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Gifts for Anglers Issue
PHOTO COURTESY OF DARCIZZLE OFFSHORE VOLUME 24 • ISSUE 297
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F R A N C H I S E
O P P O R T U N I T I E S
A V A I L A B L E
DECEMBER 2019
W O R L D W I D E
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Boaters and anglers up and down the east coast know there’s an important season between the holidays and spring: Boat Show Season! Timed perfectly to gear-up for some of the best fishing of the year, the National Marine Manufacturers Association’s (NMMA) line-up of premier boating and outdoors shows are the venues where shoppers and dreamers alike can peruse the latest the industry has to offer. From yachts to kayaks and all the accessories, these shows offer hands-on experience with the hottest boats and gear bound for the water in 2020. It’s no secret that shoppers take advantage of the best deals of the year on the floor at NMMA’s annual boat shows.
Here’s the rundown of this years best shows and expositions:
1) Progressive Insurance Atlanta Boat Show
Jan. 16-19, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta With 600-plus boats, the Southeast’s premier boating event returns for its 58th year to Exhibit Hall C of the Georgia World Congress Center. A boating bonanza, show-goers tour hundreds of boats, and interactive features including virtual reality exhibits, educational seminars on boating, fishing and sailing, a nautical Kids’ Zone, Touch-a-Boat Tour, events with local breweries, DIY workshops, Career Day and more! Entry is just $15 for adults. Kids 12 and younger are free. Tickets are $3 off for active-duty military, retired military, veterans, law enforcement and firefighters. Advance tickets are also $3 off when purchased at www. AtlantaBoatShow.com.
2) Progressive Insurance New York Boat Show
Jan. 22-26, Javits Center, New York City A New York tradition since 1905, the world’s first and longest-running boat show enters its 115th year with a five-day celebration of boating at the Javits Center. Boat hop and shop 350 boats along with the latest boating innovations, technology and gear. Highlights include Kids’ Build-aBoat and The Progressive Boathouse, which features hands-on boating courses for all experience levels. Entry is $16 for adults. Kids 12 and younger are free. Tickets are $3 off for military and first responders. Save $2 by buying advance tickets at 5) Progressive Insurance Atlantic City Boat Show NYBoatShow.com. Feb. 26-March 1, Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City The Progressive Insurance Atlantic City Boat Show brings activities to 3) Progressive New England Boat Show give lifelong boaters and novices an all-access pass to discover why life is Feb. 8-16, Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Boston For nine days, this nautical extravaganza will showcase more than 700 better with a boat. Serious shoppers benefit from “Super Thursday” and new boats and watercraft, along with a stunning array of must-have ma- find bargains on hundreds of boats as well as gear, technology and acrine accessories. There is something for all ages and boaters at this year’s cessories to go with them. With everything from kayaks to sportfishers, show. Dozens of seminars will cover fishing, sailing and boating. Explore there is a boat for every lifestyle and budget. Admission is $17 for adults. Children 12 and younger are free. Adboating careers at Marine Innovation & Career Day. Hop on “Salt,” the life-size inflatable humpback whale. Boost your boating IQ at the Pro- vance tickets can be purchased at ACBoatShow.com. gressive Insurance Boathouse. Kids can captain their own paddleboat at 6) Progressive World Fishing & Outdoor Exposition the Kid Paddle Pool. Feb. 27-March 1, Rockland Community College, Suffern, N.Y. Entry is $16 for adults. Kids 12 and younger are free. Active military The Northeast’s premier fishing, hunting and travel exposition features receive one free ticket with valid ID. Purchase advance tickets at www. a vast selection of outdoor sports vendors, speakers and events. With newenglandboatshow.com. major manufacturers, trusted brand names and local retailers, show-goers can compare and shop new and hard-to-find outdoors products and 4) Progressive Miami International Boat Show enjoy a variety of educational seminars and attractions. For more inforFeb. 13-17, Miami Marine Stadium Park & Basin, Miami Over President’s Day weekend, the world-renowned Progressive mation, go to sportshows.com/suffern. Miami International Boat Show will host nearly 100,000 visitors from around the globe to shop more than 1,400 boats as well as gear, tech- 7) Progressive Insurance Saltwater Fishing Expo March 13-15, New Jersey Convention & Expo Center, Edison, N.J. nology and accessories from more than 1,000 vendors. From yachts and The one-stop shop for saltwater anglers of all experience levels, catamarans to offshore fishing boats, high-performance boats and family cruisers, visitors will experience one of the largest and most influential the Progressive Insurance Saltwater Fishing Expo returns to Ediboat shows in the world. Sea trials allow serious buyers to take their son, New Jersey, offering a vast selection of vendors, speakers and special events. The three-day event kicks off the region’s saltwadreamboat for a spin. Tickets are $30 per adult; two-day passes (Feb. 14-17) are $55; Premier ter season with deals from more than 200 vendors selling everyDay (Feb. 13) is $45. VIP packages available. Children 12 and younger thing you’ll need to hit the water, from boats to terminal tackle. For more information, go to www.sportshows.com/saltwater. are free. Purchase advance tickets at www.MiamiBoatShow.com.
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ENTER TO WIN! Editor’s Pick Holiday Gifts for Anglers
FireDisc Cookers
B&W Trailer Hitches
A modern, high-performance version of an authentic plow disc cooker, FIREDISC is built to last and designed to be easily taken down for travel and storage. FIREDISC fires up fast, cooks virtually anything, seasons like a cast-iron skillet and cleans up quickly with just water. These portable propane cookers are going to change the way you cook outdoors — you’ll never go back to a traditional grill!
You’ve got a lot riding on your hitch, and the only thing keeping your truck and trailer connected are those relatively small pieces of engineered steel. The hitch matters to your safety and the safety of our roads. That’s why B&W treats the manufacture of your trailer hitch with the respect it deserves. For one, we insist on American-made steel.
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Simms G4 Pro Jacket
Everest Series Rotomolded Cooler
Cut from advanced GORE-TEX Pro Shell three-layer fabrics and kitted with ingenious fishing details, the G4 Pro Jacket is Simms’ highest-performing, most durable jacket. The streamlined design of four front pockets reduces bulk and allows rain to sheet off. A three-point adjustable storm hood and a long rear hem to collar length extend protection from the elements. Nine pockets include hand-warmer pockets as well as a large rear game pocket, accessible through the front. .
With over 20 years of experience, AO Coolers offers well-constructed, innovative coolers made for all outdoor activities, including boating, fishing, and camping. We’ve now taken our knowledge to make the best 80-quart hard-sided cooler – we are excited to introduce the Everest Series! Built tough to handle the abuse of the great outdoors. Keeps your food, drinks or catch ice cold for days. Rotomolded polyethylene construction, the same process to make whitewater kayaks, ensures excellent impact resistance and long-lasting durability. Now available in three colors: white, deep blue and tan.
https://www.simmsfishing.com/g4-pro-jacket-1
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n May 18, 1980, the once-slumbering Mount St. Helens erupted in the Pacific Northwest. It was the most impressive display of nature’s power in North America’s recorded history. But even more impressive is what emerged from the chaos... a spectacular new creation born of ancient minerals named Helenite. Its lush, vivid color and amazing story instantly captured the attention of jewelry connoisseurs worldwide. You can now have four carats of the world’s newest stone for an absolutely unbelievable price. Known as America’s emerald, Helenite makes it possible to give her a stone that’s brighter and has more fire than any emerald without paying the exorbitant price. In fact, this many carats of an emerald that looks this perfect and glows this green would cost you upwards of $80,000. Your more beautiful and much more affordable option features a perfect teardrop of Helenite set in gold-covered sterling silver suspended from a chain accented with even more verdant Helenite. Limited Reserves. As one of the largest EXCLUSIVE gemstone dealers in the world, we buy more carats of Helenite than anyone, which lets us give you a great price. However, this much gorgeous green Helenite Earrings for this price won’t last long. Don’t miss out. Helenite is only found in -a one section of Washington State, so with purchase of call today! Helenite Necklace Romance guaranteed or your money back. Experience the scintillating beauty of the Helenite Teardrop Necklace for 30 days and if she isn’t completely in love with it send it back for a full refund of the item price. You can even keep the stud earrings as our thank you for giving us a try.
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n the grass flats or a rocky river, organization and comfort are paramount for wading anglers who wear their gear. Fishpond’s Flathead Sling is a fantastic new pack that combines agility and ease of use into a comfortable system that gives you unmatched access to your gear when you need it most. The sling’s ambidextrous design allows it to be carried on either shoulder with a quick flip of the strap. With its cross-body stabilizing strap, it rides comfortably while casting, climbing in and out of the boat or scrambling over boulders. A large clamshell opening and moveable interior dividers offer tremendous carrying capacity and an organized workstation. The magnetic quick-access front pocket is there for the stuff you use all the time, and tool attachment points are placed exactly where they’re needed. It’s got two large water bottle pockets and a molded back panel with left- or right-handed net slots. The Flathead Sling is an extremely functional and well-though-out system for wading anglers who want to maximize their time on the water.
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ottom fish anglers in the Atlantic from the coast of North Carolina south through the Florida Keys could soon be required to have Photo by Adrian Gray descending devices onboard and available for release of unwanted fish while fishing for snapper and grouper species. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved the measure at its September meeting. If approved by NOAA Fisheries, the requirement will likely go into effect in late 2020. Additionally, the use of non-offset, non-stainless-steel circle hooks could be required. The new requirements are part of a package of “best practices” the council has been considering for the snapper and grouper fishery. It addresses the results of federal research that shows mortality rates of almost 30 and 40 percent for red snapper released by the recreational and commercial sectors, respectively. “The bottom line is that many important fish stocks are showing dead discard estimates that exceed catch (red snapper, black sea bass, gag and black grouper),” read a council meeting summary. “That means the data show that more fish are being released and dying than are able to be kept by fishermen.” The descending-device requirement is intended to increase chances of survival for released fish by decreasing the effects of barotrauma. For more information, go to safmc.net.
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DECEMBER 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 TONY ADAMS
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TO ADVERTISE IN THE LARGEST FREE FISHING PUBLICATION IN THE U.S. WITH OVER 1 MILLION MONTHLY READERS, CALL DECEMBER 2019 ATLANTA 1 706-614-8231
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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING WADING BOATS
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! 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
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Boy, I’ll bet that catchy title really piqued your curiosity! Stick with me just a minute and let’s see if I can give you some information that will save you some money, make you safer and more comfortable AND help protect our streams. In the last few years there have been major advancements in the construction of wading boots. You can now get wading boots that are lighter weight, more comfortable and more durable, even in the more economical price range. I’ll tell you up front that there are no good, cheap boots. The starting price point for boots that will give you your money’s worth are going to be in the $100 range. If you think of wading boots in terms of them being a “work” boot, you’ll quickly find that you get what you pay for. If you find yourself fishing sporadically throughout the year, then find a pair of boots for $150.00 or less that are comfortable and give you good ankle support. If you fish quite a bit, then it’s definitely worth it to look at boots in the $200.00 and up range that will give you many years of use. Let’s look at some worthy contenders based upon price only: • $100 - $150 • Simms Tributary at $99.95 – Available in felt or rubber soles, have a strong toe cap, neoprene liner and speed lacing. • Korkers Redside at $139.99 – They come with Korkers patented interchangeable sole system so you can easily convert from felt to rubber and a Quick Cinch lacing system so no fumbling around with cold fingers trying to untie a knot to get your boots off. • Orvis Clearwater at $149.00 – Available in felt or rubber soles, they have a tough toe cap and molded midsole for comfort on long days on the water. They also have an easy lacing system that helps prevent tight spots that can cut off circulation in your feet. • $150 - $300 • Simms Freestone at $159.95 – This is the boot Unicoi Outfitters has used for years as our client gear,
and we’ll put as much use on them in one year as most anglers will in a decade. Comfortable wearing and tough. They’re available in felt or rubber. • Korkers Devil’s Canyon at $199.99 – Have the interchangeable soles and the BOA® lacing system. The BOA® lacing system is one of the greatest technological advances in wading boots since the invention of felt. It provides the most evenly distributed tightening system available. Your foot will be snug, secure and comfortable; no tight spots. • Orvis BOA® Pivot at $198.00 – Another great boot with the BOA® lacing system, this boot is available in felt or rubber with molded toe cap, molded mid-sole and tough synthetic uppers to provide you with a secure, long lasting boot. These are just a few of the options available to you. Of course, each company offers a much wider range of boots that I don’t have room to review here. The last thing I want to remind you of is the danger of anglers spreading invasive species from one watershed to another. North Carolina already has an issue with Didymo algae in several of their trout streams. At this point, we are not aware of any issues in Georgia but a lot of us fish in North Carolina, so we need to be hyper-vigilant that we’re rinsing our boots in a solution of bleach and water to kill any hitchhikers that could ruin the streams we love so much. If you’re in the Helen area, feel free to stop by Unicoi Outfitters and use the wader cleaning station we have set up on the front porch. It only takes one careless angler to ruin a stream.
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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING WINTERTIME FISHING Contributed by James Bradley Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide www.ReelEmInGuideService.com (706) 273-0764 The beauty of fall has now left us as well as the crowds on the streams. Old Man Winter is perhaps right around the corner. This should change your approach to trout fishing as they will no longer be feeding on the surface. Keep in mind that we cannot be careless about the clothing we wear, and always let someone know when you will return along with having some safety planning in place before the trip. Wintertime fishing requires us to fish differently. Be persistent in your fishing method. Slow down while fishing and cover the water. You cheat yourself when just casting blind. Look at the stream and divide it up into lanes as you look across it. Lanes should be a foot or less apart. Trout will become more selective and will not chase food or flies in cold water. Make your cast into each lane and allow your presentation to remain in that lane for the entire drift. Use smaller flies if you are not getting any takes. Remember, the least current is on the very bottom of the stream, and this is where the fish are. Use weight and long leaders if needed to get that fly down to the fish, and the larger the X size of the leader, the faster your fly will sink. Wintertime fishing is a nymphing game, so become a master at nymphing! Wintertime fishing requires us to dress properly with most of the heat loss being through the head.
Go with a solid cap instead of mesh. A toboggan or beanie cap is another good way to prevent heat from escaping, and you’ll be able to keep those ears covered. Use thermals as a base layer. The mid-layer or outer layer should be fleece or wool. Make sure your bottoms have stirrups or closures around the ankles as this will prevent the legs from riding up. Use a rain jacket as your outer garment. Most rain jackets are lightweight and breathable which make them very convenient. They help trap heat and create a wind barrier, which is a plus on a cold windy day. Your feet can be the hardest to keep warm. Do not use cotton socks at all. Sweaty feet get cold first and will stay cold if you use cotton. A thin pair of wicking socks helps draw the sweat away from your feet. Follow with a second pair of socks made from merino wool. Your hands can be hard to keep warm. Keep a pair of Hot Hands close so you can put your hands on them to warm. Half-fingered wool gloves should help keep your hands comfortable. Be sure to carry a small hand towel with you to dry your hands after getting them wet! Safety is an important issue during the winter months. You can take your vehicle to most auto parts stores and have your battery tested for free. A battery being cold loses some of its amps for cranking. No one wants to walk out for help after
a cold day on the water. Be sure to change the batteries in your flashlight. Keep a lighter or waterproof matches with you, and always tell someone where you are going and when you’ll be back. The Delayed Harvest steams in our area have been producing very well. Keep in mind that these streams get hammered sometimes, and the trout get smart pretty fast! If you find yourself not getting any takes, change flies. With higher water levels, use weight to get those flies down to the bottom. Most of these fish have been well educated since the start of the DH season. Those reaction strikes to junk will slow way down. Switch over and begin using flies that mimic the naturals as these are the ones that trout live on. Stoneflies, Prince Nymph, Pheasant Tail, and Hare’s Ear are the common patterns that represent what the trout see and eat. Common sizes to have are 12 to 18 and have them with and without bead heads. If you are a beginner wanting to learn how to fly fish, we have a great staff of instructors who have been schooled in the art of fly fishing. One of the best ways to learn about fly fishing is to spend time with those of us who are professional full-time guides. Don’t forget to ask us about our float trips. Currently,
we are doing floats on the Toccoa Tailwater and will begin floating the upper as soon as water levels allow. Give us a call to book your amazing trip on the water and don’t forget that we offer gift certificates! 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 permits for guiding in North Georgia and North Carolina, offering over 6 miles of private trophy waters across Georgia, and operate drift boat trips on the Toccoa River in GA and the Tuckasegee River in NC.
December 12th Cold Moon TROPHY FLY FISHING ON THE BEST TWO MILES OF THE SOQUE RIVER
9400 Highway 197 North Clarkesville, GA 30523
(706) 947-3474 info@blackhawkflyfishing.com MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING DECEMBER FLY FISHING REPORT
DECEMBER FLY FISHING REPORT
Contributed by David Hulsey International Federation of Fly Fishers Master Certified Casting Instructor http://www.hulseyflyfishing.com 770-639-4001
Contributed By: Henry Cowen www.henrycowenflyfishing.com In years past, December can easily be one of the best months to fish for striped bass on the pond. As of November, we are slightly below full pool at 4 feet down. The fish are chowing on threadfin shad, which means more surface feeding fish. The pattern of fish on the south end should change as the fish will start pushing further north and away from the lower end of the lake. Fish can be spread out as they start searching for food in pockets and creeks. This means that you will need to use your binoculars to look deep into the backs of the creeks to find fish eating small threadfin shad in some fairly shallow water. The topwater bite will still continue into December, however, where they feed on top will radically change. By mid-month you can expect to see fish pushing bait and feeding in between docks in the smaller creeks. This is the time of the year that we let the wildlife guide us to the fish. The bird life on lakes can be the key to help finding a school of fish either on the surface or sub surface. The obvious wildlife to look for are terns and gulls diving on bait being pushed to the top. Remember that terns and gulls will not fly to the backs of the coves, so that is where your binoculars can be very relevant to finding surface feeding fish without having to motor all the way into the backs of the coves. The key to this pattern is to find the baitfish in order to find the stripers. Kingfishers seen flying around a particular area and squawking while diving on the water to pick up a threadfin shad is also a dead giveaway. Herons standing stealthy on a bank is a certain sign of baitfish in the area. Look for loons going up and down in a particular area and not straying too far as another hint of both baitfish and stripers. This time of year anglers need to carry both an intermediate line for surfacing fish or fish running
the banks as well as a sinking line for those big schools found on your fish finder. If you encounter that group, then using the countdown method will get your fly to the fish below. Most sinking lines will fall at a rate of 6 inches per second. So if you see fish at 15 feet below, then a countdown of 30 seconds puts your fly in the feeding zone. Small flies are still the ticket as the stripers are gorging on 1”- 1 ½” long threadfin shad. My Somethin’ Else pattern is still the best fly to use, but Gummy Minnows, small Game Changers or small Polar Fiber Minnows will work too. If you don’t get an eat on or below the surface, then size up to a 3” Clouser as that will also work. Also remember to pause between your strips in order to allow the fly to free fall like a wounded . shad. That is the money retrieve and may be the single most important technique you can use to trigger a bite! The dock light bite will be in full swing at this time of year too. These fish are easy to feed and can be found all over the lake. Wishing every one of our Angler Magazine readers a very Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah. Next month, folks need to be thinking about and marking their calendar for the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show which will be on Friday, Jan 31 and Sat, Feb 1. See you on the pond.
4 ATLANTA
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DECEMBER 2019
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December fishing opportunities in the Southern Appalachians can be some of the best of the year. The throngs of folks standing elbow to elbow in your favorite trout stream have miraculously vanished along with the extended fishing time available in the warmer sun filled days of fall. Bitter cold mornings are more likely to turn into impromptu fly tying sessions leaving the nicer days for jaunts to the creek. November spawning of the browns should be about over and the rainbows will be getting all colored up for the coming early spring redd sweeping and egg laying. Awesome cobalt blue skies and sunshine will be filling the lens of my camera along with a few big ones if I’m lucky. The stream is a welcome escape from the holiday craziness of people and constant places to be. The Delayed Harvest streams such as the Toccoa, Amicalola, Fires Creek, the Nantahala, and Big Snowbird are still holding good numbers of fish. Smaller nymphs such as size 18 Pheasant Tails, BWO’s, and Black Zebra Midges will usually produce a few fish in
the more earlier pressured stream sections. Little dries such as Black Caddis, Black Stimulators, Griffith’s Gnat and BWO’s also in size 16 or 18 should take the rare winter riser. Fish a large fly on the lead end of your leader and tail that tiny invisible dry off the back on some 6x. The big fly will act as your strike indicator. Streamer eating larger trout will usually prefer a slower stripped piece of meat than in warmer times. The colder the water temperature is, the slower and more methodical you should fish. Practice “in your face fishing” on the river. Make it so easy for the fish to eat your fly, it can’t resist. A trout in icy water may not move one inch to eat your offering, so spoon-feed that bad boy so to speak! Swung flies such as soft hackles and streamers can produce well for the simple fact they are an easy grab for a fish. Slowly sweeping the fly in front of a trout’s nose is a sure way to get bit. I hope to see you guys out on the river this winter. I’ll be the guy bundled up like a polar bear! Happy Holidays everyone!
Fly of the Month by Eli Crumley Blackhawk Fly Fishing keepemwet94@gmail.com
WD 40 Hook: Tiemco TMC 2457 size 16/18/20 Thread: UTC 70 denier (color) grey Tail and Wing Case: Mallard Flank Thorax: Grey Dubbing Finish with Head Cement As water temps start dropping, dial down the size of your flies to pick up those finicky fish. Try one of my favorite flies, the WD 40, when the going gets tough.
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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING OCONEE ON THE FLY- DECEMBER FORECAST MATCHING THE HATCH ON LAKE OCONEE
CHATTOOGA RIVER
Contributed By Capt. Wayne Moore USCG www.oconeeonthefly.com So, the esteemed Henry Cowen (striper guide extraordinaire on Lanier) told me in his best Brooklyn accent not too long ago, “Wayne, you got to start tying your own flies for stripers and hybrids on Oconee”. The logic, he explained, is that you will be able to tie your fly to match the SIZE of the baitfish that are present at a given time. If the threadfin shad they are feeding on are two inches long, well you want a two-inch fly. Conversely, if they are keyed in on 1½ inch shad, they might reject a larger offering. I called The Fish Hawk and ordered #4 hooks and all the materials I needed to tie the famous “Somethin’ Else” fly Henry invented. I also ordered a Loon UV light and glue to hold the barbell eyes on these flies. Right now on Oconee, the fish are feeding on the two-inch shad, so my guess is I’ll do better on the bottom fly shown in the picture. If you have not tried tying your own, give it a try. You can get everything you need at The Fish Hawk, and they have classes there too. Hybrids/Stripers – The hybrid/ striper bite is on, and of course on Oconee it is mainly hybrids. Focus your efforts from below highway 44 to the Richland Creek arm and north up to the area in front of the Ritz. There is no need to throw the cast net, as large bass minnows work just fine. Downline the bass minnows or use a spoon when you see them on your electronics. You will likely see some large schools of bait, and always drop a bait or spoon when you do.
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As we move into December, long lining the bass minnows will work well. Also, the “bird bite” will be here soon. When you see the birds dive bombing shad, get within casting range and you will have a blast. You can cast a spoon a long way, so you don’t spook the fish. Also, a Sassy Shad on a DOA jig head works great. If you want to go a little lighter, use a spinning rod with 8-pound test and throw a 1/6-ounce white Rooster Tail. You can get everything you need at Sugar Creek Marina. Finally, if you can cast a fly rod, use a Wiggle Minnow or better yet a Somethin Else. This time of year I prefer to use sink tip when using anything other than a Wiggle Minnow. Crappie – The crappie are moving off the brush piles and starting to scatter. This means long lining jigs behind the boat is easy and a great way to load the boat. The crappie can be found in the mouth of Lick Creek, and as it gets cooler, they will move first up to the Sugar Creek area then north of I-20. When it gets colder in December, many anglers will switch to pushing rods out of the front of the boat; more on this in the January forecast. Final words – This time of year, guides are usually booked well in advance. If you are planning on doing December, January, or February fishing, call now. Email me at wmoore1700 @outlook.com or call 404-317-9556 and lock in your fall and winter dates. Tight lines and God bless.
The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is in full swing and so is the great fishing in the Delayed Harvest sections of the South Carolina rivers! Just prior to November 1, we received a great amount of rain and much cooler temperatures, and all rivers are in great shape. Many thanks to the Walhalla State Fish Hatchery for their tremendous work during the summer and fall heat waves for keeping all these fish in great health for us to enjoy in the rivers. The helicopter has flown, and stocking is continuing throughout the winter with plenty of fish to be caught. Below average temperatures have started us off in November and making it feel a little like winter here. No snow as of yet, but with continued below average temperatures, maybe a white Christmas is in store. Colder temperatures mean the warmest water is near to river flow, and the fish move into the deeper pockets and runs. As the water temperatures warm during the day, the fish will migrate from the depths and into shallower areas of the river to feed. In early mornings and late afternoons, double nymph rigs and adding split shot to get to holding areas of the fish will prove beneficial. During warmer days in December, some
dry fly action may be experienced, although it can be very sporadic. Dead-drifts and swinging fly rigs will bring the most success targeting the seams and deeper runs. Winter streamer fishing is in full swing now. Big fish have to eat, and why not throw them what they want. Smaller streamers work as well for those not interested in throwing big heavy streamers. In the case of the smaller streamers, with high water flows from winter rains, a pinch or two of weight may be necessary. On days of heavier flows on the river, a sink tip may be necessary to keep these streamers down in the water column to entice strikes. As we continue our work, we appreciate everyone in their efforts to leave no trace on the rivers. We are starting to notice a reduction of remains in the river corridors, and it is the continued effort from all of us that will make this place beautiful for the generations to come. If you’re looking for that special gift for the fly fishing person, we can help you with everything from gift certificates, guided trips, to all the fly fishing gear someone could possible want under the tree. We look forward to seeing everyone out on the rivers, so stop by and see us Tuesday-Saturday 7am-5pm and Sundays 7am-2pm. From all of us here at Chattooga River Fly Shop, we want to wish everyone and their families a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING THE GUIDES ANGLE WINTER FISHING BETWEEN THE HOLIDAYS Contributed By: Chris Scalley River Through Atlanta Guide Service
Some of our busiest times on the river for guiding, believe it or not, are between Thanksgiving and Christmas. We guide on a river that happens to run through a city of 6 million people, so family and friends tend to converge onto Atlanta during this holiday window. We also see increased air travel during the holiday season with stopovers and destination flights at Hartsfield/Jackson International airport. It’s exciting this year that DNR plans on stocking the Delayed Harvest 8 mile section of the river inside the perimeter with 50K brown and rainbow trout. This section is very accessible and user friendly with wadeable shoals and gravel bars.
A really well-kept secret about our winter fishing on the Chattahoochee is the excellent dry fly action. Blizzard blue winged olive mayfly hatches and little winter stones hatch every afternoon drawing fish to the surface after dry flies and emergers. Don’t forget that the latter half of the brown trout spawning cycle lasts through mid-January when trophy specimen browns are commonly landed. We look forward to seeing you this holiday season on the river and hope you will consider a great guide service to help you connect with this unique natural resource!
MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING THE CASTING CORNER MENDING THE FLY
Contributed By: Rene J. Hesse Certified Casting InstructorFederation of Fly Fishers & Atlanta Fly Fishing and Camping Meetup Organizer line that will have an affect on the fly. For example, a cast downstream at an angle with a weighted fly that you want to sink will sink faster if you do a hump mend. Have enough line off the reel to get to your target and then cast short of your target. After laying the cast out short of the target, you can slip line out of your rod tip and not move the fly as it starts to sink by making a quick 12” up and down motion with your rod tip and let the water tension pull some of the line out of your rod tip. Then do it again until all the line you need is out and then start the retrieve. That will work with a dry fly too. Just make the cast short of the target and lower the rod tip to the water and start the hump mends.
Nope, we are not talking about repairing fly line, but we are talking about fly fishing and casting. Mending is just repositioning the line. There are a lot of reasons to do a line mend. You may ask why that’s important. I will give you a few situations that can increase your chances of catching a fish by mending your line. Get to know the different types of mends in fly casting and it will change your game. First thing to note is that there are arial mends and water mends. Arial mends take place before the line hits the water. Guess when a water mend happens. CORRECT! We reposition the line to adjust what the fly is doing or will do. One thing to note is that the mend should not move the fly from where it is. It should move the portion of
The next thing to consider if we are trying to get a fly to sink before it gets to the target is water tension on the line. Watch what affect the mending is having on the fly. If you do the hump mend and the fly is moving, it is losing the neutral drift that allows the fly to sink at its fastest rate. So watch the line at the furthest point away from the
rod tip and do the mends. Try not to allow the line end to move or pause. When you get to the water with a weighted fly, practice the mending before you get to the place you plan to catch the fish. Using the water hump mend can change the game for you and get the fish that you may not have.
“For example, a cast downstream at an angle with a weighted fly that you want to sink will sink faster if you do a hump mend”
ALATOONA Forecast By: Capt. Robert Eidson www.firstbiteguideservice.com eidson6260@att.net Linesides fishing is good! The turnover is almost complete and the fall bite has started. The better bite is on the north end of the lake.
Downloading threadfin shad out of the river channel in the early morning has been the best bite. After the sun comes up, trolling the Mini Mack’s has been producing well. Look for these fish anywhere from Bartow Carver to Little River. Right now we are chasing the mud and stain lines.
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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST SCARY HALLOWEEN STRIPERS By Dickelsby Merry Christmas to all striper fishing fans in North Georgia! Yes folks, it was October 28th, the FOGGIEST Day in the history of Blairsville, GA, home of the beautiful Lake Nottely! We were the guests of Shane Goebel, leader of the pack of Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. It all began at Hughes General Store on the Murphy Highway where we met to enjoy incredible cathead biscuits while the big Suzuki motor on the beautiful Carolina Skiff fishing boat was fuelling up as was the bait tank loading with lively blueback herring. The interesting thing was that nobody could see anything in front of them as the thick fog hung over all of Blairsville, GA and half of North Carolina! But NO, we were not deterred as we approached the
boat launch area and Shane backed the boat into the lake and put it under control of his remote trolling motor. It was something to watch as the boat drifted out a few feet then stopped very similar to a bird dog being commanded to stay! After parking the truck, he then brought the boat back with his remote control to the bank, and we all took turns gingerly hopping on to select a dry place for the beginning of our adventure. Off we went very cautiously as the fog thickened and only the modern electronics on the dashboard seemed to know where we were supposed to go. It was like a nervous forever, but we soon came upon our first dock filled cove where it was strongly suspected the stripers were feeding. We turned loose the light spinning tackle and
attacked the green lit dock where we could actually see a couple of fish swimming below the boats. It didn’t take long before The Angler Publisher, Bob Rice, had a nice one on doing the ‘singing drag’ song we so love to hear, but alas it was a score of: big fish 1 and fisherman 0 for the first inning! But still we were excited with our visibility increasing and marking a lot of fish in the area. Then BOOM! Bob hooks another. Yeah baby, a great hook up was on and after some really good ol’ “drag songs”, the big net goes down to pick up a real nice largemouth bass that served to pick up our spirits! One of the great things about hiring Shane for your dream fishing trip is he is continually connected to other members of his team, and we learned from one of them already out on the lake that there was an oxygen pump going on, and we soon headed through the fog till we arrived at the right place! Dam good fishing coming up! Oh yeah, we were in sight of the awesome Lake Nottely Dam where fish were moving according to our electronics, and soon we were looking at a population of some nice stripers in the 5-10 pound class range feeding on the surface. Then the surface smoothed over
and tranquility reigned until that is when your humble correspondent eagerly watching a downline starting to bend in half with a well circle-hooked fish fiercely rejecting capture! A beautiful resistance from the fish was neutralized with an experienced swath of the captain’s net to welcome aboard a very nice delicious striper right to the photo op platform! Oh heck yeah, Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service is always able to fillet your catch for you to enjoy when you get back home! We continued to follow them around and got some more till it quieted down. We tried the umbrella rig for a while and then packed it in to conclude another very happy trip with a very professional guide, Shane Goebel. Also, a shout-out to Darren Hughes, our best friend bait supplier at Hughes General Store, and thanks to all of you for reading about our Angler Magazine fall adventure. If you would like to chime in, please contact us at Dickg@TheAnglerMagazine.com. To book a trip with Shane Goebel at Big Ol Fish Guiding Service, please contact him at 828-361-2021 or bigolfishguidingservice@gmail.com for the adventure of a lifetime on Lakes Nottely, Chatuge, Blue Ridge or Hiwassee.
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MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST ALL IWANT FOR CHRISTMAS...
WEST POINT LAKE
By: Ryan Kennedy YouTube: Ryan Kennedy Fishing Instagram: ryankfishing ryankfishing@gmail.com
A 12-point buck and a shiny new truck; a new Hoyt Bow, and a bass boat ready to tow. A house on a piece of land, and even a brand-new tree stand. You make the payments and I’ll use the goods, why are we still talking? I should get back in the woods. Just leave my presents under the tree, and before you even ask, yes, they are all for me. As an avid outdoorsman, I don’t think I have ever had much trouble coming up with a hefty Christmas list. If I let my wheels really get to turning, the list will be long enough to reach from my house straight up to the North Pole. Most of our loved ones can have us grinning ear to ear with a one-stop-shop at Bass Pro Shops or Cabela’s for Christmas, but there is so much more to this season than the gifts under the tree. Now don’t get me wrong, I love getting my hands on the latest and greatest in the outdoor industry as much as the next guy, but one thing will never change. The shine of new gear will wear off eventually, but the memories will never fade. When I think back on my most cherished memories in the outdoors, I think of unforgettable times with friends and family hunting and fishing. I wouldn’t trade the memories of fishing with my father after church on Sundays out of an old V-Hull for anything in the world. Sure, it wasn’t the fastest or shiniest rig on the water, but if that old boat could
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talk, I would sit there for hours just to re-live some of the best times of my life. Outside of the fishing memories, my favorite memory of hunting isn’t even a special kill, but rather my dad showing me how to field dress my first deer. I have gone back to that memory on every harvest since then, and it never fails to put a big grin on my face while I’m cleaning my deer. I am so blessed to have been able to grow up with God-fearing parents that raised me and my brother in a way that opened our eyes to the Lord’s wonderful creations all around us. I’m keeping this article short and sweet as I reflect on the memories and people that made me the man I am today. So, I want to thank my brother for being the best friend I could have ever asked for and for always being there for me in the good times and the bad. I want to thank my mother for being the most kind-hearted woman I have ever met and for her never-ending love and support that she has given to me and my family. Finally, I want to thank my father for being the hardest working man that I will ever know, and for being willing to sacrifice anything for my family. I love you all! Christmas gifts are great, but there’s nothing like family. I wish each and every one of you a Merry CHRISTmas and a Happy New Year. GOD BLESS!
Bass: Fair - The shallow bite remains fair now and could improve even more, especially with a little stained water, higher than normal lake levels and water temps in the 50s and 60s. Baits such as Rat-L-Traps, square bill crankbaits and chatterbaits are catching some of these shallower fish. Try to fish these baits in coves and pockets with small feeder creeks or around schools of shallow baitfish. Fish the open water in the pockets with an Alabama Rig or Flash Mob Jr. Keep a jig or shaky head handy to pitch around any wood cover. Fishing rip-rap can also produce good results this time of year. Yellow Jacket and Whitewater Creeks continue to produce. By the end of the month, the water should clear back up and the lake level should drop. Big schools of spots mixed with hybrids, white bass and stripers can be caught on jigging spoons and drop-shot rigs and shaky head rigs on humps and drop-offs. Target deeper offshore structures like brush piles and old road beds in 20-30 feet of water near the mouth of most major creeks for the best results. Linesides: Good - The downline bite with shad or bass shiners has improved as the water has cooled off. Freelining a live bait will also work at times. Most of the fish seem to be holding 20 to 30 feet deep when they are not schooling on the surface.
The fish are still moving around a good bit but should “lock in” to a certain thermocline as the water cools. Expect the topwater fishing to be sporadic. Gulls and loons usually show up strong in December, which makes it easier to pinpoint schooling stripers. Keep your eyes open! A popping cork rig has still been working on schooling 1 to 3-pound fish with an occasional bigger one mixed in. A 3/8 or 1/2-ounce white Rooster Tail, a chrome C.C. Spoon and a number of other small shad imitators have also been producing. As the water cools, a bucktail jig becomes very effective as well. The mouths of most creeks anywhere south of the Highland Marina area all the way to the dam and Maple Creek have been holding fish. Trolling with mid-depth crankbaits and Alabama Rigs continues to produce some linesides in these same areas. Crappie: Fair - Try tight line fishing with minnows or a 1/16-ounce or smaller jig around bridge pilings, brush piles and blow downs in 6 to 15 feet of water. Concentrate on trees and brush that are close to the old creek channels. Pitching or shooting docks with small tube or feather jigs around or under the docks can still produce this time of year. Yellow Jacket, Wehadkee and Whitewater Creeks are still producing some crappie. Spider trolling usually starts back in December as well, and can be very effective. If December turns unusually warm and wet, the crappie can show back up surprisingly shallow very quickly!
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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST WHEN THE SHAD DIE, JERK BAITS FLY Contributed By: Jay Striker www.jaystriker.com One cold day I was on the lake and all I could think about was that I could not feel my toes. While waiting for the tournament to start as daylight was beginning to break, I felt the adrenaline that always rushes through my body when its blast-off time. The temperature outside was in the low 50s with a slight wind out of the west and cloudy with a water temp of 48 degrees. When these types of conditions show up, I want to have on my front deck some jerk baits in different sizes and colors. Let’s take some time to discuss why wintertime is one of the best times to throw jerk baits and what conditions and the areas I’m looking to target. Why is wintertime one of the best times to throw jerk baits? When the water temperature drops in the cold weather months, I opt to start looking for the stretches of cold weather that has been around for quite a while, because I have found that bass tend to bite better when there has been a continued cold stretch. Some anglers wait until a warm time happens in the winter and soon find out that bass don’t hit the jerk bait as much. I have found that the colder it is, the better the bite. One reason I have noticed that bass eat the jerk bait is because of the shad kill due to severe cold fronts that drop the water temperature. The smaller fish tend to die first, which is an excellent time to have a jerk bait flying across the water. The best conditions to throw jerk baits in the winter tend to be when it’s cloudy with some wind blowing on the lake. My set up in the clear lakes here in Georgia is to use a 6.5-foot bait casting rod, 6:8:1 Lew’s speed spool reel on 6
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to 8-pound P-Line Fluorocarbon when fishing deep, and a KVD Strike King jerk bait in different sizes. Knowing when to go fishing in the winter is essential, but knowing what you are looking for is just as important. Starting out on more pronounced points is always the right choice. I prefer the steep ones and at times the flat ones. Another structure is steep bluff walls and banks. I’ve caught plenty of fish on deeper flats near channel breaks and swings, especially in areas where channels come close to the bank. The last elements to keys to success are cloud cover and wind. The two ingredients will help you when you are fishing clear water. The wind helps you get bit when you can see down more than 5 feet. I would not rule out looking for surface activity as bass do school in the winter to feed. Closing the loop on jerk bait fishing, the winter is when the shad kill takes place, and the abundant amount of food that is available for bass increases. Take the time to get out in the colder months and take some jerk baits with you. Know that one of the keys to success that I have found is that it needs to be cold and have some clouds and wind. If these exist at any time, pick up the jerk bait and work them. Don’t forget to target some of the starting points as it will allow you to connect with a fish quicker. Remember, when shad start to die, let the jerk baits fly. Good luck this winter. I want to thank you all for your continued support on InstagramJay.Striker.52 and StrikerNation1. Facebook at Jay Striker, and www. jaystriker.com.
TM
y ualit atters! Q e M r WheSTEEL 12 ATLANTA
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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE CHATUGE
LAKE ALATOONA Contributed by Joseph Martinelli Heron Outdoor Adventures www.heronoutdooradventures.com 404-919-4918 Lake Allatoona is completing its stratification (turnover) process and the fishing can only be expected to continually get better as well as more consistent. Concentrate your efforts in the cleaner/clearer waters that have already completed this turnover process. One visual indicator of turnover water would be the appearance of brown foamy/frothy waters. While catching fish in this type of stained water is not unheard of, it is rarely the better catching grounds. Fish are starting to school up well and chasing the large schools of bait that can be found lake-wide. There are plenty of 2-3 pound schoolies of hybrids and stripers to be caught there as well as plenty of opportunities for larger 5-8 pound fish that are mixed in. We have even gotten into several large schools of small 8-12” stripers. This is wonderful to see, and they represent the future of our striper fishery. While the topwater ‘boiling’ of the hybrids and stripers has been overall non-existent, we have had several fish take an offering the moment a lure or bait has hit the surface. Casting a topwater in the early morning as well as skimming the surface with a spoon has produced a few fish, but overall the eating is happening under the surface. Presenting live and frisky threadfin shad has been a very consistent method for catching these fish once located. Offerings on the down-lines at 15-22’ down have been producing
well overall, particularly in the 3540’ depths of the channel edges and turns. When the bait is stacked from 15-20’ down, running your offerings over them at 12-14’ may be the ticket. You are in essence presenting the easy picking having isolated your offerings from the main bait ball. It is almost always easier to get a fish to eat by rising to the bait rather than expecting a descent to the bait. Free-lining off the side/backs of the boat is still proving effective, and this method allows you to cover more depths than just down-lines alone. If you find the free-lines to be the most common being hit on your trip, consider bringing up any down-lines to the 8-10’ mark or even simply taking the time to replace with a free line offering when possible. When the fish are just everywhere on the electronics but simply not active on our live bait offerings, trolling may be the only effective way to trigger a bite. Pulling a full size umbrella rig (9 baits) or even a smaller A-rig (a Mini-Mack works great) through the schools can be just what the doctor ordered. Maintaining speeds of 2.8 to 3 mph (big motor idle speeds) will be most effective overall. Running a Bomber Long-A in conjunction may also be found to be the best trigger for a bite. If that deep-runner is the consistent hit, run as many as you can. We operate a full-time guide service on Lake Allatoona year ‘round. It is our pleasure to provide weekly reports to help best direct your own efforts. It is our job to put you on the fish and teach you valuable techniques and provide great tips when you book an adventure with us. Let’s go fishing! Call 404-919-4918 for details.
MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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Eric Welch Welch’s Guide Service www.welchsguideservice. com 706-455-2323
Water temperature: 62 degrees, lake level: 5.5 feet below full pool, clarity: clear. Bass: The water temp has finally started dropping. There has been some breaking fish, but it’s just been single fish breaking. I’m still keeping a Strike King Sexy Dawg tied on so I can make long casts to the single breaking fish. Most of the fish we’ve been catching have been on deep banks and long points. The fish have been biting on a dropshot rigged with a 4.5” Roboworm.
There has been some fish caught on a shaky head with a Strike King 6.5” finesse worm. This upcoming month is a good time to throw a jerk bait in a shad pattern and also start fishing a Fish Head Spin. With the water temp continuing to drop, also try an umbrella rig. I like using a 1/8 ounce head and a Strike King 3.5” Rage Swimmer. Don’t be afraid to go fishing while it’s cold. You can catch some big spotted bass. 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.
JACKSON LAKE By Brian Lee leebrian16 @yahoo.com Water temperature: 62-66 degrees, lake level: 1-2 feet below full pool, clarity: stained. The fall bite is in full swing. Bass are starting to school up in the mouths of pockets and follow shad to the backs of the pockets. A square bill in the early morning is producing some good numbers. Color depends on water clarity, but the go-to colors are crawfish and chartreuse/blue. As the day
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goes on, the bass will school up more and you can target these schools with a small/medium size spoon. Be patient jigging the spoon as this technique takes a little time to persuade the fish. If you can find an active school feeding, you can load the boat quickly. This time of year is a simple and straightforward presentation type of fishing. Once you get a bite, keep duplicating that cadence. A jig around any kind of structure will yield quality bites, but just be patient. Spinnerbaits are catching some good numbers as well. Till next month, tight lines.
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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST DECEMBER ON LANIER – FISH THE DITCHES Contributed By: Jim “Jimbo” Mathley www.jimboonlanier.com
While the outside elements are not always favorable, December can offer some outstanding angling on Lake Lanier. Big sacks of spotted bass can be taken during these cold-weather months if you approach the lake with an open mind and are willing to try some different techniques and locations, and mostly, get off the bank. Let’s explore one productive approach to Lanier in December – the ditches. Ditches: A ditch can be defined as a significant depression, typically narrow in width (2-15 feet), which offers a sharp depth change of 2 feet or more from the surrounding structure. Ditches can be naturally occurring or can be man-made. These features exist in many places on Lake Lanier, and they hold fish during the winter months. The lake will be down about 4 feet from full pool going into December, so I anticipate a normal year in terms of this bite. Your Search: Use your Lowrance HDS electronics with 3D Structure Scan to find creek arms or pockets just off of the main creek channels that offer a deep vein extending back into the arm or cove/pocket. The farther the deep water extends into the creek arm, the better. When you enter these areas and are searching for productive water, search for the presence of baitfish in and around
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the timber which you will find in the deeper water portions of the ditch. Start your search in 40 feet of water in the mouth of the ditch and work your way back. Start fishing when you find the bait. Technique: Once you find a creek arm that meets the above criteria, you must now determine how you are going to fish these potentially productive waters. Your approach should be determined by the location of the bait and time of day. Early in the mornings, active fish will often be positioned shallower in the ditch, towards the back and sometimes right in the middle. Your presentation speed should vary directly with the water temperature. The colder the water, the slower your presentation should be. Experiment with different lures and retrieve speed to determine the optimum strike provoking presentation on any given day. Following are some baits and techniques to try as you explore the ditches on Lake Lanier: SuperSpin – My favorite for this time of year. Cast this bait down the center of the ditches in which you have found bait and fish. Work the bait slowly on the bottom and be alert for very light bites. Make sure to let the fish load up on the bait before you set the hook. That is the toughest
part of this approach. It is easy to feel the first bite and immediately set the hook. Resist the temptation and keep reeling slowly until the fish “loads up”. Use a boot-tail type trailer as the water gets colder. The vibration of this type of trailer helps the fish zero in on the bait. Crankbait – When the fish are shallower in the ditches, particularly in the mornings, a crankbait can be an effective search bait. Fan cast the back of pockets and ditches with a crankbait and work the bait slowly and deliberately. The more the bait bumps and deflects off the bottom and acts erratically, the better. Deep diving crankbaits such as the Spro Little John DD work great for this application, but don’t hesitate to experiment with other options in this arena as well, such as shallow and medium diving baits. The Spro MD or Little John Baby DD are excellent options. Don’t forget to try the SPRO jerkbaits as well. A McStick or McRip can be excellent options in the backs of these creek arms early in the morning. Jig/Worm – When the fish are
not as active, a jig or worm fished in the ditches can be effective. Work the baits SLOWLY on the bottom. Make sure to pause the bait frequently and impart some pops and hops in the presentation. This can be key to triggering strikes. Play with color selection on both the jig and worm. I like the Chattahoochee Jigs and Cross Ball options for all of my bottom bumping presentations. Use a Yamamoto Twin Tail trailer on the Chattahoochee Jig and a Zoom Trick worm as a trailer on a Cross Ball. As the day progresses, particularly on sunny days, the bait and fish will move into the deeper portions of the ditch and will relate to the available cover. Presenting a Chattahoochee jig, drop-shot worm by Lanier Baits, or jigging spoon to these fish can be effective as well. Make sure to experiment with different places and approaches as the lake fishes differently each day. Stay flexible and enjoy more success. For more information or to book your winter trip, contact Jimbo on Lanier! 770-542-7764. Jimbo’s website: www.jimboonlanier.com.
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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST HUGE FISHING SEMINAR AND EXPO!
LANIER STRIPERS Forecast by: Clay Cunningham www.catchingnotfishing.com 770-630-2673
What: The “Jim”inar 2020: ReSpooled Powered By: Shimano When: January 4, 2020. 8 AM - 5 PM Where: Forsyth County Conference Center at Lanier Tech Register at: Jimboonlanier.com/seminar Expo - 35 Vendors Prizes, Raffles, Giveaways! Breakfast and Lunch Served Topics In-Depth Spring Fishing on Lake Lanier to include Sonar Review Jimbo Mathley/Jim Farmer/LJ Harmon High School Fishing - Managing Your Social Media/Attracting Sponsors/Tournament Preparation Lee Rose Koza/Carter Koza/Caz Anderson Kayak Fishing - Tournament Tips from 2 STARS of the sport, Kristine Fischer snd Clint Henderson
The striper fishing on Lake Lanier is finally falling into the winter patterns. The bait is thickening up in the creeks and the stripers are following them. Live bait will be hard to beat in December. The topwater bite will slowly taper away. The baitfish are now moving into the creeks in very large schools. Some of these schools are absolutely massive. On and off throughout the day, the stripers will move through this bait and feast. You want to be waiting on the stripers with the traditional downline with blueback herring and rainbow trout. You will need the same setup for both of these baits but you will need different size weights and hooks. Spool up a Penn Fathom II 20 reel with fifteen pound Trilene Big Game clear line paired with a Shakespeare striper rod. You can use this setup year round for stripers. Tie a Carolina rig on the end with a Capt. Mack 2 ounce swivel sinker and 5 foot leader of 15 pound Trilene 100% Flourocarbon and a Gamakatsu 3/0 octopus hook. If the trout are smaller, go with the 1/0 or 2/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hook. On the herring, use the
smaller 1 ounce Capt. Mack swivel sinker. Also, on the herring use a smaller size 1 Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap hook and 12 pound Trilene 100% Flourocarbon. All of these details are important. These details will make the difference between fishing and catching. If you want to catch these fish on artificials, the spoon is a great choice. Tie on a Capt. Mack Super Spoon on a 6’6” Fenwick medium action rod paired with an Abu Garcia Revo X with 10 pound line and drop the spoon to the bottom and work it in a yo-yo type motion. Most of the bites will be on the fall of the spoon. If you do see some surface action, keep a Berkley Spy tied on a spinning rod. To find where these deep pods are located, first look for any birds. The birds always narrow your search. Now that you are in the right area, the proper electronics are crucial. On the Humminbird Solix, you can see these huge pods of bait and even see your bait swimming around on the hook around the schools of bait. During the winter, do not be afraid to fish in the middle of the day. Many times in the winter the best fishing is during the warmest part of the day. It’s a win all the way around and no need to freeze at daylight.
MERRY FISHMAS & Have a Happy New Year!
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THIS IS A MUST SEE EVENT!! DON’T MISS THIS ONE!! MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST KIM’S KITCHEN
LAKE MARTIN
VENISON CHILI
by Kim Nunery Pounders Seafood Market
www.poundersseafoodmarket.com
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter • 1 red onion, chopped • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 4 tablespoons dark brown sugar • 3 cups red wine • 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar • 4 tablespoons tomato paste • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth • 1 teaspoon ground cumin • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro • salt to taste • 4 tablespoons canola oil • 10 slices cooked bacon, diced • 2 pounds venison stew meat, trimmed and finely diced
• 2 cups black beans, cooked and drained
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar and sauté for 2 to 3 more minutes. Then stir in the red wine, vinegar, tomato paste, chicken stock, cumin, cayenne pepper, chili powder, cilantro and salt. Simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced by about half. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the bacon and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the bacon is browned. Move the bacon to one side of the skillet and add the venison to the empty side of the skillet. Season the meat with salt to taste and sauté the meat for 15 minutes, or until well browned. Stir in the beans and toss all together. Transfer this mixture to the simmering pot. Mix everything together thoroughly and let simmer for about 20 more minutes
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WITH LOWS COMES A LOT OF HIGHS ! Provided By: David Hare Alex City Guide Service 256-401-3089 December brings low air temperatures, low water, low water temperatures, low recreational boating traffic and low fishing pressure on most any day. December is mainly known by most Lake Martin anglers as high volumes of catching going on and a high volume of memories being made here with family during the holidays as people come in to visit parents, grandparents and friends. I am very proud to say we have helped make hundreds of fond memories on our charter boats in December on Lake Martin. If you’ve never done any December fishing on Lake Martin, then you really need to check it out. In December of 2018, it was a record setting month for us including several days with over 40 fish boated and released in a 6 hour trip including December 29th when our clients boated 92 fish in 5 hours. Just another HIGH on Lake Martin that I
think of frequently. This month, expect to be able to catch large numbers of bass, stripers and crappie. Along with the help of my many great guides, we will be targeting stripers on most any part of the lake. I love planer boarding big shad in the shallows this month, but when clients say they want lots and lots of action, then I concentrate on areas that have deeper water that’s holding huge schools of fish down deep. December also brings higher numbers of sea gulls, so stay focused on these birds, because it’s a known fact they will lead you to some feeding fish. If you’ve never fished around active sea gulls, then you’re in for an exciting treat. If you are looking for something special for someone special in your life, then consider a gift certificate from Alex City Guide Service here on Lake Martin. It’s good for one year from the date of purchase, and who knows, they might even bring you along too. Merry Christmas to all, and we hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season.
P
“December is mainly known by most Lake Martin anglers as high volumes of catching going on and a high volume of memories being made here with family..”
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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
The cold weather is finally here, but don’t be a fair-weather fisherman. December and the winter months on Lake Chatuge are off the hook, so throw on some thermals and hit the water for some of the best bass and hybrid fishing in North Georgia. Remember, all of our December half day trips and Christmas gift certificates are only $250. That’s a saving of $100! Check out our Facebook page and www.bigolfish.com for more info. Our gift certificates are a perfect gift for that fisherman or fisherwoman. Water temperatures are currently in the low 60’s, and the water level is down 7 feet. Water clarity is clear throughout the lake and slightly stained in the backs of creeks. Spotted bass are still schooled up throughout the lake, and we are absolutely slaying them! We’ve had a fantastic topwater bite and down line bite in the mornings. Check shallow humps and areas from 1530 feet deep. Watch for these fish to bust the water as they chase up bait, then cast into them. Poppers, Spooks, spoons, and of course, live bait have been working great on catching these spots. Also, don’t forget to target your points and brush piles. Some excellent largemouth and spots have been caught lately off rocky points and around brush.
Now that water temps have fallen, the hybrids are on the move. These guys are heading towards the creeks and rivers and are moving up in the water column. Early morning topwater has been great on Red Fins and Zara Spooks. The same rule of thumb applies as for the spotted bass; search around shallow areas and watch for fish chasing up bait. Trolling free-lines with live bait and planer boards should work fine as well. We’ve also been doing awesome with a downline on some big hybrids still schooled up deep in the mouths of creeks. Several fish from the 8 to 10-pound range have been boated with us lately. Live blueback herring remains your best bet to catch these fish. December fishing on Lake Chatuge is always an exciting month. The bigger fish start feeding more aggressively, and it’s a great time of year for some great topwater action. Remember, live bait on this lake can be the difference between a successful day of fishing and a horrid one. Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA carries a wide range of bait and tackle. It’s the best place around for quality live blueback herring. We also carry ethanol free gas and have some of the best hot, made-from-scratch biscuits in North GA. For guided fishing trips on Lake Chatuge, Hiwassee and Lake Nottely, or questions about the bait shop, call 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 around. Good luck and get hooked.
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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE BLUE RIDGE Forecast By: Eric Crowley Lake & Stream Guide Service (706) 669-4973
lakeandstreamguideservice@gmail.com
Water temperature: 50 degrees, lake level: -13 feet, Clarity: 10 feet. Walleye and big perch have been the target species for the last month and that will continue into December. The walleye are holding in relatively shallow water near big rocky points and on ledges upriver. Live bait rigged on a slip bobber or fished just off the bottom has been putting fish in the boat. If the live bait bite is slow, try pulling artificial lures as deep as you can. Bright whites, yellow, or gold have been key for trolling colors and pulling them around 2.5mph on light line. Big perch are abundant this time of year and can be caught on live minnows, shad and on artificial jigs or lures. I like to locate
them on sonar and drop small minnows on small circle hooks and let them eat. Light line like 4-pound test will increase your bite numbers, but we are still catching them on rigs with 15-pound leaders, so it’s not imperative. Rocky drop-offs near big water is where we are finding the bigger fish. Concentrate on the 20 to 40 foot depth range.
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LAKE SEMINOLE Forecast By: by Paul Tyre paultyrefishing@yahoo.com The bass fishing on Lake Seminole has been very productive this fall. The water temperatures have fallen down to the mid 60’s and the Flint and Chattahoochee River arms of the lake have good stain. Spring Creek remains clear. We have been catching bass on a variety of lures from spinnerbaits and vibrating jigs to jerk baits. A double willow leaf Strike King Premier Plus ½ ounce in chartreuse and white has produced very well. This bait works well at fast speeds to generate a reaction strike. The new Strike King Thunder Cricket has been very productive this fall, and I expect it to continue to produce all the way into spring! This bait has incredible action to it and a built-in trailer keeper that works! Jerk baits have worked well this fall too. The Strike King KVD jerk bait in the 200 series and the 300 se-
Wes Floyd and Tyler Gingrich with their catches from a recent Lake Seminole Fishing Adventure. ries in any shad color have worked well. The Strike King KVD series is one of my favorite jerk baits because it’s cast ability and action. The key is working at a fast erratic pace. For a Lake Seminole Fishing Adventure this fall, give us a call at 850-264-7534 or follow us on Instagram @ lakeseminolefishingadventures and Facebook @ paultyrefishing!
MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST NOBODY SAID IT HAD TO BE FAIR FOR THE
LAKE EUFAULA
FISH
By Capt Sam Williams hawk184@earthlink.net 334-687-6266
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Water temperature: mid 50’s, lake level: 187.88 msl, clarity: slight stain. Cooler weather and fronts have slowed the bite making it necessary to concentrate on an area where you know fish are located and work it slowly. Blade baits and suspending twitch baits in the shallows near cover is where the fish are feeding. The fish we are catching are full of shad, and you find then in the live well and on the boat deck. Texas rigged worms have been the most productive this past week. Bumping the bottom or a slow swim retrieve are getting a bite. Red shad has been a good color. We are getting many short strikes, so when this happens, downsize your bait. Shellcrackers are still on the flats.
Wigglers are the trick here. Crappie are getting more active as the water cools down. Catfish are still doing well on jugs in the creeks baited with cut bait. The weather is getting great for a day on the Lake. Mornings are a little cool, but as the sun gets up, it is nice. God has provided us with the perfect place to get our kids out there and make memories that last for generations. Visit www.alabamachildrensclassic.org and get signed up for our newsletter. The changes for the 2020 tournament will be announced in the next few days. We still need volunteers and business support for Scott Woodruff and his journey for his heart transplant. You can contact Capt. Sam Williams at 334-355-5057 for information about the National Transplant Foundation and how you can help our local hero. God bless and good fishing.
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Frank Anthony from Roswell, GA with son David fishing with Capt Sam Williams
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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR THAT SPORTSPERSON IN YOUR LIFE? Dr. Andrew Cox As the holiday shopping season is in full swing, you may be looking for a gift for that person in your life who enjoys hunting and/or fishing. Sometimes, anglers can be difficult to find gifts; particularly if they have everything under the sun related to fishing. In this article, I am going to list several gift ideas for that difficult to shop for outdoors person. Various angling gadgets can be good gifts. These items could include specialty pliers such as the light, stainless, and rustproof types that are available or nippers and cutters for cutting fishing line and leader material. Measuring boards for measuring fish are another good gift item particularly for anglers that keep fish for the table or tournament anglers. Another gift idea is specialty angling clothing that are appropriate for different seasons of the year. I like the
long sleeve, synthetic fabric shirts embedded with sunblock to keep the angler cooler during the heat of the day and reduce sun exposure. Easy to care for angling pants are another good clothing item. Fleece type products for late fall, winter, and early spring fishing trips are other good clothing items. An added touch is to have these clothing items monogramed with the angler’s name or special and unique phrases. I have multiple tackle boxes for the various specialty tackle items or trips that I may make. I prefer the plastic see through waterproof and rust proof tackle boxes with different layers of storage. These boxes can be found in different sizes and price ranges. I also like the deep tray waterproof boxes for storing electronic devices such as cellular telephones, cameras, GPS units or similar devic-
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chase items at one of the big box or smaller tackle outlets. This allows the angler receiving the gift card or certificate to make decisions regarding their own purchases and angling needs. As you search for holiday gift purchases, consider shopping at locally owned angling and sporting goods stores. Many times these smaller outlets carry tackle and product brands not found at big box tackle outlets or have specialty angling niches focused upon particular angling methods. Hopefully this provides some shopping ideas for the sports person in your life. Hope that each of you have a safe and happy Holiday season. Author’s Note: Dr. Andrew Cox is a contributing writer to outdoor publications and newspapers. 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. 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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es. These boxes can also be used for storing fishing line and other angling supplies so that they are readily accessible in your boat or other fishing location. Some anglers enjoy using classic fishing lures or have favorite lures that are no longer available for purchase. There are companies that specialize in reproducing these favorite lures from a prototype lure or picture. These lures can also be monogramed with the angler’s name for a special touch. Internet searches can assist in locating such specialty lure manufacturers. Fishing seems to stimulate my appetite. Accordingly, I always have some snack foods on board my boat during the fishing day. Rather than looking for plastic spoons or forks to eat those Vienna sausages or Beanie Weenies from a can, a combination cutlery or multifunctional camping tool that has a folding spoon, fork, and knife are a good tackle box or boat item. These are available from camping equipment specialty stores, catalogs, or on-line shopping sites. Lastly, the gift giver cannot go wrong with a gift certificate to pur-
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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST GREAT FISHING AT CAJUN VISTA LODGE by O’Neill Williams I’ve looked in my files and cannot find that I have written to you all about Cajun Vista Lodge in Barataria, Louisiana before. If I have, forgive me for repeating myself, but it’s so good, so agreeable, and such a great destination, I can’t resist. Firstly, what comes to mind is the August, 2019 tragic death in a plane crash of the founder and operator, and a great friend, Theophile Bourgeois. We won’t go into all that right now only to assure you that for the fisherman who visits Cajun Vista Lodge, nothing basically has changed. The lodge is full every day 10 months of the year. I’ve already made my reservations for two, three-day back to back groups in October of 2020. Let’s start from the beginning. Barataria is about 25 miles southwest
of New Orleans and is adjacent to the Atchafalaya Basin; 30 miles wide, 90 miles long, 4 feet deep, is full of millions of sea trout, redfish, black drum, sheepshead and other critters too many to mention. That’s where you’ll be fishing. Once your fishing day begins, you will rarely see more than 3 boats per day, and they’ll probably be from Cajun Vista Lodge anyway. How about where you’ll be staying? Theophile bought, redesigned, and made very pleasant a 100+ year old schoolhouse into a very accommodating lodge that will comfortably sleep 26+ fishermen, feed three luscious meals a day with much of it being unique Cajun spiced gumbo and sauces with fresh trout, redfish and shrimp, often caught that day. Once you park your car or truck, you will not have
to move if for the duration of your stay. Ever ything is there; outstanding food, spacious lodging, modern 22’ to 24’ center console boats 50 yards from the dinner table, a staff of seasoned, safe and experienced fishing guides, whiney New Orleans music to put you in the fishing mood, and screened, mosquito free lounging areas to sit around and lie about the fishing you did that day. I take a twenty-five-person group there yearly and have done so for over 12 years. This year, I’m taking two bunches of fishermen. How about the fishing? The daily limit of 12” minimum speckled trout is 25 per person, and you’ll likely catch a boat limit every day before lunch time and most will be 13 to 18 inches. The trout readily bite artificial plastics, and you will have a limit, but shrimp under a float will load the boat even earlier. The limit on reds is a 5-slot between 14 and 27 inch limit with one over 27. You’ll likely limit on those the same day. The best months are June
and October, but you can’t go wrong year-round, with the exception of January or February. What type of tackle do you need to take? Unless you have some special fishing tackle you want to carry down and use, you bring nothing. It’s all furnished and in good working order. When do you need to call for 2020? Now! Contact them at www. neworleansfishing.com and/or www.cajunvistalodge.com. As I said, I already have 6 days booked for October, so you’d better get started. Is it reasonably priced? It’s about $1,100 per person for three night’s lodging and meals the evening you arrive, three meals for two days and an exit breakfast the day you leave, then two days of guided very productive fishing. So when you figure all that plus the ease of having it all there at once, it’s a deal.
LANIER CRAPPIE Forecast By: Dan Saknini, Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club. www.laniercrappieanglers.net Water temperature is right around 60 degrees, and the lake level is slowly going down. We are currently about 3 ½ feet below full pool with moderately stained water in the backs of creeks on the northern end of the lake and much more clear water on the south end. We are enjoying the fall weather, cooler in the morning and warming up by midday. Fishing has been good for the last month. There is an abundance of bait schooling at the surface early in the morning and late in the day. The bait will lead you to the fish. The fish are shallowing up and can be found in two patterns: stand-alone brush piles and in river or creek channel docks. That also applies to marinas and community docks. The stand24 ATLANTA
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alone brush piles at about 15 foot depths and shallower are your best bet. You will catch a mixed bag of quality sized, medium and small fish with the better quality fish being caught on docks. Lately, fighting the wind with the trolling motor has been a challenge. I’ve been enjoying the anchor lock feature on my trolling motor, which will keep me within a 2-foot radius or less. It works effectively, especially when fishing submerged brush piles. A two-rig jig using 1/24 ounce jig heads or a single rig with a 1/16 ounce jig head is needed to fight the wind. Bobby Garland is our go-to jig for fishing docks, and Jiffy Jigs or hair jigs for brush piles. Vertical jigging is also effective on brush piles, especially when the wind picks up. Always place your marker right on top of the brush pile to help you stay on target. Wear your life jacket. It can save your life!
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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE LANIER STRIPERS Forecast By: Steve Scott http://TeamLanier.wordpress.com/menu Since we had the very warm days up until late October, and with the extremely cold days in November, I believe the stripers can still be found in the Chestatee or the Chattahoochee Rivers. Last year’s November methods should work very well in December if you can get your hands on some large bait like trout. I would start at Don Carter Park and work my way up to Lula Bridge and a little further, and also, a little south from Don Carter to cover the deep holes in the current. Methods to be used would be a couple of planer boards if not three out on each side, one running the bank, another halfway between the boat and the bank. Next, I would deploy a directional bobber, one in the left pocket and one in the right, and finally letting out some lightly weighted and unweighted freelines at different distances from the boat. This way you have covered the water column both from the surface and at the bottom and all in
between. While your spread is moving into position, you could still drop some shallow downlines or use jigging spoons. If you decide to head south from Don Carter, be sure to position those planer boards on one side of the boat directly over the deep holes, keeping your speed up with the speed of the current. That way, your bait stays at the surface so the stripers will come up to get it. If you want to fish farther south, you should use umbrella rigs from Gainesville Marina to River Forks over 25’ on points and rocky shorelines. Downlines can still be used with live bait south of Browns Bridge. Drop the bait to the bottom near the trees and then crank 2 to 3 turns. Tip of the month: Since the turnover will mostly be over, the stripers may be located at different depths, so be sure to use a variety of methods and sizes of bait from large trout to medium minnows if fishing south. Be sure to check out my website at TeamLanier. com. Here you’ll find a plethora of information on fishing for stripers on Lake Lanier. Steve Scott 404273-3481.
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LAKE BURTON Forecast by: Capt. Wes Carlton Georgia Lake Fishing 770-318-9777 www.georgialakefishing.com Water temperature: 61 degrees, lake level: full pool, clarity: clear. Bass: The bite was a little slow towards the beginning of November but has rebounded. We have been catching fish shallow and deep. Most of our bigger fish have come off a 10 to 15 foot bottom back in the creeks using a chrome jerk bait. We have also caught some nice largemouth throwing Sebile swim baits in herring color. Look for these fish to start biting later in the morning over the next few weeks. The bite should transition into a deeper 25 to 30 foot of water spoon bite as soon as the water temps hit the 50’s mark.
Trout: The bite has been great the last few weeks. We have been catching most of our fish around the shorelines throwing Rapala CountDowns and Little Cleo spoons. Brown trout like a fast retrieve, so work the baits very rapidly back to the boat. Look for this pattern to hold over the next few weeks. Walleye: The walleye bite has just now started picking up with the cooler water temps. We have had the best success trolling small crawfish colored crankbaits at a speed of 2 mph. We have also caught a few bigger fish trolling XD-15 crankbaits. These bigger baits work best about 180 to 200 feet behind the boat. Look for the walleye over a 29 to 39 foot bottom close to structure like downed trees and rocks. Look for this bite to get better every week as we head towards January. Good luck!
MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!
ATL_LOC_December_2019.indd 25
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11/14/19 7:14 AM
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 If you like the thrill of a 30 pound striper exploding on the end of you line as if a bowling ball was dropped on it from a two story building, then winter striper fishing in North Georgia is for you! These are by far the most wicked fighting freshwater fish around, and we are very fortunate to have several area lakes stocked with these monster fish. So come get your fish on with Lake Nottely and Lake Hiwassee’s #1 striper guide service, Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. Also, remember all of our December half day trips and Christmas Half Day gift certificates are only $250. Check out our Facebook page or www.bigolfish. com for more details. Lake Nottely is currently about 12 feet below full pool. Water temps are still in the lower 60’s. Lake clarity is clear and stained in the backs of creeks. Striper fishing has been excellent lately. The bigger fish are really starting to come up in the water column and are headed towards shallow humps and into the creeks. We’ve already had many stripers in the 20 to 30 pound range. Look for these big stripers
26 ATLANTA
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anywhere from point 1 to point 9. This is a great time of year to start using bigger bait. Start off by pulling planer boards and free-lines early in the morning. Live bluebacks and gizzard shad are working best. Topwater bite has been wicked good and should be getting even better as the water continues to cool, so as you’re pulling baits, keep a Red Fin or a Spook tied on and work those banks and points. We want to wish everyone out there a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thanks for an awesome year of fishing, and we hope to see you in 2020. Remember, December is a fantastic month for catching a lot of stripers and bass on this North Georgia lake. 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 best trophy stripers during the fishing trip of a lifetime. We are Blairsville, GA’s premier full-time guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lakes Hiwassee, Chatuge and Lake Blue Ridge. And for all your live bait and tackle needs, check out Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA. They carry everything you need for a successful day of fishing and have the best live herring around. 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: 55 degrees, lake level: -6 feet, clarity: 7 feet. Fall has come and gone and winter is here. Cold water and cold air temps are the norm on this mountain lake, but if you plan ahead, you can have some great days on the water in December. Our days start working the back of any given creek. I like to put out the full spread in the winter as you will find stripers shallow as well as holding deep, and bites can come from anywhere. Usually a pair of Castaway planer boards with flat lines run 75 feet behind them are matched with the biggest
baits I have that day, then a pair of flat lines out the back with one big and one small bait and at least two down line rods usually around 30 and 40 feet. Work the areas around the mid-way point back looking for schools of bait in the area. Gizzards, trout and alewive will all work well this month to trick a hungry fish. As the fish move out towards the main lake, we are still catching fish on Capt Mack’s U-Rigs. I’ve been running one short down about 15 feet and the other way back and catching fish on both. The walleye bite should continue to increase as the water cools and fish will move up shallow. Look for fish near shallow water markers and shallow points holding bait. Live bait on slip bobbers has been a good way to target them. Stay warm and we will see you on the lake.
CLARKS HILL LAKE by Capt Tony Shepherd and Capt Rocky Fulmer Little River Guide Service lrguideservice@gmail.com (706) 210-3474 Winter fishing is upon us. After a mild fall we finally have some freezing temperatures on the way. As of this report, the lake level is 324.6 feet, and morning surface temperatures are still hanging around 68 degrees. We anticipate the water level to be low this winter. This gives the fish less room to hide, but also presents more obstacles to avoid on the early morning runs. By mid-December, the baitfish and predators will have migrated up the rivers and creeks and will be scattered throughout the entire reservoir. We will have predictable success intercepting the moving fish by presenting lively herring on down rods along the river and creek bends. A depth of 24 feet down is a good starting point, but can be much shallower in low light conditions. We have boats on the water daily and can keep up with the migration.
Give us a call and let the professionals put you on the fish. Snacks, drinks and a fishing license are all that is required. We even fillet the catch for you. Look us up for a good time at:www.littleriverguideservice. net.
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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST H2O FOR THE HOLIDAYS By Capt. Cefus McRae Nuts & Bolts Fishing Series The holiday season is a time to be with family and friends. It’s time to reflect on the past year, be thankful for our blessings and look forward to the prosperity the New Year could bring. For me, Christmas time is centered around family. It’s a time when we can actually spend more than just an hour or so together. During the week or two before Christmas, we usually take a couple trips together and enjoy the local Christmas tree lighting downtown, or perhaps an overnighter to see the lights at Callaway Gardens. Of course, just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go fishing. In fact, in the Southeast some of the best fishing occurs between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Yes, it’s probably going to be cold, but if you bundle up a little bit, you can really find yourself having some very fishy days on the water. By Thanksgiving, our flying fish-finders will begin to show up on regional lakes. Seagulls migrate up the rivers from the coast to get fat on baitfish being pushed to the surface by gamefish. And where you see the gulls whirling and diving, that’s the place to start fishing. As a matter of fact, the biggest striper I’ve ever caught was about three days after Thanksgiving, and yep, the gulls were feeding about 20 yards from the boat. Lock into a big striper or bass by using a fluke or spoon that matches the size of the bait in the vicinity. This could be a big 10-inch long jerk bait, or as small as a 2-inch fluke or spoon, and when stripers and bass zone in on super small threadfins, try using a crappie minnow under a small cork, and hold on! Over in the salt, the gator trout will be stacking up in the river mouths and in deep pockets. Because the shrimp have long since gone offshore, speckled trout will be quick to take an artificial bait that resembles a shrimp or a small pinfish. The reds will be schooling up on the mud flats and oyster bars. On sunny days, the sand and mud absorbs the heat of the sun
Let diving gulls lead you to the best places to fish.
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Striper/Hybrid Trips on Lake Oconee For Only $250. A nice variety of stripers, hybrids and bass will be the reward for fishing a cold winter day.. and makes the water a few degrees warmer on the flats. To hook up with a rowdy redfish, tie on fiddler crabs, mud minnows or small shiny spoons and Project-X Saucertails. Now, cold water means crappie fishing too. The slab-sized crappie can be stacked up under boat docks, around brush piles and in deep water holes. I’ve never had fried crappie filets for Christmas dinner, but that might be a new menu this year. So if you find yourself getting a little overwhelmed with all the hustle bustle of shopping and fighting for parking spaces at the mall this holiday season, take a break and spend a couple hours on the water. Fishing has a tendency to wash all the stress away. And if you can convince the family to come along, I’d bet you’ll find yourself starting a new family holiday tradition too. From the entire Nuts & Bolts gang, we wish you all the most joyous of holidays and a happy and prosperous New Year.
MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!
ATL_LOC_December_2019.indd 27
Capt. Bill Wheeler (706) 914-9859 (706) 444-6365 Capt. Bill Wheeler (706) 914-9859 • (706) 4
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11/14/19 7:15 AM
Wall of Fame WIN A FREE ANGLER MAGAZINE CAP! Jimmy Harris from Unicoi Outfitters with a pretty striper caught on the fly with Henry Cowen on Lanier.
The Veterans Fly Fishing Organization took a group of vets out to Frog Hollow where Patrick Romano landed this big rainbow.
One will be given away each month for the best reader submitted photo!
WINNER!
Wes Brock and David White with fly caught doubles from Lanier. This Carters Lake striper was caught by Antonia with Fish Slayer fishing guide. David Anthony from Wheaton, IL fishing Lake Eufaula with Capt Sam Williams.
This big slab was caught on Lake Lanier by Dean Travis. Alexis Wheeler killed her first deer, an 8 pointer, in October with her dad Chase.
Dana Larbus with the North Georgia Crappie Anglers with a big Lanier Crappie.
Paul Messer with a monster bow caught fishing with Reel Em In Guide Service.
ATL_LOC_December_2019.indd 28
11/14/19 7:15 AM
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ascar driver turned inventor Tim Viens is bringing a revolutionary new boat tool to the industry this December, and Coastal Angler sat down to see just how he made the switch from the track to the docks.
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You can find this innovative new product for purchase at www. boatgadget.com, and make sure you follow them on Facebook and Instagram @boatgadget.
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Customer Rating
SUPER COUPON
HUSKY
72" x 80" MOVING BLANKET
• 5 hour run time @ 50% capacity
$4
COMPARE TO
SUPER COUPON
900 WATT MAX. STARTING 2 CYCLE GAS POWERED GENERATOR
99
ITEM 64110
B
*27725225 * 27725225
Limit 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, Extended Service Plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day Parking Lot Sale item, compressors, floor jacks, safes, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, welders, Admiral, Ames, Atlas, Bauer, Central Machinery, Cobra, CoverPro, Daytona, Diamondback, Earthquake, Fischer, Hercules, Icon, Jupiter, Lynxx, Poulan, Predator, Tailgator, Viking, Vulcan, Zurich. Not valid on prior purchases. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 2/3/20.
SUPER COUPON Customer Rating
$ 99 NOW
B. WITH 2" ANVIL Customer Rating
Cannot be used with other discounts or prior purchases. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 2/3/20 while supplies last. Limit 1 FREE GIFT per customer per day.
Customer Rating
26999
13
*27724488 * 27724488
LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 2/3/20*
20% OFF
ANY SINGLE ITEM*
ITEM 63878/63991 PERFORMANCE $ 52 64005/69567/60566 MODEL: W2364 TOOL 63601/67227shown
Pre-drilled for two padlocks (locks sold separately)
*27726160 * 27726160
ITEM 64520
WITH ANY PURCHASE
SUPER BRIGHT LED /SMD WORK LIGHT/FLASHLIGHT
ALL IN A SINGLE SUPER POWERFUL LIGHT
Adjustable pressure relief valve equalizes pressure for easy opening
COMPARE TO
FREE
• Super-Strong, Ultra-Lightweight Composite Plastic • Magnetic Base & 360° Swivel Hook for Hands-Free Operation • 3- AAA Batteries (included) • 144 Lumens
Customer Rating
NOW
$
Pick and pull foam insert for impact-absorbing protection
SUPER COUPON
59
9 $299
ITEM 60581 SCHUMACHER $ 77 3418 $ MODEL: SE-1250 60653 shown ELECTRIC
5499
$ ITEM 60363/69730 ITEM 68121/69727 shown CALIFORNIA ONLY
COMPARE TO
HONDA
$
11999
329 99 SAVE $ 230
MODEL: GX200UT2QX2
*27802566 * 27802566
*27803818 * 27803818
*27804066 * 27804066
*27807499 * 27807499
LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 2/3/20*
LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 2/3/20*
LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 2/3/20*
LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 2/3/20*
*Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 2/3/20.
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At Harbor Freight Tools, the “Compare to” price means that the specified comparison, which is an item with the same or similar function, was advertised for sale at or above the “Compare to” price by another national retailer in the U.S. within the past 90 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other meaning of “Compare to” should be implied. For more information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate.
11/4/19 2:14 PM
Don’t Suffocate Your Boat with Shrink Wrap!
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Carver covers are on sale now at select retailers! Visit CarverCovers.com COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
I
DECEMBER 2019
I
NATIONAL
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12/19/18 3:50 PM
Secrets of a Billionaire Revealed “Price is what you pay; value is what you get. Whether we’re talking about socks or stocks, I like buying quality merchandise when it is marked down.” — wisdom from the most successful investor of all time
W
e’re going to let you in on a secret. Billionaires have billions because they know value is not increased by an inflated price. They avoid big name markups, and aren’t swayed by flashy advertising. When you look on their wrist you’ll find a classic timepiece, not a cry for attention–– because they know true value comes from keeping more money in their pocket. We agree with this thinking wholeheartedly. And, so do our two-and-a-half million clients. It’s time you got in on the secret too. The Jet-Setter Chronograph can go up against the best chronographs in the market, deliver more accuracy and style than the “luxury” brands, and all for far, far less. $1,150 is what the Jet-Setter Chronograph would cost you with nothing more than a different name on the face. With over two million timepieces sold (and counting), we know a thing or two about creating watches people love. The Jet-Setter Chronograph gives you what you need to master time and keeps the superfluous stuff out of the equation. A classic in the looks department and a stainless steel power tool of construction, this is all the watch you need. And, then some. Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Experience the Jet-Setter Chronograph for 30 days. If you’re not convinced you got excellence for less, send it back for a refund of the item price. Time is running out. Now CLIENTS LOVE that the secret’s out, we STAUER WATCHES… can’t guarantee this $29 chronograph will stick around long. Don’t overpay to be “The quality of their underwhelmed. Put a precision watches is equal to many chronograph on your wrist for that can go for ten times just $29 and laugh all the way the price or more.” to the bank. Call today! — Jeff from McKinney, TX
Absolute best price for a fully-loaded chronograph with precision accuracy...
ONLY
$29!
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TAKE 90% OFF INSTANTLY! When you use your OFFER CODE
Jet-Setter Chronograph $299† Offer Code Price $29 + S&P Save $270
Limited to the first 1900 responders to this ad only.
You must use the offer code to get our special price.
1-800-333-2045
Your Offer Code: JCW208-01
Rating of A+
Please use this code when you order to receive your discount.
“See a man with a functional chronograph watch on his wrist, and it communicates a spirit of precision.” — AskMen.com®
Stauer…Afford the Extraordinary.® • Precision crystal movement • Stainless steel case back & bracelet with deployment buckle • 24 hour military time • Chronograph minute & small second subdials; seconds hand • Water resistant to 3 ATM • Fits wrists 7" to 9"
Stauer
® 14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. JCW208-01, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com † Special price only for customers using the offer code versus the price on Stauer.com without your offer code.