FREE FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE COASTALANGLERMAG.COMVOLUME 27 • ISSUE 330 SEPTEMBER 2022 PHOTO COURTESY OF CHERLYN ARNOLD IG: @SLAYHERLYN @CAMTAMagazine FREAKYFISH Monster Florida THE QUEST FOR GAMEFISH ROYALTY SNOOK TIDEWATER, VA/OUTER BANKS, NC EDITION
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There are a few different styles of baits you can use on the drop shot, depending on what your fish are feeding on. This is what I usually base my bait and color choices off of. I usually throw a small finesse worm like the 13 Fishing Joy Stick Ultra Thin or a baitfish-style bait like the 13 Fishing Vertigo minnow. Both baits are small in size and can really pick up some bites when the fishing is tough.Bait color is important, but I like to keep things fairly simple. I typically throw a green pumpkin or a black-and-blue worm style bait. For the baitfish-style lure, I stick with whites or natural baitfish colors. Remember, you are trying to be as finesse as possible to trick a bass that’s not hungry into biting, so something simple and natural will excel. This technique has worked wonders for me all across the country. From down South in Florida all the way up to New York, bass eat this rig up everywhere. Next time you’re on the lake and the bite is tough, downsize your presentation and drag a drop shot around. It will pick up a few more bites.
TYLER WOOLCOTT DROP SHOT FOR FINICKY FISH
You raise the flags of the fish just caught to show you weren’t skunked.
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The water can be a little warm this time of year, and it makes bass finicky. When the bite gets tough, a drop shot flat out gets bit. It catches fish everywhere I go, and every angler should have the technique in their arsenal.There are a few reasons a drop shot can out-perform other techniques this time of year. The first of these is because of how versatile you can be with it. I have thrown a drop shot around rock, wood, grass and even in completely open water. Smallmouth, largemouth and spotted bass will all pick up a drop-shot rig, so it’s a great option regardless of what part of the country you fish or what species you target.Another factor that makes this technique excel when other things aren’t working is it’s effective on heavily pressured and sluggish fish. Sometimes getting these fish to bite calls for light line and a smaller profile bait. The dropshot rig consists of a fluorocarbon leader leading to a hook of your choosing then, below the hook, about 12 inches of line tied to a drop shot weight on the end. This creates a rig that keeps your bait up off the bottom and drives finicky bass crazy.
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Drop Shot Gear: Picking the right setup for a drop shot doesn’t have to be too difficult. I like a rod around 7 foot with a medium or a medium heavy action like the 13 Fishing Omen Black 7’1M. Pair up a 3,000 sized reel with some 10lb. Seaguar Smackdown braid and a 10-lb. fluorocarbon leader. Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. Check out his website www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com.at
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“They’re not smart fish. If they’re turned on, they’re going to eat. If they’re not, it may be five hours before they do,” he said. “But there’s going to be 30 to 40 minutes on the tide when those snook are eating. There’s not a lot of thought that goes into it. If one is interested, they all are.”
By Nick Carter
Before the Transition
Throughout the summer, snook are catch-and-release-only to protect spawning fish. On the Atlantic side, snook harvest opens Sept. 1, with a 28- to 32-inch slot limit. Capt. Smith said the spawning pattern lasts well into September most years, but the big females are over the slot and must be released, anyway. He is more concerned with the beatings these fish take all summer long. His solution is to limit the number of fish he targets and to gear up heavy. Smith fishes 10,000 size reels on 50- to 100-lb. rods. He runs 80-lb. braid to a 60-lb. fluorocarbon leader and locks down the drag. The weakest link is an 8/0 thin wire circle hook, which is easier on the fish but must be changed out Heavyfrequently.gear combats a big snook’s propensity for bulldogging into structure. It also shortens the length of the fight to lessen the likelihood of fish succumbing to exhaustion or sharks. Smith said these large spawners can be 25 years and older. He urged anglers to handle them carefully for release and never to hold them vertically by their mouths.Ifyou’re looking for a snook to eat, there’s plenty of opportunity for that also. Between the moons some of the snook spread out to the bridges, docks and deep holes. The smaller, slot-sized males become more interested in feeding. Also, the mullet run will kick in toward the end of September. When mullet schools show up, everything from the fish to the anglers switch over to chasing bait. Contact Capt. Patrick Smith through his website www.swamptosea.com.
Agiant snook should be on every angler’s bucket list. They’re big, they’re strong and they’re aggressive. Southern Florida boasts the most prolific snook fisheries in the world, and Capt. Patrick Smith, of Swamp to Sea Guide Service, operates in the heart of one of the best. Swamp to Sea fishes throughout Palm Beach County up to Stuart, Fla. At times, the snook fishing can be so good that the prospect is almost mundane for Capt. Smith. “If I’ve got clients who want to catch the snook of a lifetime, we’ll go out to the inlet and let them catch one or two. Then we’ll go do something else,” he said. “It’s cool to check a big snook off the list, but light tackle is moreCapt.fun.”Smith’s nonchalance about catching snook 35 to 43 inches long and up to 25 pounds is an attitude geared toward conservation of a species he loves. When big females congregate in the inlets to spawn around the full moons of summer, they are easy targets for anglers armed with big live baits like perch and croakers.
By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
Work with what Mother Nature gives you. Here on the upper Texas coast, we’ve had about seven years of excessive rainfall which, in general terms, made some of our bays unfishable for most of that time. Due to excessive fresh water, those of us who like to fish where the tributaries enter into the bays had to seek new areas where the salinity levels were suitable for speckled trout. This year, things are back to normal, and we need to relearn old patterns and work with what Mother Nature is giving us.
The Texas heat and drought are one for the record books and can make a day on the water unpleasant if you plan to stay much past noon, but there are some methods to help you be productive until things start to cool off. Many of the estuaries that were impacted by the floods are some of our deeper bay systems, and that is a good thing this time of year. Heading out early will greatly increase your odds and give you more time on the water while it is cool, relatively speaking. I have found these bays have been forgotten by some, and they’ve never been fished by those new to our sport, which makes for less crowds on the water. I target the deeper reefs in the upper stretches of the bay near the rivers. Locating new washouts can also pay off, and those are not on the maps or public knowledge, so doing a little recon before you head out on each trip can make for a more productive day.
Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures, Controlled Descent Lures, and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
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Although I prefer lures over bait, success rates lean toward live shrimp or finfish this time of year. Depending on conditions, these can be free-lined, Carolina rigged, or fished under a loud popping cork. A free-lined shrimp tossed near a granite jetty is a good bet on any day. Stepping away from the live version, cut mullet or shad can be winners for a big pull from a red, black drum or shark. A circle hook Carolina rigged on the bottom can entice those large predators to strike. This is a great method if you have kids aboard.
As always, the jetties are a favorite. The high current and cooler Gulf water attract every fish species that swims in our bays and nearshore waters. It’s not uncommon to catch some offshore fish there as well; it happens every year.
CONDITIONSCHANGINGTACTICSCHANGINGFOR
Although the temps are still high, you can have a successful day on the water if you modify your techniques. Remember to apply sunblock before you leave the dock, wear appropriate protective clothing and drink plenty of water. Stay safe and have fun!
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM SEPT 2022 TIDEWATER & THE OUTER BANKS 1 TIDEWATER / OUTER BANKS WWW.COASTALANGLERMAGAZINE. COM SEPT. 2022 PUBLISHER & EDITOR BRENDA RIGGS MIKE RIGGS Co-publishers & Editors CONTRIBUTING WRITERS J. ANDRE JIM BAUGH AARON KELLY JOHN TIGER SCOTT REPPERT GRAPHIC DESIGN JENNY DIAZ CONTACT INFORMATION For editorial comments, articles, photography, artwork and all other inquiries please contact: BRENDA RIGGS brenda@coastalanglermagazine.com 757.409.7518 MIKE RIGGS mriggs@coastalanglermagazine.com 757.681.5001 • Revenue generating, Turnkey Opportunity!Franchise • Be the publisher of the one and only Sport Fishing Magazine in Hampton Roads, the Eastern Shore, and the Outer Banks! • Be your own boss in the exciting Sport Fishing Industry! • Set your own hours — work as much (or as little) as you want! YOU determine your income and free time! • No experience publishing a magazine? No worries! As a Franchisee you’ll receive training & continuous support from corporate! For more information:757.409.7518brenda@coastalanglermagazine.com OWN THIS !!
If you are in shallow water, say up to 8 feet deep, consider a oating line with a 9 or 10 foot leader. is will give you your best line control and indication of a take. In surf you may wish to use an intermediate line and a 3-5 foot piece of uorocarbon again for line control and staying connected to your y.
Most of the time I use weighted Clouser Minnow ies. Again be aware of your situation. If you need a heavily weighted y by all means use it. A heavily weighted y and sinking line need not even be cast. Just let it out if you are positioned well in the current initially. A Pompano Rocket or other mole crab imitations in the surf can be e ective. But, remember the seaweed? Maybe a y with neutral buoyancy or one that sinks very slowly may be useful. Look at the bait sh in the water. Where are they in the water column? Is your y going to be a better looking snack in a better position to be eaten? We are basically just feeding hungry sh here. Hence why I love September. If you have the opportunity, please consider nding VCFA.org. We are working on our site as of this writing and hope that you nd it improved and more helpful by the time you read this. e monthly meeting of the Virginia Coastal Fly Anglers is as usual at Bayside Presbyterian Church in Virginia Beach the 3rd ursday of the month. All are welcome. e doors open at 6PM with y tying, casting and general lying about any number of topics will begin about 6:30 with a general meeting to follow. Be safe and stay hydrated.
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FLY FISHING SEPTEMBERIN
By Scott Reppert Virginia Coastal Fly Anglers
September is my favorite month to sh in Hampton Roads. Frankly it is a great time to sh many places nearby. e air temperature is getting more comfortable and the water temperature is still pretty much perfect. Consider looking in the surf from here south for pompano, red sh and blues. Look for structure, any structure. My experience has been that frankly, you put a hook in the water you will have any number of species show up.
If you are in a boat/in deeper water you have some very di erent options. One option is a traditional sinking line with the 3-5 feet of uorocarbon. If you are working around and through seaweed etc. you may wish to try mono lament as it may oat a little. Another choice, again depending on depth/current etc., is to use a longer leader and again keep some line control, tie in a section of braid between your y line and leader.
e post-spawn action has been relentless. It helps to bring a few pieces of bait supplied by the local sh market to expedite getting your spread out as soon as you hit the shing grounds. You don’t want to waste those precious pre-sunrise minutes waiting for a school of perch, bluegills, or shad to show up while the air is still cool. I get stressed watching monster cats rolling on the surface pounding away at breakfast, while I’m trying to catch bait. Nobody’s got time for stress while cat shing. Koger’s seafood department will always have some inexpensive fresh tidbits that work ne. Cat sh Nuggets (cat sh bellies) are my favorite. Any type of sh will work, but why pay more? is is just to get you started. I still have the bait rods out because nothing beats fresh caught native bait. ese mid-summer sh are trying to bulk up a er the spawn. e poor males are all beat up and scrawny, looking like they fell o of a truck. e big hog- sh must be doing the equivalent of laying back and smoking a cigarette because I haven’t seen one yet. e dinks, teeners, and a few over twenty pounds are wearing the shine o of my 8/0 circle hooks. Teener-size sh aren’t worth the e ort to walk to the front of the boat to retrieve “Big Blue,” my trophy-size net. Yet, lipping the raspy mouth of a dozen he y cat sh will eventually wear the hide o your hand turning it into a bloody mess threatening infection – not good. I just invested in a pair of Model 130 BogaGrips from Eastaboga Tackle Manufacturing. is will be the h set of grips I’ve had aboard #8. A heavy, opping, rolling, biting cat sh can destroy a pair of lesser-made grips, including the human-kind. Plastic grips are ne for green ditch pickles but won’t last long enough to boat your rst 25-pounder. e department store-provided metal grips might last a season with this type of shing. I thought my previous, “made-for-cat shing” grips were the last grips I’d ever need until a 28-pound cat sh that was laying on the deck with the grips still in its mouth proved me wrong. e sh went hermitile like a green cobia thrashing the epoxy-glued end cap and handle to pieces. I had to gulp when I saw the price of the BogaGrips, but I have easily spent that much on all the grips that came before these. When they are li ed out of the box you instantly see the quality. All metal parts are made of stout corrosion-resistant stainless steel. e handle swivels, which is essential. I’ve had large twisting cat sh almost break my wrist while trying to handgrip them into the boat. e construction is awless, and a 3/16” mechanical linkage pin holds the li end cap to the handle, not glue. e engage/ disengage mechanism uses the same trigger for both functions. Another key feature is a calibrated scale that can be certi ed by IGFA. e Model 130 scale goes to 30 pounds. ey also make a larger 60-pound model. Frankly, if the sh is larger than 30 pounds, I’ll be using “Big Blue” to land the sh and weighing him (or her) on my 100-pound digital scales. e BogaGrips will make quick work out of landing these post-spawn kitty-cats. I’ll get back to you with another report a er my rst trial run. Until then, “Get Slimed!”
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THE FLYING FISHERMAN By J. Andre GET A GRIP!
OBX INSHORE
By Aaron Kelly
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Well, nally ounder season is open so we will have the opportunity to keep one per person. Seems there has been some real nice ones already released. We actually released a 6 pounder today. Yes it hurts. Drum shing should continue inshore as well. Seems a lot of over slot sh have been landed lately. Fish over 27 inches have to go back. Inshore we should see more ribbon sh, cobia, albacore, and Spanish mackerel. Hopefully we can stay clear of some hurricanes and enjoy good weather and water conditions. Seabass, trigger sh, and a random amberjack circling around our shipwrecks dotted along our coast. Shove o shore there should be some wahoo! Seems good signs of them already. Tuna, dolphin, and bill sh out in the blue on any given day! So book a trip. Fuel up your boat. Stop by any of the well appointed tackle shops, get rigged up and get out on the water! Mid August we saw leatherback turtles, manta rays and a few cobia! Tomorrow who knows what cool things your gonna see! rigged up and get out on the water! Mid August we saw leatherback
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By John Tiger lights, of course. as it rotates, to see if the sha is bent. Look for damaged
THE ENGINE Don’t settle for an on-land demonstration with the ush attachment. While that’ll con rm that it starts and runs, it won’t reveal internal engine damage-only a compression check with a good compression gauge can. It also won’t reveal dirty carburetors or fuel injectors, or a lower unit that won’t shi or stay in gear. Check for corrosion and rust around the steering arm, stern brackets, and power trim unit. A rusty, aking steering arm is a big safety concern. Rotate the propeller in neutral and listen for grinding or scraping. Watch as it rotates, to see if the sha is bent. Look for damaged propeller blades. Check the paint, especially on the cowling and midsection, but also on the gearcase. A fading, aking, mildewy nish is a good indicator that the engine was treated carelessly. Remove the cowl and look for leaks, especially around the front of the engine where the carburetors or fuel injectors usually are. Take a minute and obtain a fuel sample; if the fuel is cloudy with water and/or has debris in it, you’ll be in for an expensive fuel tank and engine fuel system cleaning.
THE TRAILER Check for rust! It may reveal a frame about to fail. e springs, axle, coupler, bunks or rollers, winch and strap, and safety chains should all work properly and be in good condition. at goes without saying for the lights, of course.
PAPERWORK You can’t legally register and use your new boat and trailer without the proper paperwork. In most states, this means a legal title and bill of sale for the boat and trailer (some states even require a title for the outboard!). You can potentially go through weeks and months of legal hassles without these documents, so make sure the seller can produce them—up front, before you even look over the rig. ere’s no sense getting excited about the boat if you can’t legally transfer ownership. Even a “free” boat can end up costing thousands just to make it water ready. If possible, watch out for “boat ippers”—these folks buy junk boats, do the bare minimum to get them running, and sell them for top dollar to unsuspecting buyers. Remember, though-a used boat usually means money, even if well maintained. e old acronym “B.O.A.T” (Break Out Another ousand) rings true!
It’s an all-too-familiar story, one we hear of and see a lot here at Tiger Outboards. You’ve bought a used boat, and on the maiden voyage, it won’t run well, it leaks, the fuel tank has water in it, and on and on. O en the excitement of getting out on the water causes us to make quick decisions, without enough information. In this article, we’ll discuss several vital areas that should be thoroughly investigated before laying down your cash. Hopefully, you can avoid post-purchase aggravation and expensive repairs.
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John Tiger, a recognized expert in high performance boat setup, rigging and driving, outboard repair and trailer towing, John’s boating and racing experience has helped him write popular columns such as Outboard Tech and Seat Time as well as many hundreds of feature stories.
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TAKE A BOAT RIDE! Nothing can take the place of an actual boat ride. is allows you to see how the boat sits at rest, if water leaks in, how the controls and accessories work, and of course how the engine runs. Take careful note of how the engine starts, cold and warm. It should start with a minimum of ddling or choking/priming, and stay running at a smooth idle without stalling, especially when put in gear. It should accelerate smoothly from idle to full throttle, and back to idle again without stalling. It should not smoke excessively, unless of course it’s a two-stroke, running on a colder day or still morning/evening. Do some research and nd out top end RPM; as a general guideline, most outboards run in the 5000-6000 rpm range. If it’s falling short or way over, it’s a problem (could be a bad tachometer, wrong propeller, or worse: internal damage). Steering should be snag-free; if it’s mechanical cable, it should not hitch or bind, and you should be able to steer the engine lock-to-lock with minimal e ort. If hard to steer, it could need a new cable, or complete replacement. With hydraulic steering, look for leaks and erratic, jumpy movements. If it’s not smooth and leak-free, it’s going to need service.
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Well, I am back on my Salmon kick again. Sometimes I just can’t get enough of the stu ! One of my favorite ways to cook Salmon is on a cedar plank. Simple recipe. First you need a couple of cedar planks. A er cooking you can clean them and reuse several times. Put a little olive oil on the plank, then place the salmon let. Sea salt and pepper to taste, the juice of two squeezed lemons, one teaspoon sesame oil, one teaspoon of honey, your favorite fresh herbs, a dash of Old Bay, melted butter on each let topped with several sliced lemons. Put on a 350-degree grill and cook for maybe 20 minutes. I will usually put a small steam pot on the grill also with one can of beer and fresh herbs. Keeps the sh very moist and adds avor!
SALMON
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Jim Baugh Outdoors TV has lmed this awesome event before and you can watch one of the shows on our You Tube Channel and on Amazon Prime Video. Here is a link https://youtu.be/_WkEbYpL1tg In August, the bite has been good mostly on all fronts. If you would like to do some fun family shing, you don’t have to spend big bucks. Just grab your shing rod and maybe some arti cials and check out the closest beach access you have. e puppy drum bite has been really good just o the surf. Here at Chics Beach casting to the pilings on the tide change right from the beach has been very productive. Give it a try! e bite should be good through most of September. Also in September, get ready for two of my favorites, croaker and spot. I still use trusty salted squid for the croaker and those pricey bloodworms for the spot. Over the years there have been some manufactures of arti cial blood worms and they do work, although I usually still stick to the live bait. A good location is around the HRBT tunnels. Fish the channel and the tunnel drop o s. e channel from the HRBT to the MM Tunnels is a good stretch as well. Hey, if your heading to the Eastern Shore for some awesome shing and Bash by the Bay, stop by the Lemmon Tree Gallery and check out some of my Metal Print Nightscapes. We have several in the Gallery including the Milky Way by the Love Sign. If you are coming through Virginia Beach stop by and see my Nightscape Metal Prints in a new exclusive gallery location called 2Beaches Studio and Art Gallery located in the Bay Bridge Shoppes on 4465 Shore Drive. Give them a call at (757)650-8424.Toviewouronline Nightscape Gallery check this QR
CATCHIN’& COOKIN’
Jim Baugh, Jimbaugh.net, Jim Baugh Outdoors TV For more updates on our fishing trips and latest shows log on to: https://jimbaughoutdoors.blogspot.com/ for updates on everything, digital prints gallery, etc. Jim Baugh Outdoors TV Amazon Prime dp_share_cu_rhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07Z9S825F/ref=atv_VideoJBOTVOnlineHubb:https://jimbaugh.blogspot.com/
JIM
BASH BY THE BAY 2022! by Jim Baugh reporting from Oyster Farm at Kings Creek, Cape Charles VA Mark your calendar for Labor Day weekend. Location? Bash by the Bay 2022 at e Oyster Farm in Cape Charles! is is one awesome way to spend the holiday weekend. Plenty of live music, Oyster eating contest, Cornhole contest, Farmers Market, a Seafood Boil and even a Crush Station!! Contact the Oyster Farm today for tickets, slip rentals, and even accommodations www.theoysterfarmatkingscreek.com
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The Tennessee River’s WHITE BLUE CATS
Scenic City has three captains who specialize in guiding anglers to catfish. They’ve encountered four of these white catfish since 2018. Simms keeps records of his catches, and he estimated Scenic City catches about 5,000 catfish a year. While one white catfish in 5,000 caught is hardly good odds, it’s a lot better than one in a million. This one stretch of river is producing more of these strange fish than anywhere else we’ve heard of.
PHOTO BY RICHARD SIMMS
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By TAM
White catfish are rare anomalies that never fail to set social media abuzz each time an angler catches one. In most instances, biologists attribute the looks of these beautiful pinkishwhite fish to leucism, a genetic trait that results in reduced pigmentation and the pale, sometimes patchy coloration they display.
On June 28, 15-year-old Edwards Tarumianz caught a gorgeous, almost pure white blue catfish on the Tennessee River near downtown Chattanooga, Tenn. It was the latest in a string of such fish to come from one small stretch of river. While catching a white catfish has been likened to winning the lottery, it seems the odds are much higher on the Tennessee River below Chickamauga Dam.“It’s become pretty clear to us that we’ve got a little recessive gene floating around in the river right here in the Chattanooga vicinity,” said Richard Simms, owner of Scenic City Fishing Charters. “I actually saw another one just a week or so ago. A guy, just a regular fisherman, caught a piebald. So, yeah, we’ve got a recessive gene floating around.”
With their aggressive nature, willingness to hit almost anything, and ability to make drag screaming runs when first hooked, king mackerel are just a bunch of fun. Because of these qualities, there is a king mackerel tournament somewhere almost every weekend. Plenty of boats head out in pursuit of them from every port, and plenty of tackle dedicated to them is sold in coastal shops.
“They are so consistent with their yearly patterns that if you caught them in a spot in previous years, they are probably going to be there again,” he said.
To get an idea of what a day chasing kings is like, I spoke Capt. Matt Paylor, of Sound-N-Sea Charters in Morehead City, N.C. For gear, he likes a 7-foot, live-bait trolling rod with a Shimano TLD reel filled to the brim with 20-pound line. Smaller, school-sized kings eagerly hit trolled spoons and frozen cigar minnows, and you can catch a lot of them.When 10- to 20-pounders are hanging out around a structure, such as artificial reefs, wrecks or ledges, casting to them with swimming plugs and topwaters can lead to fast action. For a challenge, try a 10-weight fly rod rigged with a sinking line and a big streamer fly attached to a wireAleader.20-pound king mackerel can make a fly reel sing, Paylor said, however, if you want to get the big ones, you have to use live bait. His go-to is live menhaden, but he also uses live bluefish in the 2to 3-pound range. For trolling live bait, tie 15 feet of 30-pound fluorocarbon to the end of your main line, and to that attach a double hook live bait rig made with No. 5 single-strand wire and size 4 “quad strong” trebleCapt.hooks.Paylor said kings are very predictable.
He recommends using a sea surface temperature chart and seeing where the water is hovering in the 70-degree range and starting your day at a reef or wreck in that zone. If you see bait working—and especially if you see kings feeding—give it a serious shot. If you have seen kings feeding in open water, you’ll never forget what it looks like; they skyrocket out of the water like a submarine-launched missile.
Paylor said a rule of thumb is to troll live baits at around 2 miles per hour. When you get a bite, the rod slams down and the reel starts screaming. Make sure your drag is not set too tightly or it’ll be over.You’ll get a nice long run when the fish is first hooked. The smaller fish of less than 20 pounds will run out of energy pretty soon. Bigger ones, from 30 to 50 pounds, won’t tire as readily, and the real monsters may do it a few times before they tire. Keep your drag set light and let the fish do its thing; follow it with the boat if necessary. A fish (besides sharks) that is the bane of king mackerel anglers is the amberjack. If you troll near any high spot, usually the top of a shipwreck, there may be a school of them there. Their detractors call them “reef donkeys” with disdain. When you are trolling with a carefully prepared trolling rig and putting in hours looking for trophy kings, one of these bad boys can mess you up. Tournament anglers especially dislike them. If you are out trolling for kings and a school of amberjacks show up in your trolling spread, don’t get mad. Have fun! These fish are a blast and hit topwater plugs with abandon. Cast soda-bottlestyle poppers in the 5- to 6-inch-long range such as the Rapala Magnum Xplode or the Yozuri Bull Pop, retrieve them with a big pull and a pause to make a huge splash, and be prepared for an amazing display. Often a group of them will come up together and slash at it with reckless abandon until one finally gets hooked. Be prepared with a heavy casting rod. I’ve caught them on 12-weight fly rods with the biggest popper I could make. They can show up at any time over any wreck or reef. You just have to be ready. If you’re not fishing in a tournament, why not go have fun with them instead of cursing at them. They will come in fast, hit hard and then keep you occupied for about 20 minutes while they try to pull you out of the boat. This article was reprinted from CoastalReview.org.
By Capt. Gordon Churchill
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An angler from New Jersey caught a North Carolina state record for cubera snapper on Aug. 3. Thomas Madsen caught the 58-pound, 8-ounce fish offshore of Hatteras while fishing with Capt. Tyler Fleetwood and Sea Dream FishingMadsen’sCharters.big fish measured 49.5 inches total length and had a 41-inch girth. He caught it using a Shimano jigging rod, and a Diawa Saltist reel with 80-pound test. It replaces the previous record, which weighed 58 pounds and was caught off Beaufort Inlet in 2016.The IGFA all-tackle world record for Atlantic cubera snapper was caught off Louisiana in June of 2007 by Marion Rose. It weighed 124 pounds 12 ounces. For more information on North Carolina state records, find the State Saltwater Records webpage at deq.nc.gov.
Being original sometimes means others will try to copy you with inferior imitations, but true experience knows it’s never the same.
This is not someone’s escaped goldfish; it’s a bright orange smallmouth bass. Angler Josh Chrenko caught the rare genetic anomaly this summer from the Muskegon River in Michigan. Biologists explained that the fish’s odd coloration is due to a rare genetic condition called xanthochromism, which— like albinism or leucism—is usually caused by a recessive gene.
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“Until I caught this guy, I didn’t even know [xanthic bass] existed,” Chrenko wrote in a Facebook post. “For someone that lives and breathes fishing for smallmouth, this is one I’ll remember my entire life… I can only imagine that this little guy had to overcome crazy odds to survive the first couple of years of his life from predation. Being neon-orange would make for a tough life as a small freshwater fish.” Chrenko released his orange smallie after taking a few photos. For more weird fish, go to coastalanglermag.com.
Xanthochromistic fish are orange because the red pigmentation in their skin is replaced by yellow pigmentation.
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