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CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT, NC EDITION

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BASS IN THE GRASS

WEIRD PIEBALD CATFISH

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VOLUME 26 • ISSUE 320

F R A N C H I S E

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NYMPHING FOR WILD

Chattahoochee

BROWNS

By Nick Carter

rifting between forested banks over bedrock shoals, it’s easy to forget where you are on the Buford Dam tailrace of the Chattahoochee River. This beautiful stretch of water snakes southwest through densely populated suburbs north of Atlanta, yet riverside development is limited. There are long stretches where this river feels like wilderness— where the sounds of the city are replaced by lapping oars and the soft swish of fly rods cutting air. Chris Scalley, owner of River Through Atlanta guide service, manned the

4 NATIONAL

NOVEMBER 2021

oars. He rowed and coached and again showed us the bounty of the “Hooch.” The Angler Magazine Atlanta co-publisher Bob Rice and I have fished with Scalley several times before. Our late-September trip was another good one. The river’s wild reproducing brown trout were active in cooling weather patterns, and they punctuated a steady catch of sleek and feisty rainbows. The Chattahoochee is one of the best tailwater trout fisheries in the Southeast. It is a success story for fisheries management. Georgia DNR stopped stocking brown trout in the river in 2005 after natural reproduction was discovered. Today, those beautiful butter-bellies still thrive. It’s a unique situation that has made this 30-mile-long stretch a destination fishery. The Hooch has produced a string of state-record browns, including the current nearly 21-pounder. But before you get geared up for 30-inch trout, realize that while monsters do exist in the river’s deep holes and log jams, they are not frequent catches. Over several trips with Scalley, it seems a pretty good day consists of numerous rainbows, a handful of browns in the 10- to 12-inch range and a fish or two in the 14- to 16-inch range. Of course, the opportunity for larger fish is always present. Early in our float, a wading angler hailed us over to show photos of a 20-plus-inch fish he had in his net earlier that day. It was proof the big girls were eating, and it inspired us to fish our triplenymph rigs more diligently. After bringing several 8- to 12-inch rainbow trout to hand, I hooked into our first brown, a gorgeous 15-incher that took the big black stonefly anchoring the rig. We went on to catch several more good browns and a bunch of rainbows. The bows preferred either the small Baetis nymph in the rig or an egg pattern Scalley called a Stormy Daniels. While fishing three nymphs at once might sound like a recipe for disaster, it’s actually quite simple. Under Scalley’s coaching, even beginners catch on to the looping lob it takes to cast such a rig. Once it’s in the water, nymphing with an indicator is a lot like the bobber fishing you did as a kid. You just float down the river and watch for a fish to bite. Those bites should be frequent over the next few months. Water temperatures remain consistent on the tailwater year-round, and fall and winter offer great fishing for wild browns. Contact Chris Scalley and River Through Atlanta through their website riverthroughatlanta.com, or call (770) 650-8630.

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NATIONAL 5

MUD HOLE URTESY OF PHOTO CO

Tailing the Kingfish Migration By CAM Staff

PHOTO CO

“K ‘th be lo URTESY O

F ERIC MAR

EST

erhaps more than any other species, king Texas. Some of these fish push farther south mackerel are temperature driven. Kingfish into waters off Mexico’s Yucatan. Regardless of where you fish along prefer a temperature range of about 68 to 73 degrees, which is extremely specific, and it these migrations, kingfish are looking for the same conditions. They can be found on keeps them on the move. That magic temperature window also makes ledges, reefs, oil rigs and wrecks, wherever them easier to find. With today’s technology and there are baitfish. They like nearshore subscription services providing daily updates and offshore structure and color breaks on offshore conditions and currents, identifying where plankton-rich waters exist in the prime hunting grounds for kings can be a matter temperature range they prefer. Trolling or drifting are the most of checking your phone or tablet in the morning effective methods to target kings, and before you head out. It’s no surprise that general seasonal good live bait is the best way to hook migratory patterns take king mackerel to up with big ones. Blue runners, pogies warmer waters as cold fronts of fall arrive. (menhaden), pilchards, threadfin Tagging and genetics studies have shown that herring, any bait with some silver Atlantic king mackerel push south to waters off flash is good. Switching them out and Florida to overwinter. Their numbers this time keeping them lively is important. A of year thin out the farther north you go, yet fall heavy chum slick can do wonders for can also be the best time to catch big isolated bringing them up near the surface. Idle speed is about right for smokers off the coast of the Carolinas. Off South Florida, Atlantic kingfish pulling baits. Stagger depth and intermingle with Gulf kingfish during the winter distance from the boat. Bump the months. This winter mixing zone is primarily throttle into neutral and drift when around the Florida Keys, where the December the sonar shows good bottom or kingfish bite ramps up along with the action for bait. other species like sailfish and wahoo. For more kingfish tips, visit In the Gulf of Mexico, kings spend summer coastalanglermag.com. in the northern Gulf, with high densities tracked to waters off the mouth of the Mississippi River. KINGFISH RIGS In fall, they push south in two separate groups. Some fish move east and then south along the A mainline of 20- to 30-pound monofilament will suffice, but with all the teeth in Florida coast, where anglers intercept them as a king’s mouth, a wire leader is required. Depending on water clarity, go as heavy as the fish will they move down the coastline. allow, but keep it light enough for your bait to appear natural. The other group of Gulf kings moves west A 24-inch, single-strand wire of 40-pound test is a starting point. Go lighter in clear water or with the arrival of cooler weather. They run with smaller baits; go heavier in dirty water or if you’re fishing big baits. down the Texas coast to winter2021 off the south 6 NATIONAL NOVEMBER COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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NOVEMBER 2021

NATIONAL 7

g n i fish

THE EVOLVING ART OF DAYTIME

d wor

ithin the last decade, swordfishing has steadily evolved from being exclusively a nighttime pursuit into a roundthe-clock affair. The ongoing pioneering of daytime swordfishing techniques leaves room for experimentation to perfect personal preferences within this art. A lot of work goes into going after just a single bite, and many variables are at play fishing in 1,000 to 2,000 feet. Then, factoring in tackle, crew and the inconsistent bite style of these fish, the best way to figure out daytime swordfishing is to go do it. Although you might see little sport in utilizing an electric reel, this type of fishing requires an incredible amount of teamwork. There’s always a job for everyone on the boat. Good communication is essential, not only to land fish, but also just to set the bait correctly. Rigging a bait for swordfish is more satisfying than buying one pre-rigged. It’s a chance to flex your creativity and experiment with different styles and baits. After all, you want more than one bait on-hand during a sword trip. Whether you go with the tried-and-true squid bait or hardier mahi- or bonita-belly strips, the most important factor is whether or not the bait spins. If it spins on the surface, it will spin worse at the bottom, and it must be modified or scrapped. Personally, I like a glow-in-the-dark squid skirt on any bait, not just for added movement and visual enhancement, but the skirt also streamlines the bait and compensates for rigging errors. Once you’ve sewn the bait, slowly troll it behind the boat to check for spinning. If your Franken-bait is straight as an arrow 8 NATIONAL

NOVEMBER 2021

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

on the surface, send it on down. Affix breakaway lights along the wind-on leader near the bait. About 100 feet up the leader, use rigging floss to create a loop where the clip for the weight will attach to the main line. The clip is attached to about 30 feet of lighter leader, in the 50-pound range, that is then affixed to a weight. Adjust weight to the current. A reasonable go-to is 10 pounds. Again, ensure you have extra weights on board before investing in a sword trip. The last thing you want is to get revved up over a bite, come up without a weight and have to scavenge a tool box for your heaviest wrenches to toss overboard. There are a few different styles of driving the boat for swordfishing that have proven successful. Regardless of the method you chose, the idea is to keep the weight from free falling and tangling the line. Keep tension on the line while it is going down, take up the slack, and relocate the bottom. Come up off the bottom 100 feet, or so, and continue that process as you drift over varied depths. Keep eyes on the rod tip the entire time, and find the happy medium between not blinking and not losing your mind. Swordfish might swipe the bait before committing to the hook, or they might hammer it. Sometimes they just start swimming to the surface with it. All the different bites look different on the rod tip. You might see the rod bounce with taps, get heavy and not bounce at all, or just completely go slack. Whether the bite is obvious or subtle, setting the hook or knowing when to reel up to check the bait is a matter of experience. Swordfish are counted like tarpon, where the overall bite count is included along with those landed. Don’t even bother fishing for swords if

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you don’t have patience or enough love of fishing to be okay with coming home skunked. It’s all hands on deck boating one of these very aggressive, potentially large fish. If you’re lucky enough to get a swordfish to the boat, you’ll find out very quickly which friends to invite back on the next trip. While the captain remains behind the wheel, ideally someone will be on the rod with another person unclipping the weight and pulling off the breakaway lights as the leader gets to the boat. Once all that gear has been removed, there is the matter of hand-leadering the fish, gaffing it, potential use of tail rope, and heaving that sucker into the boat. There are many ways to go about this, and many ways the fish could react. Swordfish are well known for stamina and can be quite dangerous to green gaff. Be prepared for the fish to get a second wind boatside. This is where communication and teamwork can make or break the experience. Go into a swordfish trip with everything you’ve got, but with the intent to relax and hang out. You might sit there all day without a bite, so bring people you enjoy the company of, and leave the “I’m-so-bored” guy at the dock. He is worse than bananas, anyway. Capt. Quinlyn Haddon fishes with Blue Magic Charters out of Marathon, Fla. Check her out her Instagram @CaptainQuinlyn, her website CaptainQuinlyn.com, or call (504) 920-6342.

CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT NC EDITION

In This Issue…. Local Fishing Forecasts Profile of a Flathead Catfish Fall Lures The Science Line Different Kind of Fishing Billy Raines, Publisher TheAnglerMagCLT@gmail.com

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NOVEMBER 2021

CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT 1

FRESHWATER FORECAS

Forecast for Lake Norman By: Captain Craig Price November, aka “primetime” for active stripers, hybrids, bass, i.e. most local gamefish, is finally here. Sure, October is usually a beautiful month when the heat of summer begins to give way to fall, but warm weather and relatively high temperatures (air and water) can persist through the month. November has historically been the month when shorter days and stronger cold fronts push water temps down, and the winter “feed up” becomes more consistent. Water temperatures should be in the high 60’s(F) early in the month falling to the upper 50’S range by months end. This is the comfort zone for bait and predators alike. The forage will be balled up after October’s full moon, and under attack by all species of gamefish. This activity can occur in many places as November progresses – long points and adjacent pockets near major creek mouths early in the month; then halfway back to all the way back in major creek channels later in November; points and humps along the main river channel throughout the month; on or near brushpiles in 15-35 ft. of water and under or around bridges at any time. So how do you know where to start your search each day? First, a cooperative network of fellow anglers who you can share dependable info with is important. Lake Norman is a big place and one can only be in one area at a time. Second, November is when sea birds, terns and gulls, show up and take advantage of feeding opportunities created by active gamefish pushing bait to the surface. Ospreys, even crows, can also be useful for locating bait and fish. Areas where these birds are active are always worth observing, and usually worth fishing. Learn to interpret the birds’ actions and use their type and size to ascertain the size of the bait they’re picking up. This info can be critical to matching the hatch with lure selection.

option before the water gets too cold. Keeping bait fresh and lively is relatively easy in November’s water temps. Fresh shad, herring, or alewives fished from the surface down to 35 ft. or so can produce big creels. Let your sonar, the time of day, and light conditions dictate your deployment. Store bought shiners can also be effective if you don’t have the wherewithal to catch and keep shad. I typically begin trolling artificials near the end of November. Trolling speeds are 1.5-3 mph vs. 0.5-1 mph for live bait so this is a great way to cover larger areas of water. Multi-hook rigs with 3-4” swimbaits on 1/16 -1/4 oz. jigheads have become traditional. I prefer bullet or darter heads because of the water flow they create down the side of the bait. I also use tandem bucktail rigs and crankbaits at times. I may weight any of the above rigs, if necessary, to get them to the target depth. Usually I deploy them from just under the surface down to 25-30 ft. Finally, keeping one or more casting rods ready to cast to bustin’ fish is a must. Don’t let the cooler temps and winds of November keep you off the water. Get the right foul weather gear and join the fray while primetime for some of the year’s best catching is here. Fish On! Capt. Craig Price is locally born and raised, and has been fishing the Catawba River and its impoundments since the 1960’s. As his guide business has grown, his area of operations has also grown to include numerous freshwater lakes in NC & SC, plus inshore saltwater charters along the coasts of both states. Capt. Craig is a master rated USCG licensed captain, fully insured, and trained in first aid/CPR. Visit www. fishonguideservices.com or call 704-996-0946 to book your fishing adventure today.

Wind direction is also useful to help you decide where to look for active gamefish. During a sustained wind, look for activity along windward banks and in exposed coves or pockets. The wind pushes bait against these windward banks and also stirs up other bottom dwelling organisms. The longer the wind blows in a given direction, the more pronounced the effect can be. Wind “rips” can also be productive. These areas, often at the end of a point, are where the water flow transitions from blowing, to calm on the lee side of the structure. Predators like to lay out of the current and wait for bait to sweep by. As for how to catch November’s aggressive fish, live bait is a great

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2 CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT

NOVEMBER 2021

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Forecast for Lake WYLIE By: Captain Phillip Rizzitello November is here and finally a break from the heat and recreational boat traffic! This is probably my favorite time of the year to target fish. The water temperature is pretty much perfect. I prefer mornings right now as the fish seem to respond really well to the warming of the water as the sun comes up. Bank fishers; now is your time to shine, as the fish won’t be holding consistently as deep. A common question I receive and see online a lot is where to bank fish. McDowell Park is a great place to fish and even with a boat I find myself there many times. Ebenezer Park isn’t currently open, but they are renovating the park and adding a large fishing pier and it’s coming along great. Other than that, as far as public access, you’re pretty much limited to boat ramp banks. Keep in mind they are boat ramps and not fishing piers so do not impede boaters, trailers or parking spots designated for boats.

Catfish, I usually have a few rods on the bottom with a typical style santee rig and a few mid water column. The beauty of catfish is they will eat pretty much anything. However, that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a good bait. Fresh cut bait is king, but in a pinch chicken or livers will get the job done just fine. Try punch bait for numbers and cut bait for size. No matter what you do, don’t get frustrated. It’s called fishing not catching. Be open minded to learn and experiment with new lures, techniques and equipment. Guides are no exception. No matter how seasoned you may be, you are never too good to stop learning. The biggest key is just soak in the experience have fun and just enjoy the great outdoors. Visit www.rizzsoutdoors.com or call 803-230-6309 to book your fishing trip with Captain Phillip Rizzitello

I’ve been catching bass on pretty much anything shad colored, shaped or that mimics them. Depth varies and just depends on temperature, weather and time of day. My go-to is a medium diving crank bait and play with different retrieval speeds. Crappie can pretty much be caught anywhere on the lake by long lining. Depth also varies, so I run a few different depths until there is a common depth. As always, live bait is king. While fishing for crappie, you’re bound to run into schools of white perch and they will pretty much eat anything you throw at them, and I do mean anything.

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NOVEMBER 2021

CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT 3

Profile of a Flathead Catfish An Eating Machine By Scott T. Fletcher

I recently read an article about a young man who pulled a 36-pound flathead catfish from the depths of Lake Wylie and it got me thinking about this beast. As the common name implies, this member of the catfish family has a distinctive flattened head like no other catfish. It also has a unique squared-off tail, as opposed to a forked tail, attached to a body that can grow to more than four feet long. In Greek, its scientific name, Pylodictis olivarus, essentially means mudfish and olive-colored. While the fish’s color varies based on environment, it is typically pale yellow and highly mottled and thus extremely cryptc and camouflaged; the perfect look for an effective and efficient ambush predator. Unlike most other catfish that are scavengers, flatheads prey primarily on live fish. Young flatties feed mostly on bottom worms, insects, and crayfish. When the fish reach at least ten-inches in length, they switch primarily to fish like shads, minnows, sunfish, and other catfish breeds such as bullheads. I once watched a large flathead inhale an eight-inch bream as the clueless fish swam by a tangle of downed trees on High Rock Lake. Flatties prefer sluggish, deep pools of streams, rivers, and reservoirs like those on lakes Norman, Wylie, Baden, High Rock, Tuckertown and Tillery. In these areas, they have out-competed native fish species such as snail and flat bullheads, causing those populations to sharply decline. The fish is native to the Mississippi River basin, including the Tennessee River drainage in western North Carolina. The rest of the Carolinas have a non-native population first documented in 1964-65. With their super appetities, flatheads can become the predominant predator in a waterbody within 15 years of introduction. Thus, anglers should not move flatheads from one waterbody to another. The fish reaches maturity between the third and sixth year and spawn in late May through July, as the water temperatures reach 75-80oF. Males select bank cavities and undercuts, hollow logs, submerged debris piles, and bridge pilings for their nest sites. Females are estimated to then lay 1,200 eggs for every pound she weighs. Thus, a 30-pound fish could lay 36,000 eggs. However, only a small fraction survive or grow to be adults. The averge life span of the fish is about 12-14 years, but some live up to 25 years. As mentioned, these fish can reach immense sizes for a freshwater fish and they are known for a strong and stubborn arm-wrenching battle. A NC state record flathead was just caught on a live sunfish in the Neuse River, weighing out at 78.9 pounds and 52-inches in length. For a flathead to qualify for the NC Angler Recognition Program (NCARP) the fish needs to be 30 pounds or 41 inches. The SC state record is 84 pounds, 9.6 ounces and was caught on the Cooper River in 2018. The current world record is a whopping 123 pounds, 9 ounces dragged-out of the Elk City Reservoir in Kansas. For more information on the NC and SC Angler Recognition Programs, state records, and other fish facts see: • https://www.ncwildlife.org (NCWRC-Fishing)

•https://www.dnr.sc.gov (SCDNR -Fishing)

Note: photo courtesy of the USFWS Scott T. Fletcher is a certified wildlife biologist, conservationist, and outdoor enthusiast. 4 CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT

NOVEMBER 2021

SUNDAY - MONDAY: Closed TUESDAY - THURSDAY: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. WEDNESDAY - FRIDAY: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. SATURDAY: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00p.m.

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CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT 5

T 3 BAITS FOR NOVEMBER

Your area or my area, the fall is here, and so is the transition to fall fishing. Let's talk three important fishing lures for this time of season and why.

To start off, this transition of fishing we need to remember a few things before going into the lures that hopefully will help us catch more fish during this season. Downsizing and using moving baits. During the fall, shad will start ball up. They will find their ways into grass beds to hide. They will also stay in main sections of your pond and lake. They like to move from shallow water into deeper pockets where they can be together and work as a team. During the fall transition bass start to get lethargic and prefer to not move much so they will stay inside those grass beds and eat as much as

they can before it gets way to cold. Also creeks are great hiding areas for shad or forage fish. Predator fish will hang out outside those creeks and wait for the bait fish to come back out and eat aggressively. When the water starts cooling down, predator fish will become more active to eat as much as possible. Now that we have an idea on what the bait fish are going to do, we need to match the size of the bait and use moving lures. In the early mornings, I really enjoy throwing top water baits. A Whopper Plopper is exceptional, but also a lure that we all should have in our tackle box might be a little better. The Zara Spook or a Rapala Skitter Walk. These will make your morning more enjoyable. Let's be honest here, who doesn't like seeing a fish explode on a top water lure. These two walk the dog baits look like a wounded fish but also have a great sound chamber that calls 'em in. During this fall transition, the Skitter Walk and Spook should be tied onto your favorite rod and used immediately when you hit the water. The 6th Sense Curve 55mm and the Berkley Squarebull 3.5" are perfect sized crank baits that are both made well but also amazing for the fall transition of fishing. Smaller, downsized moving crank baits that hunt in the upper to medium water lever are great on pressure ponds. What make the two of these baits even better? One has sound while the other does not and both have the profile of smaller shad, which most predator fish will be targeting during this time. Last but not least, the Z-Man 1/4oz Original Chatterbait with the smaller Z-Man grub will do WORK during the fall. It is easy to skip under docks, go through cover in most cases and will aggravate bass with it's sound and vibration. I will also be throwing the new Z-Man Fishing CrossEyeZ during this season because it is snag resistant and has been catching me fish consistently A bladed jig during the fall has many great attractions, but mostly because it is moving at all times, and that is what those predator fish are looking for. Hopefully this helps you during this fall transition. Take a kid fishing, Get Ur Fish On!, we will see you soon. Cheers!

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Fall Fishing, It’s all About The Food Source By: Jake Bussolini

The challenge of fishing large bodies of water such as Lake Norman is to find the fish. The popular 90/10 rule certainly holds for this lake whereas 90% of the fish are located in 10% of the water area. Years ago when I came to this lake I decided that I didn’t want to waste valuable fishing time looking around for the fish, without my bait in the water so the style of fishing that I chose for Norman was to troll the waters with my eye on my sonar display at all times looking for the sources of food that the predator fish liked most.

There are times when there are predator fish that can be seen with the average sonar equipment, taking a meal from a school of fish as shown in the following photo.

During most of the fishing seasons on this lake, except for the three winter months, the food sources which are mainly shad and alewives, are located in the coves and creeks. During the colder winter months these fish move into deeper water for a couple degrees warmer climate. A typical school of shad is shown here.

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Most predators will attack a bait school from the top or edges of the school where the smaller fish are located. The predators will look for injured fish that are easier to snatch. At most times however, when a school of bait fish is located, no predators are visible, but they are generally somewhere nearby, probably digesting the food that they just caught.

Alewives, which are small herring, have a completely different look. These fish want the colder water so during most months they hang close to the bottom, in areas where springs feed the lake. A typical school of herring is shown here.

My technique for these schools of bait fish is to try and circle the school or stay as close to it as possible, keeping in mind that the school is also moving. I have found that most times of the year, when bait schools are visible, they are moving toward the back of coves and creeks where the water is a little warmer. This is especially true in late afternoon so if the school disappears from your sonar, try moving toward the shallow back of the area you are fishing. I have been asked many times, “how many fish are in a school the size that I have shown here.” The answer to this can only be found in my writings because I have used some of my ownmathematical calculations to make that determination. A typical shad school like the two shown here contain about 5000 to 8000 shad. The school of alewives shown contains in excess of 30,000 fish. Keeping an eye on the food source is critical to a good catch rate and the schools are not always as large as the ones that I have illustrated here. Even the tiny schools will attract predators, so don’t avoid them when they show up on your sonar. This is the time of the year when all of the fish in the lake are starting to feed heavily in anticipation of the colder weather that is coming. Casting or trolling around the edges of a bait school will increase you chances of making a fine catch. Jake Bussolini is a freelance writer who has published several books about freshwater fishing. His books can be seen at www.booksbyjake. com.

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NOVEMBER 2021

CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT 7

Different Kind of Fishing By: Ricky Raines

Full disclaimer here – this article isn’t about actual fishing at all. This is an op-ed about another kind of “fishing”. The kind that David Tepper and Matt Rhule are doing. The Carolina Panthers are North Carolina and South Carolina’s pride and joy when it comes to professional sports, and we’re all about local significance, so let’s talk about the fishing trip this franchise is embarking upon. Cool with you? Great. Unfortunately for us, Panthers fans are familiar with frustration and just a general sense of WTF. Jerry Richardson and Marty Hurney have scarred me. I can’t see the words “Panthers signed”, “Panthers trade” or “Panthers drafted” without a shiver running down my spine. But, with David Tepper, things at least feel a little bit more… optimistic? Yeah, I guess that’s a positive side effect of having that enormous dollar sign shaped shadow that accompanies Mr. Tepper. I’m excited because he seems to be an impatient owner. The team still strives to feel like a family more so than just a business, but it’s a different kind of family, right? This is the kind of family now, that if you go to a dinner at your uncle’s house and it totally sucked, you don’t feel obligated to go back over next week – you just don’t pick up that phone call. Love ya, but see you later, bud. We don’t have to sign players to big money extensions just because they’re ‘part of the family’. At least, that’s the feeling I got initially. But now I’m a little bit nervous again. We just sat through a season of Teddy Two Gloves and Taylor Heineken (I’m so, so, so sorry D.J. Moore) with CMC resting his overworked, deteriorating legs on the I.R. while the defense allowed the Little Giants to score seventy-three points per game. It was offensive and painful and… par for the course. There was also a rainbow forming on the other side of the storm, though. As bad as our defense was, it was young and full of promising prospects. The upcoming draft was stocked with promising quarterbacks that we could develop under wonder kid (cheers, Nate from Ted Lasso) Joe Brady. We would also have them under a budget friendly rookie contract that would give us at least four years to build around him before having to back up that Tepper Bank truck to him. Instead, we took a shot on Sam Darnold. Sam Darnold seems to be a personable, smart, cool dude. I’d gladly meet him for a beer (just not at any of the atrocious South End or formerly known as Plaza Midwood soulless spots, but that’s another article). But Sam has had numerous red flags and obstacles throughout his early disappointing career. With the Jets, he had a gross offensive line. Here in Carolina, it’s almost like this offseason we played the “hold my beer” meme in real life and tried to outdo the Jets by signing Cam Erving and Pat Elflein to fill vacant

8 CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT

NOVEMBER 2021

spots in desperate need of upgrading. Why did we do that? Were there no more washing machines available at Sears, or something? Because I can’t help but think that a washing machine might be just as capable of protecting a quarterback and opening lanes for CMC to dash through in the four games he’d be healthy enough to play each season. Also, Sam just seemed to struggle with turnovers and accuracy. I’m not saying Sam Darnold is a bum or anything like that. He’s talented. Some well renowned football analysts think he could even be good in the right situation. Let’s say that again - in the right situation. This team, in this current position, is so obviously not the right situation. But maybe he’s also just not good. And maybe he also just isn’t good enough to transform a subpar team into a good team. There must be consistency. I mean, Mitch Trubisky had good games but we can all agree he, himself, is not ‘good’. Tepper comes from the Pittsburgh Steelers. He signed Matt Rhule to a Mike Tomlin type of lengthy contract. He wants to build a winner through defense, like the people up there that put french fries on salads. But Pittsburgh also drafted their franchise quarterback and developed him with a good offensive line and run heavy offense. Their franchise quarterback is an absolute scumbag of a human and his arm has turned into overcooked bucatini, but before all that he was a good football player that they got for cheap. This is where we circle back to Mr. Tepper being an impatient owner. I like the impatience. It pushes a sense of urgency to be great, even if there’s still an unspoken awareness that it’s also going to be a process to get to that finish line. But don’t turn that impatience into panic. Don’t try to force that circle into a triangle hole, or whatever. Don’t make moves just to make moves. Make moves that make a difference. Look, I’m rambling, but here’s what all eight hundred of these words were trying to get to; I get it – we’re being aggressive and we’re trying hard. Like fishing, it really is just about trial and error. And experimenting. And gut feel. And individual philosophy. You can also become a better angler by following examples of already established great anglers, too. Following a formula, having a plan and making adjustments that fit your personal style. Let’s do that. You also must know when to cut your losses and head to a different honey hole. Let’s do that, too. I genuinely believe that David Tepper can get this Carolina Panthers team over the giant hill of mediocrity that we’ve been picnicking on the last decade or so (outside of Cam Newton’s MVP run before we allowed his elite abilities to be dismantled by awful offensive line play, too). Please make me look smarter than I am by proving that to be true. Keep Pounding.

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TIPS FROM A PRO

FLIPPING HEAVY GRASS FOR FALL BASS

time or two until I get a bite or two in an area. Once you know there are fish around, slow down, make very precise flips and work the bait up and down multiple times with each cast. I flip and pitch with a craw-style bait. If the water has a good stain, black and blue colors are a must. If you’re working with cleaner water, TYLER WOOLCOTT green pumpkin or brown variations usually do the trick. When you are dealing with pressured fish or fishing in colder conditions, downsize and flip a creature bait like the 13 Fishing Lunch Bug. When the ith fall upon us, it’s time to bring out the big sticks and heavy braid. One of my favorite techniques weather is stable and you are around aggressive fish, flip a full-sized to target bass is flipping and punching grass, and fall is a creature bait like the 13 Fishing Invader. great time to do it. Fish seek heavy cover Flipping/ Punching Gear and vegetation to feed up on forage and get warmth under matted grass. This presents It is important to use the correct the opportunity to place your bait right in equipment to get your bait into the grass front of them. and then winch fish out. I like a 13 Fishing Flipping and pitching grass can be hard 7’9” Heavy Fast Envy Black rod paired to learn, but once you get the hang of it, it up with a Concept A 8:3:1 reel. The long can be one of the most exhilarating ways to heavy-action rod gives you power to get catch a bass. I live in Florida, where grass a hook into fish and then get them out of is always prevalent. It has taught me a few grass. Pairing that rod with a fast-gearthings about how fish position in fall, and ratio reel allows you to make lots of flips I’ve been able to use this knowledge all and to pick up line quickly. over the country. Heavy braided line is imperative. I Seek out either a clean edge or patches like 65-pound Seaguar Smackdown braid of grass that are isolated away from in grey. I use a Woo! Tungsten weight expansive areas of grass. These areas between 1 and 2 ounces, depending on concentrate fish in targetable places and the thickness of the grass. Hook size varies give you the highest probability of getting depending on the size bait. I use between a your bait in front of a hungry bass. 3/0 and a 5/0 Hayabusa FPP Straight HD When flipping, cover as much water as hook. possible until you run into a group of fish. Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament Fish tend to group up in the fall, and this is angler and guide. Check out his website at also true with fish in the grass. I like to flip www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com. fast, only pumping the bait up and down a

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RUN LONG. RUN CLEAN. RUN STRONG.

Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-Approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. Suzuki, the Suzuki “S” ECSTAR and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. © 2021 Suzuki Marine USA, LLC.

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StyleCraft and A&M Introduce Versatile, Premium Fiberglass Hull Pontoon Boats

ptimum durability and performance are the design achievements for an all new line of pontoon boats named Style Craft Boats. These premium fiberglass-hulled pontoon boats result from a partnership between Billy Chapman and John Hemken, and they are only available through factory direct sales. Chapman, pioneer of Amazon peacock bass fishing and creator of the Floating Suite mobile lodge, and Hemken, with over 25 years of perfecting new and innovative production and owner of A&M Manufacturing, are designing several models of pontoon boats. Flagship of the line is the Fun Slide boat, a 28-foot pontoon craft built on Bulldog hulls with a 10-foot-wide main deck and upper deck featuring two water slides. The 22- and 26-foot Outfitters are recreational tritoons with multiple floorplans for family fun and fishing built on Riptide hulls. Outfitter pontoon boats also feature multiple deck boxes with cushion seats, and much more. StyleCraft Boats also offers three different kit boats, allowing the DIYer to finish out the boat to their liking. The Kit Boat includes fiberglass hulls and heavy-duty aluminum C-channel floor beams ready for assembly. The StyleCraft Boats Tuff Boat is a workboat created for the rigors of heavy-duty operations. A deck boat that can be configured for any task, the Tuff Boat can be outfitted with a crane, welder and anything else a work boat

might need. StyleCraft works with the owner to determine the right size pontoon boat for the work at hand. All StyleCraft Boats are built by A&M Manufacturing and feature a heavy-duty set of fiberglass hulls measuring from 30 feet to 53 feet in length. The deck is built with marine-grade composite that is fiberglassed, gelled and webbed. No wood is used in StyleCraft Boats. Each boat can be configured with an outboard engine. More models will be introduced. The Fun Slide boat and Outfitter series are equipped with a Humminbird Helix GPS depthfinder, anodized aluminum railing and Phifertex rail coverings, upgraded custom upholstery with hydraulic steering and steering wheel on a fiberglass console. A&M Manufacturing is the contract manufacturer of Elite Craft leisure boat, hand built from fiberglass but with the regal look of real mahogany wood. Elite Craft boats have been built for over 30 years. For more information about StyleCraft Boats, visit stylecraftboats.com.

TRAVEL PROTOCOLS RELAXED FOR BAHAMAS INTER-ISLAND TRAVEL

ffective Immediately, the requirement for a travel health visa for inter-island travel within The Bahamas has been removed. Other important updates include: • Vaccinated persons travelling inter-island from New Providence and Grand Bahama will now only be required to produce a negative result of a rapid antigen test of the type approved by the Ministry of Health, and if non-vaccinated, travelers are required to produce a negative result of the RT-PCR test at the point of embarkation to the operator of the airline or vessel on which they are travelling. • For persons travelling inter-island from any other islands of The Bahamas, only a negative result of an antigen test of the type approved by the Ministry of Health is required. • The requirement for secondary testing for inter-island travelers is now removed. Curfew times have also been relaxed to 11:59 p.m. to 5 a.m. on New Providence and Paradise Island, Grand Bahama, Exuma mainland, Abaco mainland, Bimini and North and South Eleuthera, including Harbour Island. For entry into the U.S., beginning Nov. 1, 2021, all adult foreign nationals traveling to the United States will be required to be fully vaccinated, with limited exceptions. Additionally, unvaccinated U.S. citizens and Legal Permanent Residents who return to the United States will be required to provide proof of a negative test result taken within one day prior to their departure. For more information on US requirements, visit https://bs.usembassy.gov/ covid-19-information. For full Bahamas Covid Protocols & Requirements for Boaters, visit www.bahamasmarinas.com/procedures-and-protocols.

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on the Tennessee River

By Richard Simms

olor mutations occur in a variety of wildlife species—albino whitetail deer, black (melanistic) coyotes and yes, piebald catfish. To witness, and especially catch, one of those unique creatures, however, is rare. Yet it happened recently for Rocco Mansueto on the Tennessee River. Mansueto was fishing in late September with Capt. Joe Jellison, a guide working with Scenic City Fishing Charters in Chattanooga, Tenn. Capt. Jellison also produces the popular YouTube Channel, Chatt Cats Fishing. Capt. Jellison routinely fishes on the Tennessee River near Chattanooga. His clients had already enjoyed a successful day, including a 27-pound blue caught by Rocco’s brother, Phillip, when Rocco hooked up again on a respectable catfish. When they fought the fish close enough to the boat to see it, Capt. Jellison, who has boated thousands of catfish, said he was awestruck. “Piebald catfish are quite rare. There’s one-in-a-million chance of getting one,” said Capt. Jellison. “They are actually blue catfish with a genetic mutation. I told Rocco many (or most) fishermen will fish their whole life and not catch a piebald catfish.” Piebaldism is the absence of melanin-forming cells (melanocytes) in certain areas of the skin. It is different from albinism, where all cells lack the ability to produce pigment altogether. Hence, piebald creatures do not have the pink eye characteristic of albinos. The piebald gene is often hereditary. Another Scenic City Fishing guide, Capt. Sam Simons, caught a similar fish in 2019. While it appeared to be a totally white albino, it did not have the characteristic pink eye, hence was probably a piebald as well. At the time of the catch, Capt. Jellison was drifting chicken breast as bait in the Tennessee River current, what Scenic City guides refer to as their “light tackle technique.” They use standard spinning gear and relatively light line (10-pound mono or 20-pound braid), which allows the bait to drift more naturally. Even though they use light tackle, the technique sometimes produces big catfish—up to 50 and 60 pounds. However, trophy-sized catfish are not as rare, or as cherished, as a once-in-a-lifetime piebald. Mansueto released his rare piebald catfish back into the river in hopes someone else might someday have the same experience he did. Richard Simms is an outdoor journalist and owner/guide at Scenic City Fishing Charters in Chattanooga, Tenn. Check them out at www.sceniccityfishing.com.

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719-POUNDER WINS BLUEFIN BONANZA L ocal captain Pete Speeches, of Scarborough, Maine, and the crew of Backstabber, brought a giant 719-pound bluefin tuna to the scale to win the Third Annual Casco Bay Bluefin Bonanza out of South Portland, Maine. They took home their second consecutive Casco Bay Cup. It was a fretful year for the Bonanza, as proposed restricted fishing days threatened to scuttle the event. Then, an 11th-hour category closure forced postponement of the three-day tournament from early August to early September. Despite the tremendous inconvenience to all, and a less-than-favorable forecast, the boats set out and didn’t disappoint. First to the dock on Day 1 was Endorfin with a 511-pounder. Keith Jordan, of the Bailey and Bella, quickly set the bar higher with a fat tuna that weighed 700 pounds on the nose. Speeches was hot on his tail, arriving at the scales just 20 minutes later with what would eventually prove to be the tournament winner. He was preceded by Mitch Napalitano’s 598-pounder, moving Mitch down to a third-place position, at least temporarily. Perennial frontrunner Kurt Christensen and the Molly Jane came in with a 373-pounder with Wasabi, High Anxiety and Lion’s den bringing in fish of 478, 311 and 440 pounds, respectively. Forecasted high winds and thunder showers kept many boats off the water on Day 2, but Backstabber—vying for the cumulative-weight prize—landed their second, a 467-pounder followed by Bailey & Bella’s 582-pounder. Bounty

Hunter II, one of the smaller boats in the tournament went way offshore and after a five-hour battle managed to wrangle in a 422-pounder, and made the scales before they closed. Despite challenging conditions, the crew of Molly Jane showed their mettle, bringing in a 632-pounder to open Day 3 that would ultimately hold up in the top five. Hot on their heels was Bailey & Bella with a 646-pounder that would take fourth place and secure the overall cumulative weight. The final fish was ANUT’s 698-pounder, which moved them back into third place. In the end, over $18,000 in prize money was handed out, including a top prize of $7,500 and the Casco Cup for the largest fish. More importantly, the Bluefin Bonanza raised enough money to ensure that 14 students, two from each of Maine’s seven community colleges, will receive scholarships next year. The Bonanza will also be able to fulfill their endowment to the Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges, ensuring there will always be scholarships in the future. Furthermore, a new endowment will be established with the University of Maine’s School of Marine Sciences and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to support vital bluefin tuna research that will ensure the resource and the fishery remain sustainable. For more information, check out the Casco Bay Bluefin Bonanza on Facebook, visit www.bluefinbonanza.org or email bluefinbonanza@gmail.com.

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