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SIGHT FISHING
TRIPLETAIL
CAPE COD BLITZES
RECORD BREAKING SWORDFISH VOLUME 26 • ISSUE 312
PHOTO CREDIT: TOMMY LADO COURTESY OF CHEYANNE SINGLETARY
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MARCH 2021
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By Nick Carter
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ripletail are some of the most exciting gamefish that visit inshore waters. Their peculiar tendency to hang near the surface around floating debris makes them perfect for sight fishing, and on top of that they are absolutely delicious. Capt. Jeremy Davidson is an angler devoted to these oddball fish. His charter service, Southern Salinity, is based out of St. George Island, where he specializes in inshore tripletail on Florida’s Forgotten Coast. “They start to migrate to shallower water when that water temperature starts rising,” he said “It’s wind and water temperature dependent, but everything starts to move in March or April—the bait, the pelagics, everything.” Throughout the Gulf of Mexico and up the Atlantic Coast, tripletail move shallower in waves. Davidson said the timing is different by location, but the patterns are similar. First, scads of smaller
fish move in from offshore through the passes to find homes on floating debris. The early spring bite is characterized by plentiful opportunities at smaller fish. By May or June, larger 8- to 12-pounders settle in on trap buoys, floating vegetation and tide lines. Big fish in the 20-pound range arrive in deep summer. They’re there to feed and procreate, said Davidson, which means they are primed to pick up a bait. However, catching tripletail consistently is more difficult than it might appear. THE SETUP: To spot tripletail, you must train your eyes to look beneath the surface. Fish will stay with a piece of floating cover as long as it harbors the small crabs, shrimp and glass minnows tripletail feed on. Cover could be anything, and Davidson recommends checking out everything floating on the surface. You might spot the fish itself, but the first indication is usually the sub-surface flash of a turning fish. When Davidson spots fish, he leaves the boat in gear and noses into the current to point the bow at the fish within casting range. THE CAST: “Do not hit that fish,” Davidson warned. “Pick a spot out past it. I don’t care if it’s the treeline. Just make sure to pitch past that fish.” Casting past the fish with an underhand pitch allows the angler to retrieve the bait slowly through the strike zone. If the tripletail doesn’t take the bait on the initial retrieve, it’s time to flip the bail and allow the tide to carry the bait back past the fish. “It’s a slow dance,” Davidson said. “Retrieve it slow and easy.”
THE TAKE: Don’t set the hook! Tripletail feed delicately. They ease up and pluck their prey from near the surface. Then, to avoid spooking their next meal, they move away before engulfing it. “Let that fish roll down or go the other way,” Davidson said. “Give it 5 or 10 seconds, then lift up and he’s on. Then he turns into a wild man!” THE FIGHT: The harder you pull on a tripletail, the harder and wilder it fights back. This is important because, along with brute strength, these prehistoric fish have a sharp, line-slicing gill plate. Davidson reiterated his slow dance metaphor, saying you can sometimes lead a fish right to the boat by taking it slow and easy. “Square up with him. Keep your rod tip up, and let him run if he wants to dig,” said Davidson “Walk him around the boat. Stay square with him, and pump him in slow and easy.” THE RIG: Tripletail eat shrimp, pogies and artificials, but Davidson prefers to make a fresh-shrimp lure. He pops the heads off large restaurant-quality shrimp and pinches the flappers off their tails. Then he runs a 2/0 or 3/0 3X Strong VMC circle hook up the tail and out the second notch before turning the point back into the bait. This hides the hook and allows the shrimp to swim like a lure. To make pitching the rig easier, he ties an elongated float, like Boat Monkey’s Cigar Slip Float, between braided 30-lb. main line and a 2- to 3-foot leader of 30-lb. fluorocarbon. More advanced anglers might go bobberless for better control while working the bait. To do this, tie the braid directly to the leader with a double uni knot. Capt. Jeremy Davidson owns Southern Salinity, which runs charters on Florida’s Forgotten Coast. See their website at www.southernsalinity.com.
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MARCH 2021
NATIONAL 7
STINGER HOOK MADE EASY
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ver the last few months, I’ve shared some techniques in these pages that people seem to be trying with some success. When you think about it, incorporating squid into your offshore spreads really is a nobrainer when you can find and purchase good whole squid. One of the best ways to rig those squid, and ballyhoo for that matter, is with a Chin Weight coupled with a “stiff-rig” stinger hook assembly. Recently, I’ve received quite a few calls and e-mails from folks all over the country asking for a simpler way to achieve the end result of a stiff-rig stinger hook. I had to go to the barn, have a few cocktails and dig deep, but here it is: The simple way to keep a stinger hook in a rigid “stiff ” position without snelling it or making a cat’s paw connection. If the terminology is throwing you off at this point, stay tuned, this actually is a very simple solution that anyone can achieve with a limited amount of materials and know how. The key to this rig is inexpensive heatshrink tubing over a standard crimped-wire connection. Granted, you might only get a bite or two out of this rig before teeth shred the heatshrink tubing and it’s no longer rigid. However, it’s so easy to make this rig that you can churn
Step two: Make a second crimp at 90 degrees to the first crimp. This is a (small) diameter in the cable to fit over a 7/0 or 11/0 Tim Barefoot Chin Weight (as shown in photo). Step Three: Slide a ¾-inch length section out dozens in different lengths of heat-shrink tubing over the crimped for different sized baits and keep them at the ready. Cut your cable to the connection of the hook and heat with a lighter correct length and make a few crimps… that’s in the vertical position. That’s it! all there is to it. Step One: Make a standard crimped connection using the High Seas 1.0 crimp and the American Fishing Wire 175# (7x7) or 49 strand cable.
Now, if you’re a visual learner like I am, go watch the video I made on the process. See it once, and it will be like a light bulb going off in your head. It really is that easy. For more information and to watch the video, go to barefootcatsandtackle.com. Click on “Heat Shrink Tubing Stiff Rig Stinger Hook.”
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INSHORE STRATEGIES FOR THE
PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES.
Most fish are still in transition between the deep mud and the shallow sand or grass flats, which keeps them spread out through the bays. Add high winds, cool fronts and the small size of the forage, and you have a tougher puzzle to put together than the other three seasons. Here are a few tips to help you sort though this maze and hopefully land a few more fish this spring. First and foremost, baitfish are extremely small this time of year, and it is not uncommon to find dozens of small glass minnows in the bellies of trout and redfish in the spring. This makes my first tip obvious, so I won’t waste a lot of space here, but downsize your lure presentation if you can. Obviously, this can impact one’s casting abilities, so rigging small lures in tandem can be By Capt. Michael Okruhlik a plus and assist in casting distance. Something else I like to use in the spring is a clear or transparent lure with some glitter, or maybe one with a light translucent color. I choose these because it’s more difficult for the fish to see the lure’s actual size, which gives the appearance that it’s smaller than it actually is. I’ve found this to be a productive alternative to downsizing. While choosing a typical-size trout and redfish lure for this application, I look for one with subtle movements. I like either a darting-style bait or a paddle lure with a very subtle vibration. Strong, big-vibrating tails have their time, but early spring is not one of them. One thing I notice about schools of small baitfish is their movement. When displaced, they seldom dart deeper, and most of their movement is side-to-side or upward. Due to this characteristic, I also like a lightweight lure with a slow sink rate. I feel this better imitates spring forage movements and increases strikes. I like a lure that twitches side to side that doesn’t sink very fast on the pause. In early spring while the fish are in transition, they will start to congregate on sandy shores with grass. This will be the main cover for the small fry. While employing these techniques and lure choices, concentrate efforts on broken grass flats with potholes and distinct edges. These areas are best when they are close to deeper water. I hope you find these tactics helpful and as the weather warms and you pring is around the corner, and a lot of fishermen who hang up their gear enjoy the outdoors, don’t forget to take a kid fishing! for winter can’t wait for the temps to rise. Although the enthusiasm is high to wet a line, spring can be the most difficult season to successfully Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures, Controlled pattern and to consistently catch inshore fish. Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
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1782-20F C
CHARLESTON EDITION
MARCH 2021
Coastal Angler Magazine Charleston is a Family Business published by SABJAR Media, LLC. We’re in our 3rd year of publishing CAMC We’re based in Summerville, SC. Comments: send us an email to Charleston@coastalanglermagazine.com. Follow and like us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube & Twitter.
Inside this month.. - Capt. Mark Phelps - Charleston Fishing Forecast - Chris Pounder - Mt. Pleasant Pier Fishing Report - Fishing Boat Overview - Sportsman Open 302 - David Fladd - Artificial Intelligence - Mandy Henderson - Fishy Nurse Adventures - Jiggin Jerry - Are Sheepshead in Trouble?! - Capt. John Ward - The SouthSide Report - Jim Morrissey - Lowcountry Kayak Fishing - Capt. Will Adams - Charleston Offshore Fishing
Advertising: Call for all the details to reach 25K monthly readers today. 843-607-8629 or send an email: Charleston@coastalanglermagazine.com Send us a letter to: CAM CHARLESTON Edition 717 Old Trolley Rd Ste. 6-154 Summerville, SC 29485 Visit us online: Coastalanglermag.com/Charleston Send your editorial contributions or info about distribution to: Sam@sabjarmedia.com
Kayak anglers launch from the Ralph Hamer Sr. Landing in Huger, SC during one of the growing number of local kayak tournaments, See this months kayak article for more details... COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
MARCH 2021
CHARLESTON 1
Charleston’s
March Forecast By Captain Mark Phelps
WHERE THE LOWCOUNTRY
GETS HITCHED.
T
his has been one of the warmest winters I can remember and the water has stayed warmer than normal. This may mean an early spring. The key word for March is transition. The days will be longer and the weather will be warmer than the past few months, but we will still have some cold days. Some days will have lots of action and other days will a little tough. Because the weather will change from hot to cold in March, you have to change your tactics to catch fish consistently. When the weather is cool and calm, the redfish will be schooled up in their winter spots and you can have some great sight fishing to large schools on the flats. When the water turns warm, however, the fish often spread out. This means you have to be flexible with how you fish. The fish might be in one location feeding like mad one day and be completely void of the area the next day. When this happens you have to think like a fish and figure out what they went. Sometimes they have simply moved around the bend or to the other side of the channel. With all the change and transition, you also have to change the type of bait you use each day. When fish are schooled up, the DOA shrimp or jerk baits will work very well. However, when they spread out you might find the water is off color or the wind is blowing. In this case you may need to try anything from cracked crab to cut mullet to mud minnows. You will find that the redfish are finicky—one day they will eat only one thing, and the next day they will only eat something else. This happens more in March than any other time of the year. If the weather is on the warm side you might start catching trout by the end of the month. I would use a DOA shrimp or mud minnow under a popping cork to catch these. I like to drift a cork along the grass later in the day when the water is the warmest. The trout that have moved into the marsh will go into warmer water next to the grass looking for something to eat. The key thing to remember is to be flexible and don’t be afraid to change when, where, and how you are fishing to catch fish in March. Sheepshead will also be very strong in March. Look for them to be schooled up and on the move to offshore wrecks to spawn this spring. Live fiddler crabs will serve you well in this case. A very sensitive rod will also make a huge difference.
4534 Durant Ave - North Charleston 843-747-3400
A great way to spend the day on the water is to book one of the area’s great guides. Having fished in Charleston for twenty five years, I am extremely knowledgeable and experienced in this area. As owner and operator of Shore Thang Charters, I would love to share my expertise with you on the water. Please email me at: ShoreThangCharter@hotmail.com, check out my web page: www. ShoreThangCharters.com or call: 843-475-1274. 2 CHARLESTON
MARCH 2021
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The Southside March Forecast
Folly Beach, Kiawah to Edisto Islands By Captain John Ward
VETERAN OWNED
M
arch fishing has started out good, with a some what mild low country winter and water temperature on the rise the bite is on. Hopefully winter is done and our speckled trout numbers are making a great comeback from our brutal winter about 4 years ago. The redfish are still bunched up in their winter time schools on shallow flats, and fixed structure areas. With the warming waters the reds have be fired up and really aggressive, especially on a prefrontal bite. Sight fishing has been good on the cleaner water days, mostly throwing small top water plugs and scented jerk baits, but fresh blue crab has been the bait of choice until the bait stealers start to move back inshore. We are finding the trout around high water tagging on marsh grass and shell points, and doing best while throwing popping corks with live shrimp and or mud minnows. During low water the trout have been staging on drop off ledges in 8-15 feet of water, and best bite has come with a slow retrieve with a curly tail or paddle tail grub on 1/4 oz jig head with water clarity determining what colors we are using. The inshore sheepshead bite has been really good around low tide fishing structure with oysters, clams, and fiddler crabs when we can get them. The nearshore and reef fishing has been good, when the winds were calm enough for us to get off the beach, which has been a couple times each we with all the approaching spring fronts and heavy spring winds. Mostly at the reef we have been exploring the bottom with jigs and live bait with a good mixed bag of: seabass, sheepshead, black drum, weakfish, and some large flounder. The surface bite in the ocean has been fun with some large schools of small bluefish and false albacores . Hopefully without any major cold fronts our migratory species will show up a month sooner than normal with our warm water, giving us a little more variety of species to fish for. Coming off of winter fishing season, our inshore species have been under stress with pressure from the fishermen and predators such as dolphins, so take a little extra time when releasing fish and getting them back into the water. Redfish are starting to fight a little more and sometimes take an extra minute to revive on release, and if you are planning on releasing trout either wet your hands or try to limit touching the fish and the amount of time keeping them out of the water. Tight lines, Captain John Ward Affinity Charters / www.affinitycharters.com / 843-693-2460
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Mt. Pleasant Pier March Forecast By Chris Pounder
T
he end of January into February brought us some weather that was less than ideal for pier fishing in the Charleston Harbor. We’re looking forward to better weather and better fishing in March as we expect to see the return of several species around the pier. While trout and sheepshead are the two most consistent species year-round, anglers should expect to see the return of flounder and black drum around the pilings and structure. Black drum can be targeted Austin Carter’s first redfish - 15in with shrimp or fiddler crabs and our resident flounder population can be enticed with mud minnows, live mullet, or hopping your favorite artificial lure along the bottom. Casting parallel to the railing and working along the shadows can produce an aggressive ambush strike when conditions are right. Anglers should be able to target red drum and trout as they become more aggressive in the warmer water. The end of the pier on the north side can be a great spot for trout during the slack tide. The key when fishing that area is to keep your rig off the bottom. The area off the tip of the pier has 350 cubic yards of old bridge debris that’s known for snagging rigs if you fish too deep. Eventually everyone that fishes the end of the pier makes a donation to that reef. If its redfish you’re looking for there are a variety of ways that can produce results. One is to try mud minnows under a cork or on a Carolina rig. As it warms up cut bait or fresh shrimp are also productive options. One drawback to using fresh shrimp is most species under the pier will go after it. As the water warms, we’ll see the return of puffer fish, toadfish, Omega’s 4 lb 12 oz Black drum and other nuisance bait stealers that are fun for youth to catch, but may not be quite what you’re looking for. Check in with staff anytime to get some helpful advice and then head down the pier to see what’s biting in March. Don’t forget to check out Charlestoncountyparks.com for information regarding possible summer tournament dates and happenings at all the county parks. There’s a lot going on for the non-fishing members of your family as well.
For any additional information about the pier or what’s biting this week feel free to call the River Watch Café & Gift Shop on the pier at 843-762-9946. Chris Pounder, CPRP Manager | Mount Pleasant Pier
4 CHARLESTON
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Charleston Offshore Fishing FLOUNDER: Nearshore & Offshore - By Captain Will Adams
D
uring the colder months(December through March) targeting flounder offshore can be very productive if you have the patience. I found that if you catch one, there’s five more waiting for you to drop that line. The most difficult part is being able to follow the same drift pattern. I like using the 100-130 gram red jigs, Colt Sniper is my go-to because of the treble hook(Haddrell’s always has a great selection). A secure bite is key to catching flounder, and in my experience they have proven much more efficient than single or double-hook jigs.
Nearshore For nearshore, I use a 60 gram jig tipped with cut bait(strips 4” x 2”). My best tip is to only set the hook once and if you’re too rough there’s a good chance of losing the fish if you don’t keep consistent tension on the line. ... Continue reading on page 9
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Fishy Nurse Adventures Swords Of March dead on can cause them to come off the line. I mean how can that not make a trip more than fantastic when you’re finding out you have to go home for quarantine but you landed 2 swords. Let me rephrase that nonessential workers were locked down while most of us on the trip would go back to the panic of Covid and learning how to gown up and deal with things we’ve never seen before. I’m forever grateful my friend Timmy had chosen that vacation because without it I probably would have gone crazy! So here’s to the adventures this March has to take us and hopes that next year we can look forward to life post Covid! Tight lines and thanks for reading my stories and adventures! - Mandy - Mandy Henderson is a night cardiac nurse in Charleston, on her days off she loves to fish as often as she can! You can visit her on Instagram @onefishynurse
W
ell here we are… March. Exactly one year ago Covid Marched into our lives and shook it up like a snow globe. March is what I like to call the tease of spring! Always a lot of options for what kind of fishing you want to do but where I end up going is always the surprise! Looking back on March’s roller coaster of weather and activities I had gone down to West Palm beach to fish for a friends birthday…. while we were there the freak out of state shutdowns started. One of the guys left bottom fishing early to fly back to Columbia, SC to see his son play his last baseball game as a senior in high school. We didn’t understand why he would fly back and what was going on because we had been fishing all day. However we managed to have an amazing trip and pulled in 2 swordfish! Let’s just say that swords are amazing to see in person and to eat! They also are tricky to catch so to land one and get to make the lead exchanges and harpoon
6 CHARLESTON
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Artificial Intelligence Challenges of Changing Mindsets
L
ast Spring, I wrote about starting a new initiative called Release Over 20 with support of CCA North Carolina. In short, the premise is to create your own personal catch and creel limits stricter than the law allows. The name Release Over 20 suggests creating an upper slot when one may not exist. The 20” mark is a memorable and reasonable size to consider as an upper-slot for most inshore species, however, the premise applies to any species of fish and creel limits. How it works is, if you catch and release a speckled trout over 20”, and send in a picture to releaseover20.com, we will send you free decals and each fish submitted gets an entry into a monthly giveaway consisting of hundreds of dollars of products from a long list of sponsors such as Eye Strike, Z-Man, Toadfish, Bubba, Mirrolure, and others. We are rewarding anglers for conservation. Initially, I had no idea if this would resonate with anglers. However, after discussing it on podcasts in North Carolina, Florida, and Texas it has become recognized and embraced nationwide. Response has been beyond my greatest expectations. The initiative kicked off in May 2020 and we had 1,439 speckled trout caught and released through the end of the year. A 20” trout is approximately 4 years old and releases approximately 20 million eggs a year. The number of eggs spawned annually from these documented releases that otherwise may have been in an ice chest is staggering: 28.78 billion. You might be surprised to hear that Virginia had, by far, the most trout
released in 2020. This was followed by Florida, Texas and North Carolina.
Conservation mentality varies greatly by state. For example, we have very few entries from the upper gulf coast states including Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
.... Continue reading on page 15
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Focus
On Fishing
Are Sheepshead in Trouble?! By Jiggin’ Jerry
T
hrough the past 10 years, Sheepshead have become a popular fish, especially here in the Lowcountry. Sure, Sheepshead have been targeted by fishermen for years, but they were never considered a game fish. Back then, Sheepshead had no size limits and definitely no catch limits. Groups of fishermen would try to catch and keep them all, regardless of their size. Then finally Department of Natural Resources had put a size limit on Sheepshead in South Carolina. The fish must exceed 14 inches to keep. Sheepshead are known for their hard-to-catch reputation with nicknames like the convict, the ninja of fish and the thief, all because this fish is known to be able to steal the bait right from your hook without you ever knowing it. As time has moved on, more and more sports fishermen have sought for the challenge of catching Sheepshead, and like all fishermen, trying to catch the largest one we can. But, through these several years, Department of Natural Resources has been studying the Sheepshead. I myself personally donated a Sheepshead to DNR exceeding 20 inches so that they may study the fish, and they have discovered something that I feel is very important for fishermen to know. I have mentioned it in past articles. Sheepshead that exceed 20 inches are around 20 years of age. After Sheepshead reach 20 inches, their growth slows down. It takes years for them to gain another 4 inches of length. Instead, Sheepshead gain weight and grow wider and taller, developing a very large, round back. For a fish to reach this size, would mean that the fish has good genetics, meaning it comes from a good gene pool, and its offspring could guarantee a strong, healthy future generation. But, why am I explaining this again, or for the first time to a new reader? Through these past years, I have noticed an increase in fishermen that have learned how to successfully target and catch Sheepshead. I could even blame myself for a lot of their success. After all, as a fishing instructor, I teach a lot of individuals and write a lot of stories on how to successfully target and catch these fish. But, fishermen must keep in mind that fishing any species of fish comes with responsibility, especially practicing conservation efforts. I have watched individuals catch 20- to 25-inch Sheepshead in one location day after day and keep every fish, regardless whether these fishermen were going to eat them or not. I literally watched some individuals give all the fish away at the end of the day because they never wanted them or did not want to clean them. Of course, I find myself politely discussing conservation and catch and release efforts that could help maintain healthy breeders for future generations. I have tried to explain to the public that these estuaries and locations where schools of Sheepshead are living year round can be fished out and the population devastated. After all, an 18-wheeler does not pull up and restock like it was a grocery store. Once an environment has been depleted, it can take a number of years before a healthy population of Sheepshead decide to take residence in that vicinity again. If the size limit is 14 inches and over, it will be hard to find any of them reaching a length of 20 inches anytime soon. Let’s put this in a little bit of perspective. By the time a human being reaches the age of 60, that would mean only 3 generations of Sheepshead could reach the length of 20 inches. So, just think. Let’s say there was a school of Sheepshead that held around 50 fish in one habitat, and 10 of those fish were 20 inches in length, and 20 of those fish were between 14 inches and 19 inches, and the remaining 20 fish were 13 inches 8 CHARLESTON
MARCH 2021
and under. Now let’s say 2 fishermen fished this habitat successfully for 2 weeks and kept all 30 keepers. It would take approximately 15 years for just a portion of those remaining fish to reach the size of 20 inches. That is only if they can remain safe from fishermen or other dangers after they reach the length of 14 inches or the fisherman is a sport fisherman and practices some catch and release to aid in the conservation of the species. The goal that I would like to achieve is for all fishermen to help with the conservation and practice the catch and release of Sheepshead that are 20 inches and over. After all, everyone enjoys some fresh fish. I personally am not asking anyone to stop keeping some fish. I am hoping that the fisherman would only keep what they need and not keep it just because they caught it. So, are Sheepshead in trouble? They could be. Only the future can tell. It all depends on us. Like I always say, good luck out there and most of all have fun fishing! - To view some fishing adventures, go to my YouTube Channel: Fishing With Jiggin Jerry.
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84
ermen lly for ers. It 5 years maining hes. in safe angers of 14 sport e catch vation would men to pshead fish. I ng that ecause
Charleston offshore fishing.... Continued from page 5
Offshore Take some time to establish the current to allow your jig to hit bottom closer to your boat by throwing ahead of the direction of the current.
The less line you have out once it reaches the bottom the better! This method gives you a big advantage by allowing you to feel that first hit and respond quicker. If your line has too much slack you won’t feel the strike in time and if you have a grouper or American Red Snapper on the line, they’ll lodge themselves in whatever hole they can find and end up keeping your jig, which quickly adds up! Generally I use 80lb. fluorocarbon as leader but I’ve also found that 130lb. single strand wire works just as well-keep the fluorocarbon around 2ft. and the wire about 10ft. Another quick tip for nearshore/inshore, I use 60lb. fluorocarbon and stay away from single wire leader. I hope this gives you some insight and if you have any questions feel free to reach out on facebook (Will Adams). See you on the water!
- Capt. Will Adams / Write off the Rip Charters 843-270-0909 email: captainwilladams@gmail.com
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Lowcountry Kayak Fishing ____________________________________________________________
Yak-Bassin’ A-SALT Series Kayak Redfish Tournament Y
es 2020 was a tough year for fishing. Ramps were shut down, tackle shops were decimated, and in-person fishing events were, for the most part, all canceled. Clubs, Tournament series, and fishing companies scrambled to reinvent themselves and survive. Many were able to hold on, others were not so fortunate. One tournament company, Yak-Bassin’ LLC, was flourishing. In February of 2019, Yak-Bassin’ LLC formed as a comprehensive tournament management company. The team introduced a National Online Kayak Bass tournament series with the goal to allow any angler, anywhere in the country, the chance to compete for cold hard cash. As word spread, Yak-Bassin’ live tournament series were created in the Pacific Northwest, Virginia, Michigan, Texas, and recently, in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Little did they know that the pandemic was soon to follow and their easy to use, online formats would be the perfect solution to social distancing requirements. This new platform was perfect solution to keep kayak tournament fishing alive and well.
anglers really wanted to see in an inshore redfish trail series. Rules, slot limits, locations, and schedule were all developed by exhaustively consulting some of the most decorated saltwater tournament anglers in the Nation. And they didn’t hold back. Through their efforts, Yak-Bassin’ created the A-SALT Series. The A-SALT Series is a premier redfish kayak tournament trail with multiple stops alone the South Carolina coast. From Murrells Inlet to Beaufort – kayak anglers will get to compete against each other for cash payouts. Kayak anglers of all skill levels can enter tournaments and view the A-SALT Series event schedule, rules, and link to by visiting www. YakBassin.com. .... Continue reading on page 13
The A-SALT Series is born. No one can argue that the Lowcountry is home to some of the best inshore kayak fishing on the East Coast. Unfortunately, 2020 had taken its toll on the inshore tournament scene. The highly competitive and long running, IFA Kayak Fishing Tour announced a pause to operations for the 2021 season. The Lowcountry Kayak Anglers, one of the largest kayak fishing clubs in the Nation, was also pressured to halt their inshore trail series due, in part, to social distancing safety concerns. An opportunity appeared for a new series to step in and fill the demand for a safe and competitive inshore tournament scene. One issue remained. What do Largemouth Bass guys know about saltwater Redfishing? Turns out, a lot.. Yak-Bassin’ developers worked closely with officers and members of the Lowcountry Kayak Anglers club to find out what experienced tournament 12 CHARLESTON
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____
Lowcountry Kayak Fishing ... Continued from page 12
Ever been on a Kayak Sleigh Ride?
Once enrolled, anglers Catch Photo Release their fish during the event utilizing an app and a Ketch Measuring Board. (3) Red Drum between 15”-26” and (1) kicker Redfish fish over 26” can be submitted during the tournament. Longest bag wins Cash and Sponsor prizes (when available). Optional Big Red side pots are also available. April 18th 2021 marks the first inaugural A-SALT Series tournament event. With eligible waters in the first event spanning the Charleston/ Georgetown County boundary its sure to be one of the most anticipated new series of the year. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, full rules and regulations, please visit www.YakBassin.com. - By Jim Morrissey
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Fishing Boat Overview _________________________________________________________________
Sportsman Open 302 Setting New Standards
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______
Artificial Intelligence ....Continued from page 7
We are not the only privately run conservation initiative trying to change mindsets. Our friends at The Speckled Truth have a mantra “Take what you need and release the rest”. They have been around a few years longer and founder Chris Bush advised me that initially I would get a lot of pushback. It seems to be the natural reaction when suggesting a change in mindset. It might be that people simply resist change in general. But they noticed that in a few years, more and more people started hopping on the bandwagon.
vertical er with
out on
Thanks in large part to The Speckled Truth, targeting “gator” trout has become increasingly popular. They are an amazing game fish, and to catch a true giant is the thrill of an inshore angler’s career. So, part of the goal of the initiative is also to improve the numbers of trophy fish in our waters.
Although it is true that trout populations in Charleston are influenced a lot by cold stun weather events, releasing more fish helps recovery in a few ways. For example, large trout are old and have likely survived at least one cold stun event in their lifetime. Why? It could be genetics. Speckled trout in Virginia, for example, can survive water at least 5 degrees colder than ours. Maybe the trout that survive can withstand colder water. Why not keep those survivor genes propagating? The healthier the population is at the beginning of a cold stun event, the faster it will recover. After listening to a couple presentations by SCDNR on the decline of our flounder populations, I decided to add flounder to Release Over 20 for 2021. Flounder are a shared resource along the east coast, meaning
that fish migrate along the coast over time. There has been a 10-year decline in the fishery and drastic action is required to help them recover. Most anglers do not realize that every flounder of legal size is female. In my observation, very few flounder caught of legal size are released due to their food value. And the number of flounder taken by gig is not known. Many feel that gigging is a primary culprit. Reaction to suggestions to release flounder have been quite different than trout. Most anglers are dead set against releasing flounder. I hear a lot of opinions on what the problem is, and also finger-pointing. It’s always the other guy that’s the problem, etc. My reaction is simply to post facts based on scientific research. People have challenged my posts, but when I show them the table or chart where I pulled the information from, they back down and often stand corrected. I think that, again, its going to take people time to understand and accept that change needs to happen. My opinion is that instead of blaming the other guy, let’s affect a change in ways under our control. As Matt Perkinson from SCDNR told me “On the flounder side, it’s an open and shut case. They are overfished (population of adults is currently smaller than needed to produce a healthy number of offspring) and overfishing is occurring (more fish are being harvested than the population can replace).” SCDNR has recommended to our legislature pretty drastic changes: a limit of 2 per person and a closed season. Based on initial feedback to Release Over 20 for flounder, I believe the law will have to change to make a difference. Volunteer release is not going to be enough. Even if our government keeps all of SCDNR’s recommendations, they do not include an upper slot. The reasons for releasing big flounder mirror the reasons for releasing speckled trout. So, we can all do our personal part to improve the fishery even faster by releasing the big ones. And in the meantime, maybe you will be one of our happy giveaway winners. Plus, who doesn’t want to catch (and release) more “doormat” flounder and “gator” trout? Please give the initiative a follow on Instagram @releaseover20 and Facebook at facebook.com/groups/releaseover20 See you on the water!
- David Fladd Partner, Eye Strike Fishing dfladd@eyestrikefishing.com • eyestrikefishing.com
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Jim proudly displays one of several overslot wintertime redfish he caught on Eye Strike jigs, he was out with Topwater Kayak Charters - Carolinatopwater.com
Harry Gilbert caught this beautiful 27” redfish on a live shrimp!
Hayes Gilbert caught this huge 24” Spotted Seatrout on a live shrimp in the Charleston Harbor!
Jen caught this large 45” Bull redfish in waters near Charleston.
Rick caught this 45” shark while surf fishing in Myrtle Beach
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SPRING TROUT IN THE SMOKIES
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GIVEAWAY FRIDAY MARCH 12TH
14 NATIONAL
STAY LOW FOR
By TAM Staff
uide Ian Rutter is fired up about spring in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Ample rains and a mild winter bode well for the wild trout that inhabit more than 800 miles of trout streams in the park. This time of year, fish are perking up to feed on an abundance of aquatic insects. But there’s another reason the Smokies are inviting to anglers in spring. The summertime crowds, with their campers and inner tubes, haven’t yet invaded the larger rivers. Ian and his wife, Charity, run R&R Fly Fishing out of Townsend, Tennessee. They have guided anglers in the park for a quarter century and live a stone’s throw from Little River, one of the largest and most popular streams in the Smokies. From high-elevation brook trout rills to roadside rivers, they fish it all, but Ian said it’s wise to stick to the larger flows in lower elevations this time of year. In March, and even into April, it’s likely there will still be snow on the ground up in the hills. Trout thrive in cold water, but their metabolisms slow, and they feed less readily in icy temperatures. Also, the bugs they feed on are mostly dormant at higher altitudes, which can make things slow for fly fishing. Meanwhile, down in the valleys, larger rivers like Little River, Deep Creek and the Oconaluftee will be waking up. In afternoons, even on cold days, fish should be looking to the surface for hatches of mayflies like Quill Gordons, blue-winged olives and blue quills. Throw in a few early brown stoneflies, and you’ll see why the Smokies are known for great dry fly fishing. “Oftentimes you’ll have some combination of those bugs all at the same time,” Ian said. “They’re not too particular. And even the one’s that are particular aren’t as particular as some folks think they are.” Being sneaky is more important than fly selection, Ian said. Trout in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are wild, stream-born and extremely wary of predators. So wading very carefully and making short accurate casts are important to success. Another thing about trout in the Smokies is they grow slowly. Fishing is less about catching big fish and more about the overall experience. “I like to say, ‘your results may vary,’” said Ian when asked about angler expectations. “We do catch some 16-inchers, but the important thing to remember is it’s a wild trout fishery. There aren’t any stocked trout that were put in last week at 14 inches. A 16-incher might be 10 years old. It’s survived every type of predator out there, so it’s super-smart and difficult to catch.” A proficient angler can expect to catch good numbers of brightly colored 8- to 10-inch wild trout. Any angler can expect to wade through some of the most gorgeous mountain trout water in the East. For information on fishing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, contact R&R Fly Fishing through their website at randrflyfishing.com.
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From proprietary fabrics that breathe to superior functionality and bold graphics and colors, GILLZ is in a class of its own. It starts with revolutionary, chemicalfree GillzTec fabric. It’s engineered to quickly distribute moisture 360 degrees across the garment, so the moisture evaporates much faster, keeping you cooler. The cross-breeze ventilation system channels cooling air under the shirt. In
fact, you’ll find GILLZ shirts breathe like nothing you’ve ever worn. And of course, all of their shirts provide UPF 50+ sun protection, so you can fish from sunup to sundown safely. GILLZ masks feature “gills” that channel air down your neck and mesh mouth openings that prevent your sunglasses from fogging. Plus, their masks can also be worn in a variety of ways to suit your particular needs. Functional hybrid shorts with pockets where you need them also feature four-way stretch fabric, an expandable waistband and a vented, gusseted crotch that lets cool air in. And who couldn’t use some cool air down there? And you’ve got to check out the epic designs and styles. Each color and print is inspired by and pays homage to nature and marine life. You’ll find bold, confident styles for anglers like you. Whatever your destination – the Bahamas, Florida Keys, Outer Banks or the Gulf of Mexico… whether you’re fishing offshore, the flats, lake, or river, only GILLZ Technical Fishing Apparel brings this level of durability, comfort, and performance to the table. That’s why it’s the choice of many pros. Rest assured, GILLZ will continue to push innovation and performance to the limit with elite new products. So, breathe in that moment out on the water when your muscles are working overtime and the sun is beating down. You’ll know that GILLZ apparel breathes with you so you can be at your absolute best. See the latest GILLZ collections by checking out their website: www.gillz-gear.com
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MARCH 2021
NATIONAL 15
LOCAL ANGLER CRUSHES VIRGINIA SWORDFISH RECORD A daytime deep drop expedition yielded spectacular results for a Virginia angler this past September. It took four months for the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament to officially announce it, but a 597-pound swordfish caught by Nicholas Kontodiakos on Sept. 25, 2020 absolutely crushed the existing state record. Kontodiakos, of Norfolk, Va., was drifting in 1,000 feet of water off Virginia Beach when the massive swordfish hit a bait suspended at 800 feet. Caught along the southern edge of Norfolk Canyon, Kontodiako’s fish topped the existing record by more than 130 pounds. The previous record of 466 pounds was caught in August 2019 by Tony Gower Jr., of Virginia Beach. Kontodiakos and fishing buddy Trey Wallace left Rudee Inlet at 4:30 a.m. aboard the angler’s 2007, 29-foot SeeVee. After arriving at their location, they made several long drifts and had a couple of bites that did not come tight. The lines were set for “one more drift” before they planned to head in for the day. At 3:30 p.m. the deep “buoy rod,” with a rigged dolphin belly on a blue and white skirt, came tight. After wrestling the fish for nearly five hours, it was clear it was a large swordfish, and when the fish was finally secured at the transom, they began to relax. But securing the fish to the transom was
just round one. Round two consisted of couple hours of inching the fish onto the deck. Kontodiakos’ passion for swordfish began a decade ago while living on the east coast of Florida. “I had no idea how to go about catching them,” he admitted. After moving to Virginia Beach and realizing there were swordfish 60-plus miles off the Virginia coast, he decided he needed a bigger boat. Unfortunately, even with a bigger boat, his lack of success in Florida tagged along to Virginia. “No one wanted to fish with me because I never came back with any fish,” he said. Relentlessly perusing information on the Internet and talking to successful anglers eventually began to payoff, and his success improved in recent years. He said he’s caught a swordfish in every month of the year except January. It was nearly midnight when the pair pulled inside Rudee Inlet on Sept. 25. A call had already been made to alert the Virginia Beach Fishing Center of the catch, and the boat’s bow was pointed straight to the Fishing Center’s main dock. Representatives from the Fishing Center were dockside to assist, and a small crowd of onlookers had assembled, despite the late hour. The fish measured 180 inches total length,
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with a lower jaw fork length of 111 inches. It sported a hefty girth of 69 inches. Kontodiakos used a custom Joe Leffler 80-pound class rod, teamed with a Shimano Tiagra 50 reel, spooled with 80-pound PowerPro braid and topped off with a 25-foot, 250-pound Moni mono leader with a Mustad 7691, 11/0 hook, attached to the business end.
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MARCH 2021
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p b sh It’s the fry can Bu catchin vetera tips to 1) crappi hold o times shallow “Th for the the spa mid-5 As Then seek o of cree back o Th targets spawn could have m Sa the 10 discard
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pringtime is crappie time. When water temps begin to climb, the crappie schools move shallow to stage on structure before the spawn. It’s the time of year when loading coolers for a fish fry can be quick and easy. But the thing with crappie is you’re either catching them or you’re not. With that in mind, veteran crappie angler Dan Saknini offered some tips to consistently catch slab crappie. 1) Know The Cycles: The comfort zone for crappie is 35 feet and shallower, said Saknini. They hold on deep brush during the coldest and hottest times of year, but in milder weather they move shallower in search of optimal water temperatures. “This time of year, the crappie are fattening up for the spawn,” he said. “Their comfort zone for the spawn is when water temperatures rise into the mid-50s, preferably closer to 60.” As the spawn begins, fish stage up on structure. Then they’ll move extremely shallow in waves to seek out spawning areas on the banks and backs of creeks. The females move in, lay eggs and move back out. The males stay shallow to guard the beds. Through the stages of the spawn, Saknini targets brush in 15 feet or shallower. With the spawning season lasting about a month, these could be pre-spawn fish or post-spawn fish that have moved back out. Saknini shoots jigs in and around docks in the 10- to 15-foot range. Many lake homeowners discard Christmas trees off their docks. These are
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the docks you need to find. 2) Locate Structure: Regardless of the season, black crappie school up on some type of structure. They change depths, and move off structure momentarily to feed, so catching them consistently means knowing the locations of brushpiles at all different depths. Saknini said good electronics and prospecting are key to being a good crappie angler. If you fish a lake that allows it, you can build your own honey holes. “I probably sink 50 or 60 brushpiles a year,” Saknini said. “Then I go back and fish them. There might be fish there, or there might not, but I always have another one to go to.” 3) Ditch the Minnows: Fishing a minnow under a bobber is traditional, and it can be effective. However, Saknini said fishing jigs is a far more efficient. “Once you get used to jig fishing, it’s always more productive,” he said. “If you’re fishing a minnow, it’s either under a bobber or on a downline, and it’s stationary. With a jig, you’re moving and covering water.” Crappie are lazy and won’t chase a bait more than a few feet, Saknini said. There could be fish all over a piece of structure, but you wouldn’t know it if your minnow is just a foot out of the strike zone. With a jig, you can cover water vertically and horizontally for a better chance of passing through that zone.
PHOTO BY NICK CARTER
Catch More Crappie
Dan Saknini is a member of Lanier Crappie Anglers Club. Check them out at www.laniercrappieanglers.net.
FREEDIVER SPEARS WORLD RECORD SNAPPER
reediver Stephanie Schuldt broke a world record in late November when she speared a 19.3-pound (8.8 kg) dog snapper in the Bahamas. At a depth of 45 feet, Schuldt stuck the big snapper with 9-foot Headhunter Nomad roller polespear while wreck diving off Nassau. The fish qualified her for the International Underwater Spearfishing Association’s women’s world record for the species in the sling/polespear division. It also outweighed the men’s record of 19.1 pounds, which was caught by JonMichael Degidio off Grand Cay in 2016. “At the end of my breath hold I saw the dog snapper swimming in and out of the wreckage,” wrote Schuldt in a description of the event. “I came back up to the surface and told my boyfriend, Matt, ‘There is a world record dog snapper down there.’ I took some time to get a good breathe-up, dropped back down into the wreck and got a solid holding shot on the fish. It fought for a bit on the way up, but I was able to clear it from the wreck and get it to the surface. Once at the surface, it tried to bite me and tangled up my float line, but I was able to grab it by the gills and swim it back to my boat.” Even on a rod and reel, Schuldt’s fish would have been impressive. The IGFA all-tackle world record weighed 24 pounds. It was caught back in 1994 by Capt. Wayne Barder off Abaco. Check Stephanie Schuldt’s adventures at www.saillaviecharters.com. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
MARCH 2021
NATIONAL 19
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STURGEON SEASON LASTS JUST TWO HOURS
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here should be a betting pool for just how quickly the Black Lake, Michigan sturgeon season will end each year. In 2020, the season lasted just six hours. This year, the scheduled Feb. 6-10 season was shut down after two hours of fishing when the harvest limit was met. Imagine getting all geared up to go spear fishing through a hole in the ice for these big prehistoric fish. The season opens at 8 a.m. Then, at 10 a.m., your hopes are dashed when Michigan DNR knocks on the door of your ice shanty. Apparently, that’s the way Black Lake sturgeon season goes for a vast majority of anglers. More than 500 anglers registered to jockey for a harvest quota of just six fish this year. It’s a credit to Michigan DNR that they even hold the event at the 10,000-acre lake, which is connected to Lake Huron by the Black and Cheboygan rivers. Rehabilitation of the lake sturgeon population in the watershed is an ongoing effort, and this limited harvest creates excitement around the effort. There are reports of anglers who have fished the season for decades without getting a single sturgeon. The six fish caught ranged from 50 to 63 inches and 25 to 61 pounds. Three of the fish had been tagged before during studies of the spawning run up the Black River. A 61-inch-long female, estimated to be about 20 years old, was tagged during the 2006 spawning run. Male sturgeon have a lifespan of about 55 years. Females can live longer than 100 years. For more information, go to Michigan.gov/Fishing. 20 NATIONAL
MARCH 2021
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ooking through Facebook and reminiscing on traveling for boat-show season, one conversation starter I remember most fondly is, “That’s too big for my rope locker.” In spite of American fiberglass OEMs like Sea Chaser and Sea Pro factory-installing the Rebel EZ-4 on specific series, there’s still a popular myth that drum anchor winches are built predominantly for aluminum boats. One too many boaters have told me this when they stopped at our company’s booth during the 2020 season, and while we’re officially homebound due to the pandemic, we’re as busy as ever answering questions and informing customers about our product. We want to help them achieve the best anchoring results for them. From newbies who have recently embraced boating, to longtime hobbyists who have extra time to add new features on their boats, there is usually an anchoring solution, whether it’s a Patriot direct drive unit or a Rebel free-fall unit. “You can click the ‘Products’ tab on the website and select the winch that interests you,” Sara Hitchins, E-Z Anchor Puller’s office and trade show manager said. “Select the unit you’d like to view and the link to the dimensional drawings are on the product page. One way to measure is to make a cardboard cutout at home to measure against your boat.” If you’re one of the new boaters looking for a new fiberglass model or researching that windlass upgrade on your family boat, these center consoles from customers and builders prove that a drum winch looks sexy on center consoles, too! SEA PRO: Sea Pro Boats introduced the world to their 320 Deep V Center Console at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, joining Carolina Skiff to become another American fiberglass OEM to factory-install E-Z Anchor Puller’s Rebel EZ-4 free-fall unit, adapting the innovative technology one year after Georgia-based OEM Carolina Skiff began installing. SEA CHASER: “I liked it so much I installed a Patriot on my own personal boat,” Ed Johnston, engineer at Carolina Skiff told us when we saw him at the Miami International Boat Show. The 35’ Sea Chaser also uses the free-fall Rebel EZ-4 and hides it in the rope locker. PARKER: “I know this is an old post, but I love my EZ on my 2820,” one writer on Classicparker.com posted to a company thread, “I have 600’ of dyneema, 75 of nylon and 50’ of chain. With lots of extra room still.” Live2fish posted several pictures depicting the Rebel EZ-4 unit resting on a bow pulpit. ARIMA: Mark Fitch was an avid poster of his installation process on ArimaOwners.com, documenting his journey with various “beer breaks” in between. Mark’s 1987 Arima Sea Pacer was sized for the Patriot EZ-1, a smaller complete 316 stainless steel unit. He still tags #ezanchorpuller in his fishing posts.
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MARCH 2021
NATIONAL 21
HUGE SWORDFISH SETS NEW FLORIDA RECORD
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n Jan. 20, four young anglers from Pompano Beach, Fla. set out early from Hillsboro Inlet to get in on the fast action being reported from the swordfish grounds, some 15 miles off the coast. They returned to the docks that evening with a 767.8-pound swordfish that set a new Florida state record. The official record holder and the man who manned the LP electric reel was 21-yearold Timmy Maddock. The 31-foot center console they fished from belongs to 17-yearold Hunter Irvine, who put the final dart in the enormous fish. Lady angler, Jaime Johanson, 20, videoed the landing and got in with the gaff, while Jeremy Rafferty, 21, manned the helm as they subdued the new record. It took five and a half hours to fight the fish into submission. It took almost another hour and a radio call for help to get the swordfish through the tuna door and safely in the boat. Rob Doda, who was fishing solo nearby left his boat floating and boarded Irvine’s boat to help haul the giant fish onboard. It was an epic catch for the group of young anglers, and the 400 pounds of meat their fish yielded was shared with friends and family, with the charity organization Filet for Friends, and at a celebratory barbecue for the whole Pompano Beach fishing community. To read Timmy Maddock’s account of the catch, see the Florida section of this magazine or online at www.coastalanglermagazine.com. 22 NATIONAL
MARCH 2021
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
NEW ENGLAND AWAITS
warm water, and they’re looking for that constant bait source. That’s what the rivers provide.” Action is fast in tidal rivers like the Weweantic on the north side of Buzzards Bay. Murphy walks the dog with topwater baits like a 7-inch Lil’ Doc to draw explosive strikes from good numbers of stripers in the rivers. They’ll also eat By Nick Carter soft-plastic eel or herring imitations like those made by Hogy, and although these river fish aren’t the monsters Murphy pursues later in the season, there aren’t many anglers who’d turn their nose up to consistent topwater activity from fish up to 20 inches. As the season progresses, the bite moves to the mouths of the rivers, where stripers ambush herring moving out. This is where some of the bigger fish come into play, and they also can be taken on topwater. By mid-May, Murphy said he’ll be chasing the classic New England bass blitzes, when schoolie-sized fish ball up bait and crash the surface. At this point, fish will have spread up around Cape Cod or through the Cape Cod Canal into Massachusetts Bay. Action ou can almost feel the excitement building on the coast of can be intense for fish in the 2- to New England. Winter is ebbing, and soon warming water 10-pound range. conditions will spark the migration of striped bass up the “You can go out early in the Atlantic coast. Jack Murphy will be waiting when they arrive. morning any day and find blitzing Murphy and his partner, Jack Loveday, co-founded Lucky Jacks schoolies,” Murphy said. “You can Fishing in Marblehead, Massachusetts. For them, April begins the catch 30 or 40 fish in just a couple busy striper season off Rhode Island and Massachusetts. hours.” As you read this, striped bass are spawning in tributaries of By the first part of June, anglers Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay and the Hudson River. When in search of big fish will head 5 to water temperatures rise into the 50s, these fish push north with 10 miles offshore to find big pogy huge schools of menhaden to feed ravenous post-spawn appetites. PHOTOS BY SEAN MAIORANO PHOTOGRAPHY (menhaden) schools. This is a Murphy said the first fish collect on the south side of Cape Cod WWW.SEANMAIORANOPHOTOGRAPHY.COM short-lived first-light bite. in Buzzards Bay. Timing is dependent on weather and water temperatures, so “When you come on one of these schools that’s getting harassed, you’re in Lucky Jacks spends spring studying winds and water temps to try and intercept the first waves of migrating fish. They normally show up in the second or third for a heck of a day.” Murphy said. “We’ve had a few days when our smallest fish were 37 pounds, and 40- to 50-pound fish are very possible.” week of April. “When river herring (alewife) push into the rivers to spawn, the first waves of stripes will be right on their tails,” Murphy said. “They’re looking for that Check out Lucky Jacks Fishing at www.luckyjacksfishing.com.
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