The Angler Magazine - May / SW Georgia-East Alabama

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SW GEORGIA/EAST ALABAMA EDITION

Striped Bass Are Running

Electronics Edition Local

Picky-Trout

Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events

Tactics

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL HUGHES JR. VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 267

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BOOST YOUR CATCH w/RezBoostTM Technology

Interested in getting the most out of your own trusted transducer, or not sure you’re ready for the expense of installing a new CHIRP transducer? Furuno has a solution that will get the very best performance from your traditional narrowband transducer.

Our RezBoostTM Fish Finders deliver clearer images than ever before, we’re talking up to 8x sharper. Whether it’s NavNet TZtouch2 or the FCV588/FCV628 stand-alone Fish Finders, RezBoostTM will boost your catch!

Get up to 8x sharper resolution, using a standard narrow band transducer, to more clearly define fish targets.

Assess individual fish size and depth based on echo strength for fish from 4 inches to over 6 feet.

Identify the sea floor composition from four types (Rocks/Sand/Gravel/Mud).

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Electronics GARMIN INREACH EXPLORER+ Going where the fish are often means exploring places where communication becomes very difficult. Whether you’re far offshore, deep in a marshy backwater or high up a remote mountain stream, wouldn’t it be reassuring to know you can connect with someone in the event of an emergency? Or you might just need to let someone know where the fish are biting?

The Garmin inReach Explorer+ is a handheld GPS navigator and satellite communicator that allows you to explore anywhere and communicate everywhere. It is a rugged, compact unit that uses 100 percent global Iridium coverage for two-way text messaging and tracking anywhere in the world.

Navigate with detailed, preloaded TOPO maps, follow routes, mark waypoints and find your way back with a high-detail bread-crumb trail.

Using GPS tracking, you can easily share your location with family, friends, social media or emergency responders. In case of emergency, the interactive SOS allows you to communicate back and forth and receive confirmation that help is on the way.

For added capability, use the free Earthmate app to pair your inReach Explorer+ with mobile devices and access unlimited maps, aerial imagery, NOAA charts, weather and more.

WWW.GARMIN.COM FURUNO DFF3D Turn your NavNet TZtouch or TZtouch2 MFD into a multi-beam sonar that can see 120 degrees port to starboard, allowing you to see the depth and direction fish schools are moving, while displaying the seabed condition in real time.

Furuno’s DFF3D gives you real-time 120-degree port-starboard view of the water column and seabed in deeper than 650 feet of water, allowing you to find fish in deep water faster than conventional

single-beam sounders.

Cross-Section displays the real-time sea column echo in 120 degrees port and starboard. This mode aids in understanding the distribution of baitfish and water column conditions. The 3D Sounder History provides an intuitive and easyto-understand 3D image of the seafloor, along with fish school icons. A single or triple-direction fishfinder image can be displayed. The triple beam display helps you understand the depth of fish and seabed condition in each direction, as well as the direction target fish are moving. Side scan clearly displays the shape of structure to port and starboard as a high definition image.

WWW.FURUNO.COM STANDARD HORIZON EXPLORER GX1700 GPS VHF RADIO The GX1700 makes DSC easy. With an internal 12 Channel GPS built into the front panel, there is no need to hassle with wiring the radio to a GPS for DSC. Out of the box and ready to go, DSC calling, position sharing, waypoint navigation and navigation to DSC distress calls can all be performed with just a few simple steps.

The Explorer GPS VHF radio has a compact rear case of only 3.5 inches. The Built-In WAAS GPS receiver and antenna give flexibility to flush mount the radio in tight areas.

The GX1700 is capable of entering and saving up to 100 waypoints, which may be navigated to by using a unique navigation compass display that shows bearing and distance to the waypoint.

GX1700 is an ITU-R M493 Class D class VHF with a separate Channel 70 receiver, which allows DSC calls to be received even when listening to communications. The DSC DISTRESS function transmits a digital MAYDAY including vessel identification, latitude/longitude and time, to facilitate prompt response.

Other features include a big, bold display; RAM3+ remote mic capability, easy position sharing, Clearvoice noise reduction technology, programmable channel names, NOAA Weather channels and Weather Alert. And it’s all backed by a 3-year waterproof warranty.

WWW.STANDARDHORIZON.COM 5

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Product Review ACR ELECTRONICS RESQLINK PLB

At 4.6 ounces, the ResQLink distress beacon weighs less than a couple of energy bars, and it’s smaller than the cell phone in your pocket.

Small and mighty, the ResQLink PLB is a full-powered, GPS-enabled rescue beacon designed for anglers, pilots and backcountry sportsmen.

With three levels of integrated signal technology—GPS positioning, a powerful 406 MHz signal, and 121.5 MHz homing capability—the ResQLink PLB quickly and accurately relays your position to a worldwide network of search and rescue satellites. A built-in strobe light provides visibility during night rescues.

Even in extreme conditions and situations, the ResQLink activates easily. With its powerful 66-channel GPS, the ResQLink guides rescuers to within 100 meters of your position. And, in the continental U.S., search and rescue personnel are typically alerted in as little as five minutes.

Other features include: no subscription fees, self-test and GPS-test features and typical performance 30 hours. If you have to use your ResQLink PLB, ACR will replace it free of charge.

WWW.ACRARTEX.COM

JL AUDIO MEDIAMASTER 100S BLACK EDITION The MM100s-BE is hitting the market just in time for summer. This latest Black Edition of JL Audio’s MediaMaster was introduced with an updated user interface that offers enhanced volume control flexibility and four fully variable zones, each with independent feature/control options; Volume, Tone, and Naming.

NMEA 2000 interconnectivity is built into it and equipped with a NMEA2K Connector to integrate into existing networks, enabling MFD control functionality with Lowrance, Simrad and Garmin.

Designed for today’s modern media environment, the MM100s-BE features a Digital AM/FM/Weather Band Tuner, Bluetooth connectivity, separate line level AUX and USB/iPhone inputs, and it’s SiriusXM-Ready. Available with an optional MMR-20BE Wired Remote.

The MM100s-BE is a premium, single-chassis source unit with superb audio performance, excellent ergonomics and advanced audio features, specifically designed for marine applications. Check it out at http://www.jlaudio.com/.

Available at HIGH TECH MARINE in Hialeah, Fla. 305-883-9700.

WWW.HIGHTECHMARINE.COM ANGLER’S PAL ELECTRONICS MOUNTS AND TROLLING MOTOR STABILIZERS

Boaters and anglers invest a small fortune in their equipment. Fishermen, for example, know that quality sonar, GPS, chart plotters and electric motors are vital tools that enhance their experience.

For that reason, MarineTech Products, manufactures the Angler’s Pal line of electronics mounts and trolling motor stabilizers. Angler’s Pal mounts are designed to withstand the harsh marine environment and provide rock solid stability with minimal space requirements. The patented universal Ball Locking Device provides 360-degree adjustability and the strength to support the heaviest equipment without “drift.”

The Angler’s Pal Trolling Motor Mounts feature a unique rubber lock-down strap that protects your trolling motor from accidental deployment or excessive vibration that can damage the shaft. Overall length: 10” and now THE NEW 14” model for longer shafts and deeper gunnels.

They are made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel and hardanodized aluminum for fresh and saltwater use. They are available in a variety of lengths, and all Angler’s Pal mounts can be easily removed for storage. Angler’s Pal also manufactures 700 and 800 Series Rod Holders.

For information, contact Marine Tech Products at 1 651-4862010.

WWW.ANGLERSPAL.COM

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Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events

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Disclaimer: Coastal Angler Magazine / The Angler Magazine will not be held liable for injuries incurred while partaking in activities described herein, or for claims made against products or services provided by advertisers.

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Garmin Introduces

W

hether it’s by land, air or sea, Garmin has made a name for itself as the industry leader in navigational electronics. Its popular and varied GPSMAP product line offers the perfect tool for anyone who needs to know where they’re going.

In November, Garmin brought powerful new tools to the realm of marine electronics with the introduction of several new networking chartplotters and combination models to the GPSMAP line. Unveiled at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, these units lured in boaters and anglers with high-end features at a more than reasonable price point.

“These new GPSMAPs are designed for the budget-conscious customer who desires premium features typically found only in a higher-end product,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “We’ve packed these plotters with industry-leading features, builtin conveniences, and we’ve added two new screen sizes to our lineup—a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12-inch keyed—to offer something for every boater.”

Ranging in size from 7- to 12-inches, these new plotters are available with and without built-in sonar.

gration, and a 10Hz GPS/GLONASS receiver for smooth on-screen navigation.

These compact plotters offer full-network compatibility for the Garmin Marine Network, which allows support for sharing sonar, maps, user data, radar, IP cameras and Panoptix all-seeing sonar among multiple units. Plus, there’s NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183 support for autopilots, digital switching, weather, VHF, AIS and other sensors.

Anglers, cruisers and sailors alike will benefit from the xs series that comes equipped with built-in 1kW traditional CHIRP sonar and CHIRP ClearVü scanning sonar capability for a near-picture quality view of what’s beneath the boat.

Preloaded premium mapping features can be found on the GPSMAP 742/742xs and the GPSMAP 942/942xs, including both BlueChart g2 HD charts for the U.S., Canada and Bahamas and LakeVü HD maps. The GPSMAP 722/722xs and GPSMAP 922/922xs come preloaded with a worldwide basemap for general reference with support for optional mapping available at garmin.com.

GPSMAP 7x2/9x2 and GPSMAP 7x2xs/9x2xs Touchscreen Series

GPSMAP 10x2xsv/12x2xsv and GPSMAP 10x2/12x2 and Keyed Series

The GPSMAP 7x2/9x2 series plotters are 7- and 9-inch sunlight-readable touchscreen chartplotters perfect for any boater. The xs series offers the perfect solution for anglers with chartplotter/sonar combination units. These compact and powerful units are exactly what’s needed when functionality is essential and cockpit or deck space is at a premium.

Building on the popularity of the 7-inch touchscreen Garmin pioneered in 2010, this series introduces a 9-inch touchscreen to the Garmin line. Both serve customers who value screen size as a compelling option. They feature builtin wireless connectivity for Garmin mobile apps and VIRB action camera inte10

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For those who prefer using a keypad, the all-in-one solutions offered by the new 10-inch GPSMAP 10x2xsv and the 12-inch GPSMAP 12xsv can’t be beat.

With an all-new industrial design, these combos feature a large, sunlight-readable screen coupled with a keypad interface and new multifunction rotary control knob that offers precise, simple control for easy menu navigation and setting control, even in rough water.

These units also offer four user-programmable hot keys for one-touch access to favorite features and functions.

In addition to GPS and connectivity features also found in the GPSMAP 7x2/9x2xs series, the GPSMAP 10x2xsv and GPSMAP 12x2xsv also offer impressive sonar capabilities with built-in

CHIRP sonar, CHIRP ClearVü and CHIRP SideVü as well as support for Panoptix all-seeing sonar. Other premium Garmin sonar modules are also available, including two new CHIRP transducer options–the GT8HW-IH and GT15MTM. The GPSMAP 1042xs/1242xs come preloaded with BlueChart g2 coastal charts and U.S. LakeVü HD, while the GPSMAP 1022xs/1222xs offer a worldwide basemap. Two non-sonar versions, the GPSMAP 1022 and GPSMAP 1222 are also available with a preloaded worldwide basemap.

Advanced Features For Sailors

Premium sailing features have also been integrated into both new series, offering laylines, tidal information, enhanced wind rose, a current slider and other elements that prove beneficial to sailors. All new models also offer integrated ANT support for use with the quatix 3 marine smartwatch, the Garmin Nautix in-view display, gWind Wireless 2 transducer, GNX Wind marine instrument and wireless remote controls.

Additionally, all sonar-enabled models feature built-in Quickdraw Contours software, a free, easy-to-use tool that lets mariners instantly create personalized HD maps with 1-foot contours on any body of water.

An Attractive Price Point

The GPSMAP 7x2/9x2 and xs series will range from $799.99 to $1299.99, while the GPSMAP 10x2/12x2xsv and non-xsv series will be priced from $1699.99 to $2999.99. This is exceptionally affordable pricing for top-quality electronics with so many sophisticated yet easy-to-use features.

What more could you expect from Garmin, the company that was recently named Manufacturer of the Year for the second year in a row by the National Marine Electronics Association.

For a full list of features and more information, visit garmin.com/newmarine.

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Adjustable cap with brim UV-blocking polarized sunglasses

F

Photo courtesy of Controlled Descent Lures

or nearly a century, Eagle Claw has provided premium hooks for all kinds of anglers using American steel and designing and manufacturing them right here in the U.S.A. Founded in 1925 in Denver, Colo., Eagle Claw is extremely proud of its long history of American-made fish hooks. And it is also proud of the high-quality product it produces.

Trokar Eagle Claw’s Trokar hooks offer a competitive advantage for serious saltwater competitors. These premium quality hooks offer a faster, deeper, surer point penetration that requires half the pressure of the competition. Manufactured using cold forged high-carbon American-Made steel, they offer better durability and stronger holds for hard-fighting, big-game species.

Trokar hooks are surgically sharpened, and their triple-sided points are regarded as the most innovative, sharpest, and most durable on the market today. The Platinum Black finish is designed to withstand repeated use in saltwater and harsh marine conditions.

There are more than 20 models of Trokar hooks available for fresh and saltwater. A highlight of the Trokar saltwater line is the TK197 Primal Circle Hook, which is an awesome all-purpose bait hook with an offset, light-wire design. Made of high-carbon steel wire for strength and durability, this hook has a highly durable point and a salt-resistant coating. It offers stronger hold for battling fast and hard-fighting big game fish, and it is a dream come true for serious competition anglers who fish for serious saltwater species.

Lazer Sharp Eagle Claw’s Lazer Sharp hooks are designed to be “Sharper, Stronger, Longer,” which means the patented Lazer Sharp needlepoint and forged technology ensures a sharper, stronger, longer hold than the leading competition.

Lazer Sharp hooks feature uniquely blended coatings—Sea Guard, Platinum Black and Nickel— which are designed to be more durable and abrasion resistant after repeated use in saltwater.

There are more than 30 Lazer Sharp saltwater models available. The L2004EL has become a staple on the boats of big-time billfish anglers. They are approved by the Billfish Foundation for tournament use, and were the original and once the only tournament-approved circle sea hook. The design of this non-offset, circle sea, with a wide gap, light wire and a forged point, results in more solid hook-ups and a much higher rate of fish hooked in the corner of the mouth, which equates to fewer escaping fish as well as less-stressful releases.

To this day, the L2004EL is still the single best option for pro and amateur billfish tournament anglers looking for proven performance stemming from a decade of making champions out of competitors.

Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle, Co. is an American-based company that has been designing and manufacturing innovative, high-quality fishhooks and fishing equipment for more than 90 years. Its family of brands includes Eagle Claw, Lazer Sharp, TroKar, Wright & McGill and Shappell. For more information about Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle Co. and its family of brands, visit www.eagleclaw.com, find them on Facebook at facebook. com/eagleclaw/, facebook.com/TroKarHooks/ and facebook. com/shappellcorp/ or call 720-941-8700.

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ON THE COVER Editor’s Note:

Each month, Coastal Angler Magazine and The Angler Magazine staff search our vast coverage area for photos that will grace our covers.

With well over a million readers in diverse coastal and inland markets, our magazines strive for broad national appeal as well as local-level intelligence to put anglers on fish. The cover is different depending on which edition you, the reader, are holding. The following is a little information about this month’s covers.

COASTAL ANGLER MAGAZINE Costa Rica Sailfish

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The great shot of a Pacific sailfish that graces Pacific Sails the covers of this month’s Coastal Angler In Costa Rica Electronics Edition editions comes from Costa Rica Pro Staff member Francisco Mejias. Francisco is one of the great captains who provide monthly Striped Bass forecasts for our local Costa Rica edition, Are Running Local and he captures some stunning photography as well.

Knowing one’s way around a camera is important for getting cover-worthy shots.

And it definitely doesn’t hurt to have a target-rich environment like Costa Rica’s beautiful Pacific coast to snap photos of trophy fish.

Inside this month’s magazine, Francisco and several other Costa Rica Pro Staff members came together to share the Pacific sailfish experience with our readers. From smaller boats, they pull spreads for sails that can top 200 pounds. The techniques and tools for catching and releasing them safely are laid out in the article, and they are techniques honed by the knowledge that can be gathered during 50-sailfish days. No kidding.

The fishing down there can be that good.

Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events

PHOTO COURTESY OF FRANCISCO MEJIAS, VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 267

COSTA RICA PROSTAFF

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THE ANGLER MAGAZINE Hudson River Striped Bass

FREE

All over the country, wherever striped bass Striped Bass live, spring incites migrations of these bruisers Are Running up the rivers to spawn. This is the time of year when very large fish can be caught in skinny water. In the Southeast, runs of landlocked Electronics stripes can be roughly timed by the blooming Edition Local of the dogwoods. In the Northeast, anglers Picky-Trout Tactics await the arrival of the Alewives.

Dave Maneri, of Tivoli, N.Y., caught the big striper on the covers of this month’s The Angler editions. His buddy Paul Hughes Jr. snapped the photo while they were fishing the striped bass run on the Hudson River, which feeds the Atlantic Ocean at New York City. It was an epic day for the two anglers. They caught multiple fish, including the cover fish and another one about the same size, which Paul is holding in the photo that appears with the article.

In that article, Dave tells us all about the Hudson River striped bass run and how he goes about catching big stripers from the shore as well as from a boat. The uninformed might assume there’s no fishing to be done in such close proximity to one of the biggest and busiest cities in the world. But striped bass and baitfish still run up the Hudson each year to spawn, just like they have since time immemorial.

Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL HUGHES JR. VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 267

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By Pro Staff Costa Rica • Photos by Francisco Mejias

T

he Pacific sailfish is one of the most sought after offshore game fish in Costa Rica. Growing larger than their Atlantic

counterpart, sailfish in Costa Rica average 60 to 80 pounds, but big ones can surpass 200 pounds!

They are migratory, with the main concentration of fish arriving in our area of the Central Pacific as the dry season sets in the end of December. They move away as the wet season kicks in during early May. Even though this is the main migration, there are always sailfish present in our waters year round.

We fish from smaller boats, so we use the traditional five-rod setup. A combination of natural baits and lures are used, and our main baits are ballyhoo. Our lures of choice are the Magna series from Santos. Variations of pink, lumo and blue combined with a Trokar hook are deadly combinations. If the bite is slow, we often sew a belly flap or strip bait into the lures for a more enticing bait.

On the outriggers, we use teasers. A squid chain in pink on one side and a bigger lure like a Santos Carolina Seastalker on the other is a good start. The shotgun gets a Santos lure as well as the long rigger.

The short rigger and the two corners are set up with naked swimming ballyhoos on Trokar 7/0 circle hooks. It is also handy to have a mullet, horse ballyhoo or tuna

rigged and ready to go as a pitch bait in case a marlin decides to crash the party.

Once the fish is caught it is time for a few photos. This is a critical part of the process, as it involves fish handling. Even though some boats still bring up a sailfish for a photo, it is highly recommended to not do so, as it can be extremely harmful to the fish. It is the process of pulling the fish over the rail of the boat that causes problems. The protective mucus covering is scraped off, leaving an area of skin exposed to bacterial and fungal attack. This can result in death of the fish at a later time.

Leave the fish in the water, and with a good pair of AFTCO gloves, grab the outer part of the bill and push the fish as far out from the boat as possible. Keep the head of the fish in the water as much as possible, and lift it briefly for a good photo. Take the shot from the tail end of the fish looking forward or from above if possible. Alternatively, grab the front part of the sail, pull it up and hold the bill with your other hand. Make sure the bill is always pointing away from you and not at you. Take the photo from the front of the fish.

If you have never been to Costa Rica fishing, it is definitely worth it and you will be hooked!

Pro Staff Costa Rica provides monthly reports for Coastal Angler Magazine’s Costa Rica edition. Search out Pro Staff Costa Rica on Facebook for more great photography, videos and fishing content.

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Spring Striped Bass Run The Hudson River

By Nick Carter

E

ach spring, through the Hudson River’s mouth at bustling New York Harbor, a massive spawning migration of Atlantic stripers pushes some 150 miles upstream to the Federal Dam at Troy, N.Y. In this long stretch of tidally influenced river, striped bass show up when water temps reach the 60s.

Dave Maneri, of Tivoli, N.Y., said the trick is to keep up with the migration and put yourself in the right place at the right time to intercept pods of transient stripers.

“They move in big schools,” Maneri said. “Some days they’re there and you can catch them; other days they’re not. You gotta stay on the reports. They’re running the whole river, so you could travel to where the fish are or wait until they’re where you are.”

Smaller schoolie striped bass show up first. They come with the spawning alewives, which are baitfish commonly called herring. Schoolies remain in the river for a couple months some years, and there’s also a year-round resident population. But Maneri said the big cows remain only for a week or two each season. They are always on the move, and connecting with them can lead to unbelievable action with big fish measuring past the 40-inch mark with weights heavier than 30 pounds.

Fishing bait is generally the most productive tactic. The best bait is herring pulled right out of the river, either live or chunked.

Most locals use a scap net to catch herring. A scap net is essentially a 4’x4’ dip net. The schooling herring will follow a swimbait right up to the net where they are captured.

Maneri fishes his herring off the bottom using medium and medium-heavy rods with baitrunner-style reels that allow fish to run with the bait on free spool before the angler strikes to set the hook and engage the drag. He employs a main line of 30-pound braid with a 1 ½-foot leader of 15- to 20-pound fluorocarbon. A 7/0 Gamakatsu Octopus should be hooked through the bait’s mouth, and the whole rig is kept down with a 2- or 3-ounce slide swivel teardrop sinker.

Maneri said stripers don’t relate to any kind of structure on their spawning run, so the good spots are the drop offs, channels and shallows where baitfish might be funneled.

Obviously, a boat gives anglers the ability to move and seek out fish. But fishing from shore is also productive. When he fishes from the shore, Maneri uses rod holders made from PVC pipe and rebar. They can be wedged into rip-rap to free up the angler while waiting on a bite.

And the bite can be a tricky thing. Maneri said these stripers have a knack for spitting the bait. One thing is for sure, though; when the hook sets solid and the drag is engaged, a big striped bass in heavy current is a formidable opponent.

Dave Maneri is a team member of Catskill Outdoors. Look them up on Facebook.

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Tips For Catching Picky Trout

By Charlie Warfield • Photo by John Winkler, redhouseflyfishing.com

T

he upper end of the Delaware River, and more specifically the West Branch of the Delaware in the Catskill Mountains, is a favorite of many fly anglers in Pennsylvania and Upstate New York. It can also be frustrating place, as it holds some very picky trout.

The river has a reputation for crystal clear water, and because it is a bottom-release tailwater, it has a very consistent temperature, which makes for great hatches and healthy fish year round.

It is known for being very technical, and this is just a nice way of saying it will sometimes make you want to pull your hair out.

The first time I fished it, I was tested, even frustrated by this beautiful waterway. But besides the beautiful mountain setting and endless hatches, it is in part the challenge that drove me to go back time after time. I persisted and figured out ways of tricking the beautiful native fish. I learned lessons there that have made me a better angler. The following are some insights that will give you a leg up when you go fish the Delaware or any other technical stream.

Downstream Presentation: Many anglers learned to cast upstream and let the fly drift down. But when fishing for spooky or educated fish, this method can sometimes leave you frustrated. It’s harder to get a good, long drift with a downstream presentation, but many times it is your best bet. Next time you’re having a hard time getting a take, cast out at about 90 degrees to the bank, and quickly give an upstream mend, this will help you keep a drag free drift for as long as possible. Keep mending as often as needed, letting the fly swing to its full downstream position.

Sweep-Style Hook Set: The downstream presentation should be matched with a sweep-style hook set. To use this technique, swing the rod downstream and strip the line at the same time, this will pull the line through the water, creating tension and giving a good hook set.

By swinging the rod downstream, you are also pulling the hook into the corner of the fish’s mouth rather than pulling it up and away from the fish.

Slow Down Your Hook Set: Ok, we have all done it before. It’s a tough day on the water and all of the sudden you get a strike, BAM you set the hook… and nothing. I have heard people say things like, “Next time, set the hook faster.” But most of the time the opposite is true. A good technique is to wait one second and then give the rod a gentle lift or sweep.

Match the Hatch: Picky fish know what they want to eat. There can be significant variation in color, size and body shape in the same species of fly from region to region, and there are many subspecies for each type of fly we fish. So do your homework. I suggest hiring a local guide or at least stopping in at the local fly shop. It is good to support the community, and you can never beat local knowledge.

For more tips on trout fishing, go to

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apt. Judy Helmey is reporting some pretty good action off the Georgia coast.

“The inshore bite continues to be very good one day and not so good the next,” she wrote. “Whiting bite has been great, and thank goodness I have been on the on-bite days. Plain old bottom fishing has been great in the sounds with small pieces of shrimp on small hooks and light tackle.

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“Redfish (slot and trophy redfish), spotted sea trout, flounder, sheepshead, black drum and whiting have pretty much lined our captains’ coolers on the on-bite days! Best bait hands down is going to be live shrimp, with the cold water. Mud minnows come in second.”

Photographed here is what Capt. Judy called a grand gaggle of whiting, caught by the Silva family while on spring break at Tybee Island. Capt. Matt Williams, of Miss Judy Charters, showed them the fish-catching way.

“When it comes to catching whiting, it sure is a lot of fun!” wrote Capt.

Judy. “Although the fish are small, it comes with some big bite patterns. Normally these fish hold at a certain depth, and at a certain tide under certain circumstances. Once you figure out their selection for the day, you will be catching good to go.

“Here are a few tips: Once you find their preferred depth, continuous bites can happen. Keep in mind that this fish can hold in as shallow as 8 feet to as deep as 30 feet of water. They love staging at the contours/drop offs on the bottom. Heck, take a close look at your chart plotter and let it show you the way. The old whiting has the strangest bite pattern. The fact of the matter is a whiting peels its shrimp, just like we do, before eating it.

“If I have said this once, I have said it thousands of time. And since I have been fishing for over 52 years, this certainly is not so much of an exaggeration! I always tell my customers that where you catch one whiting they are plenty more. The reason being is they follow the food. So, if you are anchored and start catching fish right off, you most likely have picked the right spot.

In my case, since my boat has a 12-foot beam, the fishermen on the port side might catch more than those fishing on the stern or starboard side. In thinking about that, 12 feet can make a lot of difference. Having everyone fish on one side of the boat can get a little crowded, but it works!

Out on the artificial reefs, the Spanish mackerel have arrived. Capt. Judy said to watch for feeding and diving birds to find them, and the best way to catch them is trolling a Clark Spoon. On the Snapper Banks, bottom fishing for vermilion snapper, black sea bass, trigger fish, porgy, white grunts and other biters has been good. The best baits have been cut squid and fresh fillet fish.

Capt. Judy Helmey runs Capt. Judy Charters out of Savannah, Ga. Contact them at 912-897-4921 or by email at fishjudy2@aol.com.

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The Angler Magazine Southwest GA & East AL

Publisher: Bob Rice Contributing Writers: Dr. Andrew Cox O’Neill Williams Nick Carter David Randall Cefus McRae Renae Randall Henry Cowen

Jake Davis Noey Vineyard Keith Hudson Paul Tyre Mark Smith Jim Farmer Sam Williams David Hare Casey Crawley

Matt Henry Gary Turner Rene Hesse Wayne Wooten Steve McCorkle

Graphic Designer: Meri Mock

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A Free Publication The Angler Magazine is Published Monthly and Distributed Across the Southeast.

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Cover Photo by Bob Rice MAY 2017

SOUTHWEST GA EAST AL 1

Angling for Shoal Bass

Over the last several years of fishing in Georgia, I notice that it is becoming increasingly common to catch shoal bass.

Shoal bass are more likely to make up a portion of your bag of fish in fishing Georgia’s waters. This is particularly true if you fish the rocky, flowing headwaters of various reservoirs across the state of Georgia as well as the tributaries of rivers and reservoirs that contain flowing water and shoals. Their range seems to be increasing, particularly within Georgia.

Though native to Alabama, shoal bass are not as commonly found as in the waters described within this article. It is noted in the Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest, in the major Alabama tributaries of the Chattahoochee River, shoal bass are protected with it being illegal to possess this fish species.

Make sure to review these regulations if targeting shoal bass in this state.

Shoal bass are now recognized as a distinct species within the bass family. They have red eye coloring with olive to bronze coloring making them similar in appearance to smallmouth bass. They are scrappy fighters and are fun to catch on rod and reel tackle.

The Georgia state record shoal bass is 8 pounds, 3 ounces. I usually catch shoal bass by accident rather than specifically targeting them. Some common lures and baits that I catch shoal bass include plastic worms, fluke type plastic baits, small Rapala type lures in both the floating and countdown versions,

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in-line spinners, spoons and small topwater lures. These fish are typically caught with light action spinning equipment. Fly rod anglers catch shoal bass with streamers, poppers and Wooly Buggers. The area being fished seems to be more important than the type of bait/ lure used in catching shoal bass.

I recently met Jeremy Bagley from Columbus, Georgia. He specifically fishes for shoal bass in the waters of West and Central Georgia. He targets shoal bass in the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers in West Central Georgia, and the Ocmulgee River in Central Georgia. He also fishes the major tributary streams of these rivers in West Central and Central Georgia. Jeremy fishes these waters both by wading as well as from a kayak.

Jeremy’s approach to catching large shoal bass seems to be somewhat novel in nature.

Though he will use trick worms, paddle tail Flukes and spoons in catching these fish, his go-to baits are large swimbaits. These swimbaits resemble baits that you might use in saltwater fishing settings for larger fish (Stalker Swimbaits, Fish30Acre). These swimbaits are jointed and have a tight action when retrieved. He uses bait casting equipment with rods over 7 feet long with lower gear ratio bait casting reels. The fish that Jeremy catches with these baits and equipment is impressive, far exceeding the shoal bass that I catch by accident on spinning equipment and smaller lures.

by Andrew A. Cox

Shoal bass are a fun fish species to catch and represent a fun departure from catching largemouth and spotted bass. Both the Alabama and Georgia state records for these fish are under 9 pounds. You never know; you may go down in the record book for catching a shoal bass of a lifetime. This is Jeremy Bagley’s goal, which he seems well on his way to attaining. Remember to practice catch and release angling with these fish.

Dr. Andrew Cox is a contributing writer to outdoor publications. He is a member of the Georgia Outdoor Writer’s Association. Dr. Cox financially supports his fishing habits as Professor Emeritus at Troy University, Phenix City, Alabama. He may be contacted at andrewtrout@aol.com.

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Fish

Fish the Shad Spawn for Big Bass!

Threadfin shad can be found in most lakes across the Southeast and are the staple diet of all bass. This high protein food source makes them the perfect forage for hungry bass. The shad spawn can mean the best bass fishing of the spring if you hit the right spots at the right times.

Shad spawn when the water temperatures hit the upper sixties to low seventies and during the full moon. In TN, GA and AL this usually means the full moon in April and May. Shad will find varieties of habitat to spawn depending upon the type of lake. These areas may consist of shoreline grass or lily pads, rip rap, wood cover and even boat docks typically in shallow water with deeper water close by. Watch for dark clouds of shad travelling the grass lines or rippling of the water right where the water meets the edge of the hard surfaces such as wood or rocky banks.

One of the best ways to catch bass during the shad spawn is using a 3/8 to 3/4 ounce spinnerbait with silver willow leaf #4 or #5 blades with a white skirt to imitate the shad. Another great lure is a topwater bait like Assassinator buzzbait with a head/hook that set below the water due to its 45 degree bend, Rapala X-Rap Popper and walking baits such as Sammys. A buzzbait worked slowly will often excite the bass in shallow cover, while if you are fishing close to deep water, try a hard bait such as the Rapala X-Rap Popper. This will draw them from greater depths simply because you can work them slower. I tend to use a topwater lure just prior to the crack of dawn and again as the spinnerbait bite slows after sun up.

by Capt Jake Davis Get your boat in close to the bank and parallel the bank. Try to position your boat behind the shad and keep your movement to a minimum, so not to spook them. See which way they are moving and cast with or across the flow of traffic. Cast your spinnerbait right on the rocks or against the sea wall in areas void of grass and when fishing around grass, allow the spinnerbait to tick the grass. When fishing grass ledges, as your lure clears the grass, drop the rod tip and stop your retrieve for a few seconds, than pop the tip once or twice.

Many times bass will relate to the edge of the grass waiting for unsuspecting prey. If you suspect this, use a stick bait similar to a wacky rigged Yamamoto Senko to produce great results.

You can't cast too shallow! Start your retrieve as soon as your bait hits the water and be ready to set the hook immediately. Bass will often hit as soon as the bait hits the water when using either a topwater lure or spinnerbait.

My preferred equipment setup when using a spinnerbait or popper is a 6’9” to 7’0” medium-heavy Duckett Micro PRO, LEW’s 6.4:1 reel spooled with 15-17 pound test Vicious Ultimate Co-Poly line. With this setup, your rod has just the right tip action to properly work the lure and still enough backbone to keep the beast hooked up. With buzzbaits, I’ll arm my clients with a 7’0” heavy Duckett White Ice, LEW’s 6.4:1 or 7:1 reel spooled with 50 pound test Vicious braid, because we are normally throwing it in or around heavy cover and you’re going to need the extra power to drag them out!

Capt Jake Davis is a full time, year round professional guide on Lake Guntersville and Tim’s Ford, Mid South Bass Guide, www.midsouthbassguide. com or cell (615) 613-2382.

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MAY 2017

SOUTHWEST GA EAST AL 3

Local Lakes & Forecasts West Point Lake

Forecast by Capt. Keith Hudson Keith Hudson Guide Service hudsonsprobass@gmail.com

706-884-1483 or 706-882-1743 Water temps are mostly in the 70s. The lake is mostly clear and about two feet below our original full pool level of 635 +-. Please be sure to visit my website at www.LakeWestPointFishing.com for more info.

Bass: Good - May is normally a great month for all types of fishing.

The weather is usually beautiful and fairly consistent. Bass can be caught on several different patterns. Topwater baits such as Pop R's, Zara Spooks and buzzbaits can be extremely effective for shallow and aggressive fish.

The second pattern that works really well is to look for spawning shad.

Try fishing rip rap around bridges with spinnerbaits, small crankbaits, and Zoom Superflukes. Additionally, some big tournament sacks of largemouth are weighed in by guys who sight fish, targeting fish that are locked on bed. This can be an aggravating way to fish but can pay off in a tournament win. Lots of spotted bass are caught by just dragging a Carolina-rigged Zoom finesse worm or mini lizard around sloping gravel banks. This tactic normally works very well for numbers.

Linesides: Excellent - Spawned out hybrids and stripers show back up down lake in May. Expect the downline bite on live bait to be awesome.

Some fish are starting surface schooling on the main lake and can be caught on small crankbaits, topwaters, pop-n-cork rigs and Storm Swim Shad lures.

Crappie: Fair - Spawned out fish will typically move out and hold on deeper structure or under docks for a while to recover. Night fishing should also improve in May. Bream: Good - Don't forget about our bream and shellcracker. Finding an active bed can take a little effort, but when you do, you can have a ball! Bedding usually takes place on the full moon cycles in May. Look for shallow cover in the backs of pockets. Sandy flats and stump beds tend to draw the fish like a magnet. Use live pink worms, crickets and small jigs for the best results.

Catfish: Good - Lots of channel cat are caught by anglers that are targeting linesides. The same live and cut baits (and worms of course) will catch cats in the river north of 219. To target flatheads, go to a larger bait like a 4-5 inch bream and fish the same areas. Be sure to increase the size of your rigs as fish in the 20-30-pound range are fairly common.

Lake Seminole Forecast by Guide Paul Tyre paultyrefishing@yahoo.com 850-264-7534

Water temp.: 71 degrees, lake level: full pool, clarity: clear.

The majority of the bass have spawned and are transitioning to the post-spawn areas and patterns.

As the bass move into the summer area, the shad are starting to spawn along the grass edges on the main lake. To catch bass on a shad spawn, get out on the water early and cover a lot of water with reaction baits.

My lure of choice is a 1/2 or 3/8 ounce Strike King double willow spinnerbait fished along the edges and over the top of the grass.

This time of year, the topwater fishing on Lake Seminole can be incredible. I like to use several different topwater baits, a buzzbait and a frog. I like to fish the buzzbait when the fish are feeding on the edge of the grass. My favorite is a Strike King Pro Model in chartreuse and white. I like to use at least a 7 foot medium heavy rod with braided line and a high ratio reel. This setup allows me to turn most of my bites into catches.

For the frog (hollow body frog), I like to use at least 50-pound braid and a 7' heavy rod with a high speed reel. When working the frog over the top of hydrilla or pads, you need a stout rod and line to set a good hook and to get the big bass out of the slop.

The shellcracker have been spawning and have been being caught in limits. I recently had the honor to take a young man, Brandon Autry, from Woodville, FL while my buddy, Angelo Koundourakis took his father, Neal, and we put an awesome mess in the cooler using worms. The weather has been great for fishing. The bream will be spawning soon and we've been seeing some getting ready on the lake. The crappie have slowed down some since it is warming up but are still being caught with minnows.

Lake Eufaula/Walter F. George Forecast by Capt. Sam Williams, Hawk’s Guide Service 334-687-6266 hawk184@earthlink.net Water temp.: upper 60's, lake level: 189.39, water clarity: light stain.

Spring is here and the fishing is setting up to be hot. The water is staying up and steady. The underwater cover is holding bait. The crappie and bream are bedding. Bass are eating well. Bass are still bedding too.

The bass are hitting blade baits on top and frogs. Trick worms, black and chartreuse, on the edge are really good. Slow is the answer.

Crappie are near cover. Fishing in the holes in cover is working.

Shellcrackers are in cover tight. Red worms are getting a good mess of fish.

Cats are really big this year. Jug fishing is working well. Cut bait is best.

June is fast approaching, please support the Alabama Children's Classic Bass Tournament and get registered. There are lots of prizes and opportunities to support the kid's while being treated. God Bless & Good Fishn'.

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Lake Martin

Lake Jackson

Forecast by Capt. David Hare Alex City Guide Service

Forecast by Brian Lee leebrian16@yahoo.com

256.401.3089 davidbhare@yahoo.com

Water temp: low 70's, water clarity: stained/clear, water level: full pool.

As the spawn starts to wind down, the bass will be looking to replenish some energy, especially as the dog days of summer approaches. Primary points early in the mornings with topwater will be on fire. Run and gun as this will only last till the sun gets up. Concentrate on bait as the bass will be in a feeding frenzy before it gets hot.

As the sun rises, back off and throw a C-Rig or a shaky head on the same points.

Deeper brush piles and ledges will start to have fish stack up on them as the water temp rises. You can also flip wood cover and docks to catch a few fish as well.

This is the time of year that you can catch multiple fish on one spot as they school up. Best of luck and tight lines.

Lake Guntersville

Forecast by: Capt. Jake Davis msbassguide@comcast.net 615.613.2382

The past month has been good for my clients for the most part, we had some slow days but everyone still caught fish. Our best fish this month was a 9.09 largemouth which was Mr. Randy Stanfield’s personal best. We experienced some exciting fishing while catching them on a variety of lures.The best lineup of lures was Tightline Jigs, D-Bombs and Destroyers from Missile Baits, swimbaits and Wobble Head Swim-jigs from Tightline Jigs around main channel grass lines and grassy humps. Water temps range from 68 to 76 degrees.

May should be a blast as we will have the shad spawn starting on or around the full moon, and we’ll start working the shell beds. Best advice is “slow down and work an area completely!”

It’s time to start planning those late summer and early fall frog and flipping trips Guntersville is famous for, so call me to reserve a date. Please wear your PFDs and be aware of your surroundings; with the increased traffic boating accidents can happen to anyone! Make your reservations now for some great fishing on Guntersville or Tim’s Ford. We supply all fishing gear including Duckett fishing rods, LEW’s reels, Vicious Fishing Line, top shelf lures such as Missile Baits soft plastics, and Tightline Jigs all at no additional cost you. We offer a military discount and 100% dedication to making your trip successful.

Well folks, April has been a crazy trophy fish month for our guide

service. Lots and lots of fish from 20 to 40 pounds have been caught in April. A lot of them were released, and some were sent to our in-house taxidermist. You will see a few of the pictures in this article, but you can check them all out in facebook /alexcityguideservicelakemartin.

With May brings us a full pool here, and our stripers will be chomping up some live bait on our boats this month.

Thinking back to last May, we boated (our client) a 45 pound striper on May 3rd. That's a pig, but definitely not our biggest which to date is 52 pounds (proud to say caught by our guide service). This month a few years back, I saw one of my biggest stripers ever in the Wind Creek area, so needless to say, that’s where I spend a good bit of time at May! Also in May, you need to either fish real early or late evenings unless you have a lot of time to stay on the water. Those two times will be most productive.

Dust off your Cannon down riggers (that is our choice of down riggers) dig out your bucktails and your spoons and go trolling for schooling stripers. Look for these smaller stripers in 40 foot water depths and troll around 2-3 mph.

Now if it's a big fish you’re looking for and want to catch them on live bait, which is the most exciting way to catch them, then give us a call at 256-401-3089 and book yourself a trip. Remember, we can handle individual trips or multiple boat trips.

Until next time, keep what you can eat and release the rest for your next trip out!

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MAY 2017

SOUTHWEST GA EAST AL 5

Lake Harding

Forecast by Steve “Colonel” McCorkle stevemccorkle61@yahoo.com

Lake Blackshear

Forecast by Rusty Parker 229.322.6864 • ragfly@bellsouth.net

Temperatures have been warmer than normal, and May looks to be The crappie didn't do as good as I thought they would this past a warm month with the highs into the 80’s and possibly 90’s. The water April, but it sure looks like it is changing for the better even as I type temperatures have begun to rise, and I expect them to rise into the mid 70’s as we get into May. The water is at full pool, and for the most part is this report. A friend and I went out shooting docks just the other day fairly clear. I have not seen the development of hydrilla yet, but I expect and caught around 25 nice slabs out from under 2 different docks. I that we will start to see it in May. There is a large development of algae, have been back to these docks for the last two days and was only able especially upriver in the coves and backwaters. to catch 7 crappie total over last 2 days.

Bass are still shallow for the most part, but most have already bed and The best color for me has been the chartreuse/pink/chartreuse are moving off to feed. In the next few weeks I expect that bass will be able 1/24th ounce Sore Lip crappie jig. Shoot it as far as you can, because to be caught shallow with trick worms, frogs, jerkbaits, topwater, Texas rig worms or tube/plastic jigs. Target areas in the coves and in the backwaters for me, most of them came from the darkest area of the docks. up the river where there are grass beds or structure. Best colors for trick I decided to try for some more slabs today and ended up with 18 worm are chartreuse, white and methylate. Best worm colors for Texas nice slabs by pitching the 1/24th ounce jig around trees that are in rig are June bug, red bud and green pumpkin. Bass can also be caught about 10 feet of water. I had a few minnows and was able to catch 4 fishing the blowdowns upriver along the deeper banks. On the main lake, with them. bass will be able to be caught around docks and other structure and also While I was out trying for the crappie I decided to look for some around weed beds.

Crappie are still biting in shallow water and also under the bridge in bream beds. Usually the bluegills don't start bedding until around the Halawaka Creek. Crappie have already gone on bed and are in the coves full moon in May, but I was fortunate to locate two different bluegill and small pockets that have brush piles, submerged trees and other beds that had several huge bluegills. The reason I got the crickets was structure. The best method is to use a 1/16 to 1/8 crappie jig with a small I had been smelling bream beds and decided to look for them and cork. I have found that 18 to 24 inches from the cork to the jig is best right boom, there they were. now. The best colors are white/chartreuse, green/red/chartreuse and yellow/chartreuse. Another very good method is to fish with minnows The water is lightly stained and the surface temp for today was 70 to 73. in these same areas. Still only have your hook about 18 to 24 inches from By the time you are reading this, those bluegills will still be the cork. On the main lake, crappie are also around the docks with brush bedding, and I would say the shellcracker will be bedding also. Make piles and structure. As we get into May, expect the crappie to move off the sure you take a kid fishing if your time allows you to because they will bank and be around structure around docks and under the bridges. remember those fishing trips for a lifetime. May your catch be large Striped bass can still be caught, and if you are willing to chance going to the shoals at the north end of the lake, you can catch some good and plentiful and remember that Jesus loves you. stripers, and the bite there is fantastic right now. On the main lake and in the major creeks, the stripers and hybrids are still off the flats in deeper water and move up onto the flats to feed and into the small coves near deep water feeding. When they move up to feed, then you have a chance Forecast by Matt Henry Sinclair Marine Guide Service to catch some really good fish. Best baits still are Rat-L-Traps, jerkbaits, 678.283.8855 matt@sinclairmarina.com topwater and other baits that imitate shad. www.sinclairmarina.com Sunfish have moved back into the shallow water, and you can catch these fish on the bed using crickets, red wigglers or small jigs. Catfish are Lake Sinclair is down 1 foot, clear with the water temperature in the 70’s. also beginning to bite pretty good too.

Enjoy the nice spring weather and some of the best fishing of the year Bass fishing is very good. Fish of all sizes are scattered along spawning banks and flats at 1 to 6 feet deep. The bridge at Little on Lake Harding.

River and all the docks are full of bass. Various styles of spinnerbaits continue to catch fish, but soft plastics have really shined the last few days, especially during the high pressure system. Carolina rigs, Texas Forecast by Chad Smith rigs and jig head and worm rigs have all produced well. Zoom 5 inch chadsmithguideservice.com and 6 inch lizards in June bug and green pumpkin have done well 706.207.2411 on Texas and Carolina rigs. Zoom Finesse worms in the same colors Crappie fishing has been good over the have shined when teamed with a jig head or Carolina rig. Senko and last week trolling deep coves real close from Z Nail worms have also produced as a primary bait or as a comeback the shallow spawning areas! The bite was bait for missed spinnerbait bites. tough for a few weeks with all the crazy Spinnerbaits have done well during early morning and with wind weather we have had but has significantly or cloud cover. Try using a chartreuse white 3/8 or ½ ounce single improved! Double 1/16th and double 3/32nd spin model with a gold Colorado blade. Fish it tight against seawalls jigs trolled at .9-1 mph has been the key! The and shallow dock posts. A double or tandem spin model is more crappie are within 7 feet from the bottom! efficient in wood cover such a lay downs, stumps and brush piles.

There are a lot of good fish in the mix! Look A few fish are coming from grass also. Small crankbaits and Rat-Lfor this bite to continue on into May as well!

Traps are easy to fish and are working all day. Try a buzzbait which 30-40 fish a day is common right now! could catch the largest fish of the day.

Lake Sinclair

Lake Oconee Crappie

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MAY 2017

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PANAMA CITY TIDES - MAY 2017

Lake Oconee

Forecast by Mark Smith Reeltime Guide Service (404) 803-0741 reeltime@bellsouth.net

Lake Oconee is full with the lake clear on the south end and stained up the lake into the rivers. Water temperature is 65-69 degrees.

Striper fishing is good. The fish are starting to move to the dam. Live bait (bass minnows) have been the best over the past week. There are still some fish in the river bend area of the lake, so use your Lowrance to locate the schools of bait and the stripers will be close by. Live bait and spoons are working to catch these fish.

Crappie fishing is fair. The fish are moving into the creeks. The fish are still deep around 12 feet deep in most places. We have been using heavy jigs to get down to the fish. Long lining jigs over the fish will produce good catches. Spider rigging will also catch some fish. Some of the bigger fish are starting to show up in the rivers. Some of the fish have moved into the back of the creeks and can be found around wood.

Make sure you stop by Sugar Creek Marina and pick up your spoons and all your tackle needs. You can also book your crappie and striper trips as well as on the water Lowrance classes, with Reel Time Service at 404803-0741 or reeltime@bellsouth.net

Full Flower Moon May 10th

DATE

HIGH

AM

ft

LOW

PM

ft

AM

ft

PM

ft

1 Mon 1:53 1.6 12:20 -0.5 2 Tue 2:52 1.5 1:23 -0.4 3 Wed 3:54 1.3 2:12 -0.2 4 Thu 5:06 1.1 2:44 0.1 5 Fri 12:18 0.8 2:57 0.4 2:40 1.3 6 Sat 10:14 0.9 9:24 0.7 2:43 0.7 4:52 0.9 7 Sun 9:38 1.0 1:49 0.9 5:49 0.6 8 Mon 9:32 1.2 6:33 0.3 9 Tue 9:40 1.3 7:12 0.1 10 Wed 9:57 1.4 7:51 -0.0 11 Thu 10:20 1.5 8:32 -0.1 12 Fr 10:47 1.6 9:17 -0.2 13 Sat 11:18 1.6 10:06 -0.2 14 Sun 11:52 1.6 10:56 -0.2 15 Mon 12:30 1.6 11:43 -0.2 16 Tue 1:09 1.5 17 Wed 1:51 1.4 12:25 -0.2 18 Thu 2:34 1.3 12:59 -0.1 19 Fri 3:26 1.1 1:26 0.1 20 Sat 11:12 0.9 5:21 0.9 1:43 0.3 2:31 1.4 21 Sun 9:24 0.9 8:51 0.7 1:43 0.6 4:05 0.9 22 Mon 8:51 1.1 1:07 0.9 5:00 0.5 23 Tue 8:48 1.3 5:55 0.0 24 Wed 9:06 1.5 6:53 -0.3 25 Thu 9:37 1.7 7:55 -0.5 26 Fri 10:19 1.8 9:01 -0.7 27 Sat 11:06 1.9 10:06 -0.7 28 Sun 11:56 1.9 11:07 -0.7 29 Mon 12:46 1.8 11:59 -0.5 30 Tue 1:33 1.6 31 Wed 2:14 1.4 12:38 -0.2

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MAY 2017

ďƒ•

RISE

SET

5:57 7:22 5:56 7:22 5:55 7:23 5:54 7:24 5:53 7:24 5:53 7:25 5:52 7:25 5:51 7:26 5:50 7:27 5:50 7:27 5:49 7:28 5:48 7:29 5:48 7:29 5:47 7:30 5:46 7:31 5:46 7:31 5:45 7:32 5:45 7:33 5:44 7:33 5:44 7:34 5:43 7:34 5:43 7:35 5:42 7:36 5:42 7:36 5:42 7:37 5:41 7:37 5:41 7:38 5:41 7:39 5:40 7:39 5:40 7:40 5:40 7:40

SOUTHWEST GA EAST AL 7

May Time Equals Bream Time!

I always look forward to May. The water temps have reached into the 70’s, and the bream begin to spawn. I love catching these scrappy fish and eating them. Here are some of the things I do to find them and what I use to catch them.

After the water warms up, the bream begin to move out of the depths to shallow water and begin to eat vigorously, building up strength for spawning, and building and defending the beds. When the water temps stabilize in the 70’s, they start to spawn, and the males become very aggressive while guarding the nest.

I usually take a slow ride or walk around the edge of the lake looking for what looks like elephant foot prints.

These small craters with dark centers are bream beds. After locating the beds and starting to fish them, it’s important to approach them quietly so you don’t spook the fish. Staying away from the beds, I will anchor the boat and begin to cast into them.

I use several methods and lures to fish with during the spawn beginning with 6 to 7 foot light spinning rods,

8 SOUTHWEST GA EAST AL

MAY 2017

ultralight reels and 4 to 6 pound test monofilament line. If you are bank fishing, a 5-1/2 rod can come in handy to cast in tight areas.

When casting live bait in 2-3 feet of water, I use a #6 Aberdeen hook, a BB split shot and a small float to decrease the disturbance of the water. In deeper water, I increase the size of the split shot to get the bait down quicker and a larger float to support the increased weight of the sinker.

I have found that the drop shot method is very good, especially in 3 feet and deeper water. Using a #6 Aberdeen hook and 1/8 or 3/16 ounce finesse sinker with a red wiggler hooked whacky style is deadly.

There are several choices for live bait; red wigglers, crickets and meal worms. I have found shellcrackers/red ears like pink worms! There are also premade baits such as flavored nuggets and bait imitations that work well.

Some other very effective lures I use are small tubes or grubs on jig heads, small spinnerbaits, creature baits and

by Wayne Wooten

1.5 – 2 inch long crankbaits that run 2 – 4 feet deep. Casting these along weed lines, structure or over beds can produce some big bream. Smaller fish are less likely to attack the larger lure.

Finding bream beds and fishing them is a lot of fun! You can catch a lot of them, and they are delicious to eat. Please remember to fish responsibly as they are very vulnerable and can be decimated at this time. Removing too many large males can affect the entire population.

If you remove all of the large males, the DNA that produced the big ones to start with can get lost.

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oten

Bassmaster Classic 2017 Was Awesome!

By Jay Striker

If you have not had a chance to go to a Bass Master Classic, then it is one show on earth that has to be on your bucket list.

The Classis is the Super Bowl of bass fishing, what every angler that competes on the BASS circuits wants to be in. The 2017 Bass Master Classic was held in Houston Texas and was truly a huge attraction. The lake that was fished was Lake Conroe, located just 45 minutes northeast of Houston. The anglers who were able to compete were from around the country and did not disappoint. However, at the end of the final day of the Classic, there could only be one man standing.

The way they had the layout of the Classic was just awesome.

Whenever you entered the convention center and walked through the main areas, they had on display all of the previous classic champions on big blue flags that were hanging from the ceiling. Just outside the convention were a lot of activities for the fans to enjoy like a fishing area for the kids, jumping competition for the dogs and plenty of food to enjoy. One on the neat things about the Bass Master Classic is the Expo. All of the fans get the opportunity to buy all of the products right on site with many of the fishing items getting their first debut. When I tell you that they had just about everything you could imagine there, I mean it. Rods, reels, fishing line, Nitro Z-Series boats, tires, coolers, Fish Head lures, and the list goes on and on.

The 50 plus anglers who were fishing in the Classic were the best of the best, and fishing Lake Conroe turned out to be a lake that you could easily catch a 15-20 pound bag of fish a day.

During the competition of the Classic the wind picked up a bit and made the fishing a bit tough. Angler Brent Ehrler had led the tournament for most of the first two days and looked as if he could win it all. However, I have seen too often where the tide of the battle could turn, and for one angler it did. The winner, Jordon Lee, who was in 12th place on the last day, found a way to come from behind to win it all. Wow, it just goes to show that in bass fishing it could be anybody’s day to win, and as the saying goes, never give up.

In closing I want to say that if you have never been to the Bass Master Classic, this is one show you have to attend, because it will be one you will never forget.

Perhaps one day in the near future you just might see me up there competing in the greatest show on earth in bass fishing. The next Bass Master Classic will be on Lake Hartwell, SC, and I’m sure that it will be just as good if not better than this one that was held in Houston, TX. Striker Nation, I enjoyed meeting with all of you that came up to me at the Classic, and I look forward to seeing you again next year.

Date

Tournament

Lake/Ramp

Contact

May 7 May 7 May 13 May 20 May 21 June 3 June 3 June 3&4 June 4 June 10 June 10 June 17 June 17 June 24 June 25 July 8

Reel Money American Fishing Tour Fishers of Men Highland Team Eufaula Bass Trail Alabama Children’s Classic American Fishing Tour American Fishing Tour Reel Money Highland Team American Fishing Tour American Bass Anglers Couples Eufaula Bass Trail American Fishing Tour West Point Extreme Kids Highland Team

Eufaula/Lakepoint West Point/Highland West Point/Highland West Point/Highland Eufaula/Lakepoint Eufaula/Lakepoint Blackshear/Mega West Point/Highland Eufaula/Lakepoint West Point/Highland Sinclair/Little River West Point/Highland Eufaula/Lakepoint Blackshear/Mega West Point/Highland West Point/Highland

(229) 416-5661 (404) 550-3610 (706) 315-8490 (706) 523-0547 (334) 726-5697 (334) 687-6266 (229) 886-4087 (404) 550-3610 (229) 416-5661 (706) 523-0547 (770) 365-4795 (478) 714-1272 (334) 726-5697 (229) 886-4087 (706) 523-0547 (706) 523-0547

If you would like to see your upcoming tournament listed on The Angler Magazine tournament page, email bobr@theanglermagazine.com or call at 706-614-8231.

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MAY 2017

SOUTHWEST GA EAST AL 9

Solunar Table May 2017

10 SOUTHWEST GA EAST AL

MAY 2017

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Shoal Bass

By O’Neill Williams

It was just a very pleasant trip. It was a hot summer day ahead, but the water was cool as it made its way down river from the dam.

The pull of the paddles was easy and rhythmic and silent except for the water drippings at the finish of every stroke. We rose up high in our seats to see the first set of shoals, knowing that the first bites from the little fighters would not be far away. Shoal bass are like that, grayish green with stumpy bodies just full of fight. The world record is only about 8 pounds or so. Do not worry though; they make up for being a bit short by being aggressive and fearless.

The Ocmulgee River exits Jackson Lake in central Georgia and quickly makes an about face from summer’s boating, skiing and crowds. Gentle, quiet, private, indeed almost lonesome in its journey south, this river harbors a target for the fisherman most prized, the shoal bass.

My fishing buddy, Glenn, and I are veteran fisherman.

Glenn is retired from Georgia Power and an excellent angler.

In this case, Glenn is more the tutor, I am the more the student.

However, surely we have harvested enough finny rascals from Southeastern waters to make us a bit jaded as to what is a sporty goal. That is why we both really enjoy this river and its chunky bass. Using small crankbaits, spinnerbaits and an occasional plastic worm on light tackle, we catch and release twenty-five or so of the little fighters in half of a day.

From a canoe, and wading the shallow rock filled cascades, one can be close to the action. It feels new every time.

I recommend it most highly for a departure from the regular reservoir and pond routine. On your first trip, it will take more time than you think. Each pool next to the thousands of rocks and wood looks like it will hold bass. Take it from me, you cannot get to every one on the first try.

I am told the upper Chattahoochee holds shoal bass.

I know the Flint River does. I have not had a chance to try either, but I will just bet I do soon, maybe in the fall before the first frost.

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MAY 2017

SOUTHWEST GA EAST AL 11

Brag Board faula Monica Faulk with a big Eu shellcracker

* !

R E N

Young Ryland Adams with his big cat from Lake Eufaula.

*

N I W

Norbert Lohse and Anita Robs on with a nice Eufa ula bass caught fishing with Ca pt. Sam William s

Tessa Nipper caug ht this nice stringer of catfish from Lake Blackshear. Photo com of Anchor Holds Ba pliments it and Tackle striper on Lake Pat Griffin caught this big g Guide Service Oconee with Gone Fishin

12 SOUTHWEST GA EAST AL

MAY 2017

Joe Conrad from Bascom, FL and Matthew Grantham from Sneads, FL with a cooler full of Lake Seminole shellcrackers.

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*This month’s winner will receive an Angler Magazine cap

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MAY 2017

GEORGIA

3

4/17/17 2:04 PM

By Jim Farmer

F

olks, it’s that time of year again and it’s started already. The other day, I received a text from a buddy. The text read, “It’s here” and showed a string of photos of nice spotted bass, lips adorned with a familiar topwater plug, a Chug Bug popper.

The Chug Bug has been a favorite in the spring and fall for topwater bass and stripers the past few years. To be honest, it’s worth its weight in gold here on Georgia’s Lake Lanier. I imagine it will find similar success wherever there are spotted bass and stripers.

This time of year, I’ll either be popping or walking the dog with a topwater walking bait. Now, the timing varies on different waters, but here the bait starts moving to the top when surface temperatures reach 70 degrees. Some of the bait is seeking warmer water, and some are entering their spawning season, so they are swimming the surface in the shallows looking for structure to spawn on. In May on Lanier, we are catching the tail end of the shad spawn and entering the blueback herring spawn. In both cases there are plenty of opportunities to find surfacing predatory fish looking for a big meal.

In calmer early morning hours when the creeks are glassed over, I pull the boat out into the middle of the creek, shut the motor down and watch for fish chasing bait. They usually give themselves away on points and shorelines. I’ll make a mental note of the areas I’ve seen activity, and then I go to work hitting those locations. Generally, the fish stay and feed as long as bait is in the area.

I’ll start out throwing a walking bait like the Lucky Craft Sammy.

“Walking the dog” with this bait is very effective, and creates a wake on the surface the fish are looking for. This can be a lock very early in the morning on creek points. But if walking the dog doesn’t get their attention, I’ll break out the popper and start making some noise. “Calling them up” with a popper mimics fish feeding on the surface, and it’s sometimes the ticket when the quieter walking bait doesn’t produce.

This pattern usually goes on for a while, and fishing is easy. It’s when they quit surfacing that times get tough, and you need to go looking.

The next place to look is main-lake humps, where the water comes up shallow out of the depths. The pattern is the same as in the creeks, and at times surfacing action on the main lake can last all day. A lot of times these fish go undetected, and throwing topwater baits around shallow-water markers can produce.

Whether it’s the creek points and shallows or mainlake humps, there are two baits and two tactics for me in May. You can find me walking the dog with a walking bait or calling them up with a surface popper for some of the best topwater action in the South.

Jim Farmer is an avid fisherman and owner of Cast Away Bait and Tackle, a custom tackle shop located just off the shores of Lake Lanier in north Georgia.

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Because the operator is closer to the boat and looking straight at it, clearing tight spots is no longer a nerve-wracking experience. And with the Force 5K, there is no concern over jackknifing. The ability to make acute angles is what makes it so maneuverable. A video of it in use is at bit.ly/2hOhrDJ. The Force 5K’s 4-inch-wide tires provide plenty of traction to handle a broad range of surfaces. It’s powered by a robust 1.5 hp Bosch electric motor and conventional 12V deep cell battery. It has a built-in monitor and charger.

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By Nadeen Welch

G

oing on vacation and trying to decide where your next excursion should be?

Fort Myers and Sanibel, Fla. offer something for everyone.

Beaches, hiking, kayaking, fishing, camping, birdwatching and shelling abound here. With mild temperatures and low humidity, outside is Photo courtesy of Capt. Terry Fisher/ where you want to be Fish Face Charters after being cooped up through the winter!

If fishing is your activity of choice, you have made a great decision.

You can take the whole family, only those interested or go it alone. Your best bet for a great day on the water is to hire a professional captain or guide. You can go out on a private charter, where you and your family are the only ones on board, or you may choose a “head boat” where there will be 50 other people fishing with you. Either way, almost everything needed will be provided—boat, license, rod and reel, bait, and a good time. Usually the only things not included are sunscreen and alcoholic beverages. Make sure you ask what is included, just to make sure.

Charter guides usually specialize in a certain type of fishing. Inshore fishing trips will have you fishing the flats, mangroves and back-bays.

The advantage of inshore fishing is it is usually a more active fishing day, and a windy day won’t ruin your day of fishing. Your guide will move to

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different locations to find the fish, which are not sitting still waiting for you, and provide you with a better experience. This time of year, redfish, snook, mangrove snapper, sea trout and tarpon are what you will catch.

These fish will give you a good fight and provide an exciting day on the water.

Offshore fishing trips will still provide most required items. The captain will travel anywhere from 20 to 50 miles or more offshore to find fish. While you may not catch as many fish, you Photo courtesy of Capt. Larry McGuire/Show will catch larg- Me the Fish Charters er fish like king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, snapper, grouper and sharks, such as blacktips, spinners, bulls, and possibly hammerheads. This is an entirely different type of fishing from inshore and just as fun.

Then you have tarpon fishing. The “silver king” is world famous in these waters, and people come from around the world for the opportunity to land one. The food of choice for a tarpon is a pass crab. Boca Grande is famous for its tarpon fishing history and provides a beautiful environment, if you are here specifically for tarpon fishing and a laidback island environment.

If fishing is not up your alley, visiting Sanibel and Captiva will offer you many options. J.N. Ding-Darling National Wildlife Refuge is located on Sanibel Island. It is home to one of the country’s largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystems and is well known for its migratory bird populations. Captiva Cruises operates in two locations on the island and can take you to the private island of Useppa, Cayo Costa State Park, Cabbage Key and Boca Grande, as well as many other options. On the island’s beaches, shelling like you wouldn’t expect is the norm.

Whatever you decide to do, relax and enjoy our “IslandOlogy.”

Nadeen Welch is co-publisher of the Fort Myers edition of Coastal Angler Magazine.

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estled in the south Georgia pines just southwest of Adel, Ga. is 3,500 acres of sportsman’s paradise known as Live Oak Plantation. Campbell Roberts and I arrived with Ranger bass boat in tow via a fence-lined, well-manicured slice of green earth that led us to the lodge at Live Oak Plantation. This is where we met our expert bass fishing guide, Max Gresham. Max is a seasoned bass angler and a member of the Valdosta State Blazers bass fishing team.

Max perfectly planned our day of bass fishing. With 10 ponds and more than 500 acres of fishable water to choose from, he had his sights

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set on two main bodies of water that had been producing quantity as well as quality bass for the past several days. What a breathtaking sight it was as we traveled the winding road past Jim’s Backyard Pond just as the fog was lifting off the water. We made our way to our first destination, Gator Pond and launched at about 7:45 a.m. Yes, there is a reason they call it Gator Pond and yes, we did see a couple of resident gators. The pond was impeccable, with its splendor of bass cover including grass, dollar pads, lily pads and submerged timber.

We had a deck full of rods with an arsenal of big bass lures tied on: buzzbaits, frogs, flukes, trick worms and jigs. Campbell was first to hook up on 3-pound bass swimming a fluke across visible grass structure. Max and I followed with several bass including two massive topwater explosions on frogs that resulted in the big bass of the day. Gator Pond was very good to us that morning, yielding about 25 bass in about four hours.

We took a break and headed back to the lodge for a quick lunch and then it was back to fishing. This time we launched the boat in Outback Pond. This pond was heavy in willow trees, laydowns and grass. The bass numbers rose quickly in this pond, one after another. The action was nonstop, cast after cast, bass after bass. We located a ball of baitfish, and the bass were close by. The fluke bite was the strongest around these schoolers, and we managed to bag another 40 bass in about four hours.

We all caught our fair share of bass on both of these fine bodies of water. You would need a week or two to thoroughly fish all the beautiful ponds Live Oak Plantation has to offer. When you visit, you must stay and dine at the lodge. The lodge will accommodate up to 12 guests in 10 rooms. There is a conference center that will accommodate groups up to 20. In addition to some of the best bass fishing in the state, Live Oak Plantation offers quail, deer and turkey hunting. They also offer tower pheasant shoots. For additional recreation, there is a well-manicured golf course that has three greens and three tee boxes per hole that allows for nine different holes of golf, and there is also a driving range.

For additional Information on Live Oak Plantation, visit their websites www.fishliveoak.com and www.huntliveoak.com or call direct at 800-682-4868. Live Oak Plantation is located at 675 Plantation Road, Adel, GA 31620.

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UNDER THE SEA 26

Diving in Tonga with my new PLB

A

fter several years of traveling for work, I had enough frequent flyer miles to take my family to Australia to dive on the Great Barrier Reef. After returning home, we heard on the news that two Americans had accidentally been left at sea by the same dive operator we had chartered. The crew miscounted when tracking divers, and by the time the search began, they most likely suffered a slow, agonizing death.

That nightmare incident was portrayed in a Hollywood movie.

Unfortunately, these “left-at-sea” stories are not uncommon. Boats can become incapacitated; divers can get caught in a current; the possibilities are endless.

According to U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmers, the key to getting rescued is to make yourself visible. A whistle or Dive Alert air horn might be enough to catch the attention of your boat if it is nearby. If lost, it helps if you are wearing a brightly colored wetsuit hood or deploy a brightly colored safety sausage. Even better, you can carry signaling devices such as flares, a mirror (requires sun), or glow sticks (at night). A small LED dive flashlight or strobe can be seen from afar—especially if the USCG is searching with night vision goggles.

But what if your boat sank and no one was called? What if you are in a country where there is no coast guard? These thoughts rattled around in my head before a recent trip to a remote island off of Tonga. Fortunately, advances in technology continue to provide new solutions.

PLBs (Personal Locator Beacons) on the market today are small, waterproof devices designed to alert search and rescue services of your location anywhere in the world. When activated, it transmits a message on the 406 MHz distress frequency which is monitored by the COSPASSARSAT satellite system. The alert is relayed to the nearest Rescue Coordination Center. Once in the area, rescue services pinpoint your location using the 121.5 MHz homing transmitter. Unlike EPIRBs, which are registered to a specific vessel, a PLB is registered to a person and can be carried wherever you go.

Before my trip, I bought an ACR ResQLink PLB from Bass Pro for

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$249. It can be used on land or sea, but divers need to know that taking it deeper than 5 meters could cause the device to activate due to pressure changes, so it should either be secured to a flag float on the surface or stored in a dive canister if taken underwater. The increased peace of mind was well worth the price.

There are several similar products on the market. The Ocean Signal rescueME PLB1 operates in a similar manner. Nautilus Lifeline makes a “Marine Rescue GPS” which broadcasts a distress message to all AIS equipped ships up to 34 miles away and to the marine radio on your own vessel.

The ultimate survival tool is your ability to keep calm and maintain a positive attitude while taking action to make yourself visible. Prepare ahead of time, and your chances of rescue are very good. Safe diving!

Sheri Daye is a world-record holder, host of Speargun Hunter, and producer of “The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo” in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Follow “Sheri Daye” and “The Blue Wild” on Facebook and Instagram.

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CAPTAINS OF FISHER GUIDING 28

A CAPTAIN AND HIS LUCKY LADY, FISHING THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

BY LUKE CAMBELL

R

obert Mitchell hasn’t stopped chasing marlin since childhood, when he would see the species or its larger-finned counterpart, the sailfish, mounted on walls of seafood restaurants. After catching plenty wall-worthy fish in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico over the years, Robert chose the Virgin Islands to begin living his dream as a charter captain. Now, he takes guests on his boat, The Lucky Lady, to catch marlin and other trophy fish surrounding St. Thomas and St. John.

After visiting St. Thomas frequently over the last 10 years, local mainstays on the island have helped Capt. Mitchell settle in since moving there permanently in January. Mitchell said, “Jimmy Loveland has been great to go over to and get advice. Getting to talk to a legend like Jimmy has been fantastic. Jim on the Black Pearl (a fellow USVI sportfishing charter) came over and welcomed me into town. He is a good guy, and I would do anything for these two people.” The name Jimmy Loveland may be familiar to those who follow sportfishing. Loveland founded Marlin Magazine and the USVI Open/Atlantic Blue Marlin Tournament that runs every August in St. Thomas.

In addition to advice from fellow anglers, Lady Luck has loyally followed Capt. Mitchell to teach him the nuances of fishing here.

Mitchell explained, “Everywhere I have fished, I have been blessed with good luck in finding boils, birds and porpoise. Birds down here are very few. When you see a bird, you better follow it. When you see the porpoise, you might make one or two passes, but that’s it. The lonely bird has been far more successful. The other places I have fished, you looked for a flock of birds and when following the porpoise, you were just about guaranteed a tuna strike.”

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Another key difference anglers find in the Virgin Islands is distance. In contrast to other destinations Mitchell has fished, the boat ride is short. The South Drop is 6 miles from dock, and the North Drop is only 20 miles. These drops are famous. While fishing, Mitchell has watched the bottom drop from 90 to deeper than 3,000 feet in a matter of minutes. Paying close attention, and staying over the intended depth is important.

Capt. Mitchell described a recent trip aboard The Lucky Lady when that awareness paid off for anglers. They started the day trolling around a FAD (fish-attracting device) when four out of six lines hit on a school of blackfin tuna. They put their spread out again, started trolling, and then the line popped with a 180-pound blue marlin. The group also caught a wahoo of about 45 pounds and a 25-pound kingfish. “It was a great day on the boat, and everybody got a chance to sit in the (fighting) chair and take a turn,” said the new captain.

Luke Cambell is a co-founder of Fisher Guiding, an online marketplace to find and book fishing guides, which is proud to partner with Capt. Mitchell and The Lucky Lady.

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C

ustom rod building has entered an era of resurgence, with new components, fresh design concepts, and, most importantly, a broad base of sophisticated anglers and creative rod builders driving developments on multiple levels.

Today’s avid angler understands the importance of the rod with respect to a given approach or technique. Credit this recognition in large part to the broader segmentation of the markets for fishing rods and lines. Anglers have a much broader selection of both to choose from. More importantly, they have learned to discriminate and apply the right variations to the proper settings.

With better understanding and experience, a fisherman begins to dial in on the nuances that make a rod better suited to the technique and personal preferences.

Custom rod makers can give an angler everything he wants from essential components to bells and whistles.

While “personalization,” artistry and uniqueness drove custom rod making in the past, functionality and comfort are driving custom rod projects today.

“I used to have three to five rods that I would use for a given technique,” recalls bass tournament angler and rod builder Chris Adams of Mud Hole Custom Tackle and a member of the Winn Grips pro staff. “One had the guides I liked. Another had a more comfortable reel seat that added to the rod’s sensitivity, but it didn’t have the backbone or action I wanted. Another had the right power and action but didn’t have the components I liked. I realized the easiest way for me to get everything I wanted into one rod was to build it myself, the way I wanted it!”

Adams notes that rod grips from Winn (www.winngrips.com) factor into

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many rod-making decisions.

The comfort and tackiness of these all-weather grips provide sure-handed angler control.

Bass fishermen have driven a lot of technique-specific rod customization. But more and more saltwater anglers are tailoring rods to their task. Many saltwater anglers have taken up custom rod building as hobby or a basement business to build their own rod arsenals. Classes in rod building are available across the country.

At the Saltwater Fishing Expo in Somerset, New Jersey, in March, the custom rod craze was evident. Fishermen were building rods for everything from flounder fishing to trolling for big game species. Saltwater anglers often have a more complex set of needs, from guides resistant to corrosion to rod handles that provide adequate control and comfort.

A lot of attention at the Winn booth centered around the sneak preview of new tapered rod grips for heavy-duty saltwater fishing, available in multiple lengths and diameters, and the new Winn Rod Handle System.

Winn also unveiled a durable and versatile extension of its very popular overwrap, Winn Superior Rod Wrap. Like its predecessor, it can be the primary material in an original rod handle or applied over an existing cork or EVA grip. Winn also will expand its Saltwater Straight Cylinder line of 1.25-inch diameter grips this summer with black grips ranging to 18 inches in length.

Get to know a rod builder in your area to create the perfect rod for any technique or style of fishing. Or take up the practice yourself!

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ack when everyone else was rocking a 3.5-inch grayscale fishfinder, Gary sported a color 7. He always seemed to catch fish. One day I had the nerve to ask him, “Hey Gary, how much did that thing cost?”

“More than the kayak,” was the deadpan response.

That was years ago. Since then, sonars are more and more capable and feature rich, for less scratch. A Lowrance Hook-7 will run you $449, much less than the kayak. Downscan and side imagining are commonplace.

Over time, screen sizes grew until Gary was no longer the exception, he was the rule.

So how big is too big? The answer depends on your bank balance and risk tolerance as well as the water you fish and the kayak you captain. Five to 7 inches seems like the sweet spot for kayak use. The screens are wide enough to offer high-resolution readability, yet compact enough to stay out of the way of a cast—or your foot.

These days the better question might be, “How big is the transducer?” For peak performance, it’s best to mount a modern transducer in direct contact with the water. Some transducers require adapters such as the Lowrance Ready Total Scan plate to fit properly. Alternatively, kayak anglers can go the MacGyver route and craft their own adapters. Where there’s a will and fish to be caught, there’s a way. Just ask Gary.

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SUPER COUPON

MOVER'S DOLLY

• 1000 lb. capacity

ITEM 60497/93888 shown 61899/62399/63095/63096 63098/63097

ITEM 69249/69115/69137 69129/69121/877 shown

$2

99

4

Compare $ 34 $8.48

LIMIT 9 - Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 9/1/17.

SUPER COUPON

$799

$

ITEM 93454/69054 63395 62603 shown Tools sold separately.

SAVE $265

SUPER COUPON

$129

99

Customer Rating

$

15999

SIZE MED LG X-LG

ITEM 62434/62426 62433/62428 62432/62429

SAVE 60% $ 99

YOUR CHOICE

$399 Customer Rating

Compare

™

5

$9.98

$99

99

METRIC

7

$ 99 $14.97

LIMIT 9 - Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 9/1/17.

CANGL_NAT3-NAT42.indd 33 hft_coastalangler_0517_M-REG109337.indd 1

SAVE $106

$

2000 WATT CONTINUOUS/ 4000 WATT PEAK POWER INVERTER

Customer Rating

SUPER COUPON Customer Rating

ITEM 60432/69662 shown

$

3/8" x 50 FT. RETRACTABLE

SAVE $138

AIR HOSE REEL ITEM 93897 shown 69265/62344

SUPER COUPON

$5999

$119

13999 $215.41 SUPER COUPON

12999 $205.99

Compare

LIMIT 3 - Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 9/1/17.

ITEM 69651 18 VOLT CORDLESS 3/8" DRILL/ 62868/62873 68239 shown DRIVER WITH KEYLESS CHUCK

Includes one 18V NiCd battery and charger.

Customer Rating

$

Compare

LIMIT 4 - Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 9/1/17.

SUPER COUPON

SUPER COUPON

ITEM 69043/63282/42304 shown

Blade sold separately.

SUPER COUPON

Customer Rating

10 FT. x 20 FT. PORTABLE CAR CANOPY

SAE

Compare

$339

99

ITEM 63054 69034/62858 shown

9 PIECE FULLY POLISHED COMBINATION WRENCH SETS

$599

Compare

SUPER COUPON

LIMIT 9 - Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 9/1/17.

YOUR CHOICE

19999 SAVE $95

Item 62429 shown

$395

ITEM 42305/69044/63171

$13499

LIMIT 4 - Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 9/1/17.

MECHANIC'S GLOVES

Compare

SUPER COUPON

Customer Rating

$

Compare

Customer Rating

SUPER COUPON

• With Laser Guide

SUPER COUPON

LIMIT 5 - Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 9/1/17.

SAVE 59%

ITEM 69684 shown 61969/61970

1099 $19.97

LIMIT 9 - Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 9/1/17.

204

$

12" SLIDING COMPOUND DOUBLE-BEVEL MITER SAW

Customer Rating

SUPER COUPON

60", 4 DRAWER HARDWOOD WORKBENCH

SUPER COUPON SAVE

SAVE 59%

SUPER COUPON

Customer Rating

LIMIT 4 - Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 9/1/17.

SUPER COUPON

7 FT. 4" x 9 FT. 6" ALL PURPOSE WEATHER RESISTANT TARP

SAVE 64%

7

$ 97 VALUE

Limit 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, Extended Service Plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day Parking Lot Sale item, compressors, floor jacks, saw mills, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, trenchers, welders, Admiral, Bauer, CoverPro, Daytona, Earthquake, Hercules, Jupiter, Lynxx, Poulan, Predator, StormCat, Tailgator, Viking, Vulcan, Zurich. Not valid on prior purchases. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 9/1/17.

Compare

ANY PURCHASE

7999 $198.45

Compare

LIMIT 5 - Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 9/1/17.

SUPER COUPON

900 PEAK/700 RUNNING WATTS 2 HP (63 CC) 2 CYCLE GAS GENERATOR

ITEM 63024/63025 shown

SUPER COUPON

SUPER COUPON

$1699

SAVE 65% $1999 Compare $49

LIMIT 7 - Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 9/1/17.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM Use Coupons: In-Store, HarborFreight.com or 800-423-2567

$8999

Customer Rating

SAVE NOW

$

10999

LIMIT 3 - Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 9/1/17.

At Harbor Freight Tools, the “Compare” or “comp at” price means that the same item or a similar functioning item was advertised for sale at or above the “Compare” or “comp at”

price2017 by another retailer in the U.S. within the past 180 days.

MAY NATIONAL 33 Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other

meaning of “Compare” or "comp at" should be implied. For more information, go toHarborFreight.com or see store associate.

4/17/17 3:04 PM PM 4/6/17 4:35

suzuki spring savings Three Limited Time Offers Make A Good Deal Even Better Suzuki Gives You All Three So You Don’t Have To Choose One Or The Other

Buy a new Suzuki outboard from 25 to 300 horsepower and take advantage of not just one, but ALL THREE Suzuki Spring promotional offers.

Add cash rebates on select models and you can get up to $800 cash back. Plus our Repower Financing is available at attractive interest rates (on approved credit.*)

Just say, “Gimme Six!” and you’ll get six years of product protection. That’s right, you’ll get Suzuki’s three-year limited warranty and Suzuki’s 3-Year Extended Protection Plan at no extra charge.

See your participating Suzuki Marine dealer today and find out how you can get the ultimate deal on the Ultimate 4-Stroke Outboard.

Six Years of Protection at no extra charge on all new outboards 25 to 300 HP.

Cash Rebates on select models.

See your dealer for details.

REPOWER FINANCE

Rates as low as 5.99% on new Suzuki outboards (OAC).*

For details and the name of your nearest participating Suzuki Marine dealer, visit www.suzukimarine.com

Gimme Six Extended Protection promo is applicable to new Suzuki Outboard Motors from 25 to 300 HP in inventory which are sold and delivered to buyer between 4/01/17 and 6/30/17 in accordance with the promotion by a Participating Authorized Suzuki Marine dealer in the continental US and Alaska to a purchasing customer who resides in the continental US or Alaska.

Customer should expect to receive an acknowledgement letter and full copy of contract including terms, conditions and wallet card from Suzuki Extended Protection within 90 days of purchase. If an acknowledgement letter is not received in time period stated, contact Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. – Marine Marketing via email: marinepromo@suz.com. The Gimme Six Promotion is available for pleasure use only, and is not redeemable for cash. Cash Rebates apply to qualifying purchases of select Suzuki Outboard Motors made between 4/01/17 and 6/30/17. For list of designated models, see participating Dealer or visit www.suzukimarine.com. Customer and participating Dealer must fill out the appropriate rebate form at time of sale. Customer will have the choice to either apply the cash rebate against the original dealer invoice (Suzuki will credit Dealer parts account) or have a check sent directly to the customer. There are no model substitutions, benefit substitutions, rain checks, or extensions. Suzuki reserves the right to change or cancel these promotions at any time without notice or obligation. * Financing offers available through Synchrony Retail Finance. As low as 5.99% APR financing for 60 months on new and unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors. Subject to credit approval. Not all buyers will qualify. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. $19.99/month per $1,000 financed for 60 months is based on 5.99% APR. Hypothetical figures used in calculation; your actual monthly payment may differ based on financing terms, credit tier qualification, accessories or other factors such as down payment and fees. Offer effective on new, unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors purchased from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between 4/01/17 and 6/30/17. “Gimme Six”, the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2017 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.

34

NATIONAL

MAY 2017

CANGL_NAT3-NAT42.indd 34 SZ_Q2Promo_1PG_WIPv2.indd 1

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

4/17/17 3:04 PM 3/12/17 5:04 PM

You could get a discount when you combine your auto and boat policies.

for your boat geico.com | 1-800-865-4846 | Local Office Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or all GEICO companies. Boat and PWC coverages are underwritten by GEICO Marine Insurance Company. Multi-Policy Discount available to auto insureds that have purchased a boat policy through the GEICO Marine Insurance Company. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. Š 2017 GEICO

COMMON CVRS_0517.indd 3

4/17/17 12:07 PM

© 2017 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries

THIS SEEMS TO BE THE PLACE WHERE ALL THE FISH HANG OUT. I THINK I’LL DROP IN.

12”

PROGRAMMABLE

HOT KEYS

PRELOADED

BUILT-IN

BLUECHART® G2 + LAKEVUU¨ HD CHIRP SONAR + CLEARVUU¨ + SIDEVU¨

GPSMAP® 1242xsv

COMMON CVRS_0517.indd 4 Coastal Fishing Ad_US-8.125x10.875-CoatalAngler.indd 1 17-MCJT512 GPSMAP 1224xsv

4/17/17 PM 3/8/17 12:07 9:13 AM