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CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT, NC EDITION

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VOLUME 26 • ISSUE 314

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MAY 2021

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Jackpot! Hoard of 1881-S Morgan Silver Dollars Found & Secured Mintage accounts for only 1.94% of all Morgan Silver Dollars Struck!

In 1859, Nevada’s Comstock Lode was discovered, and soon its rich silver ore made its way across the nation, including to the respected San Francisco Mint—the U.S. Mint branch known by collectors as the source of some of the finest U.S. coins ever struck. That includes the 1881 Morgan Silver Dollar, which exhibits crisp details, blazing luster, and the iconic “S” mint mark of the San Francisco Mint. Now you have the chance to add these historic, 90% pure U.S. silver coins to your collection!

Here’s the breakdown: in 1881, just 4.25% of the total Morgan series was struck. Less than half of those coins came from San Francisco. In the end, the 1881-S Morgan Silver Dollar accounts for just 1.94% of the entire series—and that’s before the mass meltings that have left so few coins for collectors to secure. And we can expect that even fewer of the survivors are of collector grade...

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THE BASICS

By Michelle Dalton

Flying OF

Kites T

here’s something about kite fishing for big pelagic gamefish that gets me going. Flying kites presents baits with a natural appearance and allows you to cover lots of water for higher catch rates. Also, the technique provides the ultimate adrenaline rush, as you get to watch the strike happen. For those unfamiliar with kite fishing, let’s go over the basics. Captains consider everything from water color and clarity to baitfish and birds to determine where to start fishing. I like fishing edges, where water color turns green to a deep blue, usually somewhere in 100 to 300 feet of water. There are different kite designs for different wind velocities. Kites are typically launched and retrieved with electric reels. Launching kites is not a piece of cake, but with the right equipment, patience and steady winds, a beginner can practice and perfect the skill. Attached to your kite line are three release clips.

Each clip is assigned to a rod. An experienced crew will fish three live baits off one kite, with each reel’s line clipped to the main kite line. Although it seems like a potential tangled mess, it’s rather organized. For the bait lines, I use high-capacity baitcasting reels spooled with 20- or 30-pound monofilament. Attached to the mono, above the leader, there are a few terminal tackle items that make up your rigs.

First, a ceramic ring is attached to the kite line using release clips. Next, a neon float dangles in the sky above each bait to help track them from a distance. From there, a small egg sinker maintains the vertical drop that keeps baits at the surface. Finally, a bead separates the sinker from your leader. Your leader depends on the targeted species. For the toothy critters, I use an 18-inch wire leader connected to fluorocarbon with an Albright knot and a 7/0 live bait hook. For sailfish, I use 10 to 12 feet of 60-pound fluorocarbon leader with a 7/0 circle hook. By paying attention and adjusting the lines, the angler keeps the baits on the surface where they make the slight commotion predators find irresistible. The rigs suspend in air above the baits, completely out of sight of the fish. I prefer fishing goggle-eyes, threadfin herring and sardines. Healthy bait is far more likely to be eaten. Ahead of tournaments, my team and I spend weeks feeding and nurturing bait to keep it healthy. If you’re fortunate enough to hook a sailfish, don’t immediately clear the other lines. Sailfish often travel in groups. Leave those other baits in the water for a chance at additional bites. Traditionally, when winds start to die at the end of spring, the number of boats trolling offshore grows. However, kite fishing goes on year-round in South Florida. Even with very little wind, a kite will fly with the help of a helium balloon. Next time your friends want to troll around offshore, tell them to “go fly a kite!” Michelle Dalton books charters through her social media pages: @Bombchelle_fishing.

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on ply. ce mer ect ely. ng. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

MAY 2021

NATIONAL 7

Humbled

ON THE DAVIDSON By Nick Carter

he Davidson River in Brevard, N.C. is one of the most widely publicized trout streams in the Southeast. It’s a challenging fishery with beautiful water that holds some very nice fish. Part of the Davidson’s appeal, or its main drawback, is easy access. The river flows roadside through most its publicly accessible length. There is small water in the headwaters accessible only by foot, but for the most part it is a park-and-fish kind of place. On a gorgeous summer weekend, a buddy and I heeded advice from the guys at Davidson River Outfitters to join the dawn patrol. We arrived on

the river at first light to find a pod of big fish, maybe four or five in the 16- to 20-inch range, hovering near the bottom of a bellybutton-deep run. They were clearly visible in low summer flows. For the next hour, we worked the run together, one or the other of us making the same drift repeatedly as the other man tied on a new fly. It was a challenge that bordered on infuriating to see those trout, an occasional belly flash belying the fact that they were eating… just not what we offered. We tried everything, right down to a size 22 red midge pupa recommended at the fly shop. Finally, because we had tried everything else, I

tied on a white Woolly Bugger—another Davidson River staple. Just twitching it through the hole, a fish we had not previously seen streaked from the periphery to slam the streamer. Those big fish didn’t even flinch as I stripped in a pretty 11-inch brown. As I released the fish, an older gentleman waded down the side of the run. He glanced out at the pod of big fish still sitting on the bottom. “Wasn’t the one you were after, was it?” he asked. My response was to offer him a shot at the run. He declined. “Don’t want any part of it,” he grumbled. “Spent all afternoon yesterday standing right where you are.” That’s a snapshot of what fishing the catch-andrelease, fly fishing only section of the Davidson is like. The river is full of fish—and some big ones. It is also frequently full of anglers. The steady pressure makes trout wise. Of course, there’s always a guy who lights up Internet message boards with a photo of a big old bruiser. He’ll give advice like, “Use a little split-shot to get it down,” but I suspect there’s more to it. Pressured fish are on guard. Catching them requires perfect presentation of the perfect fly and also being in the right place at that right time. Arriving early, staying late and fishing hard makes it more likely you’ll be there when a 2-foot-long trout makes a mistake. This story is an abbreviated excerpt from the book “Flyfisher’s Guide to North Carolina & Georgia,” which includes maps and GPS coordinates to access points for all the region’s best trout fisheries. Purchase the book on Amazon or by contacting the author at nsc8957@gmail.com.

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CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT NC EDITION

In This Issue…. • Local Fishing Forecasts • Out of Sight Out of Mind • The Science Line • What Age is Best to Start Kids Fishing? • Interview with an Angler • Underappreciated Essentials: The Net Billy Raines, Publisher TheAnglerMagCLT@gmail.com

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MAY 2021

CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT 1

Out of Sight Out of Mind

By: Michelle Armstrong

While at work the other day, one of my client's husbands came in with her to talk fishing (shameless plug, I own a nail salon in Mount Holly, NC called the Nail Therapist). We were talking about the outcome of the recent Big Bass Tour Tournament on lake Norman. There had been a huge storm in the middle of the night with lots of wind and rain. As a result, the upper end of the lake was so thick with mud it looked like you could walk on it. Unfortunately for us (my husband and I) our game plan was to start there. The client's husband looked at me in awe as I talked about the over 700 contestants that participated. Having heard about the outcome, he asked, "where did all those big fish come from?" I replied, "I'm guessing they came off beds in the clearer water at the lower end of the lake". He scoffed and explained to me that he thought plucking fish from their beds was dirty pool. I asked him if he fished this time of year and he replied, "well yes, absolutely."

toward you. Give it a couple of little flicks. This presentation does one of two things, it's either going to get a reaction from the fish on the bed, or it's going to get a reaction from the protecting fish. Either way, it's a win-win situation. And closing, during the tournament we did not catch a big fish, however we probably caught a total over 3 days 60 fish. If conditions, or conscious prevents you from sight fishing, this is an ideal way to potentially catch a biggun. So put your blinders on and go catch fish.

Hence the title of this article. Sight fishing is one of my all-time favorite ways to catch fish. Not bragging but I'm pretty good at it. During the tournament though we decided not to fight with the 698 folks sight fishing on the lower end. Us and about two other people, thought it was a good idea to fish the muddy water. Though we caught a bunch of fish, it didn't pan out for us. We decided to move to our normal fishing spots in clearer water with the hope to find some BIG fish on beds. However, we were faced with another obstacle... Yellow pollen, EVERYWHERE! We were forced to get creative and go back to the basics. During the spawn, fish move toward the back of hard bottom coves. They build their beds, and relate to stumps, rock piles, and dock poles. There is always a male fish hanging around just out of sight of the bed. His job is to protect the female on her bed. But he, and she, still has to eat and "shoo" off any predators that come along. Since you can't see them, to aggravate them, and get a reaction bite, you have to lure them in another way. The most successful method for me, is to put the correct baits in the right places. One of my go-to presentations is a white Bizz Bait Dizzy Diamond wacky rigged worm. I rig this on a Powell 7' medium spinning rod with light line. (yes, I believe fish can see your line) The spinning rod enables me to skip the lure in tight places like under docks or hanging trees more efficiently. My second presentation is simply a Mardi gras, weightless YUM Dinger. And by weightless, I mean Texas rig the Dinger on a 3/0 hook. My preference is to use a Powell 7"3 medium bait caster rod. About 12 inches above the hook, I use a 1/32 pinch on weight. This allows the bait to fall faster and have a little more action. You’ll want to throw this very close to the bank, slowly working it back 2 CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT

MAY 2021

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MAY 2021

CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT 3

FRESHWATER FORECAS

Forecast for Lake Norman By: Captain Gus

Spring has “sprung” and the fish are biting. Like many Piedmont residents, it may have been a long time since you wet a line. Hopefully, these tips will help make your first fishing trip of the new season a productive one. Get an early start: Sunrise signals the first inning of a fishing day. Fish are particularly active from dawn until an hour or so after sunrise. Ice, gas and bait: Plan to be on the lake at first light. Load the boat with gas, ice, bait and tackle the night before. Don’t forget to set the clock. Sun glasses: Polarized glasses reduce the glare and make it easier to see through the water. Fish swimming along the banks or tending their spawning beds are easy to catch. Artificial/Live Baits: Swimming lures that imitate the look and action of shad – Shad Raps, Rapalas, Rattle Traps and Swimbaits are popular with bass and hybrid striped bass anglers. Soft plastics, jigging spoons and deep diving lures are preferred when fish are deep and feeding near the bottom. Live shad/ herring /minnows are particularly effective during the spring. They swim naturally when hooked through the nose or lips. To keep them active a bait tank, live well or a bait bucket with a battery-operated aerator is recommended. Hooks, sinkers and bobbers: Match the size of the terminal tackle to the size of the bait for the type of fish you target. When fishing slows, downsize bait, hooks, sinkers and bobbers.

Spring is a good time to re-spool reels with new line. A 6′ to 7′ medium action spinning rod and reel combination, loaded with ten pound test line is perfect for most fishing conditions on Piedmont lakes. Optimum performance is achieved when the spinning reel is filled to within 1/8th of an inch from the lip of the spool. Best places to fish: Boat docks are preferred for most species of fish on Lake Norman. Other prime targets include bridge pilings, downed trees, brush piles, channel markers and points of land. Nets: Be sure to have a landing net on board. Place the net in the water and lead the fish into it head first. Camera: Don’t forget to take a camera and share the pictures with those who didn’t go with you. Tips from Capt. Gus: Using small corks and bobbers means more fish when live baiting,. Larger bobbers are easier to cast and see, but are more difficult for small or medium size fish to tug on. In fact, if a fish detects too much resistance, it might drop the bait before swallowing it. April Hot Spots: Warmer and rising lake waters have bass close to shore and in the backs of coves where they are spawning. Hybrids are upriver where they can be taken on live bait, clams, mussels and a variety of artificial lures. See ya out there!

Capt. Gus Gustafson of Lake Norman Ventures, Inc. is an Outdoor Columnist and a full time Professional Fishing Guide on Lake Norman, NC. Visit his website at www.FishingWithGus.com or call 704-617-6812.

Casting:

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FRESHWATER FORECAS

Forecast for Lake Wylie By: Captain Phillip Rizzitello

Finally, the rain has let up! With the weather starting to warm, the rain starting to go away and the longer day light it can only mean one thing. That’s right, the spawn. Fish are already coming out of the lethargic stage and getting more and more active by the day. Spawning beds are being made, bites have picked up and water temps are on the rise. With that being said, now is the time to get out. The next month or so should be very productive and only get better. Make sure to get out and take advantage of this prime time as the recreational boaters and sweltering summer temps will be here before you know it. The water, while clearing, is still dingy. Utilize baits that will draw attention will be in your best interest. Whether it be something noisy, vibrating, shiny, stinky or bright in color anything that will draw attention. Spinner baits, crank bait that rattles, cut shad, live bait (not dead) are all options for most species. Water depth is doing to vary this time of year day by day. Warmer days go shallower and cooler days move a little deeper. Fish should be covering a lot of different depths with the weather so back and forth as well as while they are getting their beds ready. If you can visually see beds the fish will not be far. Get out there, enjoy everything nature has to offer, and land some fish!

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B R A G B O A R D

Bryan Baire Jeremy Stalker

Joshua Myers

Martin Houston 8 CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT

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Ezzy Ferreri

Paisley Green

B R A G

Shaena Wood

B O A R D

Shelley Whisler

TJ Penninger

Noah Randall COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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QCKBF Angler Profile By: Mike Hicks Someone has said, “Many men go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after”. Queen City Kayak Bass Fishing, the grass roots of the South is run and coordinated by Vinny Ferreri. He is known for his love of competitive bass fishing. I discovered Queen City in January of 2020 while in search of a club to fish with competitively. As a pastor, I had fished a club while pastoring in Pennsylvania. My greatest accomplishment while fishing with Kayak Anglers of Western Pennsylvania was winning a tournament on a lake I had never fished before in which I threw a frog all day. Queen City was more than I had ever imagined. Averaging over 90 anglers a month, and should I say some of the best anglers in the South, this club is a very talented and a wellrun club. Last year, I was fortunate enough to finish 18th in the Angler of the Year race and made the Tournament of Champions in which I finished 3rd. Queen City has taught me so much about fishing competitively. This year, I’m proud to head up a devotion and prayer for the club and its safety over the competitions. I would encourage anyone who has a passion to fish competitively to give Queen City a try. You will not find a more competitive and smoothrunning club anywhere! Until then, tight lines and God bless!

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The Science Line: The Dilemma of Choosing the Right Rod and Reel By: Jake Bussolini

I participate in a few fishing social media sites and also have the opportunity record the questions that I am often asked at my fishing lectures, and there is one question that never seems to go away no matter home many times it is asked and answered. “I’m getting started as an angler, should I buy a spinning or a casting outfit and how much should I spend?” There are short answers and longer ones to that question, let’s look at both answers.

handles that can be changed to accommodate a right or left-handed angler. If you are generally left-handed and cast with your left arm, you probably want to crank with your right hand so as not to have to switch the rod from one hand to another after the cast. Although casting reels can be purchased for either hand, the handles cannot be switched from one side to another on a specific reel and most casting reels available are designed for cranking with the right hand.

My short answer for a new angler is “get a spinning rod and reel and spend only what you can afford but not over As for brand names or price, the type of equipment is $50.” My price limit suggestion usually takes care of the the main consideration. For spinning equipment, brand next question of the brand of equipment to buy. name is less important to me. I always recommend that spinning equipment be purchased as a combination with To be more complete answering that question, I have to the rod and reel purchased together. These “combos” are answer the question with a question, “what type of fishing normally properly balanced and you can usually find a do you expect to do, (fresh or salt water) and what type of combo that has the right length and action for around fish are you after?” Both of these questions are the critical $50. ones to provide the information for a correct answer to the original questions. Whether fresh or salt water, for a Casting reels on the other hand tend to be more expensive. beginner I always recommend a spinning outfit. The fish For light duty casting equipment for use in fresh water for species sought will determine the size. species such as bass, the number of gears and gear-ratio become important because they control the smoothness For fresh water use, the fish species will be the determinant and speed of the retrieve. An average gear ratio might to my answer but I will still recommend that an angler be 5.3:1. This means that for every complete turn of the just starting out would be best advised to get a spinning handle, the spool will turn 5.3 times, so the higher the reel and a medium action seven foot long, rod. The reel ratio, the faster the reel will retrieve the line. To many should be wound with 10 lb. test monofilament line. anglers, brand is more important for casting gear, but my experience has taught me that Japanese reels tend to be The confusion with the type of equipment to be used has better on gear smoothness than most other brands, so I been introduced by the many videos that are available tend to favor any Japanese made casting reel. The price showing professional anglers who regularly use casting range of an average casting combo will be $100 or more. equipment. The choice of the pros is determined by the There are cheaper prices available for equipment to be fact that most of their action is fishing around docks use by an angler just starting out or just switching from and structure where casting accuracy is very important. spinning to casting equipment. As a general rule for any With practice, casting equipment is much more accurate new fishing equipment for the average angler, buy only at short distances. Casting equipment however requires what you can afford, the fish have no idea what it at the some skill and a good deal of practice to become other end of the line. proficient. Jake Bussolini is a freelance writer who has published Spinning equipment on the other hand is much more several books about freshwater fishing. His books can be popular among the average angler. It requires very little reviewed at www.booksbyjake.com. skill and a minimum of practice to become proficient. Long accurate casts are easy to make with spinning equipment, and it is rare to get a line tangle. One big advantage of a spinning reel is that most reels have COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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Interview with an Angler: Hwy. 49’s Darrin Brown

Q: Tell us a little bit about the history of Hwy. 49 Sporting Goods and how you became involved… The building has been a sporting goods store since the 1970's. I am not sure when exactly it went from being a full-service service station to a sporting goods store.

In 1992 my brother-in-law and I poured jig heads and sinkers for several tackle stores in the area. Hwy. 49 Sporting Goods was one of the stores we supplied with jig heads and sinkers. At that time, the owner of the Min-O-Pon store down on Hwy. 24/27 also owned Hwy. 49 Sporting Goods. I was working as a shift supervisor at Collins & Aikman in Salisbury at this time. The owner of the store informed me that he was going to sell Hwy. 49 Sporting Goods. The store was shut down in November of 1992. At that time, it was just about a 2000 square foot store. Sales at the store had been in decline for several years at that time. After discussing it with my wife and my father-in-law we agreed to purchase the store together. January of 1993 we reopened the store. Our entire inventory at that time would have been valued at about $3000. Our location and our hours of operation (opening at 5:30am) allowed us to slowly grow the business as many other sporting goods stores in the area were going out of business. We expanded the building three times over the years to its current size. Q: How about your professional background? I worked at Collins and Aikman in Salisbury, NC after graduating High School and two years of college. I have always loved fishing and hunting so we started pouring jigs and weights for several of the local stores in the area. When Hwy. 49 Sporting Goods came available to purchase, I left Collins and Aikman to run the store. Q: Are you involved in any local tournaments and/or events? We like to help the local tournament trails in the area by donating items for the tournaments. Q: One of the most essential parts of our angler

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and outdoors community is the stories. You gotta give us a couple! A) The largest fish I have seen come in at the store was a Blue Catfish that weighed 93lbs. We had to weigh it on a deer scale. It would have been a state record at that time, but It was caught on a noodle(jug) and they will not count a fish caught on a noodle for the state record. B) A couple of winters ago we had two striper fishermen come in with 4 crappies weighing over 3 lbs each and several over 2 lbs each. They caught them drifting large live shiners in open water for striped bass. To catch one crappie over 3lbs is highly unusual but to catch 4 on the same day when you are not even fishing for crappies is unheard of. These were the largest crappies I have ever seen caught. Q: Have you formed any relationships with regulars? It’s incredible how customers and peers can become family and friends in this community. We have a few long-time customers who are considered some of the best fishermen in the area. A) Ronnie Whitley, our neighbor next door to the store is probably one of the best crappie fishermen in the area. For years he consistently caught nice live wells full of large crappies. B) Jamie Roland, a local guide, catches fish (especially stripers). He works hard at keeping up with the fish migrations and giving his clients a great day of fishing. Q: What gives you the most satisfaction from your business? And lastly, where do you envision the future taking you and the store? A) I get great satisfaction when one of our customers comes in and tells me he/she had a great day on the water or in the woods because of a tip we gave them about where to go or what lure to use. I also enjoy watching the younger kids grow into great outdoor people. I have been here now 29 years, so I have had the pleasure of watching the small kids grow into adults and bring their kids in to get what they need to continue the tradition.

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B) The future seems bright for the fishing and camping side of the business. With the Covid pandemic, many people either started fishing for the first time or came back to fishing after having not fished for many years. Many of these customers have since begun fishing and camping on a regular basis now.

HWY. 49 36488 SPORTING GOODS NC 49 Hwy, New London, NC 28127 704-463-7053 Tuckertown Lake 49sports.com

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What Age is Best to Start Kids Fishing? By: Jake Bussolini

This is not a question that ranks along with the big ones like, “the meaning of life,” but it is a question that I have been asked many times by parents who, themselves were never taught by their parents, about the joys and responsibilities of fishing. I was fortunate that my Dad was an outdoor person so he introduced me to fishing at about 6 years of age, and hunting when I was about twelve. Now as a Grandparent and great Grandparent, I realize that I could have started fishing earlier. I now know that there is so much more about fishing to learn and understand than simply hooking on to a big fish. As many of my followers know, I have organized many fishing programs for youngsters, always of course, accompanied by a parent or grandparent. Living on or close to a lake, I feel that the youngsters should understand the valuable resource the lake offers them. But I also want them to use this sport to get closer to their parents or grandparents in a healthy outdoor activity. So back to the question, when should you start? As a scientific person. I’m always interested in understanding the extremes of all situations so I thought that I would try and introduce my great grandson to fishing at the ripe old age of 18 months. He showed up at my home with his rod and reel and fishing box titled “fishing with Pop-Pop” and he was ready to go. Now Giovani Ciciarelli, or Gio as we all call him, didn’t exactly realize what he was about to encounter at this age but he did know that he was going out on the boat with his Dad and Pop-Pop for a new experience. Of course, safety being the first concern at all times, he had to put on a life jacket, which he did willingly. When he saw the bait bucket with the live minnows, he headed straight for them and we soon realized that his interest was to become our bait boy. Gio learned quickly exactly what fishing was about. Not long after he was seated comfortably with his rod in his hand, he hooked a nice bass, landing it with the help of his Dad of course. Now I realize that my experience with Gio was simply a desire on my part to be with him when he caught his first fish. And of course, I know that as my great grandson he is the smartest kid alive at his age. Putting all of that aside however, he fished with us for over two hours with no snacks, phones or other play devices.

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Of course, in between the fish catching we tried to make him aware of all the safety concerns that go along with being on a boat. We had made a few short boat trips earlier to make sure that he had no fear of the water. We reminded him to handle the fish that he caught carefully so they would live when put back into the water. To me, of course, he will remember being on a boat with his Dad and PopPop, catching his first fish. Perhaps 18 months of age is a little young to start a youngster off fishing. You have to know the child to really know when the time is right, and of course the safety of the child is the most important factor whether fishing from a boat of from a shore location. Water is dangerous and the child has to be taught water safety first and foremost. The fishing aspect can also be an opportunity to show the child environmental concerns such as the importance of clean water both for us humans and also the water life that lives in it. Pointing out other aspects of being on the water can be a learning experience. Showing how other water animals such as the ducks and geese live and survive on the water and sometimes needing the smaller fish as their food to survive. All of this might seem a little advanced for the younger kids, but I think we sometimes fail to realize just how much knowledge a child absorbs, if these things are properly pointed out them. It’s easy to make the point to a child that they should always be seated when the boat is moving, or when sitting on a shoreline, they have to be aware of the wakes caused by the passing boats, that can be large enough to pull then into the water. The earlier a child learns these lessons, the better they will apply them. To many folks, saying “no” several times might be too much discipline for a child, but it is a word that is simple and easy to understand if they learn it at a very young age. To show children good fishing practices, it’s a good idea to put away the cell phones and other social media gadgets, except of course, a camera to record the youngsters first fish.

Jake Bussolini is a freelance writer who has written several books about freshwater fishing. His books can be seen at www.booksbyjake. com.

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Underappreciated Essentials: The Net

By: Ryan Wilson

Fly fishing is a gear heavy sport. The scope and the cost of all the stuff that you need can be intimidating for new and experienced anglers alike. While some of us love all the gear and gadget options, others find themselves overwhelmed. It can be tempting to cut corners in certain areas to trim down on the cost and clutter of your fly fishing outfit. Over the next few articles, I’m going to highlight a few items that I consider essential, but that I often see anglers neglect to their own detriment. Today, we’re going to talk about the net.

A net is an essential piece of fly fishing gear. From both an ethical angling and from a productivity perspective, there really is not an excuse for not using one. It will require a little bit of thought to get your system set up efficiently and being good with your net is an actual skill that you will have to learn, but overlooking this important piece of equipment will help you catch and successfully release more fish, save you time, flies and mental anguish.

Simply stated, if you are fishing without a net, you are landing fewer fish, losing more flies (and wasting time having to retie), causing more harm to the fish you do bring to hand and looking pretty silly in the process.

Ryan Wilson is the Owner and Operator of Madison River Fly Fishing Outfitters in Cornelius, NC. If you’d like help making the most of your time on the water, please contact him at madisonriverflyfishing@gmail.com or call at (704) 896-3676. Check us out on Facebook: Madison River Fly Fishing Outfitters or on the Web: www.carolinaflyfishing.com

Without a net, your options to land a trout are to either bring it to hand or drag it up on the bank. Both of those options take time and put extra strain on those light tippets and will often cause the line to snap, losing you the fish and the fly. Even more important than your lost rig, those landing methods are significantly more damaging to the fish, hindering a successful recovery after release. Landing a trout by hand is difficult because that fish is slimy, and oddly enough will be doing everything in its power to avoid you. After several failed attempts, it’s only natural that most of us will seize that fish with a death grip when we finally do get a hand on it. That grip can cause muscle, tissue & organ damage, as well as removing the slimy coating that helps protect the trout from infection and parasites. If you require a demonstration on how dragging a trout across sand/ rocks/ gravel/ dirt isn’t good for it, then I suggest sitting your own butt down and pooch scooting across the backyard once or twice. When choosing a net, you need to consider size & portability, material and cost. Handle length and head width will depend on your fishing style and the fish you’ll be targeting, as well as personal preference. A net that’s too big will be a pain to carry & deploy and too small will make landing fish more difficult, especially the fish you really don’t want to lose. I have different nets for different situations, but the one I use 90% of the time has a 12” handle and is 32” total. That gives me decent reach, but isn’t so big that it hinders my mobility. I exclusively use Fishpond nets, which are a carbon fiber/ Kevlar construction. They’re lightweight and very strong. They come with the price tag, but as a guide, I need stuff that I can trust to hold up to hard use. In the past, I’ve also used wood and even plain aluminum nets. Like anything in the sport, purchase the product that best fits your budget, recognizing that cheapo gear will have to be purchased more than once. Another important factor is bag construction & depth. For trout fishing you want a soft rubber mesh instead of the traditional nylon. The rubber is much gentler on the fish and won’t abrade away the protective slime we talked about earlier. It’s also easier on the fisherman, as flies tend to get badly snagged/ tangled up in the nylon mesh and come out easily with rubber. Make sure the bag is deep enough to land the fish you might encounter. If you’re in an area with big fish, make sure you have a net that can hold them. Aside from just not wanting to spend the money on one, the main reason anglers don’t carry a net is that it can be cumbersome. The net has to be accessible, easy to deploy, secured to your pack/ person and easy to store. Some packs make that easy, some do not. Most full-size packs have a net storage option, but it’s not always that convenient. I have mine hanging from a shoulder strap, attached with a magnetic tether. It works really well with my pack of choice. The tether is especially important, as losing expensive gear makes my stomach hurt. There isn’t space here to go over all the different pack/ vest configurations, but you may have to play with it a little bit to find out what works with your outfit.

Madison River Fly Fishing is your one stop shop for all fly fishing gear. We proudly distribute:

Don’t forget to book your guided fly fishing trip today! 20910 Torrence Chapel Rd. Suite D5, Cornelius, NC 28031

704-896-3676 www.carolinaflyfishing.com

www.facebook.com/Madisonriverflyfishing outfitters

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Keep Up With the Action! CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT NC EDITION

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, e . e

program GEICO

GULP! PADDLESHAD ®

YOUR FISH. OUR SCIENCE.

SCENT

TASTE

FISH SMELL 1000X BETTER THAN WE DO. Underwater. In current. And even in nutrient-dense saltwater, fish can pick up a scent at the parts per billion level. Think that’s impressive? How about a bait with the ability to trick that sense of smell into believing it is even better than real food. In scientific tests, Gulp!® proved so effective on saltwater gamefish, it actually outfished real bait time and time again. Not only does the scent outperform real and artificial bait, it has 400 times the scent dispersion of the best competing soft plastic bait. Now, Gulp! is available in all of the most popular sizes, colors and actions, including the new Firetail options. Berkley® Gulp! We’ve done the science, now you catch the fish. berkley-fishing.com ©2020 Pure Fishing, Inc.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE BITE Berkley Saltwater Gulp! Continues to Outshine Live Bait for Coastal Anglers

ll along the coast, as the highways near the busiest launch ramps, the bait shop signs announcing what’s for sale reinforce what most anglers already know: natural bait does a good job of catching fish. Live baitfish and live shrimp are almost always on the bait shop menu as they present the most natural food source. But even the frozen slabs of baitfish and chunks of cut bait that are also widely sold—baits which have no action to them whatsoever—are eaten by saltwater species if presented the right way. But why? The answer is simple, as it all pertains to one of the most misunderstood senses in fish biology: a fish’s sense of smell. It’s this sense of smell that inspired the development of Berkley Saltwater

Gulp!, the line of baits that has transformed saltwater fishing with their effectiveness, ease of use and value. For as effective as live or cut bait can be in saltwater fishing, it’s far from the perfect solution. Live bait can be very expensive and difficult to keep alive. Unused bait becomes a treat for pushy pelicans or gets dumped into the water. Presented with a problem, the scientists at Berkley set out to find a solution. Fish smell on the parts-per-billion level, the equivalent of a single drop of water in an Olympicsized swimming pool. This powerful sense of smell is extremely important to a fish’s ability to feed. Fish rely upon their sense of smell because they live in an aquatic environment filled with particles

and debris that can look like food. Their noses tell fish the difference between food and other organic compounds. Berkley scientists set out to make the first artificial bait that really appealed to a fish’s sense of smell. The first step was getting scent to disperse from a soft bait. While fish attractants and scents are nothing new, all of the competitive versions were oil-based. And just like the old adage reminds us, oil and water don’t mix. An oil-based scent that is smelly to a human has no effectiveness on fish since it is not soluble in water. That’s why Gulp! scents are water-based. The water-based scent formula, now known as Berkley Gulp! and which has since become synonymous with saltwater fishing across the country, caught more fish than live bait in headto-head tests. This scent, combined with the proprietary material used in Berkley Gulp! baits, disperses scent 400 times more effectively than any other soft bait, meaning it creates a scent field that is easily detected by fish and which continues to expand as the bait is retrieved. “I started really using Gulp! in about 2007, a few years after it came out,” said Capt. Jot Owens, who operates out of Wrightsville Beach, N.C., where he specializes in putting his clients on big redfish, flounder and other species. “And from the first year I started fishing with Gulp!, we were catching more and bigger flounder than we had ever caught before—and we were fishing in the same areas we had always been fishing. I don’t

know what the magic formula is, but it really wakes fish up.” Capt. Owens said he prefers Berkley Saltwater Gulp! for a host of species, but especially for redfish and flounder. His go-to set up for flounder varies slightly depending on whether he’s fishing inshore or farther out. The set up consists of a 6-inch Saltwater Gulp! Jerk Shad (Chartreuse/Pepper/ Neon or Firetiger) on a 3/8-ounce long-shank jig head. Because Gulp! baits are wet inside and out, they can come unrigged, so Capt. Owens relies on a Berkley Fusion19 jig that has lead lips and a wire hook to keep his Jerk Shad rigged properly. When fishing inshore, he uses a medium-fast Fenwick HMG Inshore paired with a Size 2500 or 3000 PENN Battle III DX spinning reel, which is spooled with 15-pound braid and a 30-pound fluorocarbon leader. Farther out, he will increase the line size to a 20-pound braid mainline and a 40-pound fluorocarbon leader spooled onto a Size 3500 PENN Spinfisher. “Just make sure the bait is bouncing on bottom; I’m typically jigging with the rod tip pretty high,” Capt. Owens said. “It’s not that you won’t get bit dragging it on the bottom, but the bait is more effective bouncing up and down.” For redfish, Capt. Owens has his clients using 3- or 4-inch Gulp! Shrimp (Sugar Spice Glow or Chartreuse) on a 1/8- or 1/4-ounce jig head, increasing the weight of the jig based on fishing depth and current. The rest of his redfish set up is similar to that of his inshore rig for flounder:

medium-fast Fenwick HMG Inshore paired with a Size 2500 or 3000 PENN Battle III DX spinning reel, which is spooled with 15-pound braid and a 30-pound fluorocarbon leader. “The best retrieve is a hop-hop; let it sit for a second or two then give it another hop-hop,” Capt. Owens said. “Redfish are really bottom feeders, so they’ll almost always hit it on the drop or while it’s sitting on bottom for the brief pause. The way the Berkley Saltwater Gulp! Shrimp is putting out scent, redfish pick it up with the same excitement as they would a hunk of cut bait even though it’s not moving.”

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Can Take You There!

Troll and Watch Bottom for Spring Grouper By CAM Staff

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t’s a lot more fun to fill fish boxes when the various Gulf and Atlantic grouper seasons open in spring. These days, advances in electronics have made finding good grouper bottom easier than ever. There is, however, a trade-off. In the good old days, captains precisely timed their courses out of the pass in hopes of coming off throttle near a fish-producing rock pile. Before GPS and sonar, the best indicators of productive bottom were boats already there and catching fish. Successful anglers even welcomed new PHOTO COURTESY OF CRYSTAL LAFOSSE boats to the party, reasoning that more baits in the water served to excite fish into feeding. In case you didn’t notice, that’s not the way things work any more. Now any yahoo with a boat can plug coordinates into their navigation system and sleepwalk straight to a ledge or wreck. Community holes and artificial reefs are crowded and sometimes picked clean of fish. To avoid this, a good set of numbers is a jealously guarded secret. Camaraderie on the open sea is officially a thing of the past when picking up and moving off productive bottom is a logical step to avoid being marked in the mapping system of a passing vessel. We’ve traded open sharing of information for technological advancements the old salts couldn’t have dreamed of. With advanced radar, sonar, mapping and GPS, it’s up to the angler to spend time on the water to locate their own magic numbers. With grouper seasons opening in state and federal waters off the southern states, most species have finished with the peak of spawning. They have begun moving to deeper water and are hungry to feed-up and regain what was lost to the rigors of the spawn. However, grouper are also spread out more thinly right now than they are when they group up on deep-water structure in summer. You might not have to run as far to reach productive bottom, but you will likely have to do more spot-hopping to fill the boxes. It’s a good time of year to troll. Some fish will still be shallow enough to target with deep-diving lures. Using planers and downriggers, it’s possible to get lures down to 60 feet or deeper, and some very deep-diving plugs can get down to 40 feet on their own with the right braided line. This allows you to cover ground on and around those ledge coordinates you have marked. It’s a throwback to the olds days, when trolling up a grouper was the method for finding an area to stop and drop baits. If you keep an eye on the bottom machine, you might even spot a small formation you didn’t know was there. These small blips are the honeyholes that produce when the larger reefs and structure succumb to constant fishing pressure. Don’t care for boat rides and watching rods? Traditional bottom fishing may still be the best method. Check your shallower coordinates as you head out this time of year. Many boats ride right over good structure on the way to their deeper summer spots. Reefs or rocks as shallow as 40 feet will hold fish before they head out to their mid-summer haunts. Just be sure to drop some chum down upstream of the structure to bring them out of their hidey-holes. See your state’s saltwater fishing regulations to determine which species of grouper are open for harvest where you fish.

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MAY 2021

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NATIONAL 17

On the Swordfish Ledge

off Marathon

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

f you’ve ever been swordfishing out of Marathon, Fla., chances are you were deep dropping the same area I was in April, when the U.S. Coast Guard ticketed us for fishing in Bahamian waters. Dropping for swordfish is exhausting. Staring mindlessly at one single rod tip, it’s easy to lose your mind questioning if every other wave was a bite. It is also possible to spend an entire day doing the crazy-eyed swordfish rod stare and never get a nibble. During a slow drift along the ledge in 1,800 feet of water, our luck finally changed. A flock of diving terns approached and crossed behind the

boat. We opened bails on the flat lines and let pinfish swim toward the commotion. Immediately we hooked up and stole a school of mahi from under the birds. With four mahi hooked up along the port side, we had just begun the assembly line from hook to killbox when we were informed the U.S. Coast Guard was about to board our boat. Approaching from starboard to accommodate our fishing, three “Coasties” boarded to conduct a routine safety check. After about half an hour with our official guests on board, we finished with the school of mahi and decided to reel up the sword line. We activated the electric reel, and— distracted by our visitors—it took a moment to

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realize we were hooked up. The Coasties were going to have to put a pin in it. “Hang on fellas; we’re hooked up!” For the next half hour, we didn’t hear a word from our visitors. As the fish began to surface, the line scoped out underneath the Coast Guard cutter raft. We radioed asking them to move. After a lot of chaos and tight boat maneuvering, we landed the 150-pound swordfish with the Coast Guard on board. They even took the catch photos. It was all high fives and celebration until they asked us for our Bahamian fishing licenses and informed us we were illegally fishing in the Bahamian Exclusive Economic Zone. Later on, extensive research by Steve Steenstra, owner of Blue Magic Charters, revealed the Bahamian EEZ line runs about 24 miles from land, straight across the U.S. sword ledge. None of us, not even our GPS mapping knew about this line. A law enacted some 40 years ago had just been enforced for the first time. We were the first vessel cited. As I understand it, after visiting the Coast Guard Station in Key West, the EEZ line was drawn straight down the middle by default. Now that they’re enforcing it, recreational swordfishing from the Keys is threatened, along with the livelihoods it supports. As the situation unfolds, it would be wise to stay up to date before venturing offshore from the Keys. Capt. Quinlyn Haddon and Blue Magic Charters are following this situation closely. Contact her at (504) 920-6342 or through Instagram @CaptainQuinlyn and @BlueMagicCharters.

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ach spring, inshore anglers are greeted with big winds, big tides and small baitfish. There is no time where the size of your lure can make or break your trip more than the spring season. With the abundance of small baitfish in the water, it can be difficult to get the attention of your target species, especially when you are fishing with artificial lures. It is also very common to find gamefish gorging themselves on tiny glass minnows. This is routinely evident when you land a fish and they spit up these miniature meals. As anglers, we have two obstacles here: the sheer amount of forage in the water competing with your lure and the small size of the lure required. What I have found to be the most successful tactic is to use the smallest lure I can cast and appropriately present to the fish. Both hard and soft lures can be effective. Another key to success is color. I prefer a white-and-silver combination that closely matches the natural forage. I like to fish these lures on the edge of large bait balls when possible. I try to keep my lure on the edge or under the school to let the fish focus on a single target rather than a large mass.

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

Using a slow-sinking lure is an advantage at this time of the year. A lure that will suspend or slow-sink is ideal. This allows the predator time to target your lure, and it also gives the appearance of a wounded baitfish, which is always a plus. When the bait is this thick, your lure needs to stand out, but you still need to match the forage in size and color. The use of tandem rigs allows for a couple of advantages. Casting two smaller lures could equal the weight of one of your typical offerings. This allows you to cast farther and still have the appropriate size lure. Rigging two small silver spoons with white bucktails is a great combination when fishing glass minnow schools. I also like to use a small floater/ diver with a small spoon trailer. The diving action in conjunction with the added weight of the spoon is a unique combination of action to entice strikes. Downsizing your lure presentation in spring can definitely up-size your catch. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures, Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES

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MAY 2021

NATIONAL 21

“For Me, It’s a Fishing Tool”

The 2021 Must-Have Anchoring System

“T

he easiest way I can explain ‘boat position’: if you’re at the baseball game, you’re either playing—which is fishing—or you’re watching the game, which means you’re not…” Capt. Mickey Brelsford decided he’d rather be in the game than on the sidelines, so installing the Rebel EZ-5 became a no-brainer after researching product information and helpful documents on the company website, then calling the drum anchor winch plate design that allows the drum to free-spool when the manufacturer’s technical support team for additional pointers. clutch plate is disengaged. To get that “ good, solid anchoring In the past, using a windlass yielded poor retrieval results position,” press and hold the “raise/power up” side of the and left no room for customization, like adding special button for about five seconds: this will cause the clutch plate to attachments or splicing rope and chain. Now, Capt. Brelsford once again rotate, but this time clamping down on the drum says his Rebel free-fall unit is the perfect fishing tool, providing and holding the boat at anchor. him a “good, solid anchoring position.” “Once I deploy my anchor and it goes into a free-fall, it’s “I don’t know how many times I’ve been on boats where straight down to the bottom as quick as it can go…” Brelsford [the line is] hanging up, snarling, getting knotted up in the said. “And then, once I set the anchor, I can free-line out as windlass or shredding line.” Brelsford said. much anchor rode as I need: that’s what I call ‘boat position’.” A retired policeman, Capt. Brelsford enjoys his time fishing As an added bonus, the Rebel drum anchor winch is near the coast of St. James City, Fla. on his 37-foot “Nostalgic compatible with an E-Z Anchor Puller wireless long-range Lady”: a 1981 Hatteras Sportfish that carries 300 feet of ⅝-inch remote, which controls your drum anchor winch from rope and 20 feet of heavy-duty chain. After adding a pulpit to anywhere on the boat. Capt. Brelsford purchased his on the his vessel, Capt. Brelsford used to pull up all his rope by hand, wasting time company website, ezanchorpuller.com. and energy on multiple retrieval and deployment attempts as he tried to find “This [unit] here—don’t worry about it—it just rolls right on and keeps on the perfect “boat position.” rollin’. That’s what it is: E-Z!” Unlike E-Z Anchor Puller Mfg. Co’s two direct drive series (the Hero To learn more, call 1-800-800-1640 or visit ezanchorpuller.com. and Patriot series), the Rebel drum anchor winch has a clutch and friction

22 NATIONAL

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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

G o to An ch or Pu lle ri st he W ay or Be lo w ,E -Z D ec k Ab ov e Above-deck on the 3025 GFX or below-deck inside the rope locker of the 35’ Sea Chaser HFC, the Rebel drum anchor winch is included as the standard or optional upgrade feature on these and other 2021 models. The compact design and 316 stainless steel components ensure E-Z Anchor Puller drum anchor winches can be retrofitted into tight spaces and perform in harsh, saltwater environments.

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