. I put on a feathery fly made from elk hair with orange thread, described as a stimulator at the fly shop because it didn’t closely resemble any specific bug. I decided to fish dry flies a couple of hours earlier in the afternoon than recommended at the fly shop. Why not, I thought. The fish ignored my wet flies.

I returned to the creek and cast into a pool just downstream of a foot-tall waterfall. The fly floated downstream multiple times without

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success. Sometime later, the fly was convulsed in a tiny splash. A miracle. No hookup but the fly had attracted a fish and that was cause for elation after so much failure.

A couple of casts later, the fly was engulfed in a commotion, and I actually felt for the briefest moment the pull of a fish. Oh hell, this was getting serious. Another cast and a fish hit the fly again and was hooked. I pulled the little rainbow from the water – my first catch in the GSMNP and the end of my frustration. I admired it for a moment, snapped the attached picture and let it slip between my fingers back into the creek. Wonder what a taxidermist would have said if I told him I wanted to mount it.

Mike Tapscott is a retired lawyer in Tupelo Mississippi, who has written for The Drake Flyfishing Magazine and Gotham Canoes.

DECEMBER 2023

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

7

NORTH CAROLINA

Shane Goebel Fishing WESTERN NC TROPHY STRIPER SEASON IS HERE!

3

0, 40 even 50 pound stripers! If that got your attention, then check this out! It’s trophy striper time here in Western North Carolina. Big Baits and some of the hardest fighting stripers time and definitely my favorite time of the year. Yeah it’s cold but most certainly worth it. Last December we had a 52 pounder reeled in by a 10 year old boy. Even though it was 19 degrees out that morning, it was his fish of a lifetime. December and January are awesome months to get out with us to score that same opportunity.

So throw on those long johns you got for Christmas and give us a holler. We are Lake Nottely and Lake Hiwassee’s #1 striper guide service and we’ve got what it takes to land those monsters. Also, remember all of our December half day trips are $100 off and Christmas gift certificates are only $350. That’s a savings of $100.

They make a perfect Christmas gift and can be used anytime. Sale ends January 1 st . Check out our Facebook page orwww.bigolfish. com for more details.

Lake Hiwassee is currently about 24 feet below full pool. Water temps are still in the lower 60’s. Lake clarity is clear and stained in

8 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

DECEMBER 2023

the backs of creeks. Striper fishing has been extremely excellent lately. The big boys are really starting to feed. We’ve been catching tons of 15-30 pound fish every morning in all of our boats. These fish are still schooling up and headed towards shallow humps and into the creeks. Look for these big stripers anywhere around the lake however, most of our fish are being caught in the mouths and backs of creeks.

Continued, see TROPHY STRIPER SEASON Page 15

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DECEMBER 2023

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

9

Boat Memories

M

______________________

By Capt. James McManus

y dad turned 94 this year. He said as you get older time speeds up and only a little over two decades behind him I feel that acceleration already. Can’t believe it’s December with lots of outdoor venues to keep a man busy, one of which involves a boat.

I think back on all the boats I have registered over the years, some really fine ones, some way less so and a couple that were downright dangerous. Raised in eastern North Carolina I was lucky enough to have a pond on my granddad’s farm to fish whenever I wanted.

Remember helping dad hold the stake as he shot the outline of the pond. After filling and stocking he brought one of those little wooden sculling boats that resembled a coffin. It was great until fly fishing one day the wind pushed me across the pond, I back cast, the little coffin rolled up on a stump and over I went.

Probably fifteen or twenty boats down the line I purchased a little boat in Florida for my personal getaway boat. To guide you need a big boat, lots of horses and tons of stuff. This was going to be a simple thing; couple of rods, casting platform front and back, remote trolling motor, 25 horse Yammy—just perfect for solo trips.

I invited my other half to help break it in on a small lake in SC. As usual I backed the thing down to the water and as I released the bow hook and climbed in I very nearly tipped over before even starting the motor. Oh well, that was weird, but I loaded my better half anyway and off we went to the far end of the lake.

Ten minutes in I knew I had made a horrible mistake. Coming to

my first fishing spot, even turning to grasp a rod brought the gunnels precariously close to the water’s surface. Needless to say, within a half hour we were back at the ramp having sat very still, perfectly centered, or else we would have ended up like the little coffin boat but in 65 feet of water instead of 3. All this I guess is just to say be careful when you find that perfect vessel. Make sure it’s enough boat to get you out and back.

My dad’s other saying was, “The two proudest days of a boat owner were the day he bought it and the day he sold it.” I was one happy camper on sale day with that one. Boats can bring lots of joy, just be careful, especially this time of year, and thank God for our protection. l have a really nice big boat if you want to go.

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

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DECEMBER 2023

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DECEMBER 2023

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Catching the ‘Coon Tail’ ______________

By Ronnie Parris

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ey folks it’s getting cold outside, but one thing is heating up and that’s the Yellow Perch, known locally as the “Coon Tail”. Yellow Perch can be caught almost anytime but late fall and early winter is your best chance to get into big schools of these beautiful fish.

I usually fish for them in Fontana, Nantahala and Santeetlah but they’re present in most all our mountain lakes. Sizes vary but usually they school by size so if you’re only catching smaller ones you might want to check other spots. These fish change depths

Fontana Lake Fishing Guides – Ronnie Parris, Owner & Head Guide LAKE, CREEK & RIVER FISHING • FLY FISHING • CAMPING We offer both full and half day trips with the most competitive rates available. All tackle and supplies you will need while you are on your trip is covered by our listed price.

1012 East Alarka Road, Bryson City, NC • 828-488-9711, Cell: 828-736-9471

smokymountainoutdoorsunlimited.com

12 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

DECEMBER 2023

depending on weather conditions but usually this time of year I get them in 25 to 30 feet of water.

I usually use minnows, but Perch aren’t picky and will hit a

Continued, see COON TAIL Page 15

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Death in the Deep Dubbing

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By Jim Mize

talking a wounded lion in tall grass or threatened bodily harm the first time they tried to crawling through a tunnel of tangled briers figure out a whip finisher and inadvertently tied after your dogs who just cornered a wild down a pair of wings that took twenty minutes to boar certainly can test your heart well enough get just right. that you can postpone your physical another Then there’s the matter of food safety. year. But for sheer danger perhaps few sports Considering the hours spent at a vise, invariably can compare to fly-tying. some beverage makes its way to the tying bench.

If you’ve not participated in this sport this Open cups such as mugs for coffee have fallen could come as a surprise, so allow me to share out of favor due to their ease in catching loose a few incidents of terror to serve as a warning. dubbing. Purely as a safety precaution, most tyers Some years ago, a female person who shall have switched to long-neck bottles, as it is more remain nameless, picked up a light-colored shirt difficult to get dubbing inside. in the laundry belonging to a fly-tyer. He had But should particles of dubbing be consumed, been working with brown fuzzy materials and and you wonder whether to have your stomach a glob of them had stuck to his stomach in a pumped, the question becomes, “Is it safe to pattern that one could easily mistake for a spider consume dubbing?” with bad intent. The blood-curdling screech that Though I am not a food-safety expert myself, ensued caused near physical harm to others in my answer would be that any dubbing, with one the household and as the young lady hung from exception, is safe to consume in small quantities, A Humorous Book for Fly the light fixture above, toenails well dug into the Fishermen. Awarded First Place in especially if it is first rinsed in alcohol. That the Southeastern Outdoor Press plaster for extra support, she realized that since exception is Awesome Possum. The reason Association Excellence in Craft the spider did not react it probably was fuzz. for my concern with this dubbing is I can only Competition.

Thoughts of revenge seem to thrive in the minds imagine what the possum might have done to of people while they hang upside-down and I be considered awesome. So handle this dubbing can report that the fly-tyer survived, though barely. At one point, he with care. would have preferred to be tracking a wounded lion.

Fly-tying, remarkably, can even present problems outside the Another tyer I know had a similar harrowing experience that home. Tyers generally remember the fad when saddle hackles were involved hackles. He had just returned from a midwinter trip to the being woven into women’s hair for ten dollars per feather, resulting fly shop and, knowing he needed to restock his fly boxes for warm in a run on hackles at the fly shops. One tyer I know, along with his weather, had convinced himself to purchase three premium Whiting new bride, was standing in a grocery line behind an attractive young Silver-Grade rooster capes in different colors. Or, as he referred to lady who had purple saddle hackles woven into several small braids. them, necessities.

He said later that he could tell by the way her jeans fit that she was So, in approaching his fly-tying bench, he pulls the hackles from concealing no weapons she wasn’t born with. He was staring at the the bag, dropping the receipt on the floor. Unbeknownst to him, his young lady’s hackles, and when she turned around, he found himself spouse had followed him into the room and in the usual fashion of caught in a trance both by her and his new bride, at which point he picking up behind him, laid hand on the receipt. The inquisition went didn’t help himself much when he stammered, “Uh. . . nice. . . er. . . something like this. hackles.”

“What’s a hackle?”

The doctor concluded that he didn’t need stitches but was “And how many necks do you get for $90?” impressed with the damage two purses can do, especially considering “You mean I can buy a whole chicken on sale at the grocery store that one was wielded by a member of his family. for five bucks and the part they take off costs you $90? And you bought So, just as a safety message, never tie barefoot, keep a dog handy THREE?” to blame the loose fuzz on, shred your fly-shop receipts, learn to avoid My understanding is that the downward spiral toward near-death fashion remarks that involve feathers, always drink liquids at your flywas averted by a last-second maneuver that ended in a new couch. tying bench from long-neck bottles, and, as a last line of defense, be Many fly-tying tools themselves can cause injury. For instance, ready to whip out your credit card at a moment’s notice. there is a physical law called gravity that says that anything you drop But if you’re trying to decide between taking up lion hunting or falls. This particularly becomes a problem when the thing you drop is fly-tying, I’d recommend lion hunting as the safer of the two. Besides, sharp and pointy. Within this category are such devices as bodkins, you can probably make some really interesting flies with lion fur. which are known to always fall point first. This becomes far more “Death in the Deep Dubbing” is an excerpt from Jim’s award-winning complicated if you are tying in shorts or barefoot, when you might book, A Creek Trickles Through It. It is available along with his newest well reciprocate with one of those blood-curdling screams. book, The Jon Boat Years, at www.acreektricklesthroughit.com.

Hooks have a way of sliding off the bench or falling out of the vise.

Jim has received over eighty Excellence-In-Craft awards including the Considering that the smaller the hook the harder it is to handle or Pinnacle Award from POMA for his book, Hunting With Beanpole. His find, you run considerable risk of having a breeding population of size articles have appeared in Gray’s Sporting Journal, Fly Fisherman Mag20’s and smaller living under your tying bench, just waiting for the azine, Fly Fishing & Tying Journal, South Carolina Wildlife, as well as right toe to come in range. Trust me on this one. many conservation publications. You may order copies through Amazon Other tools carry different risks. A rotary vise with high mileage or his website at www.acreektricklesthroughit.com could be contributing to carpal tunnel. Likewise, who hasn’t COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

DECEMBER 2023

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13

CAPT. CRAIG HENSEL

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hat’s going on guys and gals! Captain Craig here with AWOL Fishing Charters. Let’s dive right into what has been going on in my neck of the woods. So most of you know the weather around here has been all over the place. We have had record breaking highs and record breaking lows and everything in between. We have all come to the realization that here in North Carolina we can expect to see all seasons in one day no matter what month of the year it is.

With these weird weather patterns, no rain, clear and breezy days and lots of sunshine, the Cape Fear River has made some drastic changes. We also have record low water levels in the past couple of months due to the lack of rain as I mentioned before. The water clarity is the cleanest it will ever be, and it has thrown a monkey wrench in how we normally fish. With that being said we have had to change our tactics up a bit. We have been running a lot of Crappie trips here lately with this back and forth transition from summer to fall and a hint of winter temps. I mean what is going on!!

So let’s talk about our tactics. We have noticed with water temps going up and down and the clarity out of this world at 8 feet of visibility, crappie spook very easily. We have noticed them holding tight to structure at 14-16ft and 12ft on a good day. We have also noticed in watching the Livescope that these fish have become very picky. When we drop baits we are noticing that they are not chomping at the bit to eat. These fish are quick to investigate the bait and do a full-on inspection to make sure it is what they want. We have had to put in the work to get these fish to bite for sure. Some days they won’t touch a minnow or a threadfin shad but will choke on a jig.

I have found that running a 1/16 oz. chartreuse jig head topped with a Bobby Garland bluegrass color jig better be tied to a rod or two if you want to produce numbers. I can’t tell you how many times these jigs have pulled me through a tough day of live baiting these crappie off of structure. I can’t stress enough how important it is to keep a jig rod in the water. If you’re not doing this, give it a try. I know it’s easy to sit back and slow troll live bait, or Livescope a brush pile and drop baits in their faces, but guys if you are noticing the fish being finicky towards live bait, give a jig a try, you may be surprised

and end up closing the lid on the live bait for a while.

I’m not going to say that one color trumps another by any means.

There are a ton of colors out there. I have found that the size of the bait makes more of a difference in the conditions I have been fishing. If your bait shop is like our local bait shop, when you buy small minnows you might be getting a mixture sometimes of small, medium and maybe a large here and there. Try all different sizes don’t just throw the smallest. Sometimes these fish like a little bigger bait to gulp. These are just a few tips I have learned in the past few weeks fishing for these finicky crappies.

With all that being said, get out there and get on these fish. Like I said, we have had to put in the work, but it has not been hard to pull off 2-300 fish trips. Now we boat a lot of 8-10 inch throw backs, but we are coming in with a good mess of 12-13 inch crappie. Just keep at it guys. It is getting closer and closer to the best time to be crappie fishing. Don’t wait for those dogwoods to bloom, get down to your bait shop and grab some minnows and jigs, or if you’re like me, catch your bait while you’re out on the water. Get yourself a good cast net, I suggest a Lee Fisher Bait Buster cast net. Get a hold of some small 1-2 inch threadfin shad, a good bait tank and have a good time.

If you’re interested in a trip give us a call at 910-916-3138, or visit us on Facebook at AWOL Fishing Charters, or go to our website awolfishing.net. Until next time, keep those lines tight, drags set, and catch a BIGUN!!

We will see you guys on the water!

Captain Craig Hensel, AWOL Fishing Charters with Capt. Craig Inc. - 910-916-3138

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TROPHY STRIPER SEASON continued from page 8

COON TAIL continued from page 12

This is a great time of year to start using bigger bait. Start off by pulling planer boards and free-lines early in the morning. Live bluebacks and gizzard shad are working best. Top water bite has been wicked good and should be getting even better as the water continues to cool, so as you’re pulling baits, keep a Red Fin or a spook tied on and work those banks and points.

As the sun comes up and the day gets warmer, the fish will move a little deeper. Switch to down lines and weighted free lines. Remember, this is the time of year to keep an eye out for seagulls. Where there are birds, there is bait, and where there is bait, there are fish.

We want to wish everyone out there a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thanks for an awesome year of fishing, and we hope to see you again in 2023. Remember, December is a fantastic month for catching a lot of stripers on this beautiful mountain lake. Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1 rated guide service put you on some of Lake Hiwassee’s best trophy stripers during the fishing trip of a lifetime. We are Murphy NC’s only premier full-time guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lakes Nottely and Chatuge (in North Carolina), and Lake Appalachia. So, come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine, and let us help you get your fish on!

variety of baits including worms and grubs. Artificial baits such as ice jigs and small crappie jigs also work well. The key is finding them and fishing slow. Perch are excellent table fare and are great eating. Be sure not to over harvest when they’re schooling because the big females are preparing to spawn.

Most of the bigger perch are gonna be located really tight to the bottom so pay really close attention to your fish finder. Also try to be as quiet as you can, I’ve had someone drop a rod in the boat and spook a school away. Also, you may want to have a small set of pliers for removing hooks from perch as their mouths are really small.

Although they’re fun to catch, I don’t suggest taking kids out on extreme cold days or you might turn them off to the sport. Be careful while handling them as they have a sharp hill plate and I usually end up getting cut a few times. There’s absolutely no prettier fish and no fish I enjoy more so go out and try your luck on beautiful mountain Coon Tails. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Shane Goebel owns Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service and is a member of The Angler Magazine Fishing Team. See the website at www. bigolfish.com or call (828) 361-2021

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Ronnie Parris is owner and head guide of Smoky Mountain Outdoors Unlimited-Fontana Lake Fishing Guides, headquartered in Bryson City, N.C., heart of the Great Smoky Mountains www.smounlimited.com; (828) 488-9711.

DECEMBER 2023

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

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Winter Trout Spey

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_______________________

By David and Becky Hulsey

andling the freezing temperatures of dead winter in the high country of the Appalachians can be challenging to say the least. The cold here can cut into your soul like a dagger to the heart. Humidity combined with twenty-degree breezes can make the fly fisher yearn for spring evenings like nothing else. Everything slows down in winter including the trout’s metabolism and my desire to rock hop like grasshopper in July. So together the trout and I kind of reach an agreement, at least for a few months, in that they’ll bite a few times if I go into chill mode and spoon feed them.

My love for swinging flies for trout is pretty much inescapable and luckily a very effective winter tactic for grumpy browns and rainbows.

The rhythmic swing of everything from tiny soft hackles to large intruders makes it easy for the trout to time the attack, but also for the angler to get the flies right in the fish’s face. Trout in the winter usually don’t want to move very far to intercept a morsel of food if it looks like it might be able to get away from them.

Skagit spey lines with a sink tip from five to ten feet and a short 4 foot piece of 2x will usually get the job done. The tip’s sink rate and length is critical for getting the fly or flies to the correct depth.

Normally I use tips that sink from 1-7 inches per second depending on the water flow. Skagit lines are massive and can handle larger streamers with some weight built in. I fish a four-weight trout spey rod with my Skagit set up.

Scandi lines for trout spey have a long front taper and will deliver a double soft hackle rig like a laser beam. Normally I’ll use a regular

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nine-foot 3x fluorocarbon leader to a tippet ring or a triple surgeons knot and a couple of softies to fish maybe around 2-3 feet deep. Trout holding at this level are usually looking for emergers and a 2 or 3 weight trout spey rod with a Scandi line is the perfect tool to put those flies right in the strike zone.

About the only hatches you’ll have in the winter are Blue Winged Olives, Black Caddis and some Midges, so the Skagit line gets a lot more of river time when it’s cold. Being able to cast a long line, without hardly any back cast room, with the micro spey rod lets you fish normally inaccessible spots that can be dangerous or risky for a dunking. Trout Spey gear can accomplish this and more! Besides being an effective fishing tool it’s just plain fun!

If you’d like to get started in the spey game or are just curious about it we give a Half-Day Beginners Trout Spey Class that can get the ball rolling. The class is given on the water of course, swinging flies over fish. There’s always a chance for a grab or two! We also supply all the gear with quality spey rods and reels, both Skagit and Scandi lines and flies included for you to try out. Trout Spey Wade or Float Trips are available on the Toccoa River our home water near Blue Ridge Georgia. We have Gift Certificates available for that special person on the last-minute holiday shopping list. Just give us a call and we’ll get those emailed right out to you!

Give David Hulsey a call at (770) 639-4001 to book a class or a guided trout trip. See his website at www.hulseyflyfishing.com

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17

Get The Catch On

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By Scott Norton

all is one of those seasons that can be very productive and full of action. Now that people are focused on deer hunting you can reap the benefits not only from the lack competition but from bass becoming pelagic with their aggressive tactics of feeding.

The days are getting shorter and cooler but there will be a definite trade off because this is the trigger that cause bass to feed heavy before the winter time. You will notice that bass will be on the move using shoreline features to corral and ambush shad. Numbers of bass start to work together like cowboys on a cattle drive to make the feed easy.

Now that you know what is happening a good plan is needed to have that productivity. Let’s start with baits. When bass are chasing you will want to use moving baits to mimic what the forage is doing.

Crank baits, a-rigs, under spins, spinner baits, blade baits, jerk baits, flutter spoons are a few baits that work very well in this situation.

When using crank baits speed cranking with pauses in your retrieve work great but do not use the cranks from the summer because they have too much wobble. Cranks with a tight wobble are made for cold water. Understand that the bass that you see breaching the water are the smaller sized bass. Large bass learn to conserve calories so they will hangout below the chasing bass to pick off the injured shad. Blade baits and flutter spoons will get those larger bass using this pattern.

The other baits you just chuck and wind with breaks in your cadence.

Shore line features to look for will be points, saddles, coves, and pockets. It looks like all features but you need to find out where they are pushing the shad. Now probe those features using a moving bait

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to eliminate the features they are not using. Start from the main point and move your way towards the backs of the creaks until you find all the shad. Live sonars make this process easy but if you do not have one you will have to fan cast the old fashion way.

There are other ways to find where the bite is better. I like to start either at very low or very high elevation in the mountains to find the water temps to that works best for the bite. In Western North Carolina you can phone in the Dream Catchers Fishing Supply to get all the temps and water levels in the surrounding areas. Look for your local resources to help you plan out your trips.

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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SOUTH CAROLINA & NORTH CAROLINA

Karl Eckberg CHATTOOGA RIVER FLY SHOP FISHING REPORT

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joyous holiday present would be sustained rain for the entire region, as all creeks, rivers, and streams have felt the full effect of the drought conditions across the Southeast. Although future forecasts seem to hedge towards a wetter than normal winter, the fall drought effect still has its grip upon the Chattooga and Chauga drainages.

We are past the first full month of Delayed Harvest season, and the Walhalla State Fish Hatchery has done a tremendous job truck stocking these areas without the flight of the helicopter stocking (as of the date of this article). The helicopter has many uses beyond stocking fish, one of which is fighting forest fires, which the region has been experiencing.

Areas of the forest fires have been closed, for safety reasons, so we need to check for information prior to making fishing trip plans. There are plenty of river access points away from the fire zones, and with a little pre-trip planning a great day of fishing can be enjoyed. After the fires have been put out, the helicopter stocking should happen on both rivers here in Upstate South Carolina.

The delayed harvest areas of both the Chattooga and Chauga rivers are fishing extremely well, with many large fish being landed, on a wide variety of flies. The large brook trout have beautiful spawning colors; the Rainbows have been in the 12”-16” average, with a few larger ones landed

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as well. The larger browns have been a great pleasure to catch as well, with a great fight to land them. Our guides are putting people on large fish and taking great pictures to send them home with bragging rights.

As the water temperatures start to tumble downward as our Southern winter prepares to take hold, remember that the warmest area for the trout are along the depths of the river bottoms. Heavier tandem rigs along with heavily weighted streamers will be best suited for these conditions.

Slower retrievals of streamers will help entice fish looking for a “one-bite meal,” and try jigging streamers throughout a drift on a tight line as well.

Happy Holidays from all our entire family here at Chattooga River Fly Shop! We look forward to seeing everyone out on the rivers. Stop by and see us Tuesday-Saturday 7:30am-4pm, and Sundays 7:30am-2pm.

DECEMBER 2023

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SC B.A.S.S. Nation Visits Top-Ranked Lake Murray For Six Man Tournament

COLUMBIA, SC – South Carolina B.A.S.S. Nation returned to Lake About South Carolina B.A.S.S. Nation: Murray on October 13-14,2023 for their Six-Man Tournament. This The B.A.S.S. Nation is a global network of locally organized clubs tournament was comprised of 32 Bassmaster Clubs from around whose members participate in and support a range of activities, South Carolina and featured the top 6 anglers who competed for including tournaments, conservation initiatives, and youth programs.

Three competitors, who qualify the top club as well as the top through a rigorous series of local individual angler. A total of 96 and regional tournaments and boats and 192 anglers competed then the national championship, in the 2-day event at Dreher advance to bass fishing’s biggest Island State Park. stage, the Bassmaster Classic.

Jonathan Brindel won the individual portion of the About Capital City/Lake tournament with a 2-day total of Murray Country 29.29 lbs, including a big fish of Regional Tourism Board: 5.11 lbs. Brindle is a member of CCLMC is the official the Limitless Bassmasters who source for all things Lake also took home the victory in the Murray Country. To plan your team portion of the tournament. next trip, find information The Limitless Bassmasters caught on attractions, dining, hotels, and weighed 32 bass throughout outdoor recreation, fishing, Limitless Bassmasters Six Man Team with SC B.A.S.S. golf, and events. Explore The the 2-day tournament. Their total Nation Six Man Awards.

Top Southern Destinations of weight for the 32 largemouth Columbia, Richland, Lexington, bass was 86.61 lbs! This gave the Limitless Bassmasters a victory by over 20 lbs to the second-place Tri- Newberry, and Saluda. For more information about CCLMC, visit LakeMurrayCountry.com or call 803-781-5940 | 1-866-SC-Jewel.

County Bass-N-Buddy’s with 66.64 lbs.

For full results visit SCBassNation.com

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DECEMBER 2023

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21

The Best Holiday Gift

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

y family tells me I’m the hardest person to buy a present for.

They look in my closet and see plenty of fishing and hunting clothes… some with the tags still attached. Take a stroll through my shop, and you’ll see tackle boxes stacked to the ceiling, and every rod rack is full. Sound familiar? We fishing fanatics tend to accumulate a lot of stuff, and unless we slam a rod tip in the tailgate or have a reel completely lock up, we will hold on to gear forever. I’ve got some rods that are over 20 years old that I haven’t fished with for 10 or more years. But they still hold a sacred place on the rack.

Of course, some of my stuff has sentimental value…a gun my dad gave me…or a rod which belonged to my grandfather. But there’s a lot that just sits there. Every year, the rods get a coat of wax, and the guns get oiled, but they never get to see the light of day. If they could talk, they would probably be complaining about having to sit on the bench instead of playing in the game. Virtually every rod or gun in my shop has a story. A story about an exciting fishing trip, a snowy pheasant hunt in the Dakotas, or maybe the first fish one of my kids caught. For those reasons, parting with any of them seems unconscionable. I’d bet a lot of you can relate.

All through my youth I was blessed to have a family who spent

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a lot of time together in the outdoors.

Some of my fondest memories are sitting on the bank of a farm pond, listening to my grandfather tell stories from his youth. Sure, we caught some fish…but it was the bond we built while fishing that had such a tremendous impact on my life. Now, nearly a half century later, I continue to pass on some of those stories, experiences and knowledge I’ve acquired to the next generation. Again, I’d bet a lot

of you can relate.

So this Christmas season, my wish list is pretty simple: I wish everyone could take the time to create memories outdoors…whether it’s fishing, hunting, or just experiencing a day hiking at a state park.

Take time to enjoy being with people you care about and make some new memories of your own. I would also encourage you to find a local youth home, Scout troop or neighborhood organization that could benefit from your stories and knowledge. Or maybe just begin with your own kids and grandkids and enrich your relationships through this splendid pass-time we love so much. Not only will you be giving a grand gift, you’ll be getting one too. I guarantee it will warm your heart and soul for years to come.

From our family to yours, we wish you Tight Lines, Calm Seas and Merry Christmas! Capt. Cefus McRae and Buck The Wonder Dog.

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ANGLERS GET TWO MONTHS FOR GULF AJ

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t will be another short season for amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico next year. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council decided in late October to modify both the recreational season and commercial trip limits for greater amberjack. The result for recreational anglers is a two-month fall season, which is expected to close a few days early based on projections.

The council chose to modify the recreational season so it opens on Sept. 1 and remains open through Oct. 31, unless the annual catch target is projected to be met earlier. The projected date for reaching that annual catch target is Oct. 26.

The council also chose to reduce the commercial trip limit to seven fish, which is equivalent to about 210 pounds gutted weight. This framework action will be transmitted to the Secretary of Commerce for approval and implementation as soon as practicable.

In anticipation that this rule may not be implemented before the beginning of the 2024 commercial fishing season, the Council requested that NOAA Fisheries implement an emergency rule to reduce the commercial trip limit to seven fish at the start of the year. Since Amendment 54 reduced catch limits by about 83 percent, and the 2023 commercial annual catch limit was exceeded, a payback provision will reduce the 2024 commercial annual catch target to 56,661 pounds whole weight. Under the current 1,000-pound trip limit, the commercial fishing season is expected to be incredibly short.

For more information, go to https://gulfcouncil.org/.

GREAT FISHING!

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Florida’s 5 Star Jeweler Since 1981

321-784-8769 • sales@jessethejeweler.com

www.JesseTheJeweler.com

Florida Rope & Chain

Shop here for the holidays TONS OF GIFTS FOR BOAT OWNERS! GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE!

(561) 758-8758 Phone orders Can Be shiPPed

DEEPER PRO+ FISH FINDER AND FLEX ARM 2.0 THE EASIEST-EVER SONAR SYSTEM FOR KAYAK ANGLERS

6913 Norton Ave. West Palm Beach, FL 334054

T Custom Spliced Dock Lines & Anchor Rodes

10 NATIONAL

DECEMBER 2023

ransform any small boat, kayak or float tube into a high-spec sonar system within minutes using the Deeper gear combo. The Deeper PRO+ is a wireless fish finder, roughly the size of a tennis ball, connecting to your phone via its own Wi-Fi signal, scanning down to 260 ft. With a reliable 6-hour battery, built-in GPS, and two beam scanning frequencies, it delivers accurate, trustworthy readings.

Waterproof and capable of handling temperatures as low as -4°F, it’s a versatile fishfinder suitable for various fishing types. For kayak fishing, it seamlessly pairs with the Deeper Flex Arm 2.0. Crafted from high-strength materials, the Flex Arm with G-clamp suits a wide range of vessels, offering easy installation and mounting without the need for drilling or tools. Use Deeper to map out waters, understand bottom structures, water temperature and depth, and locate fish holding spots faster. Enjoy a successful day on the water with Deeper.

BUYDEEPER.COM

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

LOOKING FOR THE

PERFECT GIFT?

A custom rod building kit makes a great gift for the Holidays!

ENTER TO WIN SUZUKI DF2.5 PORTABLE OUTBOARD MOTOR

Suzuki’s DF2.5: Small in size but big in features.

Weiging just 30 pounds, the portable and versatile DF 2.5HP outboard motor is the lightest Suzuki 4-stroke motor ever built. This smooth, quiet engine is water-cooled for increased dependability, features a digital CDI, and its anti corrosion system ensures the aluminum propeller stays durable in marine conditions.

YOUR RODS. YOUR WAY.

MUDHOLE.COM

Drawing to be held 12/22/23.

Winners will be announced on Facebook.

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN, ENTER ONLINE AT:

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/CONTEST

Happy Holidays FROM

S EA -DOG.COM COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

DECEMBER 2023

NATIONAL 11

scotthawaii.com FAMILY RUN IN HAWAII FOR 90 YEARS

Hanapa‘a - Marlin

Fish flags tell the story!

Catch all 4 Hanap‘a “slippahs” from Scott Hawaii Hanapa‘a - Ono

Hanapa‘a - Mahi

Hanapa‘a - Ahi

The Return of a Fish flags inspired by Sun Dot Marine Flags.

Custom Built Quality Outdoor BBQ Products Since 1989

Pig Cookers, Patio Grills, Smokers, Customized BBQ Trailers

For More Info 1-252-236-4464 www.BQGRILLS.com 6043 Hwy 301N, Elm City, NC 12 NATIONAL

DECEMBER 2023

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

@fishflags

Sacred Stone of the Southwest is on the Brink of Extinction

C

enturies ago, Persians, Tibetans and Mayans considered turquoise a gemstone of the heavens, believing the striking blue stones were sacred pieces of sky.

Today, the rarest and most valuable turquoise is found in the American Southwest–– but the future of the blue beauty is unclear.

26 carats of genuine Arizona turquoise B.

ONLY $99

On a recent trip to Tucson, we spoke with fourth generation turquoise traders who explained that less than five percent of turquoise mined worldwide can be set into jewelry and only about twenty mines in the Southwest supply gem-quality turquoise. Once a thriving industry, many Southwest mines have run dry and are now closed.

We found a limited supply of turquoise from Arizona and purchased it for our Sedona Turquoise Collection. Inspired by the work of those ancient craftsmen and designed to showcase the exceptional blue stone, each stabilized vibrant cabochon features a unique, one-of-a-kind matrix surrounded in Bali metalwork. You could drop over $1,200 on a turquoise pendant, or you could secure 26 carats of genuine Arizona turquoise for just $99.

C.

Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. If you aren’t completely happy with your purchase, send it back within 30 days for a complete refund of the item price.

A.

The supply of Arizona turquoise is limited, don’t miss your chance to own the Southwest’s brilliant blue treasure. Call today!

Jewelry Specifications: • Arizona turquoise • Silver-finished settings

Sedona Turquoise Collection A. Pendant (26 cts) $299 * $99 +s&p Save $200 B. 18" Bali Naga woven sterling silver chain $149 +s&p C. 1 1/2” Earrings (10 ctw) $299 * $99 +s&p Save $200 Complete Set** $747 * $249 +s&p Save $498 **Complete set includes pendant, chain and earrings.

Call now and mention the offer code to receive your collection.

1-800-333-2045 Offer Code STC851-09

Rating of A+

You must use the offer code to get our special price. *Special price only for customers using the offer code versus the price on Stauer.com without your offer code.

Stauer

® 14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. STC851-09, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com

Necklace enlarged to show luxurious color

Stauer… Afford t he Ext rao r d i n ar y.®

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

DECEMBER 2023

NATIONAL 13

We’ve Found the Most Beautiful Endangered Species Theirs sold at auction for $226,000. Ours is JUST $29! Curious? Read on!

T

o art nouveau jewelers at the turn of the last century, nothing was more beautiful than the dragonfly. In the dragonfly’s long body and outstretched wings, jewelers found the perfect setting for valuable stones. These jewelers’ dragonfly designs have become timeless statements of style; a dragonfly pendant designed by French jeweler René Lalique recently sold at auction for $226,000. Inspired by his stunning artistry, we’ve crafted our Dragonfly Nouvelle Collection, an elegant jewelry set for JUST $29!

Buy pend earrings Fant, get REE!

$29

True artisanship in Austrian crystal and yellow gold.

This necklace and earring set features gorgeous multicolored enamel paired with Austrian crystals and a yellow gold finish.

Ask any jeweler and they’ll tell you it takes true artisanship to properly blend the blues and purples found in this enamel.

While art nouveau dragonflies are hard to come by, we’re helping to repopulate their numbers with this artfully stylized depiction of some of nature’s smallest wonders!

A NEARLY  VALUE FOR JUST $29!

Buy the pendant, get the earrings FREE. If Stauer were a normal company, we’d sell the necklace and earrings for $199 each, but because we engage the world’s best artisans and cut out the middlemen to sell directly to you, we’re offering the necklace for JUST $29! Even better: If you buy within the next few days, we’ll throw in the earrings for FREE! That’s a nearly $400 value for JUST $29!

Act fast! The first time we ran this jewelry in our catalog, it sold out in a matter of days. Get this collection now before this offer goes extinct!

Jewelry Specifications: • Enamel with Austrian crystal. Yellow gold finish • Pendant: 1 ½" W x 1 ¼" H. Chain: 18" + 2", lobster clasp.

Earrings: 1 ¼" L, french wire Dragonfly Nouvelle Collection A. Necklace $199 $29* + S&P Save $170 B. Earrings $199 FREE with purchase of Dragonfly Nouvelle Necklace *Special price only for customers using the offer code.

1-800-333-2045

FREE! A $199 value!

Your Insider Offer Code: DFC208-01 Stauer, 14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. DFC208-01, Burnsville, MN 55337 www.stauer.com

AFFORD THE EXTRAORDINARY

14 NATIONAL

DECEMBER 2023

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

CLEANS EVERYTHING.

PERIOD.

Clean, Waxes & Protects Glass, Lexan, Isinglass, Metal, Gelcoat, Fiberglass, Paint, Plastic & Rubber

Remove & Prevents Oxidation, Scuff Marks, Bird & Spider Poop, Fish Blood, Rust, Water & Exhaust Stains

Restores Gelcoat, Fiberglass, Metal, Plastic Windows & Rubber

USE CODE BOAT10 FOR 10% 0FF

www.koenigpolish.com • 1-877-843-9929 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

DECEMBER 2023

NATIONAL 15

Over 2 carats of Verdant Peridot in precious .925 sterling silver

ONLY $39

Save $260!

“Known as ‘the Evening Emerald’ because its sparkling green hue looks brilliant any time of day.”

— The American Gem Society (AGS)

Ooh and Ahh Without the Ouch Spoil her (and your wallet) with sparkling Verdant Peridot for just $39

G

oing over the top on jewelry doesn’t have to mean going overboard on the cost. We’re in the business of oohs and ahhs without the ouch, which is why we can bring you an effervescent verdant peridot ring for a price that simply can’t be beat.

Its vivid and unique color makes verdant peridot unlike any other green gemstone.

If you are looking to mark a milestone or make any occasion special, the Verdant Peridot Ring is all you need.

This elegant ring features 2 1/3 carats of captivating verdant peridotA. in three perfectly-faceted cushion cut gemstones. And, the .925 sterling silver setting is finished in tarnish-resistant rhodium for added durability and superior shine.

“Found in lava, meteorites, and deep in the earth’s mantle, yellow-green peridot is the extreme gem” — Gemological Institute of America’s Gem Encyclopedia

PRAISE FOR STAUER PERIDOT JEWELRY You could easily “...absolutely beautiful. The picture spend $400 on a sterling silver ring set does not do it justice. It is a real with peridot stones. stunner.” – S. C., Berkeley, CA But, with Stauer in your corner, the sky’s the limit for affording the extraordinary. Priced at just $39, you can treat her to the Verdant Peridot Ring set in .925 sterling silver and save your money and your love life all at the same time.

Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. Indulge in the Verdant Peridot Ring for 30 days. If you aren’t perfectly happy, send it back for a full refund of the item price.

Limited Reserves. Don’t let this gorgeous ring slip through your fingers. Call today!

Verdant Peridot Ring ( 1/2 ctw) $299† $39 +S&P Save $260 You must use the insider offer code to get our special price.

1-800-333-2045

Your Insider Offer Code: TPR283-02 Please use this code when you order to receive your discount. † Special price only for customers using the offer code versus the price on Stauer.com without your offer code.

Stauer

®

14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. TPR283-02, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com

Rating of A+

• 2 1/3 ctw Verdant Peridot • White zircon accents • Rhodium-finished .925 sterling silver setting • Whole sizes 5-10

Stauer… Afford the Extraordinary.®

16 NATIONAL

DECEMBER 2023

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

ABALONE HUMMINGBIRD PENDANT & EARRINGS COLLECTION Graceful Hummingbird Design Solid 925 Sterling Silver Abalone Mother of Pearl

Matching Abalone Hummingbird Earrings

Complimentary 22” Chain 1.57” Length

Natural Abalone Shell

TAKE FLIGHT WITH THIS DAZZLING DELIGHT The hummingbird is a traditional symbol of love and beauty. Suspended in mid-flight, with a rainbow of iridescence in wave-like patterns, outstanding shimmering Abalone decorates her body and wing.

Each unique, one-of-a-kind piece of Abalone shell has been molded into a sterling silver pendant. Traditionally, Abalone shell is believed to induce feelings of calm, compassion and love. It has a tranquil, warm and gentle cosmic vibration.

Spiritually uplifting, Abalone is said to soothe the nerves, encourage serenity and bestow a feeling of inner peace. Originally priced at $249, this stunning piece of jewelry can be yours today for a special offer price of just $79 with promo code: CA3DHB

Original Price Without Code $249 - With Promo Code Now Only $79 Abalone Hummingbird Pendant $79 plus S&H Abalone Hummingbird Earrings $79 plus S&H Abalone Hummingbird Complete Collection Now Only $149 (EXTRA SAVING)

ORDER NOW TOLL FREE 24/7 ON: 1-800 733 8463 AND QUOTE PROMO CODE: CA3DHB Or order online at: timepiecesusa.com/ca3dhb and enter promo: CA3DHB PAY BY CHECK: Timepieces International Inc. 10701 NW 140th Street, Suite 1, Hialeah Gardens, FL 33018