When Seakeeper Ride was introduced in August 2022, many wondered how it differed from Seakeeper gyroscopic stabilization systems. Seakeeper, the parent company of Seakeeper Ride has a strong reputation for bringing calmness to a rockin’ and rollin’ sea. But what exactly is Seakeeper Ride and how does it work? Seakeeper Ride is a Vessel Attitude Control System (adapted from the aerospace industry’s Attitude Control Systems) designed to control pitch, roll, and yaw. It can eliminate up to 70% of underway pitch and roll, providing an unparalleled feeling of comfort, control, and confidence. Not to be confused with trim tabs or interceptors which have linear actuators moving solely up and down, the VACS uses a rotary actuator that can move at speeds of 300mm per second to deploy the rotary blade up to one inch. This equates to 100 adjustments made per second to combat wave motions, based on proprietary software and sensors taking 1,000 measurements every second. The incomparable speed counteracts changes to both the running angle and list, immediately. Seakeeper Ride is completely automatic and predicts motion and responds automatically and instantaneously to eliminate them before they’re felt with no manual adjustments needed. The noticeable difference is not only felt by boaters but backed by real results published on the Seakeeper Ride website, based on five main benefits:
1. Pitch and Roll Elimination - Seakeeper Ride eliminates up to 70% of underway pitch and roll motion that often cause uncomfortable pounding or slamming.
2.List/Level Control - Seakeeper Ride never allows vessel list from movement onboard, wind, uneven load while underway, and/or prop torque.
3.Auto Trim - Seakeeper Ride uses a customized Trim Command Curve to automatically adjust the boat to match the optimal running angle at any given speed.
4.Hole Shot Control - Seakeeper Ride is optimized to allow for faster acceleration that gets the boat on plane more quickly which improves fuel economy during the transition to planing. The operator never loses sight of the horizon, increasing safety for all on board.
5.Coordinated Turn - Seakeeper Ride automatically adjusts the heeling angle of your boat during turns for more comfort and better performance.
Originally available as standard equipment on select models from Sportsman Boats, Scout Boats, Chris-Craft Boats, Jupiter Marine, and Dynamic Boats, Seakeeper Ride is now available for aftermarket installations on qualifying boats 19-35 feet through a dealer network.
Visit ride.seakeeper.com for more information or to locate a dealer near you.
the Gulf states lowered limits and restricted harvest during the fall spawning runs. Alabama is now reporting an apparent rebound.
Whether it was regulation changes or better environmental conditions, the apparent rebound in the flounder population has everyone involved with the fishery along the Alabama Gulf Coast encouraged.
Scott Bannon, Director of the Marine Resources Division (MRD) of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), said the Division adopted stricter limits several years ago because of a decline in the flounder population.
“We made regulation changes in 2019,” Bannon said. “It created a commercial trip limit, which would include hook and line, gig and gill net, of 40 fish per trip. We reduced the recreational bag limit to 5 fish and increased the minimum size to 14 inches. And we created a 30-day no-fishing period for the month of November, when flounder spawn, for commercial and recreational anglers.
“We had concerns, not only in Alabama but across other Gulf states, with what we were seeing with flounder.”
Bannon said social media is his “easy barometer” to assess what’s going on in the fishery, and the number of flounder seen lately has significantly increased.
“You don’t post what you don’t catch,” he said. “I have seen an increase in photos of flounder on several social media sites and fishing forums. I’ve received phone calls from anglers who target flounder, and they feel like they are seeing increased opportunities to catch flounder. I’ve even spoken to a couple of divers who have seen more in places like Perdido Pass. They are seeing them on the bottom in numbers that they haven’t seen in the past few years. We also hear from some of the commercial anglers
2019,PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES
that they are starting to see more in their trips as well. Flounder is a very popular species. People are very happy to be catching them again.
“That’s not scientific, but that’s what the public is telling us. And that is important because we need people to feel comfortable that when we make management decisions that there is a positive impact.”
Bannon doesn’t think the credit for the flounder rebound should go completely to the regulation changes.
“I think there are potential benefits of making the regulatory changes, but I also think there may be some environmental changes,” he said.
“Flounder is one those fish that we like to try to find in the same areas over and over again. But if there is some form of water quality change, they’ll move away from it. It may be a period of low oxygen or a drought year. They have a tendency to move and find water that works well for them. Then they will come back when conditions improve.
“Flounder exist in relatively low numbers in Alabama waters anyway, so it doesn’t take a lot of change to see change.”
Flounder live most of the year in the bays and estuaries before making a run to the Gulf of Mexico to spawn in the late fall.
“I think the November closure is the primary regulatory change that is having an impact,” Bannon said. “You are allowing that spawning stock to move freely. They have fairly isolated migratory routes, and the closure takes the pressure off.”
Bannon said he has had discussions with some other states, including at a Gulf-wide flounder symposium, that had indicated flounder numbers were down. All states have followed Alabama’s lead and made regulatory changes and are receiving similar feedback on increasing flounder numbers.
Another effort that may have a positive impact on flounder numbers in Alabama is the work done at the Claude Peteet Mariculture Center in Gulf Shores, where MRD staff has been spawning flounder in large tanks and releasing fingerlings into estuaries with the best water conditions for survival.
Max Westendorf, hatchery manager at Claude Peteet, said the process of raising fingerlings took some fine tuning to get to maximum production. In 2020, 12,000 fingerlings were released, followed by 34,000 fingerlings released in 2021. That number significantly increased in 2022 with 102,000 fingerlings released. So far in 2023, about 35,000 1-inch
flounder have been released.
“We’ve kind of hit a sweet spot,” Westendorf said. “We figured out how to do it right. Now we are starting some projects to try to track and estimate the impact the releases are having on the fishery. On all the adult fish we spawn, we take fin clips to get their DNA sequenced. Then we make a library of all the parent fish and the fingerlings released. Then we will go out and do captures of 500 to 1,000 fish, once they reach keeper size, and get fin clips for DNA. We will cross the fin samples and estimate how many are hatchery fish and how many are wild fish.
“Now that we’re confident with a good method of production, we’re releasing enough fish that they should show up in our samples.”
MRD has contracted with the University of South Alabama Marine & Environmental Studies Department, headed by Dr. Sean Powers, to perform another flounder stock assessment this year.
“We told the public when we made the regulatory changes that we would have to wait three years before we did any kind of assessment to see if those changes had any impact,” Bannon said. “We’re doing stock assessments on flounder and speckled trout.”
Powers and staff performed Alabama’s first flounder stock assessment four years ago, and it
showed the stock was experiencing problems, which led to the regulatory changes.
“The main problem with the first stock assessment was the catches were low and the population size was low,” Powers said. “It wasn’t quite to overfished or overfishing was occurring, but it was really close to those levels. The main thing that informed that stock assessment was largely catch data from the
commercial and recreational anglers. Marine Resources also does a fisheries-independent gill net survey that gives us an index of abundance. All the lines of evidence – average size, catch rates, index of abundance – were all trending down. A lot of times in stock assessments you have conflicting data. In this case, we didn’t have that problem.
“We don’t know if that problem was that we were fishing too hard or if it was a climatehabitat issue. We think a lot of it had to do with water conditions that just weren’t optimal for flounder the three or four years prior to that stock assessment. I don’t think there is any doubt we were fishing it too hard, especially with the minimum size at 12 inches. But it was probably a combination of things. It wasn’t all on the fishermen.”
Powers said now that those regulation changes have been in effect for a little more than three years, a new stock assessment will determine if those changes made a difference.
“All of the anecdotal information from fishermen and the Facebook index, as we like to call it, seems that things are improving,” he said. “We’ll see if the numbers bear that out. I don’t see any major management changes.
“The other major thing is that the earlier stock assessment was just Alabama. We’re going to do a couple of runs in Mississippi and hope we can do a joint stock assessment. It doesn’t really make any sense to separate Mississippi Sound. We’re hoping we can partner with Mississippi and do an overall stock assessment and separate it.”
Powers said the newest stock assessment should be finished some time this year because the model is the same; the data will just need to be updated.
For more information, see https://www.outdooralabama.com/.
If you like fishing topwater—and we all do—this awesome video taken from David Attenborough’s Blue Planet 2 is enough to make you salivate. The footage, originally aired on the BBC, shows giant trevally at Farquhar Atoll in the Seychelles smashing birds… both on the water and in the air.
Each fall, sooty terns congregate in huge nesting colonies in a particular area of this Indian Ocean archipelago off East Africa.
Giant trevally, which can grow to more than 5 feet in length and heavier than 175 pounds, have discovered this plentiful source of food. Normally, trevally are solitary hunters of the flats. An abundance of fledgling terns in their earliest flights bring these big fish together in schools to massacre baby birds.
The terns have learned to stay off the water as much as possible as they hunt small fish near the surface. The trevally have learned to
judge the birds’ flight and leap out of the water to hammer them in mid-air.
There’s no doubt fishing operations in the Seychelles have taken notice of this incredible phenomenon. You can bet innovative fly tyers are working on new patterns to mimic terns on the wing.
Here’s a starting point to begin planning your trip to the Seychelles: https://www.seychelles.com
WITH EXTENDED RANGE FOR OPEN WATER
With an optimized design for deeper water, the new XR transducer has extended range elements so anglers can see up to 500’ in freshwater and 350’ in saltwater. It also includes the Reverse Range feature, allowing them to utilize more of the screen. To see detail closer to the boat, the Compress Range aspect displays a real-time look in sharp detail up close, while still letting the angler keep an eye on their further-away target.
The LiveScope XR displays seven different color palettes to view fish and structure in vivid contrast and clarity. In keeping up with previous
constantly adjust the sonar beams to compensate for boat motion, so even in rough waters, anglers will still see a steady image, even at an extended range.
The XR System delivers three unique vantage points with one mount that can easily be adjusted to fit different fishing techniques and preferences, without needing additional tools. Simply turn the transducer forward for a live look at what’s out in front of the boat, or point it down to see directly beneath the boat, or even turn it sideways with
products, visit Garmin.com/marine, or connect with @garminmarine on social media.
The newest edition to Grady-White Boats’ impressive Coastal Explorer Series, the 281 CE, made its debut at the Miami Boat Show. There, avid anglers got to check out the latest Grady-White innovations that make this boat primed for inshore and offshore fishing. Grady-White hit it out of the park with this unique new boat.
The innovation starts in the cockpit with a portside sport deck that is an electromechanically folding platform with an in-gunnel stowable ladder. An ingenious design at the transom adds to this boat’s versatility, allowing the area to transform from comfortable forward-facing seating, to casting platform, or lounge. Whether you’re riding to the fishing grounds, casting for trout, or spending the day at the sandbar, you have the right setup for the day’s activity. At the bow you’ve got incredible flexibility with a large casting platform that converts to a spacious sun pad with backrests that can be a table too. A lockable console with electric flush marine head and a 10-gallon holding tank adds to the amenities.
Loaded for fishing function, you’ve got two livewells, lots of rod storage, and abundant fish boxes–over 400 quarts! The deluxe lean bar also includes a rigging station, cutting board, and recessed freshwater shower.
From the plush helm seats with flip-up bolsters and footrest, to the full height scratch resistant acrylic windshield integrated into the
T-top, Grady thought of everything. You also get the choice of a single Yamaha 450 or dual 300 engine configuration, both with integrated digital electric steering. Other options include Helm Master EX® full maneuverability with autopilot, trolling motor pre-rigging with a swivel mounting bracket with quick release, a head stabilizer, 36V battery system and a 20-amp battery charger (trolling motor not included) and an outrigger kit.
All built on Grady’s superior SeaV2® hull
with capable wave cutting technology and continuously variable vee design means you get the ultimate ride wherever the fish are biting. But don’t be fooled by its fishability, this boat is equally luxurious, making it as comfortable for long rides to the fishing grounds, as it is for relaxing days at the sandbar with family and friends.
pring is one of my favorite seasons for fishing. Fish are warming up and feeding aggressively, especially redfish. Redfish eagerly consume an array of baits this time of year, but there is one artificial that sets itself apart from the others. Have you guessed it?
If you said, “gold spoon,” you were correct. When you look at the spoon it seems unimpressive, to be honest. However, that is the beauty of it all; we, as anglers, overcomplicate fishing. Sometimes all you need is an awkward piece of gold metal to shake the skunk.
It combines profile, color and vibration, which play on the three significant senses most
game fish use when feeding. The shape might resemble a crab, a small fish or a wounded shrimp, and the unique wobble lets fish know it’s an easy target. Gold spoons are great for beginners and avid anglers alike, they can be rigged weedless, and they are easy to cast. One of my go-to spoons for redfish is the FishLab Bio-Spoon.
Rigging is simple; attach a 20- to 30-pound fluorocarbon or monofilament leader directly to the spoon. I attach a snap swivel directly to the spoon to prevent line twists. A 1/4-ounce spoon is usually an excellent choice, especially when the bait is smaller. Remember to match the hatch in terms of size. Pair the spoon with a 7 or 7 1/2-foot medium fast spinning rod
By Capt. Joshua Taylorand 15-pound braid. My preferred setup is the Okuma ITX 4000 paired with an Okuma SRT spinning rod.
Spoons can produce fish in various conditions, but there are situations when it shines. Along weed lines, mangroves or similar structures should be your first targets, as this is where redfish congregate. Remember, reds travel in groups, so work an area thoroughly for consistent action. Repeated casts to the exact location or the same retrieval path will often produce multiple fish.
Gold spoons are best suited for stained or dark water. In cleaner water, the same techniques can be used with a silver spoon. The shape of the spoon and hook guard combine to
allow the lure to bounce off obstructions like weeds, mangroves, oyster beds or rocks where other lures might be lost.
Erratic action is the key to the spoon’s success. Many anglers cast and pause, allowing the spoon to flutter. If you do not get a hit right off the bat, you have two options for the retrieve. A steady retrieve, varyingspeed based on conditions, will often draw fish
out and even right to the boat. Others prefer to add a twitch to their retrieve, feeling it increases the motion. Try each or mix it up based on what the fish respond
to. Be bold, and try new techniques. Be sure to pick up a Salty Scales Performance fishing shirt, stay protected, and remain comfortable on the water.
Capt. Joshua Taylor is a Tampa guide and founder of Salty Scales Performance Fishing Gear. Check them out at www.saltyscales.com.
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By Mitch Eeagan
Many of the portraits twentieth-century artist Norman Rockwell painted portrayed anglers catching panfish—the rod in hand usually nothing more than a cane pole.
Why such a simple stick (literally)? It was the rod of the commoner in the early 1900’s; only the elite could manage a split-bamboo casting or fly rod into their budget. To boot, wooden and metal rods wouldn’t make their debuts until the mid-1940s.
During this era, the techniques used to pluck bluegills, crappies and perch from the drink were as simplistic as the gear: 10 feet of sewing thread, a long-shanked hook, a few tiny split-shot sinkers and a cork to suspend a garden worm—fresh from an old coffee can—off the bottom.
But what could not be projected via Rockwell’s brush strokes was the fact that the catching was only grand if the fish were within a 20-foot lob from shore or a tiny rowboat.
Fast forward to what an artist would create
today, and, other than the enthusiasm seen on the angler’s face, the scene would look quite different. The cane pole would be replaced with a multitude of rods in different lengths, actions and powers. Precision-made reels would adorn those rods, spooled with technically-advanced line. Sonar and GPS would be seen in the background, while insulated bait containers holding live bait and tackle totes full of artificial baits would be depicted at foot.
That era is now…
But just because the modern angler owns a boatload of newfangled equipment doesn’t mean they’re going to land a limit of panfish. The fact is, it’s more learning where panfish roam throughout the seasons, as well as how to use all that gear to its maximum potential, which turns fishless days into a full livewell.
If you absolutely love catching panfish, then you have something in common with fishing guide Brian “Bro” Brosdahl.
“There’s more to catching panfish than just plopping a float with an angle worm skewered
PHOTOS BY BILL LINDNERon an Aberdeen hook out into nowheresville,” says Bro. “You first have to find those fish, then figure out what they want and then utilize your gear to present it in a way that the fish will eat it. And the right rods will also help you get those fish out of heavy cover and to the boat.
To find fish, Bro relies on a Humminbird Helix. But how he uses it, as well the rods he selects, depends on water clarity.
In stained water, where fish aren’t as apt to scatter with a boat’s hull hovering 10 to 15 feet overhead, Bro will utilize the Helix’s standard sonar as well Down Imaging to decode the type of structure and fish. The edges of weed beds, woody areas or rockpiles are by far the best. Once over a fish, he’ll use the Spot Lock feature on his bow-mounted Minn Kota electric trolling motor to stay in place rather than toss an anchor over the side, which, inevitably, will spook fish.
Bro then has his clients lower their baits directly under the transducer at the rear of his boat so that the offering can be seen on the sonar. “You’ll see the fish come in, and then you
can raise or lower the bait right into the strike zone,” he claims. He employs the transom’s transducer rather than the electric trolling motor’s as he feels the unit’s prop continuously turning on and off while in Spot Lock will eventually put fish down.
This is where shorter rods come into play. Bro’s choice in this situation is St. Croix’s 5- to 6-foot ultralight-power Panfish Series rods, which keeps rod tips and baits close to the gunwale and within the sonar’s cone. His reels are spooled with 4-pound-test Sunline monofilament.
Generally, tiny twister-tail bodies threaded onto 1/32- to 1/16-ounce jig heads are a good choice for vertical presentations. However, he’ll also tie on Northland’s Mud Bug or Hexi Fly and nip on a few waxworms for scent.
Small spoons, like Custom Jigs & Spins 1/16-ounce Slender Spoons, and jigs such as the company’s Rotating Power Minnow (RPM) are great choices as they have the fullness and locomotion to get the biggest panfish in the school to bite.
Another practice—similar to using those vintage cane poles—is to use the 10- or 11-foot Panfish Series and pull ’gills and crappies up and out of the mats of milfoil, thick cabbage or out of brushpiles.
“Heavy line used in thick vegetation is not a bite killer,” Bro claims. “And this system calls for it. I’ll use 10-poundtest mono over any other type of line, and then use an 8-pound-test fluorocarbon leader. And the heavier line couple with those long, moderately-fast-action rods will pull bluegills out of the holes before they have the chance to wrap up in the weeds, or, pull out the occasional bass that takes the bait.”
When it comes to catching panfish, cane poles will do just fine… as long as you don’t mind limiting yourself to only a few choice moments to fish. Use sonar to your advantage, and bring along a few different rods, and you’ll be catching bluegills, crappies and perch all year long.
Across the country, bass are either in their post spawn patterns right now or they will be soon. There is a plethora of ways to catch these bass, but my all-time favorite for getting bit and drawing in a big one is a hollow body popping frog.
A popping frog can be used as an incredible search bait, and you can duplicate many different baitfish depending on where you throw it and what color you tie on. There are many different options out there. I try to duplicate the baitfish forage in the particular lake I’m fishing. Sometimes I use a frog to imitate a bluegill, and sometimes I throw a shad color pattern. 13 Fishing makes an incredible popping frog that comes with a stout hook and a wide variety of colors for any scenario.
When I throw a frog as a search bait, I work it faster than most. Cover as much water as possible until you put a pattern together on what exactly the fish are focusing on. That’s the magic of a frog; you can literally throw it around everything! Docks, lay downs, grass and open water are just a few of the targets I look for. Once you
locate a group of fish or put a pattern together, slow down and pick them off a little slower. I have noticed sometimes there isn’t a “too fast” while working a popping frog.
A couple things I look for this time of year are bass guarding fry and also fish roaming the banks feeding on bluegill. This is very predictable and an awesome way to catch big ones. Typically, if you know a few areas where the fish previously spawned, these patterns will occur in the same areas. I throw a bluegill pattern popping frog because bluegill chase bass fry, and that drives bass crazy.
Another pattern to watch for is a shad spawn. This occurs in the mornings and evenings and can lead to a bunch of fish in a hurry. Look for birds feeding on banks while running down the lake. Find the birds and you find the bait! A white popping frog or a baitfish color is typically my choice in this situation.
A popping frog can work all year long, but it really drives post spawn fish crazy. Who doesn’t like catching fish on a topwater with heavy line and a heavy rod?
Heavy gear is needed for setting those big frog hooks and fishing around heavy cover. I fish a 13 Fishing 7’4H Omen Black rod paired with a Concept A 8.3 reel spooled up with Seaguar 50-pound Smackdown braid. This setup allows you to get fish out of heavy cover and into the boat!
Coastal Angler and The Angler Magazine, Suzuki Marine and Sea Eagle have come together to offer readers a shot at this Sea Eagle FishSkiff 16 paired with a Suzuki DF4 outboard that’ll take you wherever the fish are. The FishSkiff 16 is an inflatable fishing boat that is lightweight, sturdy, stable and extremely packable. It rolls up small enough to fit in the trunk of a car and quickly inflates into a fishing machine. Powered by Suzuki’s four-stroke DF4A, you’ll have to hold on to your hat as you scream over the flats. Designed for efficiency and performance and portability, the DF4A provides all the speed and acceleration you can handle. It’s lightweight and can be attached or removed with ease.
Since 2004, Hilton’s has helped serious offshore anglers catch more fish while burning less gas. This is the company that pioneered online satellite fish forecasting with timely updated charts that display all of the pertinent fish-finding information at a reasonable cost for the best anglers in the world.
This year, Hilton’s pushed the industry forward again with its SAT2NAV system. In a quantum leap ahead of any other service in the industry, Hilton’s has brought its unparalleled charts where they belong… to your boat’s chart plotter screen!
Gone are the days when a separate smart device was required to navigate on charts downloaded while in cell phone range. SAT2NAV allows you to surf Hilton’s online mapping portal, select desired charts and then navigate on them—all on the water and all from the multifunction display in your cockpit. Nobody in the industry can do what Hilton’s is doing with SAT2NAV.
SAT2NAV is an external device that connects to the monitors of your Garmin, Raymarine or Furano multifunction displays. It has its own WIFI and GPS antennas and brings access to Hilton’s charts
to the monitors at your helm. It is now possible view your vessel’s position relative to temperature breaks, color changes, highres bathymetry, altimetry, etc. on your multifunction display. With split-screen, all of this powerful imagery can be displayed alongside sonar, radar or other desired information.
With SAT2NAV, it’s never been easier to identify and navigate to ocean features where bait and gamefish congregate. You can do your homework on the charts at home, but sometimes it’s necessary to call an audible on the water. With Hilton’s charts clearly visible on your monitor, you can find those good currents, minute temperature changes, seasurface upwellings, color breaks and navigate to them. Perhaps more importantly, you can eliminate dead water, which makes you a much more efficient and effective angler.
Of course, all of this comes with Hilton’s unrivaled service. Their philosophy, reputation and longevity in the industry rely on the concept that if the information doesn’t help you catch fish, you won’t use it. So, they continually strive to provide the best up-to-date imagery, information and technology, and they’ll go above and beyond
to make sure you know what you’re looking at and how to use it.
Hilton’s, again, is leading the industry. With SAT2NAV they can do what no one else in the industry can do right now. At the same time, they are continually working to be better with additional eye-opening features that will further distinguish Hilton’s as the best in the fish forecasting industry. Stay tuned…
Learn more at realtime-navigator.com.
If you are big trout enthusiast like me, you know there is still some time left if you haven’t had your fill over the past five months. December through a portion of May is when I set my eyes on catching a personnel best speckled trout. With the full moon on May 3 this year, I feel the entire month will hold promise to land one full of eggs before the first full moon in June. May is also a little more enjoyable, too, so sit back and let me tell you why.
Most anglers in Texas think about big trout mid-December through early April, and when the waders come off they change their focus. Fortunately, not all the big girls have dropped their eggs yet and will still hold them into May. It gives us the opportunity for a heavy trout to take a big smiling photo with.
Speaking of taking the waders off, wading in May is typically warm and enjoyable even if the fish don’t cooperate. The pleasant temperatures are more appealing than dreary, cold, winter days, and they also allow me to
fish the way I prefer. At times in winter, we must slow down our presentation and this can become a little monotonous; however, targeting big trout in the warmth of May allows us to work the lure more aggressively. There is not much more exciting than a topwater explosion, and spring is one of my favorite times to utilize this tactic for trophy trout. May is also a great time to throw other lures. Traditional slow-sinking and suspending lures also work wonders this time of year.
As most of you know, I am a paddletail fanatic! This month, I’ll give several sizes a shot at getting inhaled by a huge yellow mouth. These large predators will take 3-, 4and 5-inch lures this time of year. As their bodies warm with the water, they become as aggressive as they will be all year, so adding some rattling sound to your tails can really get the fish active.
I seek out areas of grass flats in knee- to
waistdeep water. Finding a flat with a drain from a small lake or creek will work wonders for concentrating fish over adjacent shallow grass. A depression along such a flat is another area you should target. When choosing a flat with these criteria, areas of potholes are a plus over a solid grass-filled flat.
I hope these tips help you get your PB trout on your last chance of the year to find one filled with eggs. Take a kid fishing. They like big trout too. And be safe. May is the unofficial start of summer, and inexperienced boaters will be on the water.
Watauga River
Home of world class fishing on the beautiful Watauga Lake, rugged Doe River and designated trophy trout stream, Watauga River
Watauga Lake
Doe River
PLAN YOUR TRIP AT TOURCARTERCOUNTY.COM
By TAM Staff
prefer to fish rivers. Landlocked striped bass are as large and powerful as any fish in freshwater, and for most of the year they are only available to big-lake anglers who troll or downline live baits.
That all changes in spring. The first groups of striper migrate into the rivers on spawning runs. In many locations, this spring run is followed by a larger summertime push, when pods of striped bass move up into cooler, more oxygenated waters. Sometimes they pile up below dams, and sometimes they patrol surprisingly skinny waters in wolf packs, gobbling up any prey species that crosses their path.
It is a good time to be a river angler. Here are three excellent destinations for river-run striped bass in the South.
SALUDA RIVER: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA
In spring and summer, scads of striped bass make the 60-mile run up the Congaree River
WATCH VIDEO
10-mile-long tributary that’s fed with cold water from the dam at Lake Murray.
August is the heart of the Saluda season, when 100-fish days of 2- to 5-pound stripers are possible. Fish heavier than 20 pounds are a possibility, but this fishery sees a lot of pressure and the water is normally very clear. The big ones spook easily and become finicky late in the season.
On Georgia’s Etowah River, the fish are spread out over about 50 miles of river, so covering water is the name of the game. Anglers should expect to do a lot of casting to each shoal and piece of wood cover where stripers might lie in ambush.
Starting in April, they run some 75 miles upriver from Alabama’s Lake Weiss to a lowhead dam downstream of Georgia’s Lake Allatoona. The fish are constantly on the move
The Hiwassee is more of a quality than quantity fishery. Anglers are called on to fish hard for just a few bites, but those bites come from fish that often weigh 20, 30, even 40 pounds or more.
Most years, the wide, shoal-broken river around Reliance loads up with striped bass from July into September. These are big-river fish that run some 50-miles upstream from the Tennessee River at Lake Chickamauga. They revel in cold, oxygenated water that flows down the mountains from Apalachia Lake on the North Carolina/Tennessee border.
They hold in the same holes and shoals every year to feed heavily on skipjack herring, gizzard shad and the stocked trout Tennessee puts in the river for anglers.
For more information, visit coastalanglermag.com.
Trim tabs help level a boat in any situation, resulting in better control of the vessel for the skipper and a more comfortable ride for everyone onboard. In addition, a quality trim tab system will enhance overall boat performance and increase fuel efficiency by adjusting the vessel to its optimum running angle in various sea and weather conditions.
Trim tabs help get boats out of the hole and onto plane faster. They can also be adjusted to stop a boat from “porpoising” — the cyclic and rhythmic oscillation of the powerboat in relation to pitch and heave. Trim tabs also help keep a vessel on plane at various speeds, for a more comfortable and efficient ride. Lastly, trim tabs can help reduce listing, the roll or tilt of the vessel due to propeller torque or uneven weight distribution.
Any planing hull powerboat will benefit from the addition of trim tabs. A quality trim tab system can transform your boating experience and provide easy, confident control in a variety of conditions.
First, a vessel that gets on plane more quickly spends less time running at inefficient ride angles. Trim tabs can also allow a vessel to remain on plane at lower engine RPM. The
The intuitive dial controller makes both the Dometic Standard and Dometic Adaptive trim tab systems unique. The dial allows for easy and precise adjustment, removing any guesswork from leveling your boat. The controller allows you to easily adjust pitch and roll to get your boat on plane quickly and efficiently. The controller works by simply turning the dial in the direction you want to level the boat. The actuators respond quickly and precisely to adjust the ride. There are also single press Bow Up and Bow Down buttons for manual adjustment, and a Favorite Button
ability to “fine-tune” a boat’s running attitude and balance in the face of wind, waves and other conditions helps reduce hull drag and fuel consumption in various conditions.
to return to boat’s “sweet spot” ride position with the touch of a finger. The system’s Home Button quickly moves the tabs to home position. WWW.DOMETIC.COM
Dometic has redefined the ease of use and practicality of a basic trim tab system. Featuring an intuitive dial controller, you can easily adjust the pitch and roll to get your boat on plane quickly and efficiently. A programmable favorites button makes for effortless operation. While its innovative, rugged design and autoretract feature, ensure reliability and safety on the water, whatever the conditions.
Black sea bass often fly under the radar for anglers off the coast of the Southeast. Perhaps it’s because their size and numbers are thickest in the middle of winter, when it’s not as pleasant to be on the water? Or maybe it’s because they don’t grow as a large as the other grouper species that inhabit our wrecks and reefs?
Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that black sea bass are some of the tastiest critters in the ocean, and anchoring over a wreck or reef teeming with them can fill a cooler in short order. Just ask the folks up in New England, where the species is a highly sought after target of anglers.
NOAA recently announced that recreational harvest of black sea bass will again be open year-round for the 2023-2024 season in federal waters of the South Atlantic, south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. So, sharpen the hooks on your chicken rigs and go collect some meat.
NOAA Fisheries has projected that the 2023-2024 recreational catch limit of 366,510 pounds whole weight will not be met. The season in federal waters will run from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024. Seasons in state waters vary, so be sure to check state regulations where you plan to fish. In federal waters of the Atlantic, south of 35 deg 15.0321’ N, there is a seven fish per person bag limit with a 13-inch minimum size limit.
A descending device is required on board all vessels fishing for or possessing snapper and grouper species in federal waters of the South Atlantic. The descending device must be readily available for use and attached to at least 16 ounces of weight and at least 60 feet of line.
For more information, go to coastalanglermag.com.
Yamaha’s product line of 22 FT FSH boats has made quite the splash since hitting the water in August of 2022. Building upon the success of Yamaha’s versatile 21-foot center console line that it replaced, there are three separate 22-foot FSH® models that come with Yamaha’s best center console technology and features.
This series begins with the value-minded 220 FSH Sport powered by twin 1L TR-1 HO (High Output) engines. Moving up the line is the feature-rich 222 FSH Sport, and the premium 222 FSH Sport E being the pinnacle of the series. Offering sleek lines, agile handling, and superb performance, the new Yamaha 220 and 222 Series center console boats are big, with twin Yamaha marine engines generating up to 360 horsepower.
Both 222 FSH models feature added performance delivered by twin 1.8L HO motors. All three models come with a fabric or fiberglassmolded T-Top with four “rocket launcher” rod holders. The new 22-foot platform continues Yamaha’s trend toward contemporary design with its deep cockpit and great freeboard, enabling a spacious interior and large bow and cockpit areas.
The center console is nicely finished with plenty of room for Yamaha’s Connext® 5-inch touchscreen that controls the boat’s entertainment and vital system functions, a glass windshield, stainless steel steering wheel, a locking glove box, and a 9-inch Simrad® marine electronics system. And for the first time on a Yamaha center console boat, all three models get a wireless-charging phone mount.
There’s nothing better than hanging out at a favorite cove listening to a great summer playlist. Yamaha has you covered here with its a Hertz® premium sound system that comes standard on the 222 FSH Sport E. This marine sound system comes with a Hertz® head unit, four deck speakers, and two speakers in the color-matched hardtop.
And all three 22’ FSH models come standard with mounts for optional swim-up seats. At anchor, two removable seats can be attached to the stern. These seats sit just below the water’s surface, providing comfortable in-water seating facing the transom of the boat. And since the reboarding ladder is located between both seat positions, egress
Understanding that fishing is the heart and soul of this product line, anglers around the globe have the below features to look forward to when purchasing a Yamaha 22FT FSH series boat:
• Storage for eight rods under the gunwales
• Storage for six rods on the side of the console
• Aerated 26-gal stern livewell
• Simrad® multi-function display
• Jet Wash® washdown system
onto the swim platform is a breeze.
Ultimately, Yamaha’s 22’ FSH models have set the standard in versatile luxury, while continuing to keep the end consumer in mind with its plethora of convenient amenities.
For more information on Yamaha’s 22FT FSH boats, visit https://www.yamahaboats.com/boats/categories/center-console-boats/.
Situated riverfront and surrounded by the natural springs of King’s Bay, Plantation on Crystal River is an ideal setting for travelers of all ages and interests to enjoy endless outdoor activities. From boating and shing to scalloping and wildlife encounters, visitors from around the globe travel to Florida’s Nature Coast to enjoy the organic assets of this dynamic destination. And before or a er these unique activities, guests can enjoy the full-service restaurant, lobby bar and tiki bar conveniently located on property. For international travelers, transportation is convenient with nearby international airports, including Tampa International Airport only 70 miles away, and Orlando International airport just 90 miles away. To follow is just a sampling of the abundance of available outdoor pursuits.
Celebrate Mother's Day in style at West 82° with our Sunday Grand Bu et menu on May 14th from 12:00pm - 4:30pm. Treat your mother to a sumptuous feast featuring a cold station with delectable smoked salmon and chilled cocktail shrimp. Our pasta station is sure to impress with a variety of avorful options. Enjoy our hard station with the mouth-watering Grilled Chicken Saltimbocca that will leave you wanting more. Finish o with our dessert station that o ers a tempting array of sweet treats.
Spring is here, and so is our Spring Splash special! Book your stay with us on Sunday through ursday between April 15 - June 22 and enjoy a 15% discount. Experience the beauty of spring and enjoy all the amenities our hotel has to o er. Don't miss out on this limited-time o er and book your stay today.
There was a time in my life that we took certain things for granted. For example, No limits and/or seasons on speckled trout, drum, flounder and especially GROUPER! I never thought I would say the two words “grouper” and “season” in the same sentence. Never mind, I’m just venting because I prefer bottom fishing and light lining above all other styles of offshore fishing.
I went through this last year about this time, but I’ll do it again for those folks who might have missed it. This is the way I start every location we anchor on, or post up with the Rhodan.
NOTE: We take two boxes of quid on every trip, and we typically have live pinfish from the marina also.
I typically have three or four folks with me every trip. We start by firing down whole squid on the jig. Meanwhile, I’m on the sabiki jigging up whatever is on the bottom below us. I don’t care what is coming up on the whole squid, as this is not the main focus. The real objective is to set a nice ‘chum slick” on the bottom to attract the fish you’re really fishing for. After 4 or 5 rounds of the whole frozen squid, we will fire down live pinfish or whatever I’ve jigged up on the sabiki. The other advantage of fishing a live pinfish, grass grunt, sailors’ choice or whatever you can jig up, is it eliminates the trash bites. In addition to eliminating the trash bites from small snapper, seabass and other “undesirables,” it’s like physcological warfare, as the gags, scamps and reds cannot digest all that is going on here. To them it appears like the pinfish, grass grunts etc, think the live baits were running around picking up squid pieces, and the squid or crab jigs have caught them and the live bait is struggling to get away. BAM!!! The bite happens. This, my friends, is the difference between
“bottom fishing” and GROUPER fishing.
Another bait that’s a dead ringer for a grouper bite is a butterflied bait. The butterflied bait on the bottom basically does the same thing as the squid. The small snapper and other smaller fish will hammer the filets until the grouper have had enough of it. You will feel the small fish biting it constantly, but then all of a sudden the small “pecking” bites will stop. Get ready, and don’t move it… the grouper has moved in and everyone else has to leave, because it’s time for the real bite!
Enough about the bottom. I will occasionally troll for a LITTLE WHILE, but this would be to accomplish two things at once. Catch a fish or two, but also to locate the best part of any given ledge with lots of bait and fish on the bottom. As soon as we locate the bait, reel in the troll baits and get to work! Everything you catch trolling, you can catch on the light line while you’re grouper fishing. Tuna, dolphin and wahoo are idiots for a big fat (live) greenie, sardine, cigar minnow or goggle eye out back behind the boat in the current.
All the best fishing,
Check out more from Tim Barefoot at barefootcatsandtackle.com
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for walleye in the Upper White River in
was throwing a 3-inch Berkley Flicker Shad for walleye when he saw a big fish on his sonar. Thinking it was a big striped bass or a gar, he ran his 10- to 12-foot-diving plug through the area and hooked his river monster in the top of the tail.
Anyone who has ever foul-hoked a fish knows how hard they fight when you can’t turn their head. Well, Murphy spent the next hour battling the beast from his kayak as it pulled him up and down the river. After he finally hauled it into his kayak and brought it to shore, he weighed and measured the fish. With a length of 71.5 inches, it was nearly 6 feet long, and at 102 pounds, it was shy of the 118-pound, 9-ounce state record that was caught from Beaver Lake in 2020.
For more information, see www.agfc.com.
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Just after daybreak, we bobbed in an anchored skiff looking out over a wide, shallow bay. Capt. Scott Burgess sat on the poling platform smoking a cigar and drinking coffee. Jesse Trevathan stood on the casting deck. He wasn’t casting. With line stripped out into the decal-littered stripping bucket in front of him, he held his fly—a locally tied (FC)2 Renegade—in his left hand and his rod in his right. He just watched. We all watched, eyes focused on a large patch of sand off the bow that stood out from the grassy bottom around it.
We were looking for tarpon cruising the shallows on their annual westward migration along the Gulf Coast. In this sweet spot on Florida’s Forgotten Coast, they show up in May and are gone by August. The action peaks in June and July, and their massive silver bodies would show clearly in contrast to the sandy bottom.
“They follow paths, the same paths, year after year,” said Burgess. “It’s based on the topography of the bottom as they move in with the tide.”
He had positioned the boat with the bow facing a ridge that rose from 7 feet
up to 3 feet deep. When tarpon move in, the tops of such ridges are too shallow for them to cross. The big fish are channeled into the shallows in search of pogies, crabs and other delicacies.
With the trap set, there was nothing to do but wait and talk. Trevathan said tarpon spawn on the new and full moons of summer. For days they evacuate the flats and head offshore.
“I’ve been out here right before the full moon, and I literally saw hundreds of tarpon. They were doing nothing but chasing tail. They were daisy chaining all over the place,” Trevathan said. “I went back on the moon, and they were gone.”
The daisy chaining Trevathan mentioned, in which fish group up and swim in circles nose to tail, is thought by some to be pre-spawn behavior, a sort of courtship dance. But no spawning takes place during these events. For the most part, scientists don’t really know why tarpon do what they do.
Trevathan and Burgess both have their theories about the movements of these giants. What they know for sure is tarpon show up each summer on the flats and in the passes. Clean water is needed to see
them. Seeing them is necessary to present the fly. The cast must lead them, but not too much, and the retrieve must intercept the fish at the right angle to incite a strike.
If the fish eats, it takes a hard strip set to drive the hook into a tarpon’s bony mouth. How hard? “As hard as you can,” said Burgess. Even if all goes according to plan, Burgess admitted there’s a less than 50 percent chance of steering a large tarpon boat-side. The power and aerial display of a hooked tarpon are legendary. Sadly, we did not witness it that day.
As the tide turned, the murky water became more dingy. Late in the morning, the call was made to move in search of redfish.
A week later, Burgess sent a text message with an attached photo. It showed a big tarpon, which he estimated to be 135 to 140 pounds, tail-thrashing the water just off the tip of his 12-weight rod, which was broken in half.
“40 min fight with a broken rod… she pulled me 2 miles from my anchor,” the text read.
Fish. All. Day. What angler wouldn’t like to do that? Even better, fish where the big fish hide out, where a rigid boat can’t get to. Anglers can do that and more with the inflatable Sea Eagle® PaddleSki™ 437ps. The PaddleSki® is a hybrid catamaran kayak that can take up to a 6 hp gas motor or use an electric motor with a solar panel for practically non-stop on the water fun.
Sea Eagle® originally introduced the PaddleSki™ in the early days of the 2000s and have recently updated it to make it more spacious, more stable and better able to take a motor. The redesigned catamaran has a highpressure drop-stitch floor that rides 4” above the waterline. This reduces drag resulting in a boat that’s faster to motor, paddle or sail. Speaking of speed, with just a 5 hp motor, one person on the 437ps can reach 16 mph. With two adults, the PaddleSki™ can go up to 14 mph. A 3 gallon tank of gas can cover 70 miles, double that with 6 gallons of gas. If you decide to go with an electric
motor, you can always ad a 50W or 110W solar panel, depending on the motor. With the power of the sun charging the battery, a weeks long camping trip is not out of the question.
The high-pressure drop-stitch floor that inflates to 10psi so anglers can feel safe as they stand up to cast and reel in fighting fish. The drop-stitch floor also provides rigidity, keeping the large inflatable tubes in place and allows the 437ps to take up to a 6 hp gas motor.
At just over 14’ long and 48” wide, you can take this inflatable out solo or with a buddy. There’s plenty of room for 2 people and some gear. The PaddleSki® can hold up to 855 lbs of people and gear. That’s a massive amount for a boat this size.
The Sea Eagle® PaddleSki™ 437ps catamaran style kayak is ready for almost any adventure in about 10 minutes. It deflates to just 36” x 21” x 12” and fits in a car trunk, SUV, RV, even on a small plane so you can go anywhere at any time. Outfit it with a gas or electric motor, a canopy, fishing gear such as Scotty® mounting pads and accessories, even the Sea Eagle® QuikSail™ for a fun jaunt downwind. With 5 separate chambers, a non-slip EVA foam foot pad and super rigid drop-stitch floor, the 437ps is safe, fast, fun, reliable, and versatile. Needing just inches of draft, you can fish skinny backwaters or open bays and lakes. Available in 8 great packages at SeaEagle.com. Check it out today and start your Sea Eagle adventure!
Motor your way to the sh at up to 17 mph with just a 6hp motor! Spend all day on the water traversing 70 miles with just 3 gallons of gas! Fish skinny backwaters or open bays and inland shores. This unique catamaran kayak will get you to the shing spots others can’t. Fast, stable, and ready in minutes.
8 Packages available! SeaEagle.com for more info
Would your kid be proud to set a new world record?
Of course they would, and right now is a great time for kids to catch a world record thanks to the International Game Fish Association’s new length-record category for young anglers. The category is intended to promote catch-and-release by making it possible to measure a fish for world-record consideration without killing it, and right now there 169 vacant species just waiting for anglers under 16 years old to set a new world record.
The new IGFA All-Tackle Length Junior category follows the same rules
and regulations as the current All-Tackle Length record categories. The All-Tackle Length Junior category will have one record available for each eligible species, with no differentiation made for the angler’s gender, which is consistent with current All-Tackle Length and All-Tackle Length Fly record categories. Vacancies exist for all eligible species of the All-Tackle Length record category and will follow the same minimum length requirements already established.
“By introducing the All-Tackle Length Junior category, we hope to inspire the next generation of anglers to get out and fish, while promoting ethical and sustainable
fishing practices,” said IGFA President Jason Schratwieser. “Fishing is a fantastic way to connect with the outdoors, and we believe that by engaging young people with this sport, we can inspire the next generation of stewards of our oceans, lakes, and rivers and help ensure the long-term health and vitality of our aquatic resources.”
With children and teenagers increasingly disconnected from the outdoors, the IGFA hopes to inspire a new wave of young anglers who are passionate about the sport and its role in connecting people to nature.
For more information, go to www.igfa.org.
, the leader in high-performance soft-sided coolers, is hitting the water this year with new, upgraded fishing products. Our fishing team partners told us what they needed, and we listened!
Products are in stock and ready to ship; The Fishing Cooler Backpack, 2, 4 & 6ft Fish bags, Fillet bags, Boat fenders, EVA Traction pads, Inflatable Docks, ISUPs, and of course, our high-performance coolers specifically designed for use on boats, guaranteed not to leak, and to keep ice cold for up to 24 hours.
Thirty years ago, AO was launched to provide active, hard-core people with quality products at a reasonable price. We started selling our soft-sided coolers to the hard-core, go-fast boaters and fishermen in Lake Havasu. We aimed to keep ice in our coolers for up to 24 hours in 120-degree Havasu heat. That goal was accomplished 30 years ago, and we're still at it.
We know our customers; they fish and boat in the summer and ride the dunes or trails in the winter. AO products give those high-octane souls greater freedom to embark on and enjoy what's important to them.
Make sure that your gear does not hold you back from doing what you love. AO products are built to handle whatever offshore adventure is coming next.
AO is flexibly rugged, seriously fun, and honestly real!
We're looking for active, adventurous folks that demand quality and performance from their gear. Share your adventure and send us your fish story or photo.
ABrunswick woman on her third trip offshore in her new boat caught a new Georgia women’s record for vermilion snapper on April 7. The 5-pound, 5.56-pound beeliner smashed the previous record of 3 pounds, 14.4 ounces, which was set in 2018.
Stacey T. Pope caught her big vermilion about 70 miles off Sapelo Island, Ga. Near Artificial Reef DW. She was bottom fishing with a 7-foot Eureka Charter Special rod and Avet SX G2 reel terminating with a knocker rig
baited with menhaden. She was accompanied by licensed charter guide Capt. Quentin Van Heerden, of Eureka Charters.
According to Pope, she was surprised to catch such a large fish and was thrilled when she learned that she had set a new state record.
“It was amazing to catch the fish,” said Pope. “It was a little scary, but it was exciting. We just bought a boat in December, and this was only our third time offshore fishing. It’s a lot of fun, I love it.”
Pope’s fish was just a few ounces off being a state record for men or women. The heaviest vermilion snapper caught off the Georgia coast weighed 5 pounds, 11.68 ounces. It was caught last year by Mark Brandon Neville. The IGFA alltackle world record for vermilion snapper was caught by John Doss out of Mobile, Alabama in 1987. It weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces.
For more Georgia records, visit https://coastalgadnr.org/saltwaterrecords.
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One of the benefits of being a charter captain is the people you meet. Almost always, my first mate Vicki and I have fishing in common with the folks we take out on the water; sometimes the connection runs deeper. That’s how we became friends with Gino Mascarin and Jennifer Wintermans, of Thunder Bay, Canada. Like Vicki and I, both are avid anglers, and over the years we discovered we have many other things in common, including travel, fine foods and fine wines.
On their last visit, Gino and Jennifer insisted we travel to their neck of the woods to fish for world record brook trout on Lake Nipigon and Chinook salmon on the Nipigon River. I had never fished Canada, so I decided to give it a try, especially since our hosts are people who know how to catch fish and also appreciate some of the other fine things life has to offer.
We departed for Thunder Bay, by way of Toronto, in late August for four days of pampering, which was to include three days of fishing, gourmet cooking and wine tasting. Thunder Bay is a town that sits on the banks of Lake Superior just across the border from Minnesota on the Canadian side of the lake. It is in a relatively sparsely populated western corner of the Ontario province, where a web of lakes and waterways offers an unbelievable amount of good fishing.
Over three days, we were to fish for different species at three different venues: brook trout on Lake Nipigon, Chinook salmon on the Nipigon River tailwater and walleye on Lake Superior.
Lake Nipigon is renowned for producing large brook trout, including the world-record 14.5-pounder caught by Dr. JW Cook in 1915.
Although it is dwarfed by nearby Lake Superior, Nipigon is a pretty big lake at 1,872 square miles of surface area. It feeds the Nipigon River, which is Lake Superior’s largest tributary. Over the months preceding the trip, Gino and Jennifer had shared photos of their catches, and our excitement was running high.
We launched Gino’s 19-foot Lund Pro V Tournament Series before dawn. The weather was unusually cold and foggy for a late August morning. The thermometer showed zero degrees Fahrenheit. Long-range
forecasts predicted pleasant temperatures, but Vicki and I were glad to have prepared for the worst clothing-wise.
The cold front suppressed the bite, but with help from Gino’s friend, Bruce Iwasa, we managed to land enough brookies for a shore lunch on one of the lake’s breathtaking islands. The setting was perfect on this uninhabited wilderness island. We sat on tree stumps, drank wine and watched as salad, trout, potatoes and dessert were prepared around a campfire. The fish were caught on light tackle using Muddler Minnow flies tied on jig heads. The unspoiled, wilderness scenery was more than we expected.
We returned that night to Thunder Bay to enjoy filet mignon, red wine and a good night’s rest, so to be ready for another early morning departure, this time on the Nipigon River tailwater in search of Chinook salmon. The temperature was only 3 degrees warmer at 7 a.m. when we launched just below Alexander’s Dam on the Nipigon
tailwater. Chinook are a species of Pacific salmon. Obviously they are not native to the drainage. They were introduced as a sport fish decades ago and have become one of the river’s most popular species.
A thick early morning fog initially restricted us to trolling a small area with Rapala Countdown 11 lures on St. Croix Legend Tournament rods with small Shimano reels loaded with Stren MagnaThin
6-pound line. Two hours later, we were able to navigate downstream, where we tried our hand at fly fishing. Vicki hooked a nice brookie on spinning gear, while Gino and I struck out with fly rods.
Around midday, the temperature had warmed and Gino suggested we go back up river to try trolling Rapalas at the dam. It worked! Vicki and I hooked and landed a 12-pound and 5-pound salmon, respectively. They were a blast to battle on light line.
Having ended the day on a very high note, we headed back
to Gino and Jennifer’s luxury cabin that has a view of Lake Superior to die for. The evening was enjoyed eating scratch-made pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven and meeting family members.
The day-three plan to fish Superior was scrapped because of rain and high winds. We enjoyed the balance
of our trip eating gourmet foods such as salt-crusted salmon, Italian pastas, homemade sausages, salads, desserts and lots of beverages with new Canadian fishing friends.
The scenery around Thunder Bay is enough to make it a worthwhile trip. The potential for world-class freshwater fishing on an unbelievable amount of diversified waters around the town is limitless.
Check out Capt. Terry Fisher and Fish Face Charters in Cape Coral, Fla. at www.fishfacecharters.com.
Tesoro spinning reels feature a carbonite high-output DFD drag system with Cal’s drag grease that puts out over 55-pounds of fish stopping power. Built with strength and protection in mind, Tesoro features an IPX-7 full-body waterproof design and proprietary ALUMILITE body, side plate and rotor. With an interchangeable screw-in handle system and five models from 8000 to 20000 size, Tesoro spinning reels are sure to complement any big game saltwater arsenal.
Let’s grow with Florida together for another 60 years.
ATennessee angler fishing Cherokee Lake in northeast Tennessee caught a paddlefish on Thursday, April 13, that is not only a state record for the species; it is the largest fish ever caught in Tennessee.
Henry Dyer, of Kingston, Tenn., snagged his monstrous 149-pound paddlefish while fishing with guide Brian Townsend. The fish taped out to more than 6 ½ feet in length, with a girth of more than 3 ½ feet around. It was longer and heavier than the man who caught it.
Dyer snagged this fish with heavy spincasting gear spooled with 80-pound test line. He told WTVC ABC that it took 35 minutes to battle the fish to the boat.
Paddlefish, also known as spoonbill, are a large zooplankton-eating species. They won’t chase lures or live bait, so anglers typically snag them. Paddlefish season in Tennessee runs April 24 through May 31. The daily limit is two fish per person with no size restrictions, except on specially regulated bodies of water.
Dyer’s new state record replaced the existing record of 120 pounds, which was caught from Cherokee Lake on April 14, 2022 by Chad Collins. The world record paddlefish on rod and reel weighed 164 pounds and was caught from Oklahoma’s Keystone Lake in 2021. An Iowa spearfisher reportedly stuck and landed a 198-pound paddlefish in 1916.
Prior to Dyer’s catch, the largest fish ever caught in Tennessee was a 130-pound blue catfish landed by J.C. Collins at Ft. Loudoun Lake in 1976. For more giant fish, see coastalanglermag.com.
By James Bradley
Sight fishing for trout is a fun way to catch them. It can also be an easy way, since what you are seeing is trout actively feeding. The two easiest ways to sight fish are to look for rises and to look for trout visibly feeding on the bottom of the stream.
Without getting overly complicated, there are mainly three types of rises. These are the sip rise, head-to-tail rise and splashy rise. These three types are the ones trout use to take a floating insect from the surface, from just underneath the surface and above the surface.
The sip and head-to-tail rises form dimple rings on the surface as long as the current isn’t too strong. Dimple rings are left behind where the trout slightly broke the surface to sip an insect. You might not see the trout at all, but the rings are left as evidence. The head-to-tail rise is when the trout breaks the surface with its head first, and you might see its dorsal fin
and then finally the tail. This rise is a little more forceful, and many times will leave a greater disturbance than the sip rise. Lastly, the splashy rise is when the trout completely clears the water and is usually catching an insect that is depositing eggs on the water.
The sip rise means trout are probably surface feeding on mayflies or stoneflies. The head to tail rise means trout are probably feeding on insects in the surface film like a mayfly, ant or grasshopper or maybe a nymph struggling toward the surface. The splashy rise means trout are feeding on insects above the surface, like a caddis laying its eggs.
With a good pair of polarized sunglasses, spotting trout feeding on the bottom of a stream is a matter of watching for a silver flash or possibly tailing. When trout take nymphs off the bottom, they turn sideways to take the insect. The flash you see is their silver side or white belly. Tailing is when a trout’s tail
protrudes toward the surface. They do this to dig or root the bottom for immature insects, grubs, etc.
Some common mistakes to avoid:
Do not cast to the rise. Trout will leave their lie to examine an insect (your fly) and actually float downstream with the insect before the rise. They may examine the insect for the distance of a foot or five feet. After the trout rises, it moves back upstream to its lie. If you cast to the rise, there’s a good chance that trout has already moved upstream and will never see your offering.
Do not cast to a trout displaying a silver side unless you have your fly at the correct depth. That fish is looking down at the bottom. If your fly isn’t on the bottom, it will never be seen.
James Bradley is an Orvis-endorsed fly fishing guide with north Georgia’s Reel ’Em In Guide Service. Contact them at (706) 273-0764 or www.ReelEmInGuideService.com.
ou don’t need an invitation to have fun in Upcountry South Carolina: Come kayak crys-tal blue lakes, hike to rushing waterfalls, dig into local cuisine, attend family oriented events and breathe fresh mountain air. But when you hold a South Carolina fishing license, it feels like an official ticket to enjoy the great outdoors.
Fish bite year-round in the lakes, rivers and streams of Upcountry South Carolina, which is located in the state’s northwest corner in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Devils Fork State Park in Salem is a great place to access Lake Jocassee, which holds state records for rainbow trout, brown trout, redeye bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass and yellow perch. Or try your luck at Lake Hartwell, at Lake Hartwell State Park in Fair Play and Sadlers Creek State Park in Anderson, three-time host of the Bassmaster Classic.
The Chattooga River boasts healthy wild trout populations and is also regularly stocked by Oconee County’s Walhalla State Fish Hatchery. The Whitewater River above Lower White-water Falls is another great option for wild trout. Lake Keowee, at Keowee-Toxaway State Park in Pickens County, swims with largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, crappie, bluegill, yel-low perch, catfish, brown and rainbow trout.
Pick up everything you need—including advice— at local fly shops or book a guided fish-ing trip. Sam Jones, of Jocassee Charters, puts anglers on trophy trout. Buster Green’s Guide Ser-vice reels in stripers, hybrids and bass on Hartwell and Keowee. Chattooga
River Fly Shop leads fly fishing trips on the Chattooga and Chauga rivers.
Even if you don’t fish, you can still get on the water. Jocassee Lake Tours offers tours of the lake and of Jocassee Gorges, which National Geographic called a “destination of a Lifetime.” Some amazing spots can only be reached by boat. Several tours are offered, so you can learn from a naturalist while riding on a pontoon or paddle a kayak through coves and under waterfalls.
Prefer to captain your own boat? There are several rental companies, including Tri-County Boat Rental, on Keowee, Jocassee, Hartwell and other lakes.
If you’d rather be under the water, Jocassee is a world-renowned freshwater diving desti-nation that boasts visibility of more than 50 feet at depth. Lake Jocassee Dive Shop offers lessons and guided trips to see “The Wall,” where a section of mountain was blasted to build the dam, or a 40-foot swim-through wooden sailboat.
From fishing to boating, hiking to camping, biking to bird watching and more, the Up-country’s state parks are a great place to play. Dip into the swimming hole at Oconee State Park. Hike to the tops of Pinnacle and Table Rock mountains at Table Rock State Park. Explore the 13,000-acre Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area at Caesars Head State Park. Or create your own adventure at any of the Upcountry’s 13 state parks.
Visit UpcountrySC.com to learn more.
Loop knots leave a small loop of line rather than a knot snug against the hook eye. They are important to have in your repertoire for fishing artificials because that loop allows a little more movement when you’re working lures like jigs, topwaters and plugs.
The Kreh knot, developed by legendary fly fisherman Lefty Kreh, was originally intended to
be used for streamers and baitfish flies. It is also a great choice for conventional anglers throwing any lure that needs a touch of freedom to strut its stuff. Also known as the non-slip loop knot, it is strong and easy to tie, and it works well with both monofilament and fluorocarbon lines.
With the Kreh knot, you give up a bit of strength in comparison to snug Palomar or
uni knots, but you’re trading it for lifelike lure action. The venerable Rapala knot is another great loop knot that might be a little stronger than the Kreh. However, the Kreh is a tad easier to tie, making it our go-to loop knot for lures in freshwater or salt.
For more fishing tips and tricks, visit usangler.com.
A4.07-pound white crappie recently broke a nearly 60-yearold Kansas state record. Bobby Parkhurst, of Topeka, Kansas, caught the slab while fishing live minnows at Pottawatomie State Fishing Lake No. 2 on March 5. It replaces a record of 4.02 pounds that has stood since 1964.
“As fisheries biologists, we get the chance to see a lot of big fish, but this one is certainly for the books,” said John Reinke, with the Kansas Department of Parks and Wildlife. “This crappie measured in at 18 inches long and 14 inches in girth, so it truly deserves a spot on the state record list.”
The IGFA world record for black crappie weighed 5 pounds, 7 ounces. It was caught in May 2018 from a private pond in Tennessee by Lionel Ferguson.
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• This kit provides protection and limits RF interference, to power for your graphs, pucks, GPS and NEMA boxes directly from your battery for the best performance and to meet Manufacturers recommendations.
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This 40.76-pound northern pike is a new Idaho state record. It beat the existing 13-year-old record by a little more than half a pound.
Avid pike fisherman Thomas Francis landed the monster fish on March 21 from Hayden Lake in northern Idaho. The fish was more than 4 feet long, with an official length of 49 inches and an impressive girth of 26.5 inches.
Francis told Idaho Fish and Game
he specifically targets big pike almost every day. In late March, ice still ringed the banks at Hayden Lake, so Francis was casting his lure up to the edge of the ice.
“When my lure hit the water, I let it sink all the way to the bottom,” he said. “As soon as my lure hit the bottom, I felt her hit. I fish with 80-poundtest line, and she almost immediately started peeling drag, a lot of it.
“She pinned herself to the bottom and just kept going, peeling drag the whole time,” he continued. “I knew that wasn’t normal, and I could tell it was something special.”
The IGFA all-tackle world record northern pike was caught in Germany in 1986. It weighed 55 pounds, 1-ounce.
For more information, visit idfg.idaho.gov.
Cleaner motorwell, more reliable gear shifts and higher top speed. For the first time since it’s 2017 launch, Suzuki Marine releases a new model in its flagship DF350 range—introducing the all-new Suzuki DF350AMD.
The DF350AMD features three key feature updates you’ll want to know about. And what’s pretty cool about it is that Suzuki focused 100% on solving a few practical concerns with the new addition.
Suzuki put their engineering heads towards improving a key installation concern with the new DF350AMD. See, on some boat types, installing the DF350 requires you to use an external steering cylinder on the motor well to control the steering axis. And, in many such cases, if you had any trouble, it’s usually this external sterling cylinder that caused it.
So Suzuki set out to provide an elegant new solution with an all-new Suzuki Integrated Steering System. Plus, they used the opportunity to update the gear case and eke some extra performance out of the engine.
Here’s what’s new and improved on the Suzuki DF350AMD:
1. New Integrated Steering System
With the conventional external steering cylinder setup, you have an additional (often third-party) hydraulic system impacting your steering, which just leaves room for things to go wrong. So, Suzuki introduces the all-new Integrated Steering System which incorporates your steering axis and control internally, giving
you better, more reliable steering, control and operation.
The DF350AMD features a new oil circulation mechanism that lowers the oil temperature and reduces the amount of oil needed to operate the engine. Instead of using 3.2 liters of oil, the DF350AMD uses only 2.8 liters. And internal tests show not only better durability and reliability, but also 2% better performance. Plus, the new gear case also makes maintenance easier, because you no longer need to lift the boat when changing oil.
Not everything needs to be updated. The new Suzuki DF350AMD will feature the same craftsmanship you enjoy in the DF350A. It still comes with a dual prop, louvers, injectors and water intakes.
In short: The same looks and quality, with a few smart updates and extra performance.
To learn more about Suzuki’s DF350AMD or the company’s complete line of clean-running 4-stroke outboards from 2.5 to 350 horsepower, visit www.suzukimarine.com or call (714) 996-7040.
Bartolomeo Bove is a videographer who apparently has no fear. He dives and films close up interactions with dangerous animals most of us would steer far clear of. He’s filmed video on dives with bull sharks, crocodiles and other, more docile, creatures like manatees. In this awesome footage, he gets up close and personal with a giant, 23-foot-long anaconda in
Brazil’s Formosa River. Although the imagery and soundtrack in this video are serene and beautiful, it’s hard to shake the feeling that this massive snake is sizing the diver up, trying to decide if he is something to eat.
Anaconda attacks on humans are rare, but they do happen. These are some of the largest snakes in the world, and they are constrictors. They hunt by trapping prey with their jaws
and then wrapping their muscular length around the victim to squeeze the life out of it. They then disjoint their jaw to swallow prey whole. Large anacondas like this one feed on whatever they can fit in their mouth and can consume large animals like deer and caiman.
Check out more of Bove’s videos at www.youtube.com/@BartolomeoBove
smaller chicken dolphins. If lures are your thing I prefer Yozuri Crystal Minnows and honestly color doesn’t matter. Pitch around the weed lines or patches and look deeper down for the bigger Mahi. As for Tuna with all the chumming going on, I like to send down a vertical jig on 60#-80# test at least 100’ below the boat. Working your jig through the water column is a good way to fire up any kind of fish that may be lurking around in the shadows. If you have a large diamond jig I’d put some heavy wire in front of it for a chance at a wahoo. Triple Tail are amazing fish on light tackle and I recommend 15#-20# fluorocarbon and #2 Owner hook. Live
If bottom fishing is your go to joy Vermillion snappers, Groupers, and Rock salmon is my target. For Vermillion snappers I like using a 2-3 hook chicken rig mixed with cut squid and Boston mackerel. Let your weight sit right on the bottom and wait for those 2-3 light bites. Rock salmon and Groupers like to hide out in the rocks and caves, so a slip lead is what I like to use. Heavier leader line for Groupers and larger baits close to the bottom. Feel the bite and start cranking. The first 20’-30’ are the most
When it comes to offshore fishing don’t give up. There’s a lot of trial and error. Figure out what works best for you and as always keep your lines out and keep them tight.
