Coastal Angler Magazine | January 2024 | North Central Florida/Nature Coast Edition by Coastal Angler Magazine

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SEATROUT VOLUME 29 • ISSUE 346

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By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

Tuna Town TO

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

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THROW UMBRELLA RIGS FOR WINTER BASS

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

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JANUARY 2024

NATIONAL 7

A GREAT LAKES FORMULA FOR

By Nick Carter

JUST ONE FISH

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

8 NATIONAL

JANUARY 2024

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

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CATCH FRENZIED SPANISH MACKEREL

panish mackerel are a year-round target, but this time of year they love following bluefish schools to clean up injured baitfish left behind. During this time, bluefish and mackerel all tend to school together into a feeding frenzy of terror. I definitely wouldn’t want to get my hand in the way of any of those toothy fish. Spanish mackerel are sometimes confused with baby kingfish and cero mackerel, since they can school all together. However, there are a few ways to differentiate these fish, which is important since they all have different regulations. All these mackerel have yellow spots on their sides, but there are a few differences to look for. Cero mackerel have yellow lines along their lateral line that are combined with the yellow spots. King mackerel tend to have smaller spots that are closely grouped along the lateral line. As for the Spanish mackerel, they have large uncontrolled spots. There is simply no rhyme or reason for their pattern. Another way to identify Spanish mackerel is they usually have a wider girth compared to the other mackerel. A large Spanish mackerel is considered to be around 24 inches and over 5 pounds, while kingfish are typically over 20 pounds and ceros tend to be smaller. Spanish mackerel are typically nearshore fish that hang close to shore in order to feed on bait

schools by pushing them into the breakers. In certain locations, you can find Spanish inside the intracoastal. In specific conditions, if the water becomes too warm, mackerel move deeper to find their preferred 70 degrees. Spanish mackerel are found off the Atlantic coast of the United States and in the Gulf of Mexico. They follow a migration pattern of spending the winter off Florida and then move north to North Carolina in early April and all the way up off the coast of New York by June. There are many ways to target Spanish mackerel. Some use live bait such as sardines, baby pilchards and smaller threadfins. A simple freeline with a short wire leader to a live bait hook and one of these smaller baitfish can be deadly. The wire is not absolutely necessary, but mackerel do have extremely sharp teeth. When mackerel are tailing bluefish schools, they are normally frenzied. They’ll slash at everything that comes their way. I like throwing crappie jigs into the frenzy, and I think any kind of small jig will work. A lot of commercial anglers use popping corks with a spoon tied about 4 feet below. The pop gets their attention, and then the shiny fluttering spoon is too much for them to resist.

FWC PHOTO

By Emily Hanzlik

For larger Spanish mackerel, X-Raps or other diving crankbaits work best since they imitate larger baits. If you’re throwing a lure, don’t use your favorite one. There is a good chance you might lose it. Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 62 IGFA world records in various categories. Find her on social media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.

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FLORIDA 3

By Astrid deGruchy

No Telling What You’ll Catch

ON THE PATCH

atch reef fishing is the epitome of, “You never know what you’re going to catch.” These underwater gems are filled with all sorts of fish, and it makes them fun and exciting places to be an angler. Patch reefs are small coral formations found in the shallower parts of the water. They were named for the patchy appearance when viewed from the surface and form wherever hard bottom exists in 10 to 25 feet of water. The rocky bottom, combined with ledges, coral heads and other growth provides the structure fish love. Many of these areas are well-known here in the Keys, but if you’re up for some exploration you can find less-pressured patch reef especially when the water is clear and visibility is good. Just keep an eye out for rocky or live bottom. These areas are usually not too far from shore, so they’re easy to reach and perfect for angling action. All sorts of fish congregate around these patches. The variety includes mutton snapper, mangrove snapper, yellowtail snapper, lane snapper, hogfish, black grouper, red grouper, gag grouper, porgy, cero mackerel, yellowjack and barracuda. We fish a lighter setup on the patch reefs, and this makes for a blast. Our go-to is a PENN Authority 4500 reel with the PENN Carnage III rod. Live bait like pilchards or shrimp work like a charm. If catching live bait is a problem for you, just stop at a local tackle shop and grab some live shrimp, pinfish, or even some frozen ballyhoo. Keep it simple, and tie on a knocker rig or jig head. Anchoring the boat in the right position to present baits around the reef is an important part of this style of fishing. Dropping bait on the sandy areas near the reef allows you to fish the bottom without getting hung up. Chum can be a good idea, but don’t be so quick to put out the chum as soon as you get lined up. I recommend breaking it out only if the fishing is tough. Chum can attract some of the “trash fish” like blue runners, jacks and sharks. Also, make sure you’re up to date with the rules and regulations. There are so many species you might catch, and some of those species might be out of season. Patch reef fishing is a blast. It’s a mix of stunning views and tons of action. If you want to experience this, the cooler months are the best for this type of fishing. That’s when some better-quality fish move into the shallower reefs.

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SLIP CORKS AREN’T JUST FOR LIVE BAIT

Tim Barefoot

here was time in my life when I was fanatical about live bait, and a lot of the fishing I did was under a sliding cork. Well, that ship has sailed, at least the live bait part. I still fish under a sliding cork, but I now fish artificial lures under the cork for several reasons, only one of which is the evolution of soft plastic baits. Here are a few arguments for fishing artificial: 1) There’s no need to catch and store live bait. 2) My entire tackle box is now small and light enough to fit in a backpack for travel. 3) Soft Plastics are versatile in terms of presentation, and they’re effective. 4) Artificials can be cast farther and more accurately. 5) You can be ready to fish at a moment’s notice anywhere, under almost any conditions. These advantages add up to the sum of my new fishing style under a sliding or popping cork. I cherish my two- or three-hour mini vacations after work, wherever I am while traveling. I travel quite a bit and can bail out of the truck and fish for whatever is there. I’ve grown fond of fishing under and around bridges for several species, and the ease and effectiveness of this style of fishing is easy to love. In addition to fishing just a single lure under a cork—or without a cork in deeper, faster water—I’ve started fishing a tandem tackle. The bottom bait is the jig head for the weight, and the second bait has no weight and just trails out behind the jig. Some days, it’s all bites on the jig; other days, it’s a third or more of the bites on the weightless trailer. This suspended bait and trailer under a cork is not only effective, but it keeps you from staying hung up. Once I figure out how deep the water is, it’s easy to adjust the depth. I typically keep one rod set up for 6 feet deep as a starting point. If I see the cork laying over, it means the jig is sitting on the bottom. I’ll shallow it up a bit to where the jig is just off the bottom and makes a clean drift. If the water is deeper, I’ll adjust it deeper. The end goal is to keep the jig a foot or two off the bottom and allow a natural drift. I like to fish a pair of DOA Shrimp on this tackle in saltwater, and this same tactic is deadly in freshwater with Zoom Flukes or Super Flukes for smallmouth, largemouth and striped bass. The other bait I love for this style of fishing is Gulp! baits. For more detailed videos of the tandem tackle and how to tie it, and the construction of my sliding cork set up, visit my Youtube channel and/or the website. For more from Tim Barefoot, visit barefootcatsandtackle.com.

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Cary Crutchfield

JANUARY

s I write tonight, late December 2023, I’m enjoying our seasonally cool winter temps. I don’t wish for cold-cold (below freezing) but cool at Christmas is very welcome. Recent rain north of us has caused the Suwannee to rise a couple of feet in the last few weeks, but we are not currently at risk of flooding, unless South Georgia gets a LOT more rain in the next few weeks. This month’s recipe, Grouper Piccata page 2, is a real winner. Cary gave it a double, “You can make this again!” The sauce comes together quickly and would be just as good with any white fish, shrimp or chicken. Try it and let me know what you think. Winter fishing can be a challenge, but if anyone can help you, it is our NCF/NC guides. In our world-famous FREE fishing magazine, they share very helpful and timely information. If you need more help or want to schedule a guided fishing trip, give them a call. Maybe you want to share a fishing experience or thank them for a little tip that you found helpful. They would love to hear from you. I can’t find the words to describe how I feel about the horrors (murdered children) in Gaza, Israel and Ukraine. Pray that it stops soon. You can now pick up the North Central Florida/Nature Coast edition of Coastal Angler Magazine, at Our Place Pizzeria and Ristorante in Branford. Look for more Suwannee County locations soon. Stay smart, get your vaccines, stay well and STAY ALIVE! May 2024 be the very best year of your life. Enjoy every precious day!

Lynn Crutchfield Co-Publisher Coastal Angler Magazine of North Central Florida/Nature Coast

SALES

EDITING & PRODUCTION Lynn Crutchfield

DISTRIBUTION Rosa Crisman

GRAPHIC ARTS & DESIGN Kathleen Stemley

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Noel Kuhn Dr. Kevin McCarthy Capt. Jason Clark Capt. Katie Jo Davis Capt. Tommy Derringer Capt. Andrew Fagan Capt. Jonathan Hamilton Capt. Tony Johns Capt. James Kerr Capt. Pat McGriff Capt. Brent Woodward

CONTACT INFORMATION

crutch@coastalanglermagazine.com 352-542-0356

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Local Fishing Forecasts Monthly Recipe

Photo by: Suwannee River Water Management District

GROUPER PICCATA (SERVES 2)

sturge dinosa

Thank you to The Crab Plant for the shrimp. Visit their Fresh Seafood Market or enjoy Cooked Seafood to go. You are welcome to sit at their table and view beautiful Kings Bay while you enjoy your delicious, freshly prepared meal, watching manatees, dolphins, pelicans and boats. Or, you can carry it home; your choice. Open Tues-Thurs 10:00-5:30, FriSat 10:00-8:00. 201 NW 5th St. Crystal River 352-795-4700.

DIRECTIONS

FLORIDA SUWANNEE RIVER WATERFRONT

FOR SALE

43 acres (+or-) 1100 feet (+or-) on Suwannee River in Lafayette County at US 27, across river from Branford. Heavily wooded, perfect for residence, camp ground or hunting lodge. Elec. and well.

Cary A. Crutchfield Registered Real Estate Broker GRI and CRS Designations

352-542-0356

INGREDIENTS

• 2 boneless, skinless Season fillets with salt and Grouper fillets, ½ to ¾ ich pepper and dredge in flour, thick. shaking off excess. • Salt and Pepper InCOOKING non-stick DIRECTIONS skillet, heat • About 1/4 cup all-purpose oil over med-high heat until Flour shimmering. Add fish to pan and • 2 to 3 tablespoons cook until well browned on first Vegetable Oil side, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully • 1/3 cup Dry White Wine flip fillets and cook a minute or 2 • 1 ½ tablespoons drained more, until just cooked through Capers in vinegar and flesh is opaque. Transfer fish • 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter, cut into to serving tray, well browned side tablespoon-size pieces up, and keep warm in oven at • 1 tablespoon Butter about 200 degrees. mashed into a paste with Wipe out skillet and return to ¼ teaspoon Flour med-high heat. Add wine and • 1 tablespoon fresh Lemon bring to boil. Cook until wine Juice is reduced by about half, about • 2 tablespoons minced 2 minutes. Add capers, the 4 flat-leaf parsley leaves tablespoons unsalted butter and the butter-flour mixture. Cook, whisking constantly, until butter has melted. Lower heat to medium and continue to simmer, until a creamy emulsified sauce has formed. (If the sauce over reduces and breaks, whisk in cold water 1 tablespoon at a time to bring it back together.) Whisk in lemon juice and parsley. Taste and add salt if needed. Pour sauce over fillets and serve immediately. I served with a salad and sauteed spinach and Cary gave it a double, “You can make this again!” Any white-fleshed fish fillets, shrimp or chicken would be excellent also. Lynn Crutchfield, Co-Publisher Coastal Angler Magazine of North Central Florida

2 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST

JANUARY 2024

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FLORIDA WATERWAYS Florida Gulf Sturgeon

ne of the most unusual-looking fish in Florida waters, is the Gulf sturgeon or Gulf of Mexico sturgeon. Dating back to the time of the dinosaurs, these so-called “prehistoric fish” are popular today because of the caviar they provide. What makes them unusual is the fact that they have on their sides scutes, By Kevin McCarthy which are hard body plates that protect them from larger predators. And they jump, sometimes as high as nine feet out of the water. Boaters on the Suwannee River have encountered such jumpers, which can cause great harm to unsuspecting visitors, especially for those speeding on the river. Why they jump has been the subject of much speculation. Are the fish getting away from predators chasing them? Are the jumpers just trying to get a better view of the river or catching a breath? We just don’t know. The dark-brown specimens, sometimes with a white belly, can reach lengths of eight feet and weigh over three hundred pounds, providing danger to unsuspecting boaters. Dating back an amazing 225 million years, the fish can live up to forty years. Scientists tell us that the sturgeon spend much of their time in saltwater, but travel up stream, for example in the Suwannee, in order to spawn. They return each year to those streams where they hatched. They do so between February and April before later moving downstream. They spend the winter in the Gulf of Mexico, catching marine worms and shrimp along the sandy bottom. They don’t seem to eat much in the freshwaters of our rivers. They do like the brackish waters around the Gulf and can range from Louisiana to the Suwannee. When their numbers greatly diminished in the nineteenth century because of overfishing and the building of dams and the great demand for caviar, the federal

The sturgeon has armored plates on its back.

Sturgeon produce caviar. (cr. Anna Grigorjeva)

government placed the sturgeon on the protected species list and passed regulations limiting their harvesting. When conditions in the Suwannee are just right, the spawning sturgeon might A Sturgeon monitor in the Suwannee A sturgeon warning sign in the lay as many as placed by the U.S. Geological Society Suwannee a million eggs, which have to be fertilized by the males and then stick to objects at the bottom of the river. Four days later the eggs hatch and are subject to many perils as they begin what could be a long life. The Suwannee is so great because of the lack of dams, especially in its lower reaches, and its general overall good conditions. Excessive water withdrawals could cause harm to the fish, but our conservation monitors are pretty effective in keeping the river clean. A sturgeon in Fanning Springs (cr. Chase D'animulls) So, boaters, if you’re tooling along the Suwannee at the same time that sturgeon are in the vicinity, slow down. You could avoid a serious confrontation with the powerful, heavy sturgeon.

Dr. Kevin M. McCarthy 3815 S.W. 5th Place | Gainesville, FL 32607 Phone: (352) 377-2178 | Cell: (352) 870 0819 web site: kevinmccarthy.us “Fair winds and following seas" - best wishes from a traveler

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JANUARY 2024

A sturgeon in a zoo

NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST 3

KATIE JO’S NATURE COAST ADVENTURES

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appy New Year! Another successful year down, and I am really looking forward to what 2024 has to bring. January is among us and so is the sheepshead spawn and that is something to look forward to as we start the new year! I typically target these fish from 10 to 30 feet of water, and look for ledges, rock piles and deep cracks in the floor of the Gulf along Florida’s Nature Coast. I typically use a SM Custom Sheepshead 1.25 ounce and 30-pound leaded resting right on the bottom with a medium shrimp. These same areas hold other awesome species, including grouper, hogfish and grunts. Often, the sheepshead will tap the bait a couple of times before entirely committing to eating it. Same as the hogfish, as they use their teeth to break open other crustaceans along the bottom. The redfish bite will remain strong in the shallow water creeks. I always look for schools of mullet along rocky points and oyster bars. When scouting a new area, I like to go when the water is low so that I may find the oyster areas that will typically hold fish on the high tides. I use a 3/0 circle hook with a size 5 split shot close to the hook to throw a shrimp to the rocky area and allow it to sit a little, so that the fish will find it. Captain Katie Jo KD OUTDOORS FiSHING CHARTERS www.fishcrystalriverflorida.com 772–882-8932

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ey anglers, hope y'all had a great Christmas, and of course Happy New Year! Along with this new year, comes some great news-- the fishing has been amazing! These cooler temps have the fish fired up. The trout are staged in the creeks along with the reds and sheepshead and the bait of choice-live shrimp. I absolutely love throwing live shrimp in the cooler months. With most of the fish staged in the back county, shrimp is just the obvious choice. You can catch so many different species of fish on shrimp, and a lot of the time you can do that

without even moving. I can't begin to tell you how many times in the cooler months, I've caught three or four different species of fish, just by working shrimp by the same structure in the back country. That's not something most people can do with artificial, or cut bait. Trust me, it's not easy to get sheepshead or black drum to eat a cut chunk of mullet, but you throw a shrimp in front of their face, and that will change their mind really quick. I typically work my shrimp on a popping cork rig, or even a jig on the bottom. The main thing though, is finding the structure that your targeted species is holding on. And trust me, they are holing into a structure in these cooler months. Rather it be a bar, or a dock, fish will be on some type of structure right now. So get on out here, with all that cool new fishing gear you got for Christmas, and until next month. Stay safe out there. Capt. Jason Clark In The Slot Fishing Charters 352-639-3209 www.intheslotfishing.com

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SUWANNEE

elcome to January 2024! Yep, it's another year and here's to hoping that everyone has a healthy, safe and prosperous 2024! January, here along the Lower Suwannee River and Estuary, can be very unpredictable. It's all related to the cold fronts, how often they come and how strong they are. As of midDecember, we are in a warmer than usual pattern with only limited cool to cold weather so far this season, but that could change! No matter what, you can't go wrong this time of the year if you choose to fish the deeper holes of the river. The East Pass of the Suwannee River is the deeper pass, and in it you will find many rocky holes. These rocky holes will be warmer than the adjacent waters, and are a natural magnet for the fish during the Winter months. During these colder months, it's hard to beat live or fresh bait. As the water temps have dropped, so has the fish’s activity level. Many days, the key will not only be locating the fish, but then getting them to bite. A slow to very slow presentation will be important. The fish are lethargic and not too willing to chase a bait. Patience will be a key ingredient along with attention to even the most gentle and soft bite you will experience! A live shrimp will be the go-to bait for most anglers. If you can find them, mud minnows or small mullet are also great choices! You can fish these baits on the bottom with a jig head or for a better presentation, I like to use a fish finder rig. Remember, you will be fishing a rocky bottom, so plan to lose some hooks and leads! If you are a strictly artificial bait angler, then you'll need to fine tune your tackle and techniques!

With the trolling motors we have now, a very good technique to use in the river is vertical jigging. You can “spot lock” over the structure, then present your bait in a way that reduces the chance of getting hung in the rocks. Depending on the current, I will adjust my jig head weight to get my bait down to the bottom. A great bait choice when vertical jigging in the river is a FishBites Fight Club 5-inch Jerkbait, on a ½ ounce jig head, I also like to add a piece of FishBites fast release strip bait for additional flavor to help trigger the bite! Once you drop your bait to the bottom, begin a slow jigging/twitching motion up a couple feet, then drop back down. Repeat this presentation as you work up from the bottom to the top of the water column. Speckled trout and snook will suspend in the water column, so fish from your bait all the way up the water column! Until next time, be safe, Tightlines and Catchemup! Captain Tony Johns | 352-221-2510 www.lowersuwanneriverfishing.com Instagram: captaintonyjohns Facebook: Lower Suwannee River Fishing Adventures

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FLORIDA SUWANNEE RIVER WATERFRONT

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43 acres (+or-) 1100 feet (+or-) on Suwannee River in Lafayette County at US 27, across river from Branford. Heavily wooded, perfect for residence, camp ground or hunting lodge. Elec. and well.

Cary A. Crutchfield Registered Real Estate Broker GRI and CRS Designations

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ST. AUGUSTINE

anuary is such a fun time of year to be on the water! Yes, it can be chilly, but on days when the weather is nice, the fishing can be fantastic! Cooler air temps mean cooler water temps and the colder it gets, the clearer the water will be. A few nights of cold can turn our area into a sight-fishing winter wonderland. I can’t wait! Redfish are starting to school up on the flats and the edges of the ICW. They’ll also be up super shallow in the back of the creeks, chasing small shrimp and minnows. My favorite setup to target those redfish is a 3000 size Shimano spinning reel with a 7-foot 6-inch G Loomis GCX medium fast action rod. I like to use 10 lb. Power Pro Super Slick with a 20 lb. floro leader. With that setup, you can cast a mile-- and a long cast can make all the difference when sight-fishing, allowing you to get your lure well in front of the fish. This is important because with clearer water, the fish will become spooky, so a soft presentation that lands some distance from the fish will work best. My lure of choice will be a Saltwater Assassin paddle tail, rigged on a weighted weedless hook (weight varies depending on conditions). Something a bright color is nice this time of year, because you can see it in the water,

and more importantly, you can see where your lure is compared to where the target fish is sitting. Another very important piece of equipment for this time of year and sight-fishing in general is a good pair of polarized sunglasses. I prefer Bajio Sunglasses with a copper or amber colored lens. You'll be surprised how much of difference a good lens can make, and Bajio makes the best for sight-fishing. The quicker you can spot the fish, the easier it is to catch them. Black drum should be a good bet this month in the deeper creek and ICW holes. Fresh dead shrimp or sometimes even better, a fiddler crab fished on the bottom, will do the trick. Speaking of fiddler crabs, the sheepshead bite should continue to be good through the next few months. Target area bridges and pilings with fiddlers, oyster crabs, or small shrimp. If you're feeling a little sportier, look for sheepies on the flats feeding on oyster bars. It seems like sometimes every oyster bar you pass by will have a few munching away, just waiting to be caught. Have a safe and Happy New Year!

SURF & PIER

anuary is looking better than previous years, because of a major weather pattern called El Nino. This pattern will bring Florida a milder wetter winter, resulting in warmer water temperatures in our surf. That equates to good fishing this month, as long as the water temp stays at 60 degrees or above. Another good sign, is that quality pompano were caught in North Carolina, the second week of December. With these cooler water temps, I find that the bite is softer and not as aggressive. So, I downsize everything, starting with the bait; nothing longer than one inch. This includes Fishbites, shrimp, clams, sand fleas, crab and cut bait. Hook size matters too, so I drop down from a 2/0 circle hook to a #1. Also, no large floats and minimal small beads as attractants. I have recently seen some under water videos of Capt. Tommy Derringer fish biting the float instead of the www.InshoreAdventures.net bait. Ever since then, I have been 904-377-3734 downsizing, especially the floats Keeping track of the water temperature is my key to success this time of year. To view my favorite website for this, just google SST charts Rutgers. The color graph is so easy to read. Just look for the baby blue color. That is where you should start if you want to fill the cooler. Keep in mind that

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JANUARY 2024

if our water temp drops below 60 degrees, drive south. There is no need to stay in the Jacksonville area and not catch fish when you could drive one hour south and have a blast. One January morning, the water was 58 degrees here. The water temp in Ormond was 64. I got to Ormond 20 minutes before daybreak. With my headlight, I checked the water, and it was crystal clear, 10 of 10! Within two hours, I had my limit of pompano, 20 nice whiting and a bonus slot redfish! My mentor, Larry Finch, showed up about 8 AM and took over my spot after I limited out. He proceeded to catch FIFTY FIVE more pompano that morning. Here is the kicker, I was so cold because it drizzled rain all morning and it was FIFTY FIVE degrees. However, the water was 64 and clean! Moral of the story, do not fish in water that is too dirty, too weedy and never in water that is too cold! I hope this tip helps everyone catch more fish this winter. Noel Kuhn 43 years of surf fishing experience, surf fishing guide and long distance casting coach. Founding member of Florida Surf Casters club. 904-945-0660 www.TheSurfAngler.com

NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST 11

HOMOSASSA

CRYSTAL RIVER

ello from Crystal River. Hope everybody’s been out on the water fishing and having a great time. This is another favorite time of year for me when the water is low, and the temperatures are cool. The only issues we face sometimes are the cold fronts, but if you plan your trips, it can be some of the best fishing. The trout like to stay shallow in January. I’ll target certain areas on the temperatures warm up. My favorite bait this time of year are jerk baits and a popping cork with a light jig head with a Little John. Trout usually go east and shallow. Deep holes on shallow water, and rocks on high water.

appy New Year! Hopefully everyone had a great Christmas, and 2024 will be a great year for everyone. I always enjoy telling clients the history of the river. I think it’s so cool when we are running out the river in the mornings, and I glance over and see a shell mound. It makes me think about what this place was like back then. Probably a lot simpler right? Maybe not… One thing for sure, is that they stayed on the river in the winter The redfish can be challenging months for the plethora of fish also. When it’s cool and the water coming into the warm waters. is shallow, I drop all my leader to a With the Gulf temperatures cool, maximum of 20 pound and free-line look for the main rivers to produce shrimp, my go-to bait for redfish. good fishing for the next couple Like always, I’m constantly looking months. For snook, try straight for mullet. jigs with Mirror Lure Lil Johns, If you’re looking for a fishing DOA 5.5 CAL in glow and Mirror charter here in Christal River, give Dines, for good bites along deep me a call or look up the Plantation rocky points with good moving in Crystal in Crystal River. We have water. These same spots will also some of the best guides in our area. produce nice catches of snapper, Until next month from Crystal drum, redfish and sometimes trout. River, stay safe and tight lines. Fishing with live shrimp rigged on a jig head or a knocker rig will keep Capt. James Kerr the rods bent. There will be some 352-362-6893 trout in the rivers, while some trout Citrusfishingchaters.com I believe, go offshore in the winter months. The ones who do stay inshore, will transition from the river, to the river and creek mouths based on water temperatures. So, if

12 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST

JANUARY 2024

its mild, try the yellow hard bottom areas around the creek mouths and mouth of the river. Popping cork rigs or J hooked DOA Cal will produce bites. If it’s really cold, then look for trout in the main river, concentrating around deeper holes. Clear blue bird days can be really good for sight fishing redfish. I like areas like Blue Bay and Fish Creek Pass this time of the year. I like to throw gurgler style flies. If you’re not into fly fishing, free lined shrimp can be deadly. With the cooler water, the visibility really increases, so sight fishing can be good. If the weather is permitting, the near shore rocks can still be lots fun. Sheepshead will move in from offshore and bring great eats to the table. Shrimp on a jig head will be your go-to. The shallow water grouper bite can be really good as well. Be mindful and patient on the river. We have a lot of fishing traffic this time of the year and really low tides. Remember, you are responsible for your wake. As always stay safe. Capt. Jonathan Hamilton www.stumpnation.us 352-424-3260

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024 hop Christ past ye year w Florid year an busy! W this ne the ba Janu starts tempe 70 deg low, w snaps the 20 trout h in Dec now 1 where of win Very lo of fish depen you m truly b pressu be ava a char be the very c and w allowi per bo getting fish ha Nea sheeps pretty the roc 40 feet shrimp freelin will su As alw

INGLIS/YANKEETOWN

024 is here and let’s get fishy!! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and Happy Holidays this past year, and what a wonderful year we had here in Yankeetown, Florida, with stellar fishing this past year and great clients that kept me busy! We are locked and loaded for this new year and can’t wait to get the ball rolling. January, is when winter truly starts here in Florida, with temperatures normally being below 70 degrees for a high, and 50 for a low, with multiple fronts and cold snaps regularly reaching well into the 20s. What redfish, snook and trout haven’t made their migration in December of last year, have now 100% made their push into where they will reside for the rest of winter and transitional phases. Very low tides will limit the amount of fishability, some places have depended on, what kind of skiff you may have. So, the fishing can truly be incredible with little to no pressure. Very, very hungry fish will be available at nearly every stop, on a charter with me. Big redfish will be the main focus, but big trout are very common this time of year also, and with the trout regulations only allowing one fish over 19 inches per boat, it can be tough at times getting a limit, with so many big fish hanging around. Nearshore and offshore, the sheepshead spawn will kick off pretty good this month, with all the rockpiles and ledges in 15 to 40 feet, being very productive. Live shrimp on a fish finder rig, or a freelined jighead with 20 lb. leader, will surely get the bite every time. As always, tightlines

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ro da front. We fou stagin near r hitting but th Paul B Chick out-fis both b catchi kept c they w Mirro in seve not lim CH. A fished Guppy Pink a for ha will co way do the low 59 in t need s and “S succes

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14 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST

JANUARY 2024

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HORSESHOE BEACH

KEATON BEACH

Spanish, like this one caught by Matt Williams on November 30th, will be gone to Tampa in January.

rout were on fire as of a couple days ago, before this current front. (Today is December 12th.) We found the trout in transition, staging to move to shallower water near rocks and bars. They were hitting almost anything suspended, but the best bait of the day was a Paul Brown Devil in the 98 (Texas Chicken) pattern. Billy Pillow out-fished Dave Malone and me, both by throwing it all day and catching over 50 trout. Dave and I kept changing baits to see what all they would hit and did our best on Mirrolure’s MR 27 (MirrOdines) in several patterns, including but not limited to EC, BKGCH and CH. Assassin’s five-inch shads, fished un-weighted in Space Guppy, Chartreuse Ghost, Stinky Pink and New Penny, accounted for half of our catch as well. Trout will continue to move up and slow way down as water temps dip into the low fifties. (Currently 58 to 59 in the afternoons.) Expect to need suspended baits in January and “S-L-O-W” will be the key to success. Reds will mostly be on the

ello guys and gals, hope everybody had a good November. December is shaping up to be just as good for us. Looks like we are getting plenty of fronts and rain, and it’s keeping these fish moving. Redfish can still be found around the outside and on the flats especially on the low tides. Then on the higher tides, they push up to the grass lines and oyster bars. Catching them on quarter ounce jig head with a shrimp, or your favorite paddle tail, and then when the water level allows, popping corks. Trout are doing the exact same, which is why I always say that January is my favorite time of the

year. You can find all species in one spot. Fishing is definitely good this time of the year. It’s just really about catching the fronts and moons just right. More so, than when we have warmer weather. But if fishing is slow, we always have the ducks to lean on, and they have been here in full force. Give us a call if y’all would like to take an adventure with us, hunting or fishing. Until next time keep it reel native! Captain Brent Woodard Reel Native Fishing Charters ReelNativeFishing.com 352-284-5514

Debbie Barstow caught this monster black sea Bass November 30th, bouncing an Assassin's five-inch shad

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CHIPOLA SHOAL BASS

hen it comes to warm-water fly fishing, shoal bass are about as fun as it gets. These pugnacious river bass are native to only one river system: The Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin, and their preferred swift-water habitat was years ago reduced to tributaries and stretches between dams in Georgia, Alabama and Florida. While Georgia claims the healthiest native, reproducing populations of the species in the Flint River and in pockets of the Chattahoochee River, the situation is a little more tenuous for Florida’s shoal bass. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), The 95-mile-long Chipola River is the last remaining waterbody in the state with a known naturally reproducing shoal bass population. The species was dealt a massive blow in 2018, when Hurricane Michael ripped over the Panhandle and depleted more than 90 percent of the Chipola’s shoal bass population. FWC stepped in to suspend harvest and possession of shoal bass in the Chipola River and its tributaries. Then they began hatching and releasing genetically pure shoal bass into the river. It appears to be working. Over the last two years, 11,000 fingerling shoal bass have been stocked into the Chipola. In subsequent samplings, DNA analysis showed more than 60 percent of yearling fish sampled came from these stockings.

“The stockings over these past two years have certainly made an impact on the population; shoal bass that were stocked last year are already within the 9-10 inch range,” said FWC biologist Andy Strickland. This is the first time genetically pure shoal bass have been successfully raised in an FWC hatchery, which is a big deal because genetic impurity is one of the largest threats shoal bass face. Across their native range, interbreeding with introduced non-native black bass species like Alabama bass and spotted bass has muddied the gene pool except in small pockets where genetically pure populations are isolated from interlopers. “It is extremely encouraging not only to successfully spawn this species in a hatchery setting but also to document the significant contribution the hatcheryreared fingerlings have made to the existing shoal bass population in the Chipola River to date,” said Bob DeMauro, Hatchery Manager at FWC’s Blackwater Research and Development Center. Biologists will continue to monitor Chipola River shoal bass and evaluate these stocking efforts in years to come. To learn more about a great shoal bass fishery, visit flyfishga.com.

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key to unlock all that the show has to offer. Whether you’re eyeing the latest in fishing or charting the course to explore the docks and enjoy over 100 food concessions and satellite bars sprinkled throughout the show, the 2-Day pass is your ticket to an extended celebration. Make sure to stop by the Stella Artois Beer Garden and Goslings Island Bar for a refreshing pause between the vessels up for exhibition. Looking to indulge in the luxury of the show’s Windward VIP experience? This year, the VIP passes are available at two exclusive locations – Herald Plaza and MBCC. Elevate your journey by securing tickets for one or both and enjoy premium perks that come with VIP status. Exclusive access to areas like Superyacht Miami is provided to Windward passholders. VIP ticket holders will also receive a complimentary one-day admission to Art Wynwood, Miami’s premier winter art fair, taking place Feb. 16-18. A Seamless Experience: From Water Taxis, Shuttles, Brightline Skip the traffic headaches by using the water taxi or the show’s bus shuttle network. Visiting from Orlando, Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Aventura? Hop on the Brightline and enjoy a complimentary shuttle to the show at Herald Plaza. Water taxi tickets require a separate purchase. As the excitement builds, the 2024 Miami International Boat Show invites you to embark on an unforgettable adventure. Celebrate the maritime lifestyle, cutting-edge technology, and the latest in personal boating and yachting. Secure your tickets by visiting miamiboatshow.com.

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

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

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

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

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Delayed Harvest Trout By Nick Carter

AT FIRES CREEK, N.C.

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

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

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

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A FEW THOUGHTS ON

SHEEPSHEAD By CAM Staff

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

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

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