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PHOTO COURTESY OF DENVER OUTFITTERS VOLUME 24 â€¢ ISSUE 295

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Filson Rugged Twill Compact Rod Case Filson has earned its reputation for sturdy quality construction and products that are overbuilt to handle the rigors sportsmen put their gear through. The Rugged Twill Compact Rod Case holds two 9-foot, 4-piece rods in their tubes with exterior pockets to hold reels and accessories. This lightweight yet durable case is perfect for days when you’ll need two rods and want to keep them safe when not in use. It’s constructed of water-repellant and abrasion-resistant 100 percent cotton Rugged Twill with brass hardware and bridle leather straps.

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Ross Reels Animas

Rod Vault ST Why waste time threading line through the guides? The vehicle-mounted fly rod storage solution from Denver Outfitter allows recreational anglers and professionals to arrive at their fishing destination with fly rods and reels intact, fully-rigged and ready to fish. Two roof-mounted aircraft grade anodized aluminum tubes hold two, three or four fully rigged fly rods up to 10’6 in length, and a locking reel housing area easily fits most fly reels. Protective polypropylene liners inside the Rod Vault eliminate rod on metal contact protecting guides and rod tips from abrasion. The Rod Vault was specifically over-engineered to keep valuable equipment safe in almost any circumstance. Stainless steel hardware ensures the RodVault will remain rust free no matter the fishing environment and fiberglass infused nylon construction protects the reel housing, mounting hardware and aerodynamic nose cone from UV degradation. Whether storing rods to fish before or after work or traveling across the country on an epic fishing trip the Rod Vault is designed to keep gear safe. Available in three models, the Rod Vault 2 holds two fly rods, the Rod Vault Original for three fly rods and the Rod Vault 4 holding four fly rods.

Ross Reels has taken the time-proven features that made the original Animas a guide favorite and introduced new machined features to bring the new Animas fly reel into the modern era of Ross. Proudly Americanmade in Colorado and weighing just over 4 ounces, the new Animas features a compositedisc drag system and an ultra-light canvas phenolic handle, which gets tackier when wet. A new troublefree spool release yields zeromaintenance performance, allowing the Animas to be ready for any fresh or saltwater excursion. The new Animas is available in sizes 4/5, 5/6 and 7/8.

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THE BAHAMAS: BEAUTIFUL, DANGEROUS

although great variability exists between the northern and southern islands. This variability is most easily seen on Andros, the largest Bahamian island, where pine forests dominate in the north and give way to more tropical vegetation in the south. The majority of The Bahamas are low lying, with about 80 percent of the islands less than 15 feet above sea level. This, along with the fact that the islands span a great distance in warm tropical waters, make them attractive to tourists, who flock in for beautiful beaches, friendly faces and fantastic fishing. The Bahamas are heavily reliant on tourism, and for many “Family Islands,” angling tourism is vital for their survival. Unfortunately, these geographical traits also make The Bahamas susceptible to flooding and damage from tropical storms and hurricanes. The expansive nature of the islands of The Bahamas is a mixed blessing. Being large means Bahamians are more likely to be impacted somewhere in the chain by severe weather, but it also means many areas will remain untouched. This was the case with Hurricane Dorian, which devastated the two most northern islands, Abaco and Grand Bahama, but left countless others unharmed. The impact from Dorian on Abaco and Grand Bahama is catastrophic, and the outpourings of aid a blessing. One of the best ways to help The Bahamas overcome this tragedy, and future events, is to help the tourism-based economy by travelling to untouched parts of the islands. The author with a Bahamian bonefish caught from Andros Island while fishing out of the Two Boys Inn with one of the many legendary Neymour For anglers, this is a great opportunity to fish new waters. If you have family of guides. never been, try Andros, the Exumas, Long Island, Bimini, Acklins Island, Crooked Island, Mayaguana, Inagua or many other fantastic destinations By Tom Karrow throughout The Bahamas. he Bahamas are roughly 700 islands and cays with an additionIn this time of need, take the opportunity to help The Bahamas and Baal 5,000 low-lying rocks. Only about 30 of the 700 islands are hamians by simply booking a trip and getting on the water. Grab your fainhabited, leaving hundreds of tropical islands for wildlife. The vorite rods, reels, lines and leaders, tie up some Gotcha flies and give it a go. chain stretches more than 500 miles from the Island of Inagua in the Tom Karrow, PhDc, MES, BES, BED, is nearing completion of a PhD in Gesoutheast, to the northernmost island of Grand Bahama, an economic ography and Environmental Management, focused on sustainability of The Bahahub for the islands. mian bonefishing industry through ethnography. He was a research fellow at the Situated off the southeast coast of the continental United States, University of The Bahamas and is sponsored by R.L.Winston Fly Rods, Nautilus the climate is dominated by warm tropical-like air and water currents, Fly Reels, FishPond Gear, Costa Sunglasses and Simms.

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Airline_CoastalAnglerAd_3-2016_Layout 1 3/18/16 1:07 PM Page 1

Fly Fishing for Southeastern Hybrids and Stripers

By Capt. Wayne Moore

cross the region, hybrid and striped bass are some of the most exciting gamefish in our reservoirs. Targeting them with flies can be difficult, but it has to be the most exciting way to catch them. Any article written about this subject better mention the name Henry Cowen. Having chased stripers on north Georgia’s Lake Lanier for more than 20 years, Cowen is a pioneer of the specialized techniques and tackle it takes. I fish middle-Georgia’s Lake Oconee, and much of what I do was learned from Cowen. There are differences between the two reservoirs, but I believe similar techniques, patterns and equipment can be adapted to catch stripers and hybrids on any lake. EQUIPMENT I like a 9-foot, 8-weight rod. Scott’s Meridian is my choice, but that model is being replaced by their similar Flex fast-action freshwater, which will probably do the job just as well. Stripers and hybrids pull hard, so you’ll need a decent reel. I use a Lamson Speedstar. It’s not too high end, but it does have a sealed conical drag. For line, I use RIO Intouch Outbound short intermediate most of the time. This allows me to fish both on the surface and below it without having to change spools. OPPORTUNITIES AND TACTICS Topwater: Fly fishing for stripers and hybrids when they are feeding on top is exhilarating. Imagine a school of fish knocking threadfin shad into the air. In some cases they’ll rise every 10 square feet for 30 or 40 feet around your boat. It’s amazing, but it requires specialized conditions. On Oconee, this occurs when water is pumping up from Wallace dam. When water temperatures are warm, it is a brief, first-light bite, but as the water cools it lasts longer. I cast a Cowen’s Somethin’ Else, a wiggle minnow, or a Pop-N-

Fly rig. The Somethin’ Else is my go-to fly. If they are schooling, I approach with as much stealth as possible and make a long cast just beyond and in front of the rising fish. The retrieve is critical. Cowen calls it “feeding the fish.” It is five short strips followed by a pause. If you get bit, get the fish on reel quickly. You’d be surprised how fast charging hybrids can snap a leader. The wiggle minnow is fished differently, same basic cast, but you need to keep the fly moving. Often it’s good to put the rod under your arm and strip with both hands. Gary Dubiel’s Pop-N-Fly is a popping cork for a fly rod. Tie in a feathered, white floating fly behind it, and it is deadly. Chasing Gulls: This usually fires up on Oconee in November and is very good in December. It’s a tactic employed by striper and hybrid fishermen all over the Southeast. While this is a topwater bite, and you will see the gulls dive bombing shad, use the Somethin’ Else exclusively during this time and you will have greater success. Night Fishing: If you like to get up very early or don’t mind fishing at night, darkness may offer the best probability of connecting with a striper or hybrid. Dock lights are key. Approach very quietly and work the outer edges of the light. Again, use intermediate line and Somethin’ Else. Be ready to haul a big fish away from the dock pilings in a hurry. If you get a big striper on, it might require assistance from the trolling motor. Fishing Humps: When the fish are not on top, it’s time to locate humps with your electronics and fish deep. On Oconee, this usually means humps that rise from 30 feet or deeper up to 15 feet. You’ll need sink-tip line for this tactic and a short piece of 12-lb. fluorocarbon leader. Cast past the hump and count down the fly as it drops to the fish. The count will vary depending on the fly and line you’re using. Capt. Wayne Moore owns Oconee On The Fly. Check them out at www.oconeeonthefly.com.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

OCTOBER 2019

SOUTHEAST

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OCTOBER 2019 PUBLISHER: BOB RICE

A FREE PUBLICATION THE ANGLER MAGAZINE IS DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST. THE ANGLER MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY B & B PUBLISHERS P.O. BOX 766 MADISON, GA 30650 706-614-8231 WWW.THEANGLERMAGAZINE.COM REPRODUCTION OF CONTENTS IN ANY FORM IS PROHIBITED BOB RICE, PUBLISHER THE ANGLER MAGAZINE FISHING, BOATING, CONSERVATION “FIND YOUR OUTDOORS HERE”

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: HENRY COWEN DR. ANDREW COX JIMMY HARRIS CAPT. CEFUS MCRAE CHRIS SCALLEY GARY TURNER NOEY VINEYARD O'NEILL WILLIAMS RENE J. HESSE JIMBO MATHLEY JAMES BRADLEY DAVID HULSEY WAYNE WOOTEN JAY STRIKER WAYNE MOORE RYAN KENNEDY DICKLESBY KIM NUNERY GRAPHIC DESIGN: KATHLEEN CARREIRO PHOTO BY KENNY SIMMONS, FROG HOLLOW FLY FISHING

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING WHY DO WE FISH Contributed By: Jimmy Harris www.unicoioutfitters.com Unicoi Outfitters, Orvis 2018 Fly Shop of the Year

Guided Fly Fishing and Conventional Tackle Trips for Hybrids, Stripers, and Crappie Booking now, novice or experienced anglers. On the water instruction, top of the line fly gear!

Recently I was reading an article in a trade magazine on why people fish, and it got me thinking that this is a question a lot of us ask ourselves. The summary of the article was that 40% of anglers fish for fun. That’s it, pure and simple fun. My granddaughter has recently been learning to cast a fly rod, and at one point her mom told me she was getting so nervous about getting it right that she wasn’t enjoying it. My response was that there’s no pressure to get it right; that takes the fun out of it. As my friend Henry Williamson says, “Dang, Jimmy, it’s just fishing.” Interestingly, in the article only about 14% of anglers fish to catch fish to eat. When I was growing up, long before the catch and release mentality took hold, we kept pretty much everything we caught and then we ate it. These days I keep very few fish, mostly because I’m too lazy to mess with cleaning them, but I also realize there are some fish populations that benefit from catch and release. Another 33% of anglers reported that they fish to relax. It almost seems the “fun” anglers and the “relaxed” anglers could be lumped into one group, but I think I understand the difference. Personally, it continues to amaze me that after almost six de-

TROPHY FLY FISHING ON THE BEST TWO MILES OF THE SOQUE RIVER

Mix it up with light spinning tackle as well for a great combo trip!

Captain Wayne Moore - Oconee On The Fly, Inc (706)-816-4281 www.oconeeonthefly.com / wmoore1700@outlook.com 2 ATLANTA

OCTOBER 2019

ATL_LOC_OCTOBER_2019.indd 2

cades of fishing how I can step into a stream with a fishing rod in my hand and totally forget about all the pressures of day to day life. It’s just me and that critter with a brain the size of a pea. Fishing is the most therapeutic drug available to me, and I take it as often as I can. My wife Kathy is fully aware of it, and will often mention to me that she thinks I need to go fishing. She really loves me!

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9/15/19 9:33 PM

LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING THE GUIDES ANGLE

SWINGERS

Contributed by David Hulsey International Federation of Fly Fishers Master Certified Casting Instructor http://www.hulseyflyfishing.com 770-639-4001

The Southern Appalachians in the month of October reign supreme as one of the most beautiful places on the planet to be. The turning of the leaves, the change in the weather from blazing hot to pleasantly cool, and also more favorable fishing conditions are welcome as well. Trout get on the feed consistently throughout the day instead of the early morning or late evening activity of summer. Fall rains cool the streams raising the water levels and get the trout feeling frisky. Hatches of insects dwindle a little bit and the fish readily switch from surface feeding to grubbing around the bottom for nymphs or chasing baitfish. The larger trout usually lock into the streamer bite anytime the water gets the least bit discolored or high from rainfall. Chunking streamers to big trout is purely some of the most fun you can have anytime! Medium sized streams can be effectively worked with a typical nine foot, five weight fly rod. Some larger streams can be difficult to wade close enough to get a good cast and presentation because of shelf rock and deep water. Two streams that come to mind that I’ve spent some magnificent fall days on are the Toccoa River in North Georgia and the Tuckaseegee River in Western North Carolina. Both streams contain shelf rock and deep water areas that can be challenging for an old dude to wade and fish. Trout spey equipment gives me the advantage in these two rivers. Not only can an extremely long cast be made, but swinging a fly through trouty areas is easy-peasy with a long rod keeping me out of dangerous wading areas. Winston, Sage, Redington, Echo and many other companies are making in-

credibly easy to use equipment for this type of fly fishing. Three weight trout spey rods work best for me for swinging streamers and soft hackles through the riffles and holes. Trout spey rods will hover around eleven feet long with an extended butt grip to aid in the two handed cast. Five weight reels tend to balance best with them or go all the way and get a slick new reel specially designed for spey fishing! The Rio fly line company has an easy to use spey fly line selection chart on their website to use when selecting a line that will perform best with your new trout spey fly rod. In addition to your fly line, you will need tips that will take your fly down to specific depths on the swing. A tip that pulls your fly down two to four feet will usually get results on both these rivers. Fly selection can range from simple Wooly Buggers to soft hackles, to elaborate spey specific flies that are a thing of beauty. I lean toward the beautiful classic Atlantic salmon patterns stuck into a nice Wheatly box or Arne Anderson fly wallet. Hey, fly brothers and sisters, you only live once! Trout seem to love the unusual simplistic beauty of an elaborate fly pattern adorned in all its glory. A well-executed spey cast is a thing of beauty. As one of my fly casting students once said “hey man, that’s just a fancy roll cast!” Take a class with a certified casting instructor to learn the basics of the spey cast. It’ll be time and money well spent. This fall, take time to try something new and, who knows, you just might become a swinger too! I give spey classes throughout the year on my home water, the beautiful Toccoa River in Blue Ridge, Georgia.

This fall, take time to try something new and, who knows, you just might become a swinger too!

FALL IS FINALLY HERE ON THE RIVER! Contributed By: Chris Scalley River Through Atlanta Guide Service

October marks the beginning of our autumn fishing season on the Chattahoochee. With noticeably shorter days and finally cooler weather, we begin to see heightened wildlife activity not just with trout but deer, ducks and squirrels are furiously foraging on the abundant acorn mast. The shorter photo-period triggers hatches among blue-winged-olive mayflies

and October-sedge/caddis drawing consistent pods of trout rising in the afternoons. The beautiful reflection of fall foliage upon the river is almost as awe inspiring as the exquisite spawning colors of the wild brown trout. We hope you enjoy the autumn splendor as much as we do on the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area!

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OCTOBER 2019

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www.cabinsonthestream.com www.flyfishblueridge.com 9/15/19 9:33 PM generut@tds.net 706-455-5640

LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING OCTOBER FLY FISHING REPORT

Contributed By: Henry Cowen www.henrycowenflyfishing.com Last year we did not get into any topwater stripers until the second week of October. Everything is all dependent on water temperature. If the temperature drops down to the mid-seventies, we will start seeing some consistent topwater activity on the south end of all the impoundments here in North GA. The lakes will surely have started their turnover process and the Corp of Engineers should be pulling water down every afternoon to get the lakes into their winter water levels. This has a lot of significance to anglers who want to search for busting fish as the pull of water creates a manmade tide (if you will) and causes the fish to look up and eat on or just below the surface. In early October, our bite should start out with the spotted bass being the most consistent topwater feeders. They will feed on both small shad and blue back herring. You might find singles breaking the surface or wolf pack groups of 10-15 fish blowing up on top. Either way, a run and gun approach is what you need. Make sure your trolling motors are charged to the max as you will be moving all around to get to these fast feeding demons. While it is always best to employ your electric motor to keep as stealthy an approach as possible, sometimes you just have to give in and use the big engine to get up on the fish as quickly as possible. Fly rodders can have a ball tossing floating lines with Wiggle Minnows and Game Changers attached to 15-pound tippet. Put your rod under your arm and strip with a hand over hand retrieve and watch these fish explode on your offering. Generally speaking, Lanier’s bass and stripers will be mostly a herring bite. By the time we get into the end of October, it is likely that the bite will change over to a small sized threadfin shad pattern. Last year our striper bite started around the third week of October with crazy numbers of fish feeding on the surface. A blitz on top looks like someone has put a blender on the water’s surface! I suspect this

year will be off the chart good as we have seen an entire year class of fish (2012) that can tolerate slightly warmer surface water temperatures due to their smaller size (6-8lbs). My guess is that the stripers will be feasting on both 1½”-2” long threadfin shad as well as 4”-6” long blue back herring. Start by tossing herring type flies or lures (if conventional fishing). Any small to medium sized fly thrown on an intermediate slow sinking line should get you a bite. What fly you throw is not that important. However, what is important is to MATCH THE SIZE OF THE SHAD OR HERRING. So small flies like my Somethin’ Else, Gummy Minnow or tiny Clouser are good choices if you are in the middle of a threadfin shad blitz. . Game Changers are your ticket for matching the herring blitz (which tends to end earlier if the water cools down below 70 degrees. Conventional anglers can toss small bucktails on light lines or even a casting bubble rigged with a small fly to match the shad and can toss Sebile’s, Redfins and Chug Bugs if the stripers are feeding on herring. By the time our beloved GA Bull Dawgs are 8-0 (With a win against Notre Dame under their belts), you can rest assured that the threadfin shad bite will be going off. First light until 9am will also be another good time to get out and give these fish a try. On Lanier, the fish will show best from mid-lake down to the south end. You just need to ride and keep a set of binoculars handy to help spot the busting fish. There are no birds on Lanier to help find the fish in October. No sir, that is November’s pattern to help locate the fish. One last thing anglers can do is start fishing the shallow sandy points by the end of the month. You do this using intermediate lines along with bigger flies like 5”-6” long Deceivers, Snake flies and the like. It is at this time of year that the Bomber bite fires up. Conventional

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anglers will toss Bomber Long A lures on shallow sandy points in the dark and catch stripers feeding shallow on gizzard shad. Best colors for the Bomber bite is bubble gum pink, black or dark purple. If you have never tried this bite, you have no clue what you are missing. As a fly rod angler, I toss a hookless Bomber Long A until I get a tug. I am using my hookless Bomber as a bird dog to help locate the fish. Then I break out my fly rod and throw it until I move on to another point and start with the conventional gear again. Just remember that while you are

awaiting a topwater bite to occur, you can toss these same flies and lures on humps that are 20-25’ deep. Any hump that is around deeper water will more than likely hold a fish or two, and you can raise them up on a fly or lure worked near the surface. These fish are usually feeding on herring in the 4-6” length. So tossing Sebiles, Redfins or pencil poppers can get you a few extra bites while waiting for surfacing fish. So that is what October has in store for North GA anglers. This strategy will work on other area lakes too as stripers don’t know where they live. They just want to eat. Try these tactics on Lakes Hartwell, Allatoona, Carters and even Clark’s Hill. Cool mornings, crisp nights, UGA football, Yankees vs Braves World Series hopes and dreams of marauding fish with stripes along their sides. What could be better? See you on the pond! www.henrycowenflyfishing.com

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING FANTASTIC FALL TROUT FISHING Contributed by James Bradley Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide www.ReelEmInGuideService.com (706) 273-0764 I like to promote Georgia in most of my articles, but it’s hard to deny the outstanding work of the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission when it comes to their delayed harvest (DH) trout fishing program. Our friends to the north have about seven times more streams and ponds set up for DH fishing. Their season basically opens October 1st, but bear in mind, that it will take the NCWRC about a week to get around to stock all these bodies of water. They will be stocking browns, rainbows and gorgeous brook trout. These DH waters will revert to general regulations on the first Saturday in June. So by the time you read this, these trout should have had enough time to hopefully get spread out before you arrive for a day of fantastic fall trout fishing. You may even want to look at getting their annual fishing and trout licenses. The cost is approximately $55, but you can get your money’s worth on just a few trips up to the high country! To boot, for the most of us, it’s really not that far away, and it can be a beautiful drive. Heck, from Blue Ridge, it’s only an hour’s drive to Andrews and just another ten minutes to the Nantahala. Let’s look at the three closest DH streams to our area. First, we have Fires Creek just outside of Hayesville, NC. This is a mid-sized stream with plenty of casting room. From its beginning headwaters to the edge of the national forest, it has roughly ten miles of fishable water. Keep in mind, the DH begins just inside of the national forest and is from the foot bridge at the picnic area upstream to where FS 340-A crosses. This DH section is over a mile in length. Second, we have the Nantahala River, which is just northeast of Andrews, NC. This is another midsized stream with plenty of casting room. Although it is a marginal stream due to how the water is released, she receives some healthy doses of stocked trout several times during the DH season. There tends to be a lot of heavy usage on the Nanty, so go during the week to 6 ATLANTA

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James Bradley is the only Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide in North Georgia’s Historic High-Country region. Reel Em In Guide Service has been offering their services to fly anglers since 2001. They have perhave more room and less anglers around you. The DH begins just above the power house off Wayah Road and goes upstream to where Old River Road goes off to the right. The DH section is over a mile in length. Lastly, we have Big Snowbird Creek which is outside of Robbinsville, NC. It is yet another midsized stream with plenty of casting room. This stream really came to fame being one of the best wild native brook trout streams in the Southeast! Problem is, from the Junction (old railhead junction) you must hike about 6 miles one way before finding these beautiful specs. Problem two, if you come in from the headwaters, you will pay the price climbing back out with an elevation difference at the trailhead to Big Falls of about 1800 feet! Big Snowbird is a little more out of the way, so to speak, and she doesn’t seem to get anywhere near the pressure of the Nanty. During the fall season, you will run into several bear hunters. To find the DH area, look for the designated signs beside the stream as you drive in on Big Snowbird Road then upstream to the end of the road at what is called the Junction. This is another DH section that is roughly one mile in length. If fishing the early part of the DH season, use junk flies like eggs, Y2Ks, San Juan and Squirmy Worms for fast hook ups. As the DH season drags on, begin switching back to naturals!

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LANIER CRAPPIE Forecast By: Dan Saknini, Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club. www.laniercrappieanglers.net Although the summer heat is still with us, the shorter days and cooler nights are causing the water temperature to slowly drop. With school back in full swing, a lot of pressure is off the lake, resulting in quieter days on the water, especially during the week. This means better fishing! Expect this pattern to improve over the next several weeks. The fish that are being caught are eight to nine inches long, and occasionally a larger one will nibble on your bait. The bite is very gentle, almost to the point that it is unnoticeable. So obviously, the fish are not being aggressive. For that reason, some of us have downsized to a two pound high visibility yellow “Vicious Fishing Panfish” line. I HIGHLY recommend it! The quality and the strength of the line is very impressive. Having said that, if you are a regular fisherman, make it a habit to replace your line once a month. This is an inexpensive fishing line, and worth the effort. The fish are holding tight on stand-alone brush piles at twenty to twenty-five foot depths. Once

you locate your targeted standalone brush pile, throw your buoy marker directly on top of it, and then back off far enough that you can cast your jig past the marker. Make sure you fish the brush pile from all angles. Your fishing line at some point will have contact with the brush pile, which is another reason that maintaining fresh line may save you from losing a few fish. A hair jig is my go-to bait for fishing brush piles this time of year. The feathers seem to give it more presence, which catches the fish’s interest. One twenty-fourth ounce is our go-to jig. On a windy day, use the double rig method (tying two jigs to your line about a foot apart), or use a one-sixteenth ounce if you prefer a single rig. When the bite is really subtle, one of our seasoned club member’s tricks is to use a closed faced Zebco 33 reel, and while retrieving the jig, rest the line on the trigger finger of the hand holding the rod while applying slight pressure to the line with the thumb of the same hand. Make sure you are not interrupting the flow of the retrieve. This will help you feel the bite more effectively. Hopefully, cooler weather will be upon us soon, but in the meantime, wear your life jacket. It can save your life!

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING OCONEE ON THE FLY- OCTOBER FORECAST GUIDE WARS OR CAPTAIN’S COLLABORATIVE

CHATTOOGA RIVER

Contributed By Capt. Wayne Moore USCG www.oconeeonthefly.com I’ll never forget what venerable lake Oconee guide Doug Nelms said when I told him I wanted to be guide here several years ago: “We all had to learn somewhere.” Being the “newbie” guide, I was concerned as I had been warned from a guide on the coast that “they are going hate your guts”. Turned out that even though I was going to be yet another guide vying for customers here, they all have been great. Kevin Alexander from Crappie Time Guide Service came on my boat to give me long line tutorials, and that’s just one example. I would say that all the guides here are willing to help each other and that benefits the customers. Of course, there are some limitations, especially with crappie fisherman. News travels fast of crappie biting here. Moving to the crappie forecast, I’ll share some general tips, but I cannot overstate that if you want to catch crappie now, you need to hire one of the guides on Oconee. It will be money well spent! Hybrids/Stripers – At the time of this writing, we a suffering an unbearable heat wave and that has really shut down the hybrid/striper bite. There is still a very brief early morning bite when Georgia Power is pumping up water from Lake Sinclair. Popping corks work during this time, and if you can cast a fly rod fairly well, you will connect with some nice size hybrids during this brief frenzy. As we move into October and if the temperature drops, I look for the topwater bite to pick up and last longer. Hopefully, it will be cool enough to see a revival of the

pump-back bite at the dam. Once we get past O c t o b e r, fall and winter fishing will see the return of the gulls, sight fishing for hybrids and stripers, and the fish will be active throughout the midlake area. I can’t wait! Crappie – As mentioned above, I’ll share some tips here. The guides that specialize in crappie (and some specialize in this kind of crappie fishing) are targeting brush piles and specific trees in areas of submerged timber. Is it easy? Yes, if you have a guide that knows where the fish are, can maneuver the boat on top of or near them (and keep it there without spooking them), and all you have to do is pull the fish in. In a given stand of timber, there may only be one or two areas loaded with fish. Let’s say that the brush or timber that holds the fish is in 30 feet of water and the timber comes to 12 feet from the surface. You must fish in a 10-foot diameter area above them. Go outside of that and you will not get a bite. As you can see, this takes skill. Hire a guide! Final words – I offer combination trips, so you can fly fish and use spinning rods for light tackle fun. As we move into fall and winter, fishing will be very good for hybrids, stripers, and crappie! Email me at wmoore1700 @outlook.com or call 404-317-9556 and lock in your fall dates. Tight lines and God bless.

Through mid-September, summertime has had a strong hold upon us here! Higher than average temperatures and no rain to speak of has kept the water temperatures above normal. The bass and panfish on the rivers have been great to fish for, as the trout have been for the most part on the bottoms of the rivers seeking thermal refuge. The outlook for the weather forecast is for much cooler temperatures and much needed rain. As the cooler air temperatures start to arrive, the trout fishing will just keep getting better. Delayed harvest season starts here on the South Carolina rivers November 1 and continues through May 14. October is a great time to get out on the rivers to stretch your line with some fish and enjoy the fall colors in the mountains. Along with the falling water temperatures, the emergence of the fall hatches bless us again. Swinging nymphs and soft-hackles on a deaddrift is essential to a great day on the rivers. An upstream cast, a mend or two of your line, and letting these fine bugs drift freely with no drag all the way downstream will produce fish. We have noticed that some of the fall hatches are appearing on the rivers a little earlier than most years.

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Streamer fishing will be great this fall season as well. There are a tremendous amount of shiners, minnows, and sculpins throughout the watersheds. Targeting fish in the seam lines, just off the big runs of the rivers, will be beneficial. Cast the streamers upstream, “dead-drift and twitch” through the drift, and then a strip and pause retrieve will be rewarding. For a full line of bugs and streamers, stop by and see us and check out the new arrivals to fulfill your fall fly fishing. As the delayed harvest season arrives, now is a great time to see the Walhalla Fish Hatchery in full swing. If you have never been to the hatchery, you will be able to see the thousands of fish in many sizes getting ready for their journey to the rivers. From fingerlings to show fish, one will be amazed at the variety of sizes of the brook, brown and rainbow trout which the great folks at the hatchery have raised for us to enjoy. Bring along a couple of quarters to enjoy feeding the large show fish which the hatchery has on display. After visiting the hatchery, try your hand at fishing the East Fork, a great small water fishery here in South Carolina. As we travel from one water system to another, let’s remember to give our equipment a good cleaning to avoid any transfer of invasive species. Also, as we are enjoying the scenery and rivers we are fishing on, please “Leave no trace”.

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING THE CASTING CORNER-

CLOSE YOUR EYES AND CAST

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Night fishing is a totally different world. The heart pounds a little faster out in the water when it’s dark. There is a hyper activity of your senses and a thrill of wondering what is on the end of your line as you reach into the black water. I really enjoy fly fishing at night. Anything from tarpon to snook and reds in salt, to bass and cats in freshwater. They are all more exciting in the dark. The fly ‘casting’ part of the adventure is much different too. The weight of the line against the rod tip as you lift the line is more prominent. The bending or loading of the rod is felt in a completely different way when we can’t see things happening. You notice the tip of the rod bending, then the mid-section as the weight of the rod seems to increase, and then the weightlessness as the rod unbends and sends the line out into the night. Then you have to wait and anticipate. Is the line extended? If I wait for the tug in the back, it may be too late to keep the tension or letting the line fall too far. The loop control is completely subjective. You can’t see the shape of the loop. How do you know when it’s a good

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one? Here is a good way to improve your casting day or night. If you have a buddy and can go out casting, set up a 40 foot target. Make some casts as your friend watches the shape of the loops. Then close your eyes, pretend you are on a flats boat in shark infested waters with rolling waves about to cast to a tarpon. Never mind, skip that part, just close your eyes and make several casts and feel the rod bending and unbending. Talk with your buddy as you do it, and tell him when you feel you have made good loops or bad loops. You will know. You will feel the rod loading and unloading, the timing coming together and the sound of the cast will be more of a whisper than a woosh-woosh (A term not found in the Fly Fishers International glossary, but should be). Closing your eyes will get rid of the distractions and allow your body to feel what is going on. ‘Seeing’ what your cast is doing is super important too, but most of us only see about a third of our casts, the forward third. If you are going to open your eyes, open them and watch your backcast. It’s as important as your forward cast.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST ALATOONA CRAPPIE Tim Dangar ltdangar@tds.net When we think of crappie fishing, we normally think about midMarch through the month of April, and indeed that is what we refer to as “prime time” on Lake Allatoona, my home lake. In the spring, we often deal with rain, cold, wind and unstable water levels, but we fish on anyway. In the month of August, we deal with HEAT! This August will go down in history as one of the hottest, in my opinion. Now that we have covered all the weather hazards, we can get back to fishing. On August 27th, if you remember, we enjoyed a cloudy and rainy day (we are now approaching the middle of September and no rain since then). Due to the rain, I could not work on my outside project I had going at the time, so I went fishing. Just because you can’t work

in the rain, doesn’t mean you can’t fish in the rain. It turned out to be a great day to fish Allatoona. Summertime crappie fishing is based on one thing; finding fish. This is where knowing the lake is a real benefit for bringing home fish. You need 12 to 15 feet of water with a lot of brush and trees for cover, and you will find crappie. If you have a creek run feeding the area, it will help hold the fish due to baitfish being in the area. We use live minnows fished just above the trash to locate fish. Remember to adjust your fishing depth so the minnow is just above the trash for these two reasons; crappie feed up and you won’t get hung up as much. Well, the cloudy, cool day proved to be successful. I caught fifty or more but only kept 24 of the best ones. Next month we will talk more about lake conditions and techniques for Allatoona summer crappie. Until then, I look forward to some rain and cooler weather. God Bless and fish on!

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST PATIENCE, PATIENCE, AND A LITTLE MORE PATIENCE

WEST POINT

By: Ryan Kennedy YouTube: Ryan Kennedy Fishing Instagram: ryankfishing ryankfishing@gmail.com

A lot of people think they have patience until the time finally comes to use it. Patience is one of those things that applies to every outdoorsman out there. Whether you are a fisherman, a hunter, or enjoy anything else in the outdoors, we all have to have patience in different situations that we encounter. Talking to my fishermen out there first, how many times have you been trolling along the bank and seen a gorgeous looking tree laying in the water to flip into? The situation at hand is pretty common, but the temptation to not have any patience in that situation is the real kicker. Let’s take a look at that situation from a bigger picture. Two buddies are fishing down a bank in their boat and see a perfect laydown ahead that looks like a dream to flip a jig into. No harm, no foul… yet. Stepping back even farther to get a different perspective shows us that there is so much more going on in that moment. Both fishermen’s minds are wondering who is going to flip first because they each want to be the one to catch the fish that is potentially in that laydown, but they also don’t want to lose their cool by flinging a rocket launcher cast at it before they get within flipping range. Well, the lack of patience takes over and sure enough the guy up front has had enough and flings that jig as hard as he can right into the middle of the lay-

down. Keeping a long story short, the lure gets caught up in the tree and just like that, no patience in one situation leads to another by jerking the rod around violently trying to get unsnagged before getting closer, and finally… POP! The last one of “the only jig they’ll bite” is at the bottom of the lake and the laydown is ruined. No patience… no fish. The hunting side of patience isn’t that much different. There are plenty of hunters out there who are determined to get a shot on a deer from the moment that the slightest opportunity arises. These are the guys that usually tell you a story about the one that got away or the ones who have their favorite tracking dog owner on speed dial every year. They get into a rush and try to take a shot on an alert deer instead of waiting for a perfect broadside, relaxed shot. Well, if you make a bad shot, you’ve got a heck of walking distance to cover ahead and a bill to pay for the tracking dog. If you missed, that deer is going to be blowing enough to make sure you don’t see another thing for the rest of the day. I know that situation doesn’t apply as much to hunting with a gun, but my bow hunters know this all too well. Wait for the right shot, folks! Just remember, patience is like a good investment; the more you put into it, the more you are going to get out of it. God Bless!

Bass: Good - October usually marks a big improvement in fishing in general. As the days start to get a little shorter and the temps cool, expect a drastic improvement in the bass fishing. As usual, a few largemouth and spots are still being caught on deeper brush piles, ledges and road beds in the main lake area. Try big deep diving crankbaits or Carolina-rigged worms. Also, dropshotting can be effective in these areas. Best fishing is around brush piles or other structure in these areas if you can find them. Water generation always improves this bite. Downsize baits in these same areas and improve your chances for spotted bass. More fish will move shallow with cooler water temps, and this pattern should improve as the water cools and we move into fall. Topwater baits such as Rebel Pop R’s, Zara Spooks and Spro Poppin frogs will become more effective for shallow fish, especially around grass and weed beds. Try targeting the mouths of feeder creeks north of the 219 bridge in the Chattahoochee. Also, have a jig handy to pitch into wood cover in these same areas. Spotted bass are still your best bet on the south end of the lake. Spots are being caught by casting Spot Remover heads loaded with Shaky Head worms or just dragging a Carolina-rigged Zoom finesse worm or mini lizard around shoal markers. Also, try a small Texas rigged worm or a pig-n-jig around blown down trees. Actively schooling groups of fish will also hit the Flash Mob Jr. rig, a personal favorite in the fall. Linesides: Good - It has been a good summer in general for schooling topwater action on the main lake. I expect surface schooling on the main lake to continue this fall. These fish can generally be caught on Rooster Tails, topwaters, pop-n-cork

rigs and Storm Swim Shad lures. Start early or stay late for the best results. Expect the down-line bite on live bait to continue to improve as we move toward fall, with the best yet to come in late fall and early winter. Trolling with a crankbait/bucktail combo should also continue to be fairly effective. Try old faithful areas like the railroad trestle hump and the humps out from Amity Park for good results. Crappie: Good - The fish will typically move shallower and hold on mid-depth brush and structure or under docks as the water temps drop into the 70s or below. Try dropshotting minnows or shooting docks in 5-15 feet of water for the best results. You can really do well if you find one of these schools. Try the cuts and coves in Yellow Jacket Creek and from Highland Marina north to Wolf Creek in the Chattahoochee. Some fish will start to move a little shallower as the water slowly cools, maybe by the end of the month. Minnows fished under a float will usually work on them when you find them. Any blow-down near deep water is a good starting point. Night fishing is still pretty good. Try under the bridges with lights.

Expect the down-line bite on live bait to continue to improve as we move toward fall, with the best yet to come in late fall and early winter. 10 ATLANTA

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LATE FALL SLOP/SCUM FISHING By Capt. Jake Davis www.midsouthbassguide.com, msbassguide@comcast.net 615-613-2382

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The welcome of cool mornings after long days of 90-plus degree summer weather means one thing to me; scum, junk or slop fishing. Whatever you want to call it, it is by far the most exciting fishing you’ll ever do! Scum, as it is referred to by most anglers, is when vegetation forms a large blanket-like form over the water. There are several forms of vegetation that can create these areas. Lily pads that were once covered water now have other forms of vegetation filling in the open water pockets that once existed such as milfoil or hydrilla. Duck wart or primrose is another example of vegetation that can make up some prime areas. Another form can be grass lines that been folded over and are now lying across the top of the water. Determining what kind of slop the bass are in is important because on many bodies of water, such as Lake Guntersville, Seminole or Eufaula, you could spend days upon days fishing fields of green gold and not be very successful. One important factor to listen for is the sound of shad or bluegill feeding. This will sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies with milk. Two other factors that I take into consideration when locating bass within the scum are if there are any other forms of cover located within or near the area. The other factor being if there is any current running through or nearby. Many times bass will position themselves in the junk that is within close range to the current. My preferred lures are frogs, Missile Baits D-Bombs and Tightline flipping or swim jigs. I like to throw a Tightline jig on top of the matted vegetation when it is not that thick and when the bass are holding more on the edge. When you bring your jig off the edge, it can fall down the face of the vegetation. My primarily lure and favorite way to entice these big hogs out is with a soft, hollow-bodied frog from Pro-Z Baits. With these high

quality frogs you are also getting a high performance hook that helps you hook the bass and keep them on. As for colors, I like to keep it simple by using black/red, black/ blue or black/yellow. Black/white or leopard shad will work well too. I use two primary retrieves to locate and catch fish with frogs under heavy cover. To locate and cover vast amounts of grass I use a steady pull and stop retrieve. The preferred way in which most of the fish are caught is to work the frog with short pops or jerks of the rod tip down for about 12 to 18 inches, stop for a second and repeat. If you get your frog next to or in a blow hole, stop and simply twitch the lure. As for the hook set, I always explain to my clients to say the following phrase to themselves “one, two, set the hook” or as soon as you feel the fish. The whole time, keep looking for the frog. If the frog is still on the water, leave it for a second and simply twitch the frog. Again, it is important to keep your rod tip low to the water. By doing this, your line recovery with the swing of the rod upward increases threefold, thus turning the fish and bringing him to the surface of the grass. Slop fishing is an art of bass fishing that gives an angler a huge rush of adrenaline and accounts for numerous quality bass through the fall. Capt Jake Davis is a USCG Licensed professional fishing guide on Lake Guntersville, Tim’s Ford Lake and Nickajack Lake; to reserve your “Day on the Lake” visit www.midsouthbassguide.com or call/email 615-613-2382, msbassguide@comcast.net

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST CLOUD FISHING

JACKSON LAKE

Contributed By: Noey Vinyard

DORA THE EXPLORER’S NEW ADVENTURE Last week my good friend, my spirit mate in adventuring, my soul mate in all things animal, and my fellow writer in the rare and disappearing art of writing from the heart, finished her last assignment on this earth. And as her spiritual body left her material one, I have no doubt that she took her spiritual notebook with her. We both hated computers and both agreed one afternoon that God certainly did not allow computers in heaven. Dora and I both are able to move people with our stories because we have the courage to open our hearts and bare our souls for people to see. In one of our many talks, we agreed that maybe 7 in 10 would regard our style of writing as corny or silly, but we most assuredly agreed that the three we did touch with the way that we saw the world was worth it. And she did it with the best for over 9 decades. My own publications number over 500, but I truly do not keep count, yet I stand in awe at her endurance and her strength to write as we do and to do it for as long as she did and to face the laughs and sneers from those who cannot see the beauty in the simple things that move us to put the words on paper that will bring tears to the three in ten who read it. I think it is widely agreed that Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player to ever live. Yet he did not hit the 2-decade mark in his profession. My friend Dora did it for over seventy, yeah 70 years. In one of our many talks, we agreed that our peers in the journalism field were due a great deal of respect for what they do, but Dora

By Brian Lee leebrian16 @yahoo.com

and I shared a love for taking words and playing with them, using our skills with the English language and making a sentence sound pleasant to the ears and put a smile on your face. We love to find beauty in the smell of the world and the sights of the seasons and find a way to describe them that would put a lump in the throat of those brave enough to see the world the way we do. Dora and I learned that the key to happiness was not to stop the tears of happiness, love or anger, but we learned to see the world clearly through our tears. There are a great number of people who are almost beyond consoling right now in their pain, so great is their love for Dora that they will certainly never forget her. In 93 years of living, she touched many people and made many friends. As a fellow adventurer and explorer of new places, I rejoice that she has a whole new world to write about and a whole lot of new people to share her many stories with. I have no doubt that God will give her a brand new notebook to write all of her new adventures in. So to my beloved friend, Dora the explorer, I am a little envious that you get to go first in a whole new world of exploring, but you earned it. Save me a seat by a riverbank up there so you can catch me up on what you been getting into up there. And please know that I informed Festus just this morning that your precious little cat that you could not take with you will soon share our roof and our love. Farewell my friend. I know the only thing you need to hear from me is that I will love your cat like you did.

Dora and I both are able to move people with our stories because we have the courage to open our hearts and bare our souls for people to see.

Water temperature: high 80’slow 90’s, lake level: full, clarity: clear/stained. The fall bite isn’t very far away. Topwater in the mornings is wide open. Throw a Spook, buzzbait or Pop-R along deeper sea walls. Run as many spots as you can before the sun gets above the tree line. Once the sun is above the trees, throw a shaky head or Carolina-rig

CLARKS HILL STRIPED BASS, HYBRIDS AND CRAPPIE by Capt Tony Shepherd and Capt Rocky Fulmer Little River Guide Service lrguideservice@gmail.com (706) 210-3474 The lake is currently 3 feet low and surface temperatures are hovering around 82 degrees in the morning. The summer sun is hanging on deep into September, and the fish have responded by staying deep on the lower end of the lake. As fall arrives, topwater schooling activity can be anticipated. When acres of fish blow up on the surface, even the most experienced fishermen get overcome with excitement and joy. These fish can be targeted with a variety weapons such as pencil poppers, Zara Spooks and Sammies, considered walk the dog lures. Weighted soft plastics like the Zoom Super Fluke Jr. are a staple as well as chrome Rat-LTraps, small casting spoons and Alabama rigs. A good pair of binoculars and patience are required, but you can have your heart pounding out of your chest in no time. Topwater activity is already

Joey Pittman and friends had a great outing with Little River Guide Service

happening on the upper end of the lake below Richard B. Russel dam and mid-lake around the 378 bridge. Give us a call at 706 210-3474 and get in on the action or visit us at www.littleriverguideservice.net. You will not be disappointed.

When acres of fish blow up on the surface, even the most experienced fishermen get overcome with excitement and joy.

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on points and docks. On any brush you find, slow down and fish it really thoroughly. The offshore bite will still produce fish as all the bass will not move up at once. A dropshot is a very effective way to catch offshore bass. Humps and brush will be your key areas to look for. Be patient. The bass will give you a key as to what you need to be doing. Each bite will give you something to go on. Just remember what and where you were and what you were doing. Just duplicate it and you will catch fish. Till next month, tight lines.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE LANIER IN OCTOBER – OPTIONS! Contributed By: Jim “Jimbo” Mathley www.jimboonlanier.com

October on Lake Lanier means transition. Often you can find fish shallow and in the mid-depth ranges. As well, some fish start to move deep. The lake traditionally begins its turnover/stratification process this month, which provides an additional challenge. This year the lake returned to full pool and actually remained over full pool for the majority of the year. As we head into October 2019, the lake is 2 feet below full pool and dropping, more like a normal fall. September 2019 has been extremely warm as we have broken records for the daily highs. This change from the previous two years should provide some differences in fishing this October and will require flexibility in approach. Let’s dig in and examine how to approach catching spotted bass in this highly transitional month. Location: As the water temperature cools, the bait, and therefore many of the fish, begin to move shallower in search of the warmer water that remains. As always, staying up with the location of the bait is key to consistently catching fish. To complicate matters, the lake traditionally begins its turnover process in October, which provides an unstable environment for the bait and the fish. The stratified layers of the lake mix at different times in different places. During this time, focus your efforts on the areas of the lake that have not yet or already have turned over or stratified. Look for the clearer water, and avoid water that has a dark, cloudy, or coffee look to it. Often, you

can find fish shallower in the creeks during this period. However, some fish may also be deeper relating to the brush that had been holding fish through September. Some of the fish may go even deeper and begin relating to the timber edges in preparation for winter. Obviously, there are numerous factors to consider when searching for the catchable fish in October. Examine your options, understand the status of the lake and the effect of recent weather changes, stay flexible in your search, and stay on the move until you find a viable, repeatable pattern during your fishing day. Now let’s examine some potential lure choices. Lures and Presentation MidDepth: 1. Topwater/Swimbait– This bite in October can be outstanding. Large schools of fish can be found around humps and points near the creek or river channel, typically more near the mouths. Experiment with different baits and presentations to match the conditions. A Zara Spook, Chug Bug and Gunfish are some of my favorite topwater baits. On the swimbait side, make sure to try the Sweet Bait Company Swimbait offerings. Awesome baits!! 2. Chattahoochee Jig – Great bait throughout the fall on Lake Lanier. Fish the bait around rocky/clay points, on ledges, and timber edges. Take your time and work it slowly. Lures and Presentation Shallow: 1. Shaky Head – A Lanier Baits head with a Jimbo’s Fat Finesse worm

can be an awesome bait in October. Fish shallow around docks and secondary points with this bait for some hammers. 2. Senko – A great bait to fish shallow around docks as it can be skipped under and around objects with ease. Dead stick the bait and wait for the tick! 3. Crankbait – Tie on a Spro Little John DD and target shallower rock points toward the end of the month. This can be a particularly good approach at daylight. Lures and Presentation Suspended: 1. SuperSpin– This is an excellent producer on Lanier. Fish the bait at the depth you see the fish suspending near bait balls. Understand the fall-rate for your rig and count the bait down to the depth of the fish and maintain that depth. 2. Jerk Bait – Another great tool

for targeting suspending fish. Choose a bait that suspends at the depth the fish are holding and experiment with your retrieve cadence until you find what the fish are looking for any given day. I really like the SPRO offerings in the jerkbait, both the McStick and the McRip. Start with those. I still have a few dates available this October, but they are going fast. Call me to book a trip! See you on the water! Jimbo is a full-time, year-round spotted bass guide on Lake Lanier. For more information or to book your trip, contact Jimbo on Lanier! 770-542-7764. Jimbo’s website: www.jimboonlanier. com.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE ALATOONA Forecast By Joseph Martinelli heronoutdooradventures@gmail.com Lake Allatoona is fishing excellent, and we are so thankful to have this wonderful and thriving fishery at our disposal. The lake level is dropping and we are on our way to the winter pool level of 823 feet (17 feet below full pool). This drop in level is triggering a significant movement of bait from the backs of the creeks to the mouths. For those netting their own fresh bait, this shows the better concentrations of baitfish being found in the mouths versus under the bridges and other common holding areas that were the go-to just a few weeks ago. These past several weeks have us very excited as the fish are schooling up nicely and there is a fantastic topwater bite we hope to enjoy now through October. Always stand prepared for some great topwater action. While they are in a feeding frenzy, most any artificial you can get in front of them could produce. A lot of these fish are chasing and devouring small young-of-year threadfin shad that

are still in the 1”-2” range, though they do not seem to hesitate on striking a larger topwater lure being walked or even up to a 5” spoon being pulled across the top or worked subsurface through the school. We have been enjoying some sustained topwater activity lasting as long as an hour, though intervals of just minutes may be all you’ll get. Downlining frisky threadfin and small gizzard shad at depths between 15-25 feet at about 1/2 mph is a very good standard here. Frisky bait can be hard to top at most times, and as fresh bait may only last a few minutes on the hook with the current temperatures, bait may need to be changed frequently. Do not count out the effectiveness of a shiner or spot-tail minnow that may also have a little more endurance in the 85 degree waters. It is highly recommended to keep a freeline or two out with a frisky threadfin or small gizzard shad. Sometimes, this is the best technique and is proven to be effective nearly year-round. This is exercised easily in conjunction with fishing live bait on the downlines. While the U-rig bite is always an effective method of locating and triggering bites from fish across points and humps, we have not been utilizing this method much lately as so many other goto techniques have been proving effective. When applied, we have had success pulling MiniMack’s 100-125’ behind the boat with a 3/4-1 ounce egg sinker to achieve the targeted depth and have received reports from a few using a full-size U-rig with good results already. For us, this method is being applied when scouting and when higher wind speeds decrease the effectiveness of the other proven and currently effective techniques. For up to date and weekly fishing reports for Lake Allatoona, please visit us on Facebook at Heron Outdoor Adventures and at https://www. heronoutdooradventures.com/ blog.

REELING IN DOLLARS…UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS By Regina Dyer Did you know that anglers spend more than 1.1 BILLION yearly on Georgia’s waters? Lake Lanier is a huge economic generator for our community and the Gainesville Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) supports a wide variety of lake activities, including fishing tournaments. There are many factors that determine the level of involvement including economic impact, number of hotel nights and overnight stays and audience reach. The Gainesville CVB is fully funded by hotel/motel tax, which is why there is an emphasis on tournaments with overnight attendees. The majority of the tournaments that the Gainesville CVB hosts happen in fall and early spring. These are peak fishing times on Lake Lanier, including some great spotted bass action. Laurel Park, located just a few minutes north of the heart of downtown Gainesville, has a mega ramp and can accommodate tournaments up to 300 boats. It’s an ideal location for tournaments such as the

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FLW T-H Marine Bulldog Series happening September 28-29 and the Georgia Bass Nation High School tournament on October 12. On October 26 the Officer P90 Deputy Dixon tournament will take place honoring the fallen Deputy Nicolas Dixon. Another new and large tournament is the March of Dimes Bassin’ for Babies on November 29-December 1. As always, the public is always encouraged to attend and weighins generally start around 3pm. It’s always exciting to see what the big catch is or if it will be a spotted or large-mouth. It’s also perfect to see what they are biting on and get some great tips for catching that next “big one”. If you are interested in having a tournament or just want to find out some information about having a fishing weekend get-away, the Gainesville CVB is here to assist! We can recommend great places to stay, eat, guides, boat rentals, bait/tackle shops and maybe even where the fish are biting!

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST KIM’S KITCHEN

LAKE MARTIN

Cornmeal Crusted Catfish

Provided By: David Hare Alex City Guide Service 256-401-3089

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by Kim Nunery Pounders Seafood Market 1 cup flour 2 tablespoons lemon Juice 1 egg, slightly beaten 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (optional) 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 catfish fillets 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Pat fish dry with paper towels. Place 1 cup flour in shallow bowl, set aside. Combine the lemon juice and slightly beaten egg in another shallow bowl, set aside. In larger bowl mix the 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt. Dip the catfish in the first bowl of flour, then the egg wash, then the cornmeal mixture. Let rest for 10-20 minutes. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Fry fillets, two at a time for 5-6 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Add a squeeze of lemon if desired. Makes 4 servings.

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Water temperature: 85 degrees, lake level: 489.00 (full pool 491.00), clarity: clear. Lake Martin is alive and well as I write this in mid-September. The topwater action is on fire right now both with stripers and spotted bass. In September, so far we have boated them as big as 20-pounds on topwater lures and as big as 37-pounds trolling. In regards to the bass bite, my bass angler friends are catching 5 fish limits with a consistent weight of 16-20 pounds total along with some 4-5 pound pigs. This topwater bite is not just happening at daybreak, but has been good all through the day, especially if you have a little breeze on the water. October, assuming we have not gotten much rain the last few weeks, is going to have the water levels down possibly as low as the winter pool level. I personally like fishing with the water levels down due to it’s just less surface area that I have to cover to locate and stay on the fish. When you’re dealing with 44,000 acres and 800 miles of shoreline like we have here, then winter pool levels reduce that size area drastically, which in return helps us dramatically. As I say every year in my October article, this is what I consider the transition period for stripers. Transition for me means they are moving or thinking about moving to different areas all over the lake, so I have to plan on covering a lot of areas and cover them fast to be able to have successful trips. The easiest and fastest way for me to do this is by trolling with my downriggers (Electric Scotty 1160 Pro Pack). As I’m trolling, I am constantly watching my Hummingbird 12 series electronics for stripers that may be schooled together. If I see this, I mark the spot (waypoint) so I can come back to them with live bait if the trolling doesn’t work. I’m not going to go into live bait in depth, but I do want all of you to know that Alabama has passed a new law stating you can no longer transport baitfish from one res-

P Ben Nelson and friend Josh Nelson from Chattanooga show off some nice Lake Martin stripers ervoir to another. This law was passed due to the increasing issue of Silver Carp (Asian Carp) being found in a lot of waterways. Luckily, so far none have been found in Lake Martin, and we all want it to stay that way, so the new law does protect us against that. However, it increases the work for the live bait fisherman to have to catch and use only the baitfish that’s in the reservoir you’re fishing. Now you can still purchase bait at your local licensed bait shops for fishing, which basically around Lake Martin only consists of minnows, black salties, crickets, worms, etc. Our area is very unlike other states and doesn’t have bait shops that offer gizzard shad or herring (which by the way is still not legal in Alabama to fish with), so we are at a disadvantage compared to other states, and we will and are making legal adjustments to catching and fishing with local (non-transported) shad. As a client with us, you will probably never even realize anything changed, but it makes us work harder than ever to be able to supply good quality bait on our charter trips. For a better understanding of the new bait transporting laws, go to Alabama DCNR Game and Fish regulations.

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LAKE CHATUGE HYBRIDS AND SPOTTED BASS Report By: Darren Hughes Owner: Hughes General Store & Bait Shop The Angler Magazine Fishing Team & Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service www.bigolfish.com 828-361-2021

September was an insane month out here! These hybrids and spots have been biting everywhere on the lake, and we’ve been absolutely wearing them out. October should remain about the same. It’s definitely one of the best fisheries in the North Georgia Mountains and October is a perfect time to come get your fish on! Currently, Lake Chatuge is 3 feet below full pool. Water temps are in the low 80s, and water clarity is clear throughout the lake. Hybrid fishing remains excellent. The fish are still schooling in large numbers. Our average trips are still consisting of 30 to 50 fish in just a few hours. Most of our hybrids are averaging 5-10 pounds. These are some of Lake Chatuge’s hardest-fighting fish, and we’re having a blast wearing them out. The early morning and mid-afternoon bite has been prime. Look for schools of fish along the main channel and off points. Downlining live blueback herring has

been the best technique. Search out your areas and watch your electronics. When you mark fish, drop your lines. Fish will be slightly shallower in the early morning hours and will move to deeper water by midmorning. Topwater bite has slowed down considerably but you can still find a few busting. When these fish start busting on bait, it’s always a good idea to have a plug, Spook, or Red Fin at the ready. October fishing on Lake Chatuge is always exciting. Remember, live bait on this lake can be the difference between a successful day of fishing and a horrid one. For all of your bait and tackle needs, come visit us at Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA. It’s the best place around for quality live blueback herring. We also carry ethanolfree gas and have some of the best hot, made-from-scratch biscuits in North GA. For guided fishing trips on Lakes Chatuge, Apalachia, Hiwassee, or Nottely, or questions about the bait shop, call me, Darren Hughes, at Hughes General Store. And whether you’re a seasoned angler or just starting out, give Chatuge a shot for some of the best spotted bass and hybrids in the area. Good luck and get hooked!

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST IT’S FALL. LET’S GO FISHING! Contributed By: Jay Striker www.jaystriker.com One of the best times of the year I like to fish is in the fall. You just can beat it. However, many anglers ask what baits should I be throwing in the fall to catch fish? What signs should I be looking for? And where do I go to catch fish? Let’s take a moment to review some of these questions and shed some light on one of the best times of the year to be fishing; the fall. There are primarily two times of the year when bass tend to make significant adjustments when it comes to location. One is the spring and the other time is the fall. In both of the seasons, you consistently hear of mega bags of fish being caught. In the fall, bass move from their deep summer haunts to shallow water, which brings us to our first question. What baits should you be throwing in the fall? One of my top choices I recommend throwing in the fall is either the Strike King Red Eye lipless crankbait or a Zara Spook. They are perfect to match the big schools of baitfish bass are chasing while feeding up for the winter. The next bait I will throw is KVD Strike King 200 or 300 series jerk baits. It’s just hard to beat them in the fall, especially if there is a little wind blowing. Last, but not least, is the Fish Head Primal Spinnerbait. One way I use the spinnerbait in the fall, especially if the water is a bit stained, is to work the bait using short casts around cover such as laydowns and shallow brush. What should I be looking for in the fall to target fish? Some of the typical things you will notice in the fall is aggressive fish feeding. Look for schooling fish on the surface and look for the birds on the water as they will help you locate baitfish in the area. If you see great blue heron stalking the bank, this is a good indicator that bait is nearby, and bass are not too far away either.

Where do you go to catch fish in the fall? Creek channels get my attention first, as bass tend to use the ditches to make migration routes toward the shallow water to feed. A flat area can be a feeding ground in the early morning. Most of the fall, I’m usually going to stay shallow unless there is a long streak of hot weather that keeps the lake’s temperature high, so the lake has a delay in turnover. I will then stay out a little deeper, but not much though. My next stop is holding areas such as rocks and wood, as they will hold some quality fish. I try to stay fishing close to creek channel structure near shallow water as they tend to produce and reload throughout the day. Be aware of how fast the drawdown on the lake takes place, as this will pull the fish out of the shallows and into deeper water. Take time to enjoy everything the fall has to offer. Some impressive views of the trees turning colors and the crisp air in the morning can not be beaten. When bass fishing in the fall, you can really catch some quality fish. Knowing what baits to use, understanding what to look for, and knowing where to go will help cut down on the endless searching for bass in the fall. Remember to take time to follow me on Social Media, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and at www.jaystriker.com.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LANIER STRIPERS Forecast by: Clay Cunningham www.catchingnotfishing.com 770-630-2673 The heat has continued to be relentless on Lanier. The weather has to cool off any day. Once the first cold front rolls through, look for the pattern to change quickly to topwater. Concerning live bait, herring will continue to be the primary bait in October. Rig the herring on a free line which is basically a 1/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hook, a section of 10-pound Trilene Big Game 100% Flourocarbon and a Spro 120 pd Power Swivel. A quality swivel is important. Use this setup on the same Shakespeare Striper Rod paired with a Penn Fathom II 15 Linecounter you use for down-lining spooled with Trilene Big Game. Be prepared for the surface action with a wide selection of topwa-

ter baits. Spool up a Fenwick medium action rod with 10-pound Trilene Big Game and a Sebile Magic Swimmer as the lure. The Magic Swimmer has caught tons of stripers over the past decade. The Magic Swimmer comes in several sizes and they all work, but the 125 is most popular on Lanier. Be prepared with several colors like the Halo Greenie and White Liner. Other key topwater baits include the Berkley J-Walker 120, Berkley Surge Shad and the Berkley Driftwalker. Each one has a different action. The key bait can change daily based on conditions. Two of the key colors are Black Chrome and Bone. Look for schooling fish and cast right in the middle of them. Some of these schools can be massive. This is usually the most exciting month of the year on Lanier. Do not miss it. Hopefully the summer heat is gone any day now.

LAKE EUFAULA By Capt Sam Williams hawk184@earthlink.net 334-687-6266 Water temperature: upper 80’s, lake level: 188.66 msl, clarity: clear. The hot summer pattern continues. The bite is slow and the presentation needs to be even slower. Early morning and late afternoon shallow fish are hitting wacky-rigged trick worms with a tiny split shot above the hook. Pink is still working. Chatterbaits and spinnerbaits are also working. Frogs worked over the pad fields are getting hit as well. Deep fish are hitting Carolina rigs with big worms. Crankbaits and lipless cranks are a good choice. Crappie are in deep cover. Find

the trash piles and work them with minnow tipped jigs. There are some panfish being caught on the flats on wigglers and crickets. Catfish are even slow, but working the creeks with jugs baited with cut bait will get you a good meal. These river cats are the best meal you can hope for. Be sure and keep plenty of sun screen and water during these blistering hot days. Please visit our website, www.alabamachildrensclassic.org and check out the opportunities to support our veterans, the Autism Society of Alabama and Niemann-Pick disease research. The Henry Golden Boy rifle is beautiful and the Power Pole is a great addition to any boat. God Bless and good fishing!

SEMINOLE Forecast By: by Paul Tyre paultyrefishing@yahoo.com

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The bass fishing has been good through September. The water temperature has been averaging in the mid-to-upper 80’s. As we move into October, the bass should start feeding up for their fall feed. If you are coming to Lake Seminole in October, here are some baits you will want to have in your tackle box! The first is a hollow belly frog. One of my favorites is a Spro Bronze Eye 65 in leopard color. This frog is equipped with a very sharp, extremely strong Gamakatsu hook that can get the big bass out of the grass! When fishing a hollow belly frog over matted grass, make sure to rig it on a heavy-action rod with a high speed reel, spooled with braided line. My line of choice is Cortland Master Braid in 65-pound test. Early fall is a great time for jerk baits. The bass are keying on bait, and a jerk bait is a great baitfish imitator. One of my favorites is a Spro McStick 110 in any shad color. The Spro McStick 110 is equipped with very sharp Gamakatsu hooks. I like to fish these baits on 12-pound fluo-

rocarbon and a medium action rod. The hybrids are still schooling on the main lake. We have caught some nice ones on hair jigs, crankbaits and spoons. For a Lake Seminole fishing adventure, give us a call @ 850-264-7534 or email us @paultyrefishing@yahoo. com and follow us on Instagram @ lakeseminolefishingadventures and Facebook @ paultyrefishing.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST TROUT FISHING OPPORTUNITIES TO ENJOY DURING THE FALL MONTHS Dr. Andrew Cox Delayed harvest trout fishing has emerged in several states as a popular fishing opportunity. Generally, delayed harvest waters exist on streams and rivers that do not support trout during the summer months but have sufficient cold water temperatures during the cooler months for trout survival. Accordingly, stocking trout into delayed harvest waters both extends the trout fishing season and opens additional waters for the enjoyment of trout anglers. Georgia has several delayed harvest streams. Surrounding states to include North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee also have trout waters designated as delayed harvest streams. Some of these streams are within easy driving distance for the enjoyment of Georgia trout anglers. Georgia’s delayed harvest season is November 1 through May 14. Delayed harvest streams are regularly stocked during the fall and winter

months with anglers required to use artificial lures or flies with a single hook. All trout caught on these waters must be immediately released. After May 15, these regulations do not apply with anglers allowed to harvest caught trout. Georgia’s delayed harvest streams include waterways scattered across North Georgia. These streams include Amicalola Creek in Dawson County, Chattahoochee River in metropolitan Atlanta, Chattooga River in Rabun County, Smith Creek on White County’s Unicoi State Park, and Toccoa River in Fannin County. Each of these streams have different terrain and water characteristics along with good access. The angler can refer to http://georgiawildlife.com for additional information regarding delayed harvest waters. Detailed maps with directions to delayed harvest streams and other trout waters can be found at http;//www.gofishgeorgia.com.

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occur over these months within the southeastern United States. Delayed harvest streams allow anglers to extend the trout fishing season. Fishing can be combined with other individual and family activities that occur in nearby towns and cities in North Georgia as well as surrounding states. Author’s Note: Dr. Andrew Cox is a contributing writer to outdoor publications and newspapers. His writing interests specialize in angling and travel, human interest, and general fishing technique oriented topics. He is a member of the Georgia Outdoor Writer’s Association. He has been fishing the waters of Georgia, Alabama, and north Florida for over forty years. He has also fished the waters of most states within the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and several Caribbean islands. He enjoys fresh and saltwater fishing for bass, bream, crappie, trout, redfish, and speckled trout using fly, baitcasting, and spinning equipment. 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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In addition to delayed harvest streams, anglers interested in catching trout can explore other waterways comprising Georgia’s trout waters. Georgia no longer has a seasonal trout fishing season with all trout waters open to fishing on a yearlong basis. Some of these streams, however, may have special regulations to include size and bag limits, and lure and bait restrictions. You can also explore some of the “special regulation” streams that are available in Georgia. These include trophy trout streams with substantial size limits that allow the angler to catch a large trout of a lifetime. Georgia’s fishing regulations will describe all of Georgia’s trout waters via the website listed within this article. Trout anglers are required to purchase a general fishing license as well as a special trout license. Delayed harvest trout streams in Georgia and surrounding states as well as other trout waters are located in scenic portions of these states. These waters provide angling opportunities with good chances of catching trout during the fall and winter months. Chances in catching trout are improved during warm weather periods that often

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST GREAT BASS FISHING DESTINATIONS by O’Neill Williams Will these lakes be the very best for all of you? Of course not. There are thousands better than the ones I am choosing, but these are MY best because I’ve been to each lake many times. 1. Kingfisher Society, Laura Hill, North Carolina. 130 professionally operated acres with no more than four fishermen per day. It’s expensive, but it’s one of a kind. So, what’s the deal? It was drained 10 or so years ago and restocked with Florida and Tiger specie largemouth bass all above 2 pounds each both male and female. The owners have installed dozens of automatic feeders with specially sized pellets for the bass, so the bass are well fed and grow rapidly and live long lives. When fishing there, you can’t keep anything but photos. I have been there to shoot TV shows and have caught as many as 30 per day

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over 5 pounds. Look up www.kingfishersociety.com and inquire. 2. Lake Lanier just north of Atlanta. What makes Lanier so good now? About 20 or so years ago, some enterprising fisherman ventured to the Savannah River, netted some blueback herring and traveled them to Lanier to use for striped bass bait. Of course, many were dumped in the lake after a trip. The bluebacks have flourished and now the spotted bass have a specie of bait that shares the water temperature and serves to blow up the average size spot. Lanier is the best spotted bass fishing lake in North America. 3. Okeechobee! What can I say, 400,000 acres, 8 feet deep, full of grass, pads, hiding places and warm water for 12 months a year. There are lots of lodges, guides, fish camps, restaurants and tackle

shops, etc. that can help you get started. It’s easy, safe, accessible and fun. 4. Rodman Reservoir, Northeast Florida. At only 9,500 acres, it is legendary for the number of trophy bass it has produced over the years ever since it was created in 1968. You’ll be fishing floating cover and water hyacinths here where bass set up housekeeping. There’s plenty of eel grass, hydrilla and lily pads, so tackle up with heavy gear, get some live bait, 9 or even 12-inch plastics and count on exercising some patience. The Rodman Lake record largemouth bass is 17.2 pounds. 5. Lake Guntersville, Northeast Alabama. On the Tennessee River with 69,000 acres and, again, plenty of vegetation along the shoreline that sets up the entire food chain with bass at the top for our purposes. When you get a map, it’ll just look like a wide place in the river, but don’t be discouraged. It’s not a river, and the waters are very fertile from the dam to the upper reaches of the lake. One of the most attractive things about Guntersville is that you won’t see anyone else fishing. It’s all yours but not so remote as to be inconvenient for the family. 6. Lake Seminole, deep Southwest Georgia and Southeast Alabama. Like most other Southern impoundments, the shoreline is covered in lily pads and grass, but here almost the entire lake is shallow. Your natural tendency is to fish along the banks, but try and fish way out at the end of the cover toward the channels. What you’ll notice is that the timber wasn’t cut and so an entire forest is just below the surface and holds giant schools of bait and bass. Give Seminole a visit. Hire a guide for a couple of days and you’ll be all set. 7. Toledo Bend Reservoir. Located on the Texas-Louisiana state line, the dam is approximately 24 miles northeast of Jasper. At 181,600 acres, it’s substantial for sure. Habitat in Toledo Bend Reservoir consists of aquatic vegetation, standing timber and flooded terrestrial vegetation. Hydrilla is the predominant plant species, although many native plants are also present. Game fish are usually found around vegetation edges, flats, humps and creek channels. At periods of high water, terrestrial bushes and trees provide excellent habitat reservoir-wide. 8. Lake Fork. Established by the Texas Parks and Wildlife in 1979, Lake Fork was designed a premier bass fishing lake with 732,514

Florida black bass stocked from 1979 through 1987. Lake Fork offers excellent fish habitat with 80% standing timber left intact, and hydrilla, milfoil, and duckweed being the predominant vegetation. The lake currently holds records for 34 out of the top 50 and 15 of the top 20 Texas state record largemouth bass. The Texas Parks and Wildlife implemented a protected slot limit to preserve the great Lake Fork bass fisheries. Lake Fork is an excellent vacation destination, and being so close to Dallas and Fort Worth, it is heavily fished. Give it a try. 9. Pickwick Lake at Wilson Dam. The upper reaches of Pickwick Lake reach all the way up the river to Wilson Dam. I fished there with Brian Barton from brianbartonoutdoors. com. You should too. In November, we caught largemouth bass, smallmouths, stripers, white bass, black drum and channel and blue cats on every cast. Listen now, every cast produced a hook-up, a break-off or a miss or a very respectable game fish. Sizes? We’re talking 6-pound smallies, 8-pound largemouths, 20-pound stripers and 30-pound blues. We’ve shot two television shows there and each took no more than 3 hours. Now that’s production. Anyway, Pickwick is fertile and packed with bait and game fish.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE LANIER STRIPERS Forecast By: Steve Scott http://TeamLanier.wordpress.com/menu October is “head to the rivers” month for me, be it the Chestatee or the Chattahoochee. I prefer the Hooch myself, only because I know this section of the river starting just south of Don Carter State Park. What’s going on this month? Well the thermocline had begun in late August and the water temperatures were in the high eighties, and somehow the stripers were still taking live bait at the top of the water column. Of course, these were the schoolies classes 21 to 23 inches or 24 to 27 inches. If you wanted the bigger stripers, you would have to go very deep as in 80 to 120 feet in the main river channel starting at the dam. September’s catches were on Capt Mack’s Mini Mack’s with the blades using Lead Core out 240 to 270 feet, although by the time you got the striper to the boat it was exhausted and had a difficult time surviving even with the Seaqualizer. Back to October, per my logs from prior years, I have done well pulling a full spread of live bait over the deep holes in the river. With the strong current, you could position your boat where part of your spread would remain over a hole in a stationary pattern for a limited time. What is the spread? It’s basically four planer boards with two on each side, a direction bobber on each side, and a couple of freelines weighted and unweighted, all using live bait

from blueback herring to small shad to shiners. While these waters cooled faster than downriver towards the main lake, there was more activity for baitfish and other species besides the stripers. Topwater plugs would take both stripers and spotted bass and an occasional walleye. Remember, our depth upriver is eight feet in the center tapering off towards the bank on either side. This is why you would target the 20 to 30 foot holes with your spread. As the river narrows, let out your planer boards putting at least one on each side right up to the bank. Don’t rule out that a large striper may be sitting at the bank in a couple feet of water. If another boat needs to pass on either side, just reel whichever planer board in, then let it back out after the boat passes. Tip of the month: Have a spinning rod handy with a live herring or just a quarter ounce bucktail jig in case you come across some surface activity or if your planer board bait is being chased. Please check out my website at TeamLanier.com. Steve Scott 404-2733481.

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Forecast by: Capt. Wes Carlton Georgia Lake Fishing 770-318-9777 www.georgialakefishing.com Water temperature: 83 degrees, lake level: full pool, clarity: clear. Bass: The bite has been a little slow lately. Most of the fish we have been catching are over a 40 to 50 foot bottom. We have been down-lining blueback herring out over the main lake channel working up and down long points. We have had some success in the mornings catching largemouth in and around docks with dark colored

plastic worms. Look for these fish to start coming up shallow over the next week or two and the topwater bite to turn on. Trout: Trolling has been the most productive bite lately. We have been trolling Lucky Craft (Staysee 90s) in herring colors. We have been trolling at 16 to 25 feet for the brown trout. We have also caught spotted bass and chain pickerel while we do this. Look for the trout to start schooling up over deep water over the next few weeks. These fish will then become aggressive and start biting great! Good luck!

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST CARTERS LAKE

LAKE NOTTELY STRIPER By: Shane Goebel Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service & The Angler Magazine Fishing Team www.bigolfish.com 828-361-2021, 1-844-4-ANGLER October in the North Georgia Mountains is a fantastic time to hit the water. With the beautiful views of the changing leaves and the cool comfortable temps, a day on the water seems like a dream come true after this long hot summer, not to mention the fishing is also great! This is the perfect time to hit the lake and experience some extreme striper fishing, and what’s the best way to do that? By booking a trip with Blairsville, GA’s #1 striper guide service: Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. We’ve been striper fishing these mountain lakes a long time and have what it takes to put you on some huge fish. Currently, Lake Nottely is 5 feet below full pool. Water clarity is clear and water temps are in the mid to upper 70s. Striper fishing was excellent in September and this month will be just as good. We’re currently still finding big schools of fish. Most of our stripers have been in the 4-8 pound range with a bunch 15 to 20 pounders mixed in. The early morning and evening bites are

your best times to see action. With the cooling water temps, continue to target creek mouths and points off the main lake channel, but also look for schools to move back into the creeks. The majority of our fish have been caught from Point 8 to the dam. The topwater bite has picked up a lot, so keep a Spook or a Red Fin at the ready to snag surface-busting fish. The fish will start to spread out here soon and move into the creeks. We will then move to all planer boards and free lines. We will also start pulling bigger baits for much bigger fish. October is a fantastic month for catching some great trophy stripers in the North Georgia Mountains. Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1 rated guide service put you on some of Lake Nottely’s most explosive striped bass. We are Blairsville, GA’s only full-time guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lake Hiwassee, Chatuge and Blue Ridge. And for all your live blueback herring and tackle needs, check out Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA. They carry everything you need for a successful day of fishing. So, come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine, and let us help you get your fish on!

Forecast By: Eric Crowley Lake & Stream Guide Service (706) 669-4973

lakeandstreamguideservice@gmail.com

Water temperature: 78 degrees, lake level: full, clarity: 12 feet. Hopefully, we will start to see a cool down this month. It’s been a hot dry summer, especially in the last few weeks. The stripers have been slowly moving up in the water column and into a more manageable depth of 50 to 60 feet. This allows them to be targeted with multiple techniques. The live bait bite has been better on cloudy days with fresh caught threadfin and alewive, the bigger the better. We are still catching bait with big Humpback nets and the Hydro Glow lights before sunrise. Light line and small hooks has helped a lot in the super clear water. We have been staggering baits from 30 to 50 feet down and keeping the boat moving. Most of our efforts have been focused on main lake points and humps or in water just adjacent to these areas. On bright sunny days, we have been having better luck on artificials. The Capt Mack’s U-Rigs have been a go-to in the last month. Switching trailer colors until you find the productive combination is key, so

LAKE CHATUGE Eric Welch Welch’s Guide Service www.welchsguideservice. com 706-455-2323

Water temperature: 80-82 degrees, lake level: 3.5 feet below full pool, clarity: clear. We are starting in that transition period where the days are getting shorter. We are having cooler nights and mornings, but it’s still getting hot in the day. This still has the fish scattered. We need the water temp to really start dropping for the bite to get good. This month we should start seeing more topwater action. I’m going to be throwing a Strike King Sexy Dawg, Cane Walker, and a Whopper Plopper. The lake levels are starting to drop, so this will start reducing a lot of the bank line 26 ATLANTA

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keep a variety of options on board. We are pulling the rigs at 3.0 mph and varying the distance behind the boat from 100 to 175 feet. This technique is more focused on open water usually over a deeper bottom near the river channel or in the creek mouths. I like to mark waypoints as I’m trolling and build a track I can follow up on a few times to go over any fishy areas with the different color rigs. If you want to simplify this, you can pull chipmunk jigs the same way at slower speeds and with lighter gear if you’re not set up for umbrella rigs. Either way, you’re looking for a reaction strike by giving the fish a highly desired target and less time to inspect the bait. We won’t see much cooler temps this month, but as we near Halloween, the fish will start to move up even more and start targeting bigger baits up shallow. Good luck out there.

cover and start pushing the fish out on the humps and points. When the water temp starts cooling off more, we should start seeing the herring baitfish start schooling more and fish start chasing them. I’m going to then be throwing a Strike King 4.5” spoon and a Strike King 2.5” and 3.5” Rage Swimmer into areas the fish have already gone down. You will also be able to catch fish on rocky banks and points using a shaky head, drop-shot and 3/8 ounce jig. If you have a windy day, try a 3/8 ounce white spinnerbait or a crankbait around the size of the baitfish they are feeding on. We guide on 8 different lakes, so if you’re looking for some great fishing, give Welch’s Guide Service a call. We’re your #1 guide service, and we’ve been doing this since 2001. Good luck.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST

Capt. Bill Wheeler (706) 914-9859 (706) 444-6365 Capt. Bill Wheeler (706) 914-9859 • (706) 4

FALL MEANS TOPWATER FISHING By Capt. Cefus McRae Nuts & Bolts Fishing Series My favorite type of fishing is with topwater plugs. It’s all visual. How you work the plug, watching a fish come up from the depths to check it out, and the explosive strike that follows, is what keeps me coming back for more. As summer fades away and the cooler days of fall show up, fish begin their seasonal movement to shallower locations as they start filling their bellies in advance of the winter. This is the perfect time to dust off those surface plugs and experience the adrenaline rush associated with topwater action. Topwater plugs come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Essentially, the idea is to present them as a struggling or fleeing baitfish. For shapes, there’s the chugging/popper style, walk-the-dog style, swimming shapes, and variations of each. I’ve got an assortment of sizes and colors in my topwater tray, and virtually any of them will catch fish, but I do have a couple favorites that I’ve come to trust. My go-to topwater bait is the MirroLure Top Dog. It’s a walkthe-dog style plug that has internal rattles, and it’s deadly on both fresh and saltwater game fish. My preferred colors are the blue back/ silver, the black back/silver and the black back/orange belly. They do a great job of mimicking a struggling bait, and they’re almost irresistible to everything with fins. The key to any walk-the-dog plug is getting the cadence correct with your retrieve. I like to keep my rod tip down, and use short twitches as I retrieve. This makes the plug ‘walk’ left, then right, with each twitch. I make a cast, let the plug sit for at least five seconds, then start the retrieve. Sometimes the fish will hit on the first twitch. Other times, they will

literally follow the plug to the boat. So it’s important to work the plug all the way back. If you get a follower, keep retrieving. Your plug might get hit several times as you retrieve. Big fish like to play cat-and-mouse. They will slap the bait, knocking it out of the water. Ultimately, they will commit, and then it’s game-on. My other favorite is the chugging/popper style. Chuggers create a lot of commotion on the retrieve. The Chug Bug has been around for decades, and it’s produced a lot of fish. Again, I like the blue/silver and the orange/white color combos. The cast/retrieve formula is similar to the Top Dog, except I tend to slow down the cadence and use more forceful twitches to really displace some water with each pull. It’s hard to fish this plug wrong. Just remember to keep things at a slower pace. The strike will seem as though it comes from nowhere, and the fish will virtually hook itself. One skill you should learn is how to tie a loop knot. The open loop, versus the knot cinched down on the eye, allows the bait to work more freely and you get a better action from your plugs. You can get a great idea of how effective these plugs are by watching the Nuts & Bolts of Fishing Topwater episodes in our video library on CarbonTV.com, and we show how to tie the loop knot in our Pro Tips segments on the Nuts & Bolts of Fishing website. Topwater plugs will fool fish from Oregon to Georgia. Spotted bass, smallmouth, stripers, pike and muskies in freshwater, and redfish, speckled trout, dolphin, sharks and mackerel in the salt. So add a few to your tackle box this fall and get ready for some explosive fishing fun.

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Wall of Fame WINNER!

WIN A FREE ANGLER MAGAZINE CAP! One will be given away each month for the best reader submitted photo!

Mark King with a nice Carters Lake striper.

Lisa Rutland and friends from Savannah Lakes Village had a terrific time with Little River Guide Service on Clarks Hill.

David Duffek with a 15 pound striper caught on Lake Nottely with Big Ol Fish Guide Service.

Eric Metzger caught this nice shoal bass on the upper Hooch with Unicoi Outfitters.

Buck Cannon caught this striper weighing 28 pounds on Lake Lanier in August with Buck Tail Guide Service.

Gigi Morales landed this beautiful rainbow fishing with Reel Em In Guide Service.

Lindsey Shiver with a big shoal bass caught on the Hooch with Unicoi Outfitters.

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FLY FISHING’S

WARMWATER REVOLUTION By Nick Carter

here’s a brutish undercurrent gaining momentum in fly fishing. Whether it’s river-run striped bass, muskie or carp, long-rodders are targeting freshwater’s most powerful fish. Here are a few destinations where you can get in on the action. James River Photo courtesy of Matt Miles Muskie, Virginia The James River is one of the few rivers in the east that supports a fishable wild muskie population. Guide Matt Miles eagerly pointed out that most of the fish they catch, the 35- to 42-inchers, were spawned wild in the upper James. He said the monster 50-inchers might have originally come from the hatchery, but they still prowl the river, ready to give anglers the adrenaline rush of a lifetime. Between Iron Gate and Lynchburg, Va., more than 80 miles of the James are considered muskie water. The relatively shallow pool and riffle habitat is uniquely suited to hunting freshwater’s biggest, toothiest fish with a fly rod. But muskie fishing isn’t for everyone. Casting waterlogged, 14-inch-long streamers on sinking lines with 10- and 11-weight rods is a workout. Doing it all day in hope of a single take requires mental fortitude. Peak muskie season is October through mid-March.

Saluda & Congaree River Striper, South Carolina Each spring, South Carolina striped bass go on the move. From the Santee-Cooper Lakes between Columbia and Charleston, fish run some 60 miles up the Congaree and arrive in Columbia to spawn in April. By early May they push into the lower Saluda, where they spend the summer in the cold-water refuge of a 10-mile stretch of tailwater. Jake Howard, of Saluda Valley Guides, tapes his thumbs during the June through August heart of the striper season because they become raw from lipping fish. He told of huge numbers of stripers and said 60-fish days are possible for anglers who can lay out line with a 10-weight rod and 350-grain sinking lines. The standard fish weighs 4 to 8 pounds, but 20-, 30- and even 50-pounders are caught each season. Catawba Chain Carp, North Carolina More than 15 years ago, Capt. Paul Rose left the Texas coast with his flats skiff in tow. He settled in the North Carolina Piedmont, far from the salt marshes he loves. But he found a new passion in the clear Catawba River lakes between Asheville and Charlotte, N.C. In the shallows, he watched carp tailing like redfish. The fishing style that arose is a lot like sight casting to bonefish. Rose poles anglers over clear-water flats, searching for pods of carp rooting and feeding. Many clients hire Rose to practice before a trip to the Bahamas. They return because carp are so much fun. Fish from 3 pounds up to 20 pounds call for a 6- or 7-weight rod. The peak season on impoundments like Lake Norman and Lake James runs from May through September. Nick Carter is the author of “Flyfisher’s Guide to North Carolina & Georgia.” It is available on Amazon.com, and autographed copies are available by emailing the author at nsc8957@gmail.com. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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n enormous 40-pound, 6-ounce brown trout caught at Lake Taneycomo in southwest Missouri is a new state record and just a couple pounds shy of the IGFA all-tackle world record. Bill Babler, a veteran fishing guide from Blue Eye, Mo., caught the monster brown on Sept. 4 using a pink Berkley plastic worm. He caught it on 6x tippet, which equates to less than 4-pound test, making his catch 2 ounces heavier than the current IGFA 4-pound line class record. The previous state record, set just seven months, weighed 34 pounds, 10 ounces. It was also caught at Lake Taneycomo. Babler told the Springfield News-Leader he’d only been out fishing for a few minutes when he caught his new state record. “As soon as I set the hook it came to the top and I knew we had a good fish on,” Babler told the newspaper. “We positioned the boat in an unobstructed area. It was pulling drag pretty good!” Babler attempted to keep the behemoth alive in an aerated tank, but unfortunately the trout died before it could be released. Fisheries Biologist Shane Bush said the fish was eight or nine-years-old. For more information on Missouri state-record fish, visit the MDC website at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Z3t.

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Ultimate Control For Saltwater Fishing Boats The Dometic Group Introduces New Optimus Electric Steering Actuator

altwater anglers who fish aboard today’s large center console fishing machines and other high-performance outboard powered boats will soon be able to experience a new level of precision steering and vessel control. The Dometic Group is introducing its new Optimus Universal Electric Steering Actuator. Incorporating proprietary technology and several new components designed and manufactured by Dometic, this new actuator is built exclusively for use with its Optimus Joystick and Electric Power Steering Systems. About the same size as the Dometic Tournament Cylinder, the Optimus Electric Steering Actuator mounts directly on the outboard in place of the present hydraulic cylinder. With its powerful drive train, integrated proprietary position sensors and embedded electronics, it eliminates the need for separately mounted hydraulic actuators used in the Optimus Joystick and EPS systems. This means no more Pump Control Module, no more hydraulic pump, no more hoses, hydraulic cylinders and fluid, and no more purging the system. “We are continually inventing ways to make boat building more efficient and boating more enjoyable,” said Eric Fetchko, President of Dometic Marine Americas. “Once again, we have taken marine steering to the next level. You have my word that we will never stop innovating and solving industry problems.” In terms of performance underway, ease of installation and seasonafter-season reliability, the new Optimus Electric Steering Actuator will provide substantial benefits to boat builder and skipper alike. With the present system, the signal from the Optimus electronic helm goes to the Pump Control Module, which activates an electro-hydraulic steering system. Even though it is “by-wire,” hydraulic fluid is still pumped through hoses and into the steering cylinders on the outboard(s) which act on the tiller arms of the outboards to move left or right. With the new Optimus Electric Steering Actuator, the electronic helm signal goes directly to the actuator which instantly moves the outboard. The “brains” of the Pump Control Module, including ECM, rudder position circuit and CANbus communication, have been

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transplanted into the new Optimus Electric Steering Actuator itself. Steering power is delivered by a proprietary high-torque high-efficiency brushless DC electric motor, designed and manufactured by Dometic, and a patented compact roller-screw drive system, also a proprietary Dometic design. Both the motor and power train reside within the steering actuator. In terms of steering performance, skippers will sense a marked improvement in handling. Steering response will be immediate, smooth and precise, thanks to this robust, industry-leading drive train that provides unparalleled performance and system rigidity when needed most. Programmable steering settings, including adjustable speed-sensitive lockto-lock turns, adjustable speed sensitive wheel effort, and speed-sensitive rudder angle limits to ensure safe steering, continue to be available, now without the need for any extra components. Installation of the new system is a snap, with just three CANbus connections plus power. Twin, triple and quad outboard installations will be set up similar to the present design, with Optimus Electric Steering Actuators controlling adjacent outboards via tie-bars. In addition, the new Electric Steering Actuator will interface with compatible autopilot systems in the same manner as the present Optimus systems. Dometic’s SeaWays Autopilot and SeaStation GPS Anchoring functionality are also built in. The Dometic Optimus Electric Steering Actuator exceeds all applicable marine standards, including NMMA, ABYC, CE and SAE electrical and environmental requirements. The actuators are maintenance free, except for regular greasing of the steering ram via installed zerk fittings. Over 100,000 hours of rigorous testing during development assures safe and reliable performance under harsh salt and freshwater conditions, all in keeping with Dometic’s proven reputation for superior quality. To learn more, visit seastarsolutions.com

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He’ll typically kick the morning off with redfish encounters in depths of 2 feet or less. As the sun grows stronger, he’ll probe docks and structure looking for summer flounder before finishing off with feisty seatrout in feeder creeks. “I’m thinking this season will be a special one if we don’t get smacked by any major storms,” said Collins. “There’s tons of bait around already, and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen as many mullet as we have this year. Crabs and small menhaden are abundant, too. Plus we have tons of shrimp; everything loves shrimp.” By Tom Schlichter Collins targets early morning reds around oyster bars, oyster reefs and oyster rocks in water that is generally hip-deep or less. He’ll work shoal areas and Seatrout: Dale Collins puts a fare even dig into the grass on White Oak Sound, White Oak River and the area on a pretty Oak River area sea trout. Photo courtesy of Do or Die surrounding Swansboro with a 7-foot, 6- to 10-pound class Star Seagis rod. His Charters, Swansboro, N.C. lure of choice for the reds is a Skitter Walk SW11 in a golden mullet pattern that always seems to bring surface thrills. Backing off the edges and working near docks and structure, he’ll switch to a ¾-ounce white Spro bucktail tipped with a 4-inch Berkley Gulp! pearl-white shrimp for the flatties. “For the reds,” disclosed Collins, “I keep a second rod rigged with a Z-Man soft plastic or Gulp! Jerk Shad impaled on a weedless screw-style hook. If a redfish blows up on the topwater but misses, I immediately send the soft plastic his way. He’ll slam that as soon as it starts to sink.” For flounder, Collins hops his bucktail about a foot at a time, but it’s vital you actually feel it strike bottom on the drop. “Most hits come as the lure falls, and if you don’t feel it hit bottom it’s probably in a fish’s mouth,” he said. “Strike immediately, because those flounder spit a lure out quickly once they realize it’s a fake.” As for the specks, Collins recommends getting on them as soon as possible. “You’ll find the biggest fish arrive first,” he said. Throw a Mirrolure MR 17 or ou’ve got to love fall’s promise here in North Carolina,” said Capt. Dale 18, or try my personal favorite: a Zoom Golden Bream on a 1/16-ounce jighead. Collins, of Fish or Die Charters (www.fishordiecharters; 252-422- Man can that lure catch some fish! Just work it slow and allow time for it to get 4236) in Swansboro, North Carolina. “The water temperatures are down deep. If you think you are fishing slowly enough, slow down a little more.” starting to cool and there’s plenty of red drum, flounder and big seatrout in our bays and creeks. Indeed, it’s my favorite time of year to fish around here.” If you’d like to fish the Swansboro area on your own, Collins suggests Collins should know. He’s built a reputation putting fares on big fish in launching from Cedar Point Wildlife Ramp near Dudley’s Marina (https:// skinny water in this area west of Morehead City and separated from Pamlico www.dudleysmarinanc.com; 252-393-2204) in Swansboro. For overnight accommodations Best Western Plus (252-393-9015) is right near the launch. Sound on the southern side of Cape Lookout.

SWANSBORO, NC: FALL ROCKS WITH REDS, FLOUNDER AND SEATROUT

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Photo courtesy of Michael Booth Jr.

t’s no secret that the Louisiana coast is an inshore angler’s dream. A seemingly endless tangle of interconnected waterways, with big salt lakes, canals, grass, oysters and mud flats make the bayous south of New Orleans the No. 1 destination in the world for redfish. Places like Grand Isle, Cocodrie, Venice, Delacroix and Hopedale are the destinations for redfish anglers seeking out some of the best fishing on the planet. The region is filthy with reds, and targeting big bulls with a fly rod is the ultimate thrill. Angler Michael Booth Jr. and his buddies, many who are local captains, have made a practice of sight fishing these monsters. Instead of working the grass to find individual bulls or pods of slotsized redfish, they move out deeper on the big lakes in search of

schools of big bulls, which usually hunt in the 3- to 4-foot depths 100 to 200 yards off the grass. “The weather has to be good for a couple weeks beforehand for the water to be clean enough to see them,” said Booth “When we go out looking for schools of big fish, we start about 20 yards out and pole that line until we figure out where the reds are holding that day. Then they’ll usually all be in that same area.” On certain special days, when a strong northeast wind and a low tide suck the water out of the marsh around Hopedale, those 4-foot depths become 2 feet and spotting fish is easy. “Those big bulls will all be belly crawling with their backs out of the water,” said Booth. But normally, finding fish means looking for the telltale dark triangles of tails and fins or fish pushing water as they chase bait and root for crabs. Booth said a good pair of green-mirror glasses with amber lenses makes it easier to distinguish the shadows and colors of a big redfish in tannic-stained water. Once you find them, tempting them to eat a fly is a matter of trial and error to find the fly and retrieve they want on a given day. Booth prefers fishing on top, and a size 2 Surface Seducer Double Barrel popper is the hot bait at the moment. Booth likes purple, gold, chartreuse, black and combinations of those colors. Sometimes, when the fish aren’t feeding as actively, Booth said he’s forced to fish something that sinks. A size 2 shrimp pattern with extra large dumbbell eyes becomes the bait of choice. Again, purple and chartreuse work well, as do more natural tan or olive patterns. A 10-weight rod, floating line and a 50-40-30 leader with 12 to 18 inches of 16- to 20-pound tippet are in order. Booth said he’s seen days that brought 10 fish over 20 pounds to the rail and others when a single 40-pound red was reason for rejoicing. “Any day you’re able to catch a 20-plus-pound bull red on a fly is pretty awesome,” he said.

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