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STREAMERS FOR
FALL TROPHY
BROWNS
O
By Jacob Milholland
ctober is a special month in the mountains. Autumn colors and cooler weather signal it’s time to head back to trout water. Hunting a trophy brown trout is what fall is all about. These fish can be caught nymphing a big stonefly or drifting an October caddis, but the old adage, “big bait, big fish,” holds true. Streamer fishing is a surefire way to try and target these old brutes. Streamers are flies that imitate forage such as baitfish, crawfish, sculpin, other trout or even mice. While the common way to fish a streamer is to enact action by “stripping” or pulling the fly line, streamers can be dead drifted, jigged or swung. There is no wrong way to fish streamers, but the goal is to make the fly look like the real thing. Equipment: We fish heavier rods, tippets and leaders, as we are targeting larger fish. The flies are more wind resistant or heavily weighted, and the strikes can be more aggressive. Think 5 to 8 weights and 8 to 20-pound fluorocarbon tippet/leader. A misconception of streamer fishing is that it must be done from a boat on a large river. While a boat is nice for covering ground, wading anglers can adapt these tactics to any size body of water. If you have the option to fish from a boat, multiple rods with different rate-of-fall (ROF) sinking fly lines should be in your arsenal to probe different depths: floating, intermediate (falls at one foot per second), and ROF-6 (falls at six inches per second). Fly Selection: Ask anyone what they throw, and you’ll get a different answer. It’s hard to go wrong with Woolly Bugger variations—like Sparkle Minnows or Bow River Buggers—any Kelly Galloup pattern or Clouser minnows to start out. Pick staple colors that allow you to adjust to conditions: white, black, bold (yellow or chartreuse) and flashy. Big fish drop their guard in nasty weather, and these can result in the best days on the water. Tactics: Brown trout ambush their prey, so look for places adjacent to current where fish can sit without expending too much energy. Covering water is paramount to success with a streamer. Likely holding water can produce results immediately, so don’t spend too much time in one spot. You are hunting the largest fish willing to eat the fly, not trying to force inactive fish to feed. Vary your retrieve; sometimes jigging or dead drifting can be better than a strip, or slower or faster retrieves may get a fish to react. Mental fortitude is just as important as the where and how. You can go hours or even days without seeing a fish follow the fly, but the magic of streamer fishing lies in the take of the fly and the caliber of fish. Jacob Milholland fishes with Cohutta Fishing Company in Blue Ridge, Ga. Check them out at www.cohuttafishingco.com or call (706) 946-3044.
4 NATIONAL
OCTOBER 2021
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By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon
I
t seems even the most remote waterways are becoming more crowded every year. More boats can lead to some extremely dangerous situations when boaters exhibit a lack of respect for the water, and it’s pretty easy to identify those who should not be allowed to operate a boat. But there are also people who create frustrating situations, particularly while fishing, who might just be unaware of certain etiquette. It is unique to the Southeastern United States to have access to such vastly diverse fisheries within a relatively small area. It is fortunate boat owners can easily travel to a new and different fishery and bring their own vessel with them. However, just as you don’t have to travel far before the fishery changes, the same applies to local fishing etiquette. Some of the unspoken rules will apply no matter where you are, but it is generally a good idea to check in with local knowledge and identify the local vhf channel before launching your boat somewhere new. While nobody owns the water, commercial and charter fishing captains generally operate with respect for each other to make sharing the fishery feasible and pleasant. When pleasure boaters don’t understand or don’t respect local etiquette, it disrupts fishing enough to affect the people who are trying to make a living on the water. As a general rule, try to stay away from other boats as much as possible. If you have to maneuver around or fish near another boat, be respectful of the type of fishing they are doing. If a vessel is anchored, they will generally be fishing off the back of the boat, often running a chum slick, which means you should avoid driving behind them. If a boat is anchored
offshore, in an area that you are unfamiliar with, they are probably fishing coordinates that took them years of hard work to acquire. You should absolutely not anchor near them,
nor should you drive next to them to mark their location. If you are offshore hunting for fish that appear under flocks of diving birds, look for a flock that isn’t currently being worked by another fisherman. These birds are moving around over fish that are traveling, and moving in can cause the boat that got to the birds first to be cut off from the school of fish. The ocean is vast and birds are plentiful, look for birds on your own, not just an easy-to-spot boat under birds. Overcrowded fishing areas, that don’t operate under anchor, follow certain traffic patterns. These patterned drifts or trolls should be observed and followed just like any roadway. The Marathon Humps, for example, should be trolled east to west, and west to east. Fishing oil rigs in the northern Gulf of Mexico can be made extremely difficult by poor etiquette, as locations are limited and can be made even more limited due to weather. Places like this rely heavily on unspoken rules of the road, and respect. These areas are primarily fished in two different ways: live bait and chum drifts. Charter boats take the time to catch live bait before making it out there, which can be time consuming and difficult. If there are fish on the surface, and someone nearby starts a chum drift, this pushes the surface fish down deep, where the fish will no longer be eating the hard-earned live bait. This is horrible etiquette that rewards lazy and ignorant fishermen. If you show up to a rig without live bait and see other boats using it, with fish clearly on the surface, you should probably just troll lures until other people start a chum drift. Learn and respect the local etiquette anywhere you get your boat wet. There’s no reason we can’t all catch fish, be safe and have fun doing it.
Capt. Quinlyn Haddon fishes with Blue Magic Charters in Marathon, Florida Keys. Check her out at CaptainQuinlyn.com, @captainquinlyn or call (504) 920-6342.
able is cted of e skin.
re the sitting
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OCTOBER 2021
NATIONAL 7
WHEN TEMPS COOL DOWN, THE GROUPER BITE HEATS UP
I
’m going to date myself here, but what is about to happen will come as no surprise to me. This is time of year I live for. You see, I’ve been watching this beautiful cycle happen with grouper for almost four decades now. As soon as the mullet run slows, and the vast schools of cigar minnows (cigs) and sardines drift inshore, so do the larger (male) gag grouper. This generally occurs around the middle of October. The scamp bite will be hard and fast during this same time in deeper water. I started my grouper fishing career with heavy electric and hydraulic commercial reels and eventually switched over to Elec-Tra-Mates and Precision Auto Reels, but now I’ve gone full circle to lighter (heavyduty) level-wind reels with braided line and ultra stealth terminal tackle to stay ahead of the mental evolution of grouper and large snapper. You see, back in the day when there were so many grouper, it was a competitive atmosphere on the bottom. The first bait to the bottom used to catch the biggest red snapper or gag, even using monofilament leader, but
Tim Barefoot
sardines are by far the best choice for instant bites, but the problem with them is everything down there gives them a whack. Fishing a bait that eliminates everything but large black sea bass, large snapper and grouper helps weed through the smaller fish to find the big male grouper you’re looking for. Live pinfish, sailors
now it’s just not that way. I haven’t cleaned hundreds of grouper… I’ve cleaned thousands of them before selling them, and I’m always curious about what they were eating. One common denominator in gags and red grouper, but not as many scamp grouper, are the small red crabs that are obviously plentiful on live bottom.
This is what prompted me to experiment with crab jigs. I made my first batch of Crab Decoy Jigs over a decade ago and quickly realized they out-fish any other bottom rig I’ve ever used. I tie them in with red braided line and a short piece of fluorocarbon leader tied in a loop knot. Then I sweeten the pot with a live bait. Bait selection is important. Live cigs and
choice grunts, grass grunts and tomtate grunts all work. I like to fish big stacks of beeliners, and that makes beeliners one of my alltime favorite baits. I fish them live or butterflied on a Crab Decoy Jig. The older, wiser males are growing increasingly tackle shy, so shed all the useless terminal tackle and scale down to “clean” heavyduty tackle that can fool ole big boy into biting. For video with detailed instructions on fishing Tim Barefoot’s rigs and proof that they work, visit his website at barefootcatsandtackle.com.
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Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-Approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. Suzuki, the Suzuki “S” ECSTAR and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. © 2021 Suzuki Marine USA, LLC.
Q3 ECSTAR HALF HORIZONTAL ANGLR 7-16-21.indd 1 8 SZ NATIONAL OCTOBERCSTL 2021 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
7/16/2021 9:56:33 AM
“W be fl th th th
—
Gonna try and make it of a “September to Remember”. have beenback on one of the October is probably one the best months of the year toWe fish. Looking at the logs,better some trout of the fishing we’ve seen is in October. Weshrimp have caught the biggest boxes trout we’ve ever bitesbest we’ve seen in aever while. Croakers and live have some gottenof plenty of use thusoffar. Structure has caught the oyster offwe’ve the beaches. The absolute day of and flounder shing been I’ve ever beenwea part played on a huge part inreefs what been doing all year.greatest Rocks, shells, keysfihave where start of, was near the endTypically of October, along shorelines out from Bayou week of triple tail looking for trout. when thethe tide gets moving is when theCaddy. bitesThe getgreatest better. Of course we are finever shingones I’ve ever had was the cold weather arrived. But there is a downside to October. to pass up ainflearly ock ofOctober, diving before gulls either. The I’ve ever been was all in October. When colddays, fronts start The all bigtime bullworst reds storm and jacks should becaught in full in force month. On thethose calmer you cancoming see the down, they often pack a wallop. You should paywhich close way attention to the weather, but you explosions up and down the beaches. Tryalways and see the schools are moving andshouldn’t cut themtake off. your eyesheavier off the jigs, weather this month. I prefer for longer casts. Just be prepared to chase these fish, some of these brutes can The red fishing should great, and get stellar this month. it gets, theorbetter it gets. The easily spool a light tackle setbeup. I prefer a 40’class spinner likeThe thecolder Okuma Epixor Cedros. reds should stackhave up along thein.shorelines LakeaBorgne, andthese in thehard 9-Mile area. Spinner The big sharks moved We have Back beenBay, having ball with fighting critters.baits, The spoons, absolive will alltowork. A loud popping Monkey brings those reds in too. luteshrimp easiestand wayminnows we’ve found consistently catchcork(Boat the big boys, is toFloat) focusreally on schools of lady fish. The plusalways in October is Huntingthose and football. numbers of boaters is typically way down. sharks Another are almost underneath schools.The Catch a couple lady fish, cut them into big With chunks, less shingthat pressure, the the fishing is thatI’mmuch and ficast back into school. still better. using big 10/0 circle hooks, wire leaders and big spinning It’sOkuma been a Coronado long year for Take advantage of lethal. arguably best month all year to feature fish. Get out rods. The 65everyone. with 60-80 braided line is Thethebaitfeeder(free spool) there enjoy it. painless. makesand shark fishing Lotta options this month. Bring plenty water, andHave watch Fun for storms. AsofAlways, and The crowds should start thinning with the hunting season about to kick Be Safe off. As Always, Have Fun and
Be Safe
Publishers: Publishers: Capt. David Kuehn Rocky Brooks Nicole Kuehn
To Advertise With To Advertise With Us:Us: Davidk@coastalanglermagazine.com Rocky@coastalanglermagazine.com 228-860-0068
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OCTOBER 2021
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Pascagoula Standard Parts 4009 14th St, Pascagoula, MS 39567
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MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST 5
6 MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST
OCTOBER 2021
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Offshore Report Derek Stiglet Nelson Outdoors Pro-Staff
October 2021
Fall temperatures are slowly showing up now in October and the Grouper fishing is still hot. It’s a popular time to tuna fish still as well especially fishing the shrimp boats out of Venice, La. The targeted shrimp boats tend to trawl around the 40 Fathom depths along the shelf. Anywhere around 200-400ft of water, sometimes deeper is where you’ll find them. As before, Grouper fishing is a hot topic along with other deep dropping. There’s a wide variety of species of fish to be caught while deep dropping. Grouper are one of my favorites to target. While a lot of people tend to use electric reels to deep drop, I’ll continue to use my hand crank conventional reels as long as I’m fishing no deeper than about 300ft. It takes a lot of effort and cranking to change baits if you’re deep dropping all day but it’s a better fight while hand cranking in my opinion. My go-to bait is a good live bait. Mullet, croakers and Hardtails are just some of the baits I like to use. Grouper will rarely ignore a fresh, lively bait. I simply rig a bottom Carolina style rig with a 8oz egg weight and a 8/0 or 9/0 circle hook depending on how the current is acting. If there’s a slack current, I may drop down to a 6oz egg weight. Plenty of terminal tackle and egg weights is necessary to bring along for a full day of bottom fishing due to hang-ups and snags along the bottom.
Nelson Outdoors is your one stop shop for all your hunting and fishing needs. 2034 Market St. Pascagoula, Ms 39567
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2nd Annual Hard Head Fishing Tournament The American Legion
Gautier – Vancleave Post 1992 Sons of the American Legion Squadron 1992
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Biloxi Tide Chart Louisiana, South Pass, Biloxi (Cadet Point), Biloxi Bay N 30° 23.4' / W 88° 51.4' Date
Day
Sunrise
Sunset
1
Fr
6:22a
High Tide 2.4
High Tide
5:11p
0.6
6:50a
6:42p
2
Sa
7:44a
2.4
5:50p
0.7
6:50a
6:41p
3
Su
9:07a
2.2
6:25p
0.8
6:51a
6:39p
4
Mo
10:30a
2.1
6:52p
1.1
6:51a
6:38p
5
Tu
11:59a
1.9
6:59p
1.4
6:52a
6:37p
6
We
12:02a
1.5
5:34a
1.2
6:53a
6:36p
7
Th
11:43p
2.1
7:18a
1.0
6:53a
6:35p
8
Fr
8:56a
0.7
6:54a
6:34p
9
Sa
12:18a
2.5
10:33a
0.4
6:54a
6:33p
1
10
Su
1:03a
2.8
12:04p
0.3
6:55a
6:32p
1
11
Mo
1:54a
2.9
1:24p
0.1
6:55a
6:30p
1
12
Tu
2:50a
2.9
2:33p
0.1
6:56a
6:29p
13
We
3:51a
2.8
3:33p
0.1
6:57a
6:28p
14
Th
5:00a
2.6
4:26p
0.3
6:57a
6:27p
15
Fr
6:24a
2.4
5:10p
0.6
6:58a
6:26p
16
Sa
8:07a
2.1
5:42p
0.8
6:58a
6:25p
17
Su
9:57a
1.9
5:53p
1.2
6:59a
6:24p
18
Mo
12:46a
1.5
4:25a
1.4
7:00a
6:23p
19
Tu
10:58p
1.8
6:01a
1.2
7:00a
6:22p
20
We
11:05p
2.1
7:07a
1.0
7:01a
6:21p
21
Th
11:25p
2.2
8:05a
0.8
7:02a
6:20p
22
Fr
11:50p
2.4
9:01a
0.7
7:02a
6:19p
23
Sa
9:59a
0.6
7:03a
6:18p
24
Su
12:21a
2.5
10:58a
0.6
7:04a
6:17p
25
Mo
12:55a
2.5
11:58a
0.4
7:04a
6:16p
26
Tu
1:33a
2.5
12:56p
0.4
7:05a
6:15p
1
27
We
2:15a
2.5
1:49p
0.4
7:06a
6:15p
1
28
Th
3:02a
2.5
2:38p
0.4
7:06a
6:14p
29
Fr
3:58a
2.4
3:22p
0.6
7:07a
6:13p
30
Sa
5:11a
2.1
4:01p
0.7
7:08a
6:12p
31
Su
7:02a
1.9
4:34p
0.8
7:09a
6:11p
1:55p
11:50a
Low Tide
1.8
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Setup for Success The foundation to fishing for any species starts with the proper rigs and setups. There are thousands of articles and videos out there that highlight different rigs and setups for targeting inshore species. The setups that I am going to discuss are the rigs that I use daily to target Redfish, Flounder and Speckled Trout around the Alabama and Mississippi Gulf Coast. You can also visit our YouTube Channel, “Southern Salt Kayak Fishing” where we have several videos going in depth about these rigs and setups. The key components to any good setup include the rod, reel, line and leader. The rod serves as the back bone and selecting the right one for the job will increase distance and accuracy all while ensuring enough power to bring in the fish! The reel gives you the right amount of drag and line capacity all while keeping the weight of your setup low enough as to be comfortable and not fatigue the angler. Choosing the right line and size also plays a huge role in getting further casts all while ensuring enough power to direct the fish to the boat. The leader is the lifeline of your inshore setup making sure that your line does not get broke off from toothy fish or sharp barnacles around pilings, all while keeping your line undetected by finicky fish.
Redfish
The main setup that I use to target Redfish starts with a 7’ medium heavy, fast action rod. This rod gives me plenty of backbone to pull in upper slot reds, as well as bull reds. I find that 3000 – 4000 size reels are perfect for redfish. They provide enough drag and spool capacity to fight almost any size redfish. The line that I prefer here is 20 – 30 pound braid paired up with 20 – 30 pound Fluorocarbon Leader. The size of the line will depend on the areas you plan of fishing. If you are fishing Flats and marsh systems 20-pound test is plenty. However, if you plan to fish structure such as docks and bridge pilings you might want to use 30-pound test to winch those fish out of the structure. This setup is great for throwing artificial lures such as Spoons, crankbaits, and soft plastics on a 3/8 oz jig head. This setup also works exceptionally well for live bait on popping corks and Carolina rigs.
Speckled Trout
For Speckled Trout, our setup is going to be much lighter than that of a redfish setup. For this setup, we are going to use a 7’ medium light, fast action rod. We are throwing a lighter rod here because the weight of our lures will be much smaller and it takes a lot less force to turn the head of a Speckled Trout. The reel size here will be a 2500, which is the perfect size for catching any size trout. The line size here is going to be 10-pound braid paired with 10-pound fluorocarbon leader. 10-pound test provides enough strength to get these fish to the boat, all while allowing us to cast significantly further and having a more natural presentation on artificial lures. The fluorocarbon leader here should be approximately 3-4 feet long and attached to the mainline with a uni to uni knot. This setup is perfect for throwing soft plastics and jerk baits weighing between 1/16 - 1/4oz, as well as free lining live bait.
Flounder
For Flounder, my favorite setup is one directly in between my Redfish and Speckled Trout setups. For this setup, I am going to go with a 7’ medium, extra fast rod tip. The medium rod strength here gives me a large range of options for jig head weight, allowing me to throw anything from a 1/8-1/2oz jig head accurately. The extra fast tip allows me to get a very quick and hard hook set which is essential for getting these fish in the boat. The reel size here is going to be anything between 2000-3000. Line size for flounder will be 20-pound braid paired with 20-pound fluorocarbon leader tied to the mainline with a uni to uni knot. This setup will cover almost any range of style for flounder fishing, as well as serve as a good back up redfish setup.
Preferred Gear
For the setups mentioned above, this is gear that I use and recommend. For rods, it is hard to beat the value you get from the Fenwick HMGs. The Fenwick HMG is a high modulus graphite rod that is super light, sensitive and durable and comes in at right under $100. For reels, I prefer the Shimano Stradic CI4. These reel pack over 20 pounds of drag, have insane line capacity for their size and are incredibly light! For line, I highly recommend Suffix 832 braid. Suffix 832 is an 8 strand braid which is extremely smooth and is smaller in diameter than traditional braid. This causes you to get further casts while lengthening the life of your rod guides.
Conclusion
Using the right setup can mean the difference in hooking and landing these fish or going home and telling everyone about the one that got away. Be sure to check us out on YouTube at Southern Salt Kayak Fishing where you can directly reach out to us and ask any questions that you may have. Until next time tight lines and stay safe!
Tight Lines,
Nathan Rich COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
OCTOBER 2021
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DRAG: SET IT AND FORGET IT
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By Will Schmidt
I
cringe every time I see it, whether it’s a seasoned pro or newbie. A fish makes a blistering run; the angler reaches down to tighten the drag only to part ways with the fish due to too much pressure. There are a variety of reasons why tightening the drag during a fight is a bad idea. First, as the diameter of the spool gets smaller with less line, the drag already actually increases. The spool is spinning at the same rate, but less line is coming off. Physics, who knew? Also, the drag of the line itself in the water adds more strain—the more line, the more pressure. Finally, even if the line doesn’t break, the chances of pulling or straightening the hook increases with the additional load. Worst of all, losing a fish due to applying too much pressure is one of the easiest things to avoid. Set your drag and forget it. Old-school tactics still hold true today when it comes to setting a drag. Set it to 20 to 30 percent of line test strength. For example, if you’re using 10-pound test, you want your drag to be set between 2 and 3 pounds, 4 to 6 pounds for 20-pound test. To do this, you need a scale and a friend to hold it. An inexpensive spring scale will do the trick. Attach the line to the scale and pull against it. When the drag starts slipping, read the scale and that’s your drag setting. There’s some debate as to whether you should pull straight or with a bend in the rod. I use a bend, and it has never failed me. I generally set my drags at 25 percent of the test strength of the line, but there are certain situations that call for going higher and lower. If you are grouper fishing or chasing big snook near structure, you need to be able to turn the fish by applying maximum pressure. In this case, setting your drag more toward 30 percent of the test strength would be advisable. Because this rule was devised before the advent of braid, the type of line should also be
considered. The stretch of mono gives you a bit of forgiveness at the strike and during jumps. When setting the drag for braid, lighter or closer to 20 or 25 percent would be sensible. Many seasoned anglers, myself included, will add extra pressure to turn a wayward fish by thumbing or palming the spool. This can be useful, but it takes practice to get that touch, and all who do it will at some point apply too much pressure. Sometimes it’s a case of turn the fish or lose it, so your only option is to apply more pressure. However, in general, your best bet is to set it and forget it. Will Schmidt is a seasoned tournament angler who has been writing about fishing for more than two decades.
Gulf Cobia Study Underway
T
exas researchers are conducting some pretty cool research with Gulf of Mexico cobia in order to better understand the migratory patterns of this highly mobile species. Each spring and fall, you’ll see tower-bearing cobia boats cruising Gulf Coast beaches sight fishing for cobia as they migrate along the coast from Texas to the west coast of Florida and back again. Research has shown that brownies over-winter off the coast of Mississippi and Alabama as well as off South Florida, where there is mixing of Gulf and Atlantic cobia stocks. Researchers with the Center for Sportfish Science and Conservation are tagging Texas cobia with pop-up satellite archival transmitting tags (PSATs) to better understand the species. Many Texas anglers have reported declining cobia landings in recent years. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and federal agencies have funded additional assessments of Texas’ cobia populations. Areas of interest are post-release survival, habitat use patterns and seasonal movements. Evaluating whether or not cobia stocks mix between U.S. and Mexican waters is of particular interest. It could have Gulf-wide management implications if the stock overlap between the U.S. Gulf and Mexican waters is high. To learn more about the program, and how to claim your reward if you catch a tagged one, check out this video: https://bit.ly/LoneStarLing.
10 NATIONAL
OCTOBER 2021
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INSPECT AND MAINTAIN YOUR BOAT’S HYDRAULIC STEERING E
By the Experts at Dometic Marine
xperienced boaters know regular inspection, preventative maintenance and fixing small problems before they become large ones are keys to trouble-free time on the water. Many boaters, however, tend to overlook hydraulic steering systems. This isn’t surprising, given these systems’ reliability and durability. Owners of outboardpowered boats expect smooth, easy steering control and rarely think about steering-system components until they wear out or need repair. According to Brian Dudra, vice president/ general manager for Dometic Marine, boaters can ensure trouble-free steering and extend the life of components through simple inspections and maintenance. “While each of our hydraulic systems are designed for the harsh marine environment, like any critical control system, it requires periodic checks and maintenance,” Dudra explained. “As per your owner’s manual and product labels, hydraulic steering systems should be inspected prior to every use for fluid level, steering response, leaks or worn/ binding components.” In addition, most systems require a small amount of maintenance from a qualified dealer every six months. Here’s how to inspect and care for your hydraulic steering system. Check the Helm: Starting with the steering helm, make sure the steering cylinder and helm hydraulic hose connections are tight. Dudra recommends greasing the helm shaft when installing the steering wheel to facilitate easier future removal. Check hydraulic fluid level inside the helm by unscrewing the fill plug and looking inside. The level should be 1/8- to ¼-inch below the lowest thread in the fill port. If lower than this, fill the helm to the proper level, but avoid over-filling. Check steering response when turning the wheel. It should respond within a quarter turn. If not, the system might need fluid or there might be air in the system, which requires purging. For tilt-and-lock steering helms, make sure the plastic covers are secured. Inspect Hoses & Fittings: When inspecting hoses, run your hand down them to feel for cuts, chafing or cracks. If you discover wear, have a qualified service shop replace suspect hoses. Also, ensure hose fittings are tight. Feel for hydraulic fluid leaks or weeps by running a finger around the fitting. If you find a leak, tighten the fitting. If that fails, have a qualified service shop address the issue.
Check Steering Cylinder & Glands:
Most outboard-powered boats use front-mounted hydraulic steering cylinders. The cylinder should be periodically inspected with focus on the cylinder hose connections and glands on each end of the cylinder to ensure there are no leaks. 12 NATIONAL
OCTOBER 2021
Inspect the glands, which contain seals, on the ends of the steering cylinder by running your finger around the edges. If you discover fluid weeping, it’s time to replace the gland with authentic SeaStar parts. Check the steering cylinder’s shaft and support rod. Inspect the cylinder shaft for salt buildup, corrosion and nicks that might damage the cylinder. Major damage might require replacement of the entire cylinder. Apply a thin film of grease to the visible portions of the support rod. Remove and inspect the rod annually. The support rod and outboard tilt tube must be cleaned of old grease and debris prior to re-applying quality marine grease before re-installing.
Fix Leaks: If the hose fittings are weeping fluid, the hoses might require replacement. The same applies to the glands. SeaStar offers a gland replacement kit and O-ring seals for the bleeders and other fittings. If you follow the provided instructions carefully, fixing leaks is relatively easy for competent DIY boaters. You can also turn the job over to a qualified marine shop. To ensure the steering is secure and tight, check all assembly nuts for proper tightness,
including the adjusting nut on the starboard side of the support rod. Purge Air: Air in the hydraulic steering system causes sloppy unresponsive steering and noisy operation. It can make your boat unsafe. Air finds its way into the hydraulic system through leaks or when replacing key components. It must be purged through a process called “bleeding.” Your owner’s manual explains bleeding. If you lack confidence, tools or manpower to do it yourself, ask a qualified marine shop to handle this.
Check for Water Intrusion. Make sure water hasn’t entered the system. Water can cause damage and internal corrosion. “This is a subjective examination, but can be performed by taking a syringe and sampling the fluid in the helm reservoir,” Dudra advised. “If the fluid looks like ‘chocolate milk,’ then the fluid is likely contaminated with water.” If this occurs, the entire system must be inspected for leaks. Once these are fixed, the system should be flushed with clean oil to remove any contaminated oil. To learn more about marine steering and components from the industry leader, visit www.dometic.com.
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Together. Carrying what matters most. 14 NATIONAL
OCTOBER 2021
By Rex Hannon
S
itting in the Cancun International Airport, I couldn’t help but reflect on the past 15 days on Mexico’s beautiful Caribbean coast. In August, I traveled to the little fishing village Xcalak to compete in the Silver Scales International Fly Fishing Tournament. Xcalak is a quaint little village very near the border of Belize in southern Quintana Roo. It doesn’t make it on most tourist lists. In fact, a large 9:54 AM percentage of Mexican citizens have probably never heard of the place. If it wasn’t for Xcalak’s world-class flats fishery, even fewer would know of it. The Silver Scales International Fly Fishing Tournament is an annual gathering of some of the finest saltwater fly fishers on the planet. The tournament focuses on the “grand slam” of permit, bonefish and tarpon. Combine that with a snook, and you have the “super slam.” Points are assigned for each fish, and there’s an added bonus for anglers who catch a slam. The grand slam is all three species in a 24-hour period, or in this case the day’s allotted fishing hours. Xcalak is an amazing fishery. If your bucket list includes the pursuit of this elusive challenge, there is no better place on the planet. Sighting schools of bonefish is commonplace, but the real prize is the abundance of “black-tailed devils” known as permit. Just because there are great numbers of these highly sought after game fish, they are by no mean easy. It’s much more fishing than catching. Fifteen teams and 30 total anglers fished three days in 2021, and the results were impressive. There were seven grand slams caught and two super slams. Total catch included 27 bonefish, three snook, 13 tarpon and 22 permit. Like I stated earlier, the Silver Scales draws some very talented anglers from around the globe. Brothers Javier and Mauricio Osorio, of Escamas Plateadas dedicated months to ensure the gathering was a success. The success our team “Fly Fish Costa Maya” is due to the passion and dedication of my friend Will Robins and the hard work and intimate knowledge of our guide Moises Cordova. The tournament is a grueling three days of hot sun, little sleep and nothing short of physical torture. It was one of the best times of my life. Preparation, hard work and endurance paid off in a respectable fourth-place finish. But, our success in fishing the tournament was nowhere near the highlight of this trip. Just knowing there are special places and people like this warms the heart and makes you want to return. I was anxious to board the plane for home and see my beautiful wife, but— with God’s blessing—I know I’ll return to this place soon.
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FISH A LIPLESS CRANK
T
TYLER WOOLCOTT
he weather is cooling, and bass are feeding heavily before the spawn. This time of year, baitfish is prevalent in waters across the country, and there is one lure that puts fish in the boat just about everywhere. This bait is a lipless crankbait. A lipless crank can play a huge role in getting baitfish-feeding bass to bite. I use it all over the country. Sometimes it’s as easy as casting it out and retrieving it steadily. But sometimes it’s a bit more complicated. Inside the lure, there are rattles. Sizes vary from ¼-ounce up to an ounce, and it is best to match the size of baitfish bass are feeding on. There are different types of rattles inside different lures. Two I like are a multi-rattle and a one-knock. Multi-rattles make a lot of noise. I throw this style when fish are very active and feeding heavily. The noise draws their attention from real baitfish and gets them to react and eat your bait. I like the one-knocker version and its slower, deeper-pitch knock when fish are feeding on baitfish, but not very actively. Fish tend to scatter out when they aren’t actively feeding, and that deeper pitch can sometimes trigger them to bite. There are many ways to retrieve a lipless crankbait. A steady retrieve can sometimes be the trick, especially if you see bass
feeding. But my absolute favorite way to fish a lipless crank is to yo-yo it. This is a varied retrieve with the reel handle, with an occasional pull and pause with the rod to let the bait flutter up and fall back down. This technique is deadly. When you pull the bait up fast, it makes a loud rattle. Then, when you let it flutter down, it looks like an injured baitfish, and bass can’t resist it. In the fall, bass also feed on crayfish in some parts of the country. A lipless crank can be a massive player in this scenario. When crayfish flee, their tails smack against their bodies and make a clacking noise similar to a rattle. When deciding colors, I match the color of the lure to the color of the baitfish present. 13 Fishing makes an awesome lure called the Magic Man that comes in both multirattle and one-knocker versions. When matching baitfish, I use chromes, whites and sometimes chartreuse. When mimicking crayfish, I use reds and oranges.
Trap Fishing Gear I’ve done a ton of experimenting with setups for lipless cranks, and I’ve got it down to a science. When dealing with treble hooks, you want a rod with a decent amount of backbone and a bit of bend to let the fish get the hooks. I use a 13 Fishing Omen Black 7’4MH Moderate action rod. I pair this with a 7:1 Concept A 13 Fishing reel spooled with 15-pound Seaguar Abrazx line. Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com.
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
OCTOBER 2021
NATIONAL 15
PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES
TIPS FOR CATCH-AND-RELEASE FLOUNDER
A MONSTER CANADIAN STURGEON
W
hite Sturgeon can live longer than 100 years, so it’s likely this monster fish has been swimming between the northern Pacific and British Columbia’s Fraser River for the better part of a century. According to the Vancouver Sun, it took a group of Canadian anglers about 25 minutes to land this huge sturgeon in August. It stretched the tape to 11-feet, 6-inches and had a girth of 55 inches. An estimate based on those measurements puts the weight of the fish near 900 pounds. That would make it a Canadian provincial record for the species, according to the Sun. The anglers were fishing the Fraser River east of Vancouver. National Hockey League great Pete Peeters and his buddy Jake Driedger took turns on the rod. White sturgeon are widely protected, which makes them a difficult species in terms of records. In British Columbia, catch-and-release fishing for sturgeon is allowed, but fish longer than 5 feet must remain in the water before release. These protections as well their size makes it nearly impossible to get a certified weight on angler catches. The IGFA all-tackle world record white sturgeon was caught in 1983 and weighed just 468 pounds. There have been several reported but uncertified catches heavier than 1,000 pounds, including a 12-foot, 4-incher caught in 2012 from the Fraser River. It was estimated at 1,100 pounds. However, it’s likely the all-tackle record is permanent because it’s no longer possible to weigh white sturgeon. For more on fishing opportunities in British Columbia, see www.gofishbc.com.
16 NATIONAL
OCTOBER 2021
By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
s the weather changes, so do the fishing patterns. This year, along with the seasonal changes, we also have some regulation changes to keep in mind. Here in Texas and also in Florida there are new closed seasons for flounder in 2021. From Nov. 1-Dec. 14, Texas flounder will be catch and release only. In Florida, the recreational season will be closed Oct. 15-Nov. 30. These closures are part of regulations-tightening trend for Gulf and Atlantic states after a federal study showed southern flounder numbers at historically low levels. I’m happy to report we’re still catching flounder, but be sure to check for updates to your state’s seasons and bag limits before applying the following tips. I enjoy the precise approach to successfully and consistently catch flounder. Although I won’t be able to harvest any during the closed period, I’ll still land some saddle blankets for photos before release. I’ll also modify my tactics to improve my hook-up ratio, which will also increase the odds of flounder survival during this spawning season. While targeting flounder, I generally pause after I feel the initial strike. I do this for a few reasons. Flounder hold their prey in locked jaws for a period of time in order to kill the bait and reposition it before swallowing. I don’t get as many hook-ups when setting the hook on the first thump of a flounder strike. In preparation for the closed season, I’ve practiced downsizing lures. A shorter and smaller profile significantly increased my first-strike hookup ratio. A lure that has proven very effective is the new 3.25-inch Knockin Tail Lure. It has a small profile, which allows for a wider gap between the plastic and the hook tip. With the boney jaw of a flounder, ample hook exposure increases penetration. This lure also has a built-in tail rattle and a ton of action. When targeting flounder, I start each day with a new jighead, and I might even replace it during the day depending on the bottom structure in the area. A sharp hook is crucial to consistently piercing a flounder’s jaw, which is where most of the hooks will be if you’re not waiting for the second or third bite, which is what I do if I plan to retain my catch. I also recommend a jighead with a strong solid hook with little to no flex. My final tip for targeting flounder is to use bright colors. Any color can work, but I catch more flounder on bright patterns. Some of my favorites are, white/limetruese, chartreuse with glitter and a bright green/bright red combo. I hope these tips give you the edge during this year’s flounder runs. Don’t forget to take a kid fishing. Flounder can be an easy target for young anglers, even on lures. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures, Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
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