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FOLLOW THE BAIT FOR NEARSHORE WAHOO

T

Tim Barefoot

his is the time of year when water temperatures allow pelagics like wahoo, dolphin and tuna to show up right on the beach… so to speak. I live in North Carolina, and every year there are stud wahoo caught “right on the beach.” Here “right on the beach” is the 20to 25-mile area off the beach.

For some folks in Florida, “right on the beach” might be that first sea buoy right out of the inlet.

In late summer, we have a monolithic water temperature from the Gulf Stream to the beach in the mid 80s. That allows wahoo to follow huge schools of bait wherever they go. This is what we call the beginning of the end… the end of summer. The cigar minnows and sardines come nearshore, and the wahoo follow them as far in as they are comfortable with the water depth, which is usually not much less than 75 or 80 feet. They will eat whatever they want, including live menhaden or cigs pulled around by king mackerel fishermen.

We call it the beginning to the end of summer, but it’s also the beginning of a wonderful time of year for me… fall and winter. The cigs and sardines come in. The pelagics follow them for a month or so

until the water starts to cool in mid September. Then the magic happens.

When cooling water runs off the wahoo, the gags show up in numbers.

It’s all a very beautiful dance. Let’s enjoy every step along the way.

I keep talking about the nearshore activity of the cigs and sardines, but the offshore schools are also getting bigger now, and this draws the attention of everything from pelagics to bottom fish. All the grouper and big snappers shadow these schools wherever they go. This is why it’s so important to “find the bait.” Cigs and sardines are not the only thing I’m looking for offshore. I like to find a big stack of beeliners. Wherever you find a big stack of beeliners, you can bet your bottom dollar there are grouper and big snapper directly under them and wahoo and kings around them.

August is also a month to consider spending the night offshore. Yes, there are late afternoon thunderstorms that pop up, but overall weather patterns are consistent, and you can fish for days, back to back. Leave in the early afternoon, get where you are going and get acclimated to the setting sun. Anchor up on a pretty piece of bottom and bait, and turn on the lights.

This is a “National Geographic moment.” The minnows and squid come to the light, so you can easily load up the livewell before the daylight bite starts.

I will close with this: We lost a fishing pioneer and legend last month with Mark Sosin’s passing. Our thoughts, prayers and celebrations go out to his family.

See more from Tim Barefoot at barefootcatsandtackle.com.

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AUGUST 2022

NATIONAL 5

LIVE BAIT AND ARTIFICIAL TACTICS FOR

J

upiter, Fla. is a worldrenowned fishery. In the summertime it’s known for hot inshore snook. Offshore produces an epic sailfish, kingfish, tuna and pelagic bite. There are always fish willing to eat.

One of my favorite bites is for springtime blackfin tuna.

From March through May, jumbo blackfins migrate down the east coast of Florida. It is not uncommon to catch them anywhere from 20 to 35 pounds. From their deliciousness on the table to their long powerful runs, blackfin tuna are one of my favorite offshore fish to target. They are sure to send you to the tackle shop to get your reels serviced after a productive day of fishing.

Blackfin tuna are excellent hunters. Often, they work together to ambush schools of baitfish. They are equipped with massive eyeballs, which are designed for pitch black and low-light conditions. They spend a majority of their time down deep feeding on squid. However, at dawn and dusk, the tunas move higher in the water column to feed near the surface. Be on the lookout for frigates and disturbance on the water’s surface. It’s not uncommon to see them exploding and flying out of the water on a bait ball. I keep an easily accessible casting rod, with a plug or weighted feather jig tied on, for this scenario or in case a school of mahi shows up.

Blackfin tuna will often hold to areas with bottom topography like humps, reefs and wrecks. You can find success drifting over areas like these with live bait. Live sardines, pilchards, threadfins and gogs will all work. I prefer live sardines. For me, they have been the most productive bait.

Chumming is important to bring blackfins higher in the water column. Chunk up pilchards and throw a few pieces out at the bow, mid and stern every couple of minutes. The best chum is live chum. Small- to medium-sized pilchards are your best bet.

I throat-hook a sardine and send it out on a free line. The bait will swim down on its own, and you should keep some tension on it. I also drop a live bait on a down rod and wait for the bite as I drift along.

Blackfins’ excellent eyesight means they can be leader shy, so I often run a 40- to 50-pound fluorocarbon leader, but will go as light as 30 pounds. A triplehook rig for freelining or a single 4/0 or 5/0 circle hook depending

By Ryan Izquierdo on the size of the bait is my hook preference.

You can also catch them kite fishing, trolling feathers/spoons, with ballyhoo rigs, cedar plugs, planer fishing, vertical jigging and slow-pitch.

Second to live bait, slow-pitch jigging is a fun and effective way to catch tunas when the hot mid-day sun pushes them down deep. My go to jig is a Jyg Pro 240 Gram strike jig. I like to jig anywhere from 200 to 350 feet. Send it down to the bottom over active areas and work your rod up high and let the jig flutter back down. You can change the pace and tempo of your jigging until you find what works. Don’t be surprised to get hit as you are burning the jig back to the surface.

I hope these tuna tips bring you success and dinner to share with your close friends and family. Keep on fishing!

Check out Ryan Izquierdo’s adventures on his YouTube channel: Ryan Iz Fishing.

You raise the flags of the fish just caught to show you weren’t skunked.

Once onshore you can take it a step further showing your fellow anglers your catch of the day wearing “slippahs” from Scott Hawaii.

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Hanapa‘a - Ahi

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FREEDIVER SPEARS WORLD RECORD CUBERA SNAPPER A massive 137-pound Atlantic cubera snapper speared by a Texas freediver in early June was heavier than the existing IGFA all-tackle world record as well as the Texas state record. It will not, however, qualify for either record because of the method used to catch it.

Who cares?

The diver, Braden Sherron, a student at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, can rest assured that his monster cubera is one of the largest of its species ever caught by any method. It will likely be the new International Underwater Spearfishing Association’s world record. If approved, it will replace a 122.4-pound fish shot in 2006 off the coast of Brazil.

According to a Field & Stream story on the catch, Sherron first encountered the giant snapper while freediving a Gulf of Mexico oil rig about 60 miles out of Port Aransas, Texas. He did not take his shot at the time because he was not equipped to handle such a large fish. A week later, on June 3, he returned to the rig with heavier gear, dove to about 55 feet and put a dart into the fish. Luckily, the cubera wrapped the trailing line up in the oil rig, which kept the fish from diving. While the fish fought itself, Sherron returned to the surface to wait 10 minutes before diving down to secure

By CAM Staff

his prize with two more shots.

When Sherron brought his fish back to the scales at Fisherman’s Wharf in Port Aransas, it began making the rounds on social media almost immediately. It truly is an enormous fish, which outweighs the existing IGFA record—a 2007 Louisiana fish that weighed 124 pounds, 12 ounces—by more than 10 pounds. Sherron’s fish also outweighs the Texas state rod-and-reel record of 131 pounds. The only larger cubera snapper research was able to turn up was a 151-pound monster that’s listed as an “other methods” catch by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. That fish, caught by handline out of Port Mansfiled in 1984, weighed 151 pounds.

The thing is, none of these other anglers were holding their breath when they caught their fish.

Sherron’s catch is absolutely one for the record books.

“I would equate it to shooting a 200-plusinch whitetail deer on public land,” he told Field & Stream. “It’s one of those things that happens once in a lifetime, and you can’t believe it when it does.”

Check out video of Braden Sherron’s spearfishing on his Youtube channel: https://bit.ly/3yKm8EP

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IT’S HOT OUT, TIME TO GO FISHING!

By Scott Reppert Virginia Coastal Fly Anglers

A

s it is August it is an excellent time to fly fish even if you are an inexperienced. This month is a traditional time to toss terrestrial flies at your species of choice.

If you are not familiar with the concept terrestrials are primarily bugs that have no reason to be in the water but end up there anyway.

My favorite terrestrial is a grasshopper but if you prefer a cricket or some other likely large, leggy bug that would be productive as well.

The secret to throwing bugs is that they need to land with a splash or pop. This is not a delicate presentation but put it out there, bang on the door and see who answers. It can be a stream, river or lake but just put it out there. Conveniently, bass are particularly susceptible to this approach but frankly if you are on the water anybody could show up on your hook. That is why we call it fishing.

Flies that represent other types of bug can also be useful including ants, beetles, spiders and maybe the occasional mouse. Yes, you can throw a mouse fly! Yes, I would call that a terrestrial. If you have a fly that looks buggy, throw it.

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Having said that the other weird thing about fly fishing terrestrials is that a windy day is an extra special bonus as all the fore mentioned critters are being blown into the water and the fish are ready and waiting. The water surface is likely to be rippled by the wind as well.

Even with these advantages being sneaky about how you walk in and where your shadow can be seen are still really important. If you can see the fish they can probably see you and hear you as well.

A few months ago I referred to Captain Chris Myers in Florida about his YouTube on learning to cast. He also has some very helpful episodes on casting in windy conditions. I have attached one in particular here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STC_US0Pcvo I think his approach is clear and precise without a bunch of jargon aka BS. Please go fishing, and remember that the Virginia Coastal Fly Anglers are meeting this month at the Bayside Presbyterian Church in Virginia Beach on the 3rd Thursday. Check out our website at VCFA. org or find us on Facebook. Tight lines.

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THE FLYING FISHERMAN

By J. Andre

The Heat is On:

Bimini Tops As my fingers are tapping on the keyboard the scorching temperature outside has me retreating to the AC. It feels like Hell’s Kitchen out there - and the Devil’s baking bread. To make matters worse, the catfish spawn is peaking.

There is no sense in frying my brain in the sun for a bunch of 2-pound dinks.

I took Yellow Peril (YP) up this morning for a flight around the patch and catfishing grounds. YP is a biplane (2 wings). The top wing cast some shade on me which is appreciated on days like today. Flying in the shadow of the top wing with the air moving around the open cockpit at 115 MPH provides lots of comfort from the humid 95-degree temperature on the ground. That was my motivation to put a Bimini top on #8 a few weeks ago. For too long I have been at the mercy of the sun.

I ordered the Bimini Kit from Carver Bimini Tops in Landrum, South Carolina. Within a few weeks, they fabricated the kit and had it sitting on my front porch. It is the 3-bow model with round double-wall aluminum tubes and stainless hardware and tube fittings. Numerous models, sizes, and options are available to get just what you want. They offer an acrylic Sunbrella top that is highly recommended. I’ve had Sunbrella tops on #4, #6, and 7. They last forever.

The Carver website has a boat model/top calculator that selects the size for a specified boat, but the results indicated a top too large for my boat.

However, there is also a description of how to measure your boat for the correct top, and that works like a charm. Other factors may require custom measurements. The instructions are easy to follow, and the construction is quick and easy. That said, if you get ahead of the instructions, you can easily find yourself disassembling the framework multiple times to properly install the canopy and strapping. Don’t ask me how I know.

Once assembled, it was time to locate it on the boat - simple? It was easier deciding where to put the top wing on the biplane when I built it. You need to consider, 1) what are you trying to shade? 2) when stowed, where will it be out of the way? 3) in the open mounting location, can it fold into the stowed location, or does it need to be on a slide mount? 4) should it be folded forward or aft? 5) should the framework be mounted facing forward or aft. 6) Is the stowed location for fishing going to be the same stowed location for trailering and running on a plane. Each of these considerations can have a different solution for where you attach the mounting hardware – translation – where you drill holes. Plan wisely, or the boat will soon look like a metal drilling Pileated Woodpecker got ahold of it.

I was able to take advantage of #8’s VersaTrac rail mounting system to reduce the hole drilling requirements. The center mounting bases are fixed on the gunwale (gunnel), but with the frame mounted backward allowing it to fold forward leaving the back half of the boat unobstructed for fishing.

When erected open, it covers the forward cockpit and deck where I sit waiting for fish to bite the stern rods when we are at anchor or when trolling with the planer boards. The top also stows aft and flat behind the tiller seat inside the boat for running to the fishing holes or trailering. On some configurations in other boats, this will require using a rail slide mount to be able to move the framework to the proper stowed or erected location.

Once the kitties return to their normal feeding habits, we’ll be fishing in comfort. I hope the spawn shuts down soon and we see a return to the hot action (fishing that is, not temperatures).

Get Slimed!

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OBX

By Aaron Kelly

INSHORE Backwater will be right with reds, specks, and sheepshead. Early mornings and afternoons will get you more shots on the speckled trout and the red drum. Midday slap a rope around a piling drop a few sand fleas down and snare a few sheepshead. These fellas are light biters and will take plenty of you baits. You will

get the last laugh when you bite some fresh fried sheepshead!

Along the beaches a scattered Spanish mackerel will hop onto your trolling spoons. Ribbonfish will be lurking in Area 51.

This is a spot southeast of the inlet where the seem to concentrate. Trolling spoons deep with strips of bait along the bottom

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will get the unique fish boatside.

Amberjack, cobia, triggerfish and seabass can be encountered on the myriad of shipwrecks we have dotted along the coast.

Offshore dolphin, few tuna, wahoo and Marlin can show in you spread of trolled baits skipping and chugging along behind the boat. So go on get out there and dance! Lots of exciting opportunities for you this August!

Capt. Aaron Kelly rocksolidfishing.com 252-441-657

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LOWER UNIT MAINTENANCE: Without your Foot, You Can’t Go!

By John Tiger

Y

ou’re boat’s drive unit—(lower unit, gearcase, foot, etc.)—is a critical component. Without it, or if it’s malfunctioning, your boat doesn’t go. Even though it’s a pretty simple assembly, there’s a lot to check when servicing it. If you’re not mechanically inclined, it’s best to have a dealer or independent tech do the job.

FLUID DRAIN AND FILL: WHAT’S NEEDED The proper type and weight gear lube is necessary, of course; check your owner’s manual first or see your dealer. Since the lubricant must be pumped up from the bottom fill port to the upper vent port, a lubricant pump is needed; small pumps with the correct amount and type of lube can be purchased from your dealer. The fill and vent port screws each have gaskets; these can tear and therefore become leaky over time, so pick up a replacement pair of gaskets when purchasing the lube and pump. You’ll also need a drain pan and paper towels. Check your engine to see what tool is needed to remove the drain and vent plugs; typically it’s a large flat blade screwdriver, but could also be an Allen wrench.

DRAINING EXCERCISE Tilt the engine down so it’s as close to vertical as possible. Place the drain pan under the skeg and remove the fill and vent plugs. Drain the lube while examining the color and appearance. Here’s what you’re looking for: • Normal lube in good condition appears amber, blue or red depending on the manufacturer’s dye. It will drain evenly from the fill port, with no chunks, water or burnt odor.

• Burned lube has a powerfully rank odor and is usually dark black in color. If there’s impending gear and/or bearing failure, burnt lube is accompanied by large metal shavings that cling to the magnetic tip on the drain screw. In a normal wear and tear situation, these shavings will be very fine in consistency, and the amount will be minimal.

• Water-contaminated lube has minimal odor but appears milky, like coffee with cream. This indicates a water leak somewhere, usually at the propshaft seals. You may also have actual water draining out before the lube, if the seals are badly compromised.

If your lube is contaminated this way, your gearcase needs to be

resealed. Don’t leave it with milky lube in it for long; the water in the lube will rust bearings, gears and shaft surfaces and cause eventual failure. If you notice the milky lube when draining before winter layup, try to get the unit resealed and filled with fresh lube before you put the rig away. If you just can’t do that (or your dealer’s too busy), at least refill with fresh lube before storing for winter.

REFILLED AND REFRESHED Give the unit time to drain completely. Prepare to refill by positioning rags and your tools around you so you’re not scrambling for them as the fluid fills the gearcase. Place the new gasket washers on the fill and drain plugs. Start by filling the unit from the fill port, pumping the fluid up into the unit slowly to avoid air bubble buildup. When the lubricant begins to flow out of the vent port, stop and replace the vent plug. Pull the fill nozzle out of the lower fill port and replace the fill plug. Wipe up any spilled lube, give both plugs a last tighten, and you’re done.

OTHER TASKS: WHILE YOU’RE AT IT While you’re down there, now’s a good time for an overall checkup and tune-up on your drive. Here are a few items to review and if needed, address: • Rotate the propeller shaft and check for straightness; while you can’t be exact in this exercise, you can at least see a wobble or out-of-true situation, and determine if there’s a bend in the shaft.

• Remove the propeller and check the propshaft for fishline snarls (which can cause propshaft seal leaks, allowing in water). Apply a layer of waterproof marine grease to the shaft before replacing the prop.

• Check the propeller for damage and if it needs work, have it fixed and tuned by a good prop shop.

• Likewise, check the skeg and anti-ventilation plates for damage, missing chunks, and paint loss. If damage is minimal (sand abrasion, etc.) you can dress the skeg with a flat file, sand it and clean it, and apply some Zinc Chromate primer and a couple coats of factory touch up paint.

If you’re missing part or all of the skeg, consider having a pro repair the damage. TIP: If yours is a high performance boat that reaches speeds of 75 mph or more, don’t try to use a gearcase with a skeg that’s been welded. At high speeds and high stress levels, the weld could fail, cause steering loss, and result in a serious accident!

• Lastly, check the water intakes for clogs and debris, and damaged inlet screens.

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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CATCHIN’& COOKIN’ JIM BAUGH’S RECIPE OF THE MONTH

FRESH TOMATO SAMMY Well, I am from Richmond VA and my family from South Hill.

Growing up fresh tomatoes were a BIG deal and our favorite way to have them was on white bread slathered with mayo, salt, pepper, and thick cut vine ripened beef steak tomatoes. That’s about it. Recipe could not be anymore simple, and it is the best!

When I lived in Richmond and raised my family there, we would usually get Hanover tomatoes. They were legendary and still are. These tomatoes I got from Pickets Harbor on the Eastern Shore in Virginia.

Very good and will be getting more. They also have fresh corn and other delights.

ANOTHER YEAR. TUNA & TOMATOES

by Jim Baugh reporting from Oyster Farm at Kings Creek, Cape Charles VA

Ok, I made it this far. August 2, I turned 61 years old and have been producing Jim Baugh Outdoors TV for close to 35 years. I could not have been more blessed. During that time, we successfully raised two of the best kids in the world who are now grown, gone and doing excellent in their careers. Truth is, I have never enjoyed producing content more than now, with the exception when my kids were young and they traveled with us. Every production is a new journey and is always something different. I would like to thank all of our viewers and readers who over the years have supported JBOTV so well. And that my friends is the best birthday present I could have, Thank you!

Now the fishin. WOW! What a tuna tournament! The Virginia Beach Tuna Tourney was the biggest ever with 107 boats entered and Marlin Maniac won with an impressive over 258-pound tuna! This beast took 8 hours to reel in, talk about a fight! Congrats to all and this is one very well-run tourney. Jim Baugh Outdoors TV had the cameras rolling at the weigh in for team Solid Structures.

Great footage and check the links below on YouTube as well as Facebook. https://youtu.be/r9Q2nhygo1I https://youtu.be/Wxmgxf5xHLY Hey, if your heading to the Easter Shore for some awesome fishing, call the good folks at the Oyster Farm. Don’t forget to check out C-Pier for delicious buckets of fresh seafood and live entertainment on Friday Nights. For charters, marina slips, accommodations, and reservations (Or boat and RV Storage) just visit www.theoysterfarmatkingscreek.com 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 To view our online Nightscape Gallery check the OR code below.

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 Video https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07Z9S825F/ref=atv_ dp_share_cu_r JBOTV Online Hubb: https://jimbaugh.blogspot.com/

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If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about the mysterious art of catching speckled trout from the surf then there is a new book dedicated to that.

Capt. Gordon Churchill of Carteret County, NC, has written “Speckled Trout From the Surf ”.

Learn all about the where, how, what and even the why, of pursuing the wily speckled trout in the most difficult of environments.

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PIC OF THE MONTH

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Lily Metelsky 1st Place Lady Angler in the 2022 Virginia Beach Tuna Tournament #1 - Hunter Southall - Sheepshead - Compliments of Capt. Kelly Aboard Rock Solid #2 - Capt Jenn McCourt - United States Air Force with Greg Nachman. Jenn’s 1st Turkey #3 - Sandra Rothrock Virginia DWR Trophy 3 -Bass Award weighing in at 6.5-lbs with a length of 23 1/2-inches.

one of the largest fishing tournaments in the world, wrestled in a 58.7 lb yellowfin all by herself.

This is the second year Lily has placed in the top two. In 2021, Lily came in 2nd place with a whopping 39 lb tuna. Congratulations Lily. Lookout fishermen, there’s a new fisherwoman on the sea.

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By Will Schmidt

Your Grouper Grounds

F

inding new spots to fish has been one of the biggest issues facing us since… well, since fishing started. For years inshore fishermen have used satellite views to find points with cuts, oyster bars and other features that can be seen from above in the shallows. The good news is offshore anglers can now take advantage of similar imagery to make finding new spots feel like you’ve got it made in the shade.

High-definition relief shading like that in the new Garmin Navionics Vision+ package gives anglers insight into spots they would have never known about unless they just stumbled across them. There are countless examples of offshore spots where I’ve marked and caught fish without knowing that just a few hundred feet away were even better looking spots.

It’s hard to know every ridge or well-defined bottom feature, so getting a view of what is down there can be extremely beneficial. Of course, not all

spots that look good hold fish, but it’s a start.

Once you find something of interest, spot lock trolling motors make it easy to move and drop baits to see if anyone is home. For larger areas, such as long ridges, sometimes trolling makes a bit more sense to cover more ground.

When chasing bottom fish such as grouper, there are a few techniques that work well. Downriggers and planers with jig heads and large paddletail baits work well, but I find deep diving plugs to be even better. There are a host of deep divers out now that provide an accurate depth to which they will dive.

The Nomad DTX Minnow is one of my favorites. It is deadly on grouper and does double duty with its high-speed capability for chasing pelagic species as well. I also love the fact that they come rigged with single hooks versus treble hooks. The key is to just graze the sandy bottom next to the rocks to get the groupers’ attention. They have keen sight and will charge out quickly to grab a meal, and the bonus is you start with them already away from the rocks.

Just a few hundred feet away The great thing about using highfrom where the author has definition relief shading and trolling marked and caught grouper for grouper is you might have one is a massive ledge that holds even more fish. spot that quickly turns into four or five locations to drop baits in a relatively small area. Sometimes the spots are within a few hundred feet and sometimes farther. Regardless, this technology is a game-changer, and by covering new ground quickly it can make finding new productive spots much easier.

Will Schmidt is a seasoned tournament angler who has been writing about fishing from more than two decades.

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w aters d a e H

them carefully when dog-day temperatures peak. Fish are fighting for their lives with every ounce of their strength on the end of a line. The stress can kill them when water conditions are less than ideal. That, along with blazing hot sun on the back of the neck, is enough reason to strike out in search of a more appealing environment when it gets hot.

My 11-year-old son and I recently spent a couple days on the headwaters of North Carolina’s Nantahala River at a place called Standing Indian. Standing Indian Mountain tops out at close to 5,500 feet, and its slopes feed the river with plenty of cold water from numerous headwater branches. This area, upstream of the U.S. Forest Service’s Standing Indian Campground, is off of U.S. 64 west of Franklin, N.C. The Nantahala at Standing Indian bears little resemblance to the big whitewater river it becomes downstream near Bryson City. In its headwaters, there are about six miles of public water that might be 20 feet across in the wide spots. It’s a great little stream for folks who enjoy slinging dry flies on a four-weight fly rod for pretty little rainbow and brown trout.

The fishing wasn’t exactly stellar the two days my son and I fished in mid-June. There were thunderstorms each night, so the river was a little high and stained. My son is also new to a lightweight fly rod, and overhanging rhododendron and river birch are hardly easy terrain for a beginner. Still, we managed to catch numerous gorgeous rainbows slinging a dry-dropper rig with a small Pheasant Tail fished beneath a yellow Stimulator. There were little yellow Sally stoneflies in the air, so our selection of dry fly matched the hatch.

Good small-stream browns in the 14-inch range come from this stretch of water pretty regularly, but all we caught were rainbows with a couple measuring maybe 10 or 11 inches. That’s a pretty good fish in terms of little

By Nick Carter wild trout streams in the Southeast. We considered our mission accomplished returning to a riverside campsite each evening.

While my son might not be old enough to appreciate it, the cool mountain rout anglers have two options when it comes to deep summer. They can air and bedding down to the gurgle of the creek were the highlights of the trip. either hit tailwater fisheries, where dam-controlled flows provide stable The air temperature was easily 20 degrees cooler than back home, and I don’t year-round water temperatures, or they can seek out high-elevation know if I’ve ever slept better. headwaters, where both fish and angler find comfort in rhododendron-shaded For information, check out Nick Carter’s book “Flyfisher’s Guide to creeks with water conditions perennially perfect for little wild trout.

North Carolina & Georgia.” It’s available on Amazon or by Big fish and big hatches of tailrace trout fishing are certainly appealing. contacting the author at nsc8957@gmail.com.

However, anglers should play fish intended for release quickly and handle

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TIPS FROM A PRO

SUMMERTIME BASS ON POPPERS

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TYLER WOOLCOTT

ass are on the move in deep summer.

Throwing search baits, especially topwater, is one of the best and most fun ways to find groups of feeding fish. A style of lure that was created a long time ago but still works wonders today is an old-school topwater popper. You can throw this just about anywhere around rocks, grass, wood, docks and in open water to get bites.

When the weather gets hot and more people get on the water, getting fish to commit to a surface lure is sometimes almost impossible. What I like to do is put away the bigger topwaters like walking baits or Whopper Ploppers and take out a smaller Pop-Rstyle bait.

There are a few reasons this bait gets more bites in the right situations. The first is it’s smaller and quieter. A smaller profile and less noise is sometimes what these finicky fish want. I have seen many situations when throwing a big noisy topwater won’t get a single bite, but throwing a popper in the same area makes fish eat.

Another reason popper-style baits are very good is the speed at which you can work them. There are many topwaters that require highspeed retrieves.

With a popper, the slower you work it the more it drives them crazy. I vary my retrieve and see what the fish are feeling, but usually I’ll pop the bait subtly a few times and vary the action to make it look like a dying baitfish. Then I’ll let the bait sit for a few seconds before creating another movement. This absolutely drives them crazy.

One last reason poppers are deadly is that feathered rear treble hook. When fish are feeding on tiny baitfish or bugs, the feathered treble makes them bite. Sometimes even the small profile of the bait is still too big for them, but they come up and see the feathers and eat those instead.

Fishing the right rod and reel with a Pop-R makes a huge difference in landing fish. You want a rod with a good amount of bend because you don’t set the hook. Instead, you just reel into them. I use a 13 Fishing Defy Black 7’ cranking rod. For the reel, you want something that is able to cast a light lure as far as possible.

You also need one that will pick up the bait fast for another cast in case a fish misses or you spot surfacing fish. I use a 13 Fishing Concept with an 8:3 gear ratio. I spool it with 30- to 50-lb. Seaguar Smackdown Braid.

Next time you get on the water, pick up a popper style lure like a 13 Fishing Poppy McPop Face and see how deadly it can be in the summer months.

Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide.

Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com.

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