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GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE EDITION

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GIANT CATFISH

LOCAL LAKE & RIVER FORECASTS VOLUME 27 • ISSUE 327

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SHORT LINES

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

LEAD TO

MAHI T

he transition into the summer months brings calmer days more viable for offshore fishing. This is the season when waterways become flooded with snowbirds and weekend warriors, although current fuel prices may keep the pressure off those hot offshore numbers. With mahi season in full swing in the Atlantic, scouting the ocean for signs of life offshore is easily most exciting this time of year. Trolling for mahi near weedlines, diving birds and floating debris is extremely productive. These fish will eat just about anything they see, so much so that I wouldn’t be surprised if you could get a hookup on a banana peel. A trolling spread for mahi doesn’t have to be elaborate. Four lines or less will get the job done. Their penchant for jumping and swimming zigzags on the surface makes tangles in the spread an unfortunate reality. Lines can be kept short, as mahi will eat near a moving boat. While fishing in heavier weeds, shorter lines allow lures to skip more to kick off grass. Lures that don’t like to rid themselves of grass can alternatively be more easily observed and manually cleared with this method. Keeping the lines short also increases the chances of a hooked fish bringing the school of mahi-mahi with them to the boat. The farther back the lines are when a mahi is hooked, the more

6 NATIONAL

JUNE 2022

time the rest of the school has to lose interest in following their buddy. Once a hooked mahi is boatside, leave them in the water as a swimming, codependent chumbag. The rest of the school often follows them, giving you a chance to hook up to more. Have something on your boat to cast out in this situation. Nearly anything will do when the school is in a frenzy. Jigs, lures, cut bait, live bait, possibly banana peels. Sometimes mahi will turn their nose up at certain baits, but the key can be entirely within the presentation. They usually prefer a bait that is teasing them and just almost out of reach. Alternate between letting the bait fall and twitching it away from them. At times, you might get ready to leave a closed-mouth school only to finally have your bait crushed as you quickly reel in the pitch bait. If this is the case, they might just be in a mood to chase something moving more quickly, and getting back on the troll may be a better idea. Diving frigates and floating debris attract more than just mahi-mahi, and there are epic sightings to be had in the open water, everywhere in between.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

From marlin to whale sharks, calm summer days offshore are as good as it gets. Calmer and sunnier days provide above average visibility, making once in a lifetime encounters harder to miss. Keep your eyes (and bananas) peeled. Capt. Quinlyn Haddon fishes for Blue Magic Charters out of Marathon in the Florida Keys. Call (504) 920-6342.

LESS IS MORE WHEN RIGGING THE BOAT

Tim Barefoot

n a time when we are in full-throated offshore (and inshore) fishing, I’d like to address the meaning of the title of this article. We all want to put gadgets on the boat to make it more efficient and comfortable. What I’m getting ready to say may offend some folks, but the ones who actually fish for results—rather than to look good or appease mom and the kids—will get it. Less is more means the more open deck space I have, the better the dance floor is when the action starts. Period. I want a clean deck, free of “toe breakers” and stumbling blocks commonly referred to as seats and coolers I have to squeeze by. When there’s a fish ripping off drag and changing directions, I want open lanes to move up to the front of the boat or around back. You see, I’ve reached a point in life that I’m going to catch the fish I want to catch, the way I want to catch them. I troll some, but it’s early in the day to locate stacks of bait and fish. When the sun comes up to the 10 or 11 o’clock position, I start posting up with the Rhodan or drifting with a kite or float baits out. I keep a bait near the bottom and baits in

the middle water column if they are marking on the recorder or when we are getting bites on the deeper baits. What we do mid-morning is a result of how hard the current is running, the wind direction and speed or a combination of these things. If I could recommend one thing to make your boat rigging most complete, it would be a Rhodan or some other trolling motor that will keep you in place, or slow your drift with the kite directly out behind you, like you are trolling with the kite out. This will allow you to fish the lower levels of the water column for the wahoo bite in the middle of the day with lighter tackle and lighter weight jigs, and also drop a bait in front of Mr. Grouper while on the drift. Keep an eye on the recorder as you are making these long drifts, and mark the areas of bait, fish and bites so you can run back up and make the same drift again. I said all that to say this: Who says you have to use a ballyhoo trolled at 6 or 8 knots to catch fish? Slow it down to a drift or post up on a mark and catch the pelagic and bottom fish while flying the kite or with float baits. When you’ve got all that going on, excess comforts or gadgetry sometimes impede your fishing rather than making it easier. Stay tuned to upcoming videos illustrating this style fishing, but remember to keep the deck clean. Less is more. See more from Tim Barefoot at barefootcatsandtackle.com.

YOUR RODS. YOUR WAY.

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ROMAN GLADIATORS FROZEN IN TIME FOR OVER 1,600 YEARS

Found: 1,600-Year-Old Roman Gladiator Coins Hold the Glory of Rome In the Palm of Your Hand

hen your famous father appoints you Caesar at age 7, you’re stepping into some very big sandals. But when that father is Emperor Constantine the Great, those sandals can be epic! Constantius II, became Caesar at 7, and a Roman Emperor at age 20. Today, he is remembered for helping continue his father’s work of bringing Christianity to the Roman Empire, as well as for his valiant leadership in battle. But for many collectors, his strongest legacy is having created one of the most fascinating and unique bronze coins in the history of the Roman Empire: the “Gladiator’s Paycheck”.

the Gladiators Paycheck

Roman bronze coins were the “silver dollars” of their day. They were the coins used for daily purchases, as well as for the payment of wages. Elite Roman Gladiators—paid to do battle before cheering crowds in the Colosseum—often received their monthly ‘paycheck’ in the form of Roman bronze coins. But this particular Roman bronze has a gladiator pedigree like no other! Minted between 348 to 361 AD, the Emperor’s portrait appears on one side of this coin. The other side depicts a literal clash of the gladiators. One warrior raises his spear menacingly at a second warrior on horseback. Frozen in bronze for over 1,600 years, the drama of this moment can still be felt when you hold the coin. Surrounding this dramatic scene is a Latin inscription—a phrase you would never expect in a million years!

Happy Days are Here Again The Latin inscription surrounding the gladiators reads: “Happy Days are Here Again” (Fel Temp Reparatio). You see, at the time these coins were designed,

the Emperor had just won several important military battles against the foes of Rome. At the same time, Romans were preparing to celebrate the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Rome. To mark these momentous occasions, this new motto was added and the joyful inscription makes complete sense.

A Miracle of Survival for 1,600 Years

For more than sixteen centuries, these stunning coins have survived the rise and fall of empires, earthquakes, floods and two world wars. The relatively few Roman bronze coins that have survived to this day were often part of buried treasure hoards, hidden away centuries ago until rediscovered and brought to light. These authentic Roman coins can be found in major museums around the world. But today, thanks to GovMint. com, you can find them a little closer to home: your home! Claim your very own genuine Roman Gladiator Bronze Coin for less than $40 (plus s/h). Each coin is protected in a clear acrylic holder for preservation and display. A Certificate of Authenticity accompanies your coin. Unfortunately, quantities are extremely limited. Less than 2,000 coins are currently available. Demand is certain to be overwhelming so call now for your best chance at obtaining this authentic piece of the Roman Empire.

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FOR ANY

S I T U AT I O N By Gary Turner

hether it’s a mess of channel catfish for supper or trophy blue cats, I love catfishing! From Texas to Virgina and Nebraska to Florida, I have caught catfish all over the country. Some of my favorite locations are the Santee Cooper reservoirs in South Carolina and the mighty Tennessee River in the stretch from Tennessee into Alabama. Here’s some information on how I catch them in lakes and rivers. These fishing styles will work for catfish all over the country.

ON THE LAKE

I use Abu Garcia 7000 reels with an egg sinker, swivel and 6/0 to 8/0 circle hook. If you are looking for smaller fish, downsize your hooks and baits. Bait can be fresh cut bream, shad, hotdogs, nightcrawlers or even chicken breast chunks. All of these work. On Moultrie, you can anchor up and wait, but usually you can cover more area drifting. Set your rods all on one side of the boat and let them drag along beside or behind the boat. If there is no wind, you might need to troll. If there’s lots of wind, you might need to drop drift socks or a bucket to slow your drift. For this setup, you can use the same reels and baits, but you will need to change your terminal tackle. Use a three-way swivel to attach a slinky, Lindy weight to the bottom eye on 6- to 12-inch piece of 10- to 20-pound leader. You want your weight line to be lighter than your main so if the weight snags you don’t lose your whole rig. On the back eye, use 24 to 36 inches of heavier leader to your hook. Some people also put a small cork a few inches in front of the hook to keep the bait just off the bottom.

Santee Cooper is one of my favorite destinations for big catfish and smaller eaters, too. It’s actually two lakes, Lake Marion, the upper lake, and Moultrie, the lower lake. These lakes both have giant flatheads, huge blues and eating-sized channels. When fishing Lake Marion, I like to anchor up, cast out a bunch of baits and wait. If no bites in 30 minutes, I change locations and try again. There ON THE RIVER are flats and standing timber, and you just keep When fishing the Tennessee River from moving until you find feeding fish. Sometimes you Lake Chickamauga in Tennessee to Alabama’s mark lots of fish that aren’t feeding. Lake Pickwick, I usually go much heavier on

equipment. I go with Penn Fathoms on Big Cat Fever Rods with 80-pound braid main and 100-pound leaders, sinker slides for bigger weights, and 8/0 to 10/0 hooks, depending on how big the baits are. Sometimes a double-hook rig improves your odds. Skipjack, fresh or frozen, is the preferred bait, with bream and shad as backups. Don’t be afraid to use giant baits in big water. There are some giant fish down there! In rivers, where’s there’s a good current, you can bottom bump. This technique is also popular on the Mississippi River. You slow the boat so the current carries your lines downstream. Use just enough weight so your baits walk and bounce along the bottom. This is very productive and allows you to cover lots of water. Another thing we do sometimes where the river is fairly flat and slow is to slow drift with all the rods and lines straight down and the hooks just off the bottom. If you are marking good fish, make several passes over them. Sometimes this will fire them up. I hope this helps you catch more and bigger catfish next time you go. Please remember, if you are not going to eat it, don’t kill it. Gary Turner is a regular contributor to Coastal Angler and The Angler magazines. Contact him at gary@purgeright.com.

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5 YE See read

UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

Welcome to Lake Greenwood! Greenwood, SC By Timothy Kelley

ake Greenwood is nestled in the western portion of the beautiful Palmetto State of South Carolina. The city of Greenwood is known as “The Emerald City” & Lake Greenwood is approximately 12,000 acres and truly is a gemstone of a lake for fishing! This lake’s primary sources of bait for the largemouth and predatory fish are threadfin shad, blue gill, and crawfish. Lake Greenwood has a generous population of both largemouth and spotted bass, along with crappie, catfish, and hybrids. Most of your finesse techniques such as drop shots, shaky heads, ned rigs, etc., work well. You can also choose to use “power fishing” techniques such as top water, crankbaits, jigs, etc. There are tons of docks that hold fish year round. For the offshore anglers, there are plenty of offshore structures such as ledges and humps and scattered brush piles where you can find fish. Depending upon your style of fishing, and what you want to catch, bass anglers can choose to fish in the creeks and up the river to catch predominantly largemouth. If you choose to stay on the main lake, then you can catch both largemouth and spotted bass. There have been the occasional 4 plus pound

spotted bass caught, along with big largemouths as well. At one of our American Bass Angler Divisional tournaments for AFT Division 96, one of our very own anglers caught a 7.23lbs largemouth bass! If you’re looking for catchfish, then you’re in luck! There have been 40 plus pound flatheads caught, and there is also a huge population of channel and blue cats. Crappie fishing is just as good, with some true “slabs” being caught on the regular. Lake Greenwood also has a few stores and restaurants/grills that are accessible by water if you

2 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

JUNE 2022

need something to eat or to restock supplies, gas, etc. When you visit Lake Greenwood, you can stop in the Fish On Bait N Tackle shop located at 166 Fishing Village Road in Waterloo, SC for your bait and tackle needs. If you and the family want to get some food after a day out

on the water, then you should check out Break on the Lake Restaurant for a good meal. For more information on the city of Greenwood and Lake Greenwood, please check out visitgreenwoodsc.com

Timothy Kelley is the tournament director for American Bass Anglers, American Fishing Tour Division 96 in South Carolina. He also competes in the MLF Big 5 Circuit which also visits multiple lakes in South Carolina. Fishing has been a part of Tim’s life for thirty-five plus years, which has led him to compete in multiple bass tournament circuits across the southeast. Tim is a retired US Army (military police) where he was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas and served four tours overseas. Tim is married to his beautiful wife Robin,who not only serves as the Assistant Director for American Bass Anglers Division 96, but also maintains a full-time job at a local car dealership in Lexington, SC.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

JUNE 2022

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 3

Lake Bowen Primer By Angler Magazine Staff

ake Bowen. Located in Spartanburg County, near New Prospect, is a gem to locals, but little known to anglers outside the Upstate. You get a small glimpse of it from the 26 Bridge traveling north or south toward Spartanburg or Columbus, NC. However, you would never grasp its size or fishing opportunities from the quick view you get traveling 65 MPH across the bridge but once you drive around it; taking in its shoreline, you quickly realize it’s the real deal. A great place to appreciate the lake is the view from the dining room at the Lake Bowen Fish Camp. Believe me, it is beautiful! Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Black and White Crappie, and Bluegill make up most of the fish you catch but there is enough there to support quite a

large local fishing population and several tournaments. At 1,500-acres, Lake Bowen teams with healthy, abundant schools of Bass, Crappie, Catfish, and Bluegill. Anglers can explore the over 30 miles of shoreline in search of shallow fish or go deeper when the fish move from shore. Much of the lake is lined

4 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

JUNE 2022

with boat docks, a favorite hiding place for bass and crappie. The bass fishing is good enough to support the lake as a popular lake for bass tournaments. Some unimproved areas do allow access to the shore for fishing from the bank. Boat ramps are open to the public for launching boats, with no horsepower limits, for water

sports, sightseeing, and fishing. Do yourself a solid and visit this wonderful fishing destination. There are ample restaurants to fill any craving. Make sure and visit Jerry’s Place for all your fishing needs. Jerry and family will take good care of you.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

It’s Southern Styled Dining

ince 1979, Lake Bowen Fish Camp has been serving the Upstate of South Carolina and the surrounding area the best seafood anywhere around! They have been a family institution from the beginning. Lake Bowen was founded by Mary Jo and William H. Moore, and is now operated by their grandson, Jeff Brown, and his

wife Evaline. With over twenty years of handling the day-to-day operations of the restaurant, we look forward to serving our long time customers (you know who you are!) for years to come! With a seating capacity of over 450, they are sure to find a place for you. They can accommodate groups up to 100!

Lake Bowen Seafood and Restuarant then...

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

Mary Jo Moore 9/1928 - 4/2022 William H. Moore 7/1933 - 1/2013

JUNE 2022

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 5

Be Prepared With a Ready Rod By Capt. Cefus McRae

spent my growing-up years in the Boy Scouts. Through it all, the motto “Be Prepared” was driven into us at every troop meeting. While we can’t prepare for every eventuality, we can learn from our experiences to help in a variety of situations. For us anglers, being prepared covers a lot of ground: having a seaworthy boat, the proper safety gear on board, and having the right tackle for the day. How many times have you witnessed a feeding frenzy on the surface only to realize everything you have tied on are crankbaits or jigs? Some years ago, I finally got smart, and today I always have a ready rod at arm’s length. What’s a ready rod? It’s simply a rod rigged with something you don’t really plan on fishing with but have standing by just in case. Here’s an example that convinced me to change my ways. I was fishing for grouper in the Gulf. All our rods were rigged with heavy weights and either live bait hooks or big jigs. After all, we were bottom fishing and that’s what you use. The ledges and rock outcroppings in grouper country take their toll on leaders and mainline, so we had a bunch of rods pre-rigged the

same. When a leader broke, you could simply grab another rod and continue fishing. Mid-morning, a large cobia swam by the boat within casting distance. Not one rod was rigged for casting a jig, or freelined live bait, and before we could rig anything up, the cobia calmly swam away. A spinning rod with a bare hook for a frisky live bait or a jig with a trailer tail would have been sufficient to put some tasty filets in the boat. That changed my way of thinking. Having the option to quickly react to a fish-catching opportunity can be the difference between a high-five and a ‘dang-it’! Oftentimes, the biggest fish of the day will be caught on your ready rod. For my arsenal, I rig up two spinning outfits: one with a heavy jig that I can quickly attach a plastic trailer to and another with a live bait rig that I can attach a live bait or even a piece of cut bait. I also keep a downrod handy rigged with an egg sinker and a live bait hook. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve trolled over an area, hooked up, and then discovered the main group of game fish is about 30 feet below the surface. Having a rod ready to drop bait immediately can be the difference between fishing and catching.

Continued, see BE PREPARED Page 26 6 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

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GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 7

Thoughts On Summertime Hatches By Karl Ekberg

olling past the first of the summer holidays, and now on to Father’s Day and heat arrives with June. A definite deficit of rain from April and May raises concern of what the remainder of the summer will have in store for us here, around the Chattooga and Chauga Rivers. Fishing has been very good with great hatches towards dusk. Cooler temperatures have had fish looking up, and rising to dry flies, to the delight of all. Let us all hope that the cooler temperatures stay around for the summer and Mother Nature will bless us with rain. The morning hatches have been subtle, but the use of emergers and nymphs has worked the best. We have seen the first of the Golden Stone flies hatching, and there is nothing finer than seeing fish rise to the large dry flies. The drake hatches are upon us as well, along with Yellow Sallies. Fishing the

drake nymphs from the riffles into the seams has been successful throughout the daytime hours. For the Slate Drake nymphs, casting upstream and using a dead drift and strip technique is very successful, as the larger nymphs pulse through the water looking for a safe haven. The Sallie hatch should continue for some time now, and throughout the summer on higher elevation creeks. Swinging these nymphs into pools and calmer water, and then slow stripping them back is another useful technique as well. As a rule of thumb, as the summer heat starts to inundate the southern lower elevation trout streams and the water temperatures rise, start looking for higher elevation streams. The stress of catching the trout in warm water can kill them, and finding cooler waters is not tough to do. As the water temperatures stay above the mid 60’s, start to head a little

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further north, or higher, into the headwaters of your favorite river, to find cooler waters. A day of hiking, exploring new waters, and dry fly fishing, can definitely beat the summer heat. Bass and Panfish season is heating up, as the June weather graces us here. Great days of top water fishing are upon us with many fish coming to the surface. A great day on the river starts with trout fishing in the early morning then heading down river midday and turning on the Bass and Panfish. Let’s take the kids fishing! Please join us on Saturday June 11, on the Wild and Scenic Chattooga River, at Burrell’s Ford Campground, for the annual Kids Fishing Derby. There will be a registration hour

starting at 8:00AM, and then the kids start fishing around 9:00AM. Adults will need to have a valid Georgia or South Carolina fishing license, gear, flies, lures/bait for the kids. As always, let’s take practice in “Leave No Trace” as we all enjoy the greater outdoors this summer.

Karl and Karen Ekberg are co-owners of Chattooga River Fly Shop, located at 6832-A Highlands Hwy, Mountain Rest, SC 29664. Give them a call at (864) 638-2806 and visit their website at www.chattoogariverflyshop.com.

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GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 9

Nature’s Renewal

ow that we have gone through the spawn, we will begin to see a difference in pattern because the transition to summer is now developing. Bass spawn in different waves so you will find that bass are scattered about for this reason. Soon after the spawn, there’s a period where the females are in a funk so you will most likely start catching lots of small males called ‘fry guardians’. If you catch these bass, make sure you put them back in the same areas so they can protect the next generation. Bluegill cannot wait to feed on fry and without the guardian, they are fair-game. To ensure good future fishing practice being a good steward of nature so let nature do its thing to retain balance. When bass are all done with spawning, then we will focus on

By Scott Norton

the shad spawn, which is very exciting to experience. This is only for the anglers who show up early and go home late. In low light, the shad go very shallow where there is rock to do their thing. Bass catch on to this and feed very heavy for easy food. You will want to use shad imitators up shallow and then back out deeper as the bite dies off. Once the sun is up, switch to bluegill imitators. Now that bass are occupying the same areas as bluegill, they will become the primary forage for those bass in that area. If you are targeting bass offshore, the forage will be shad and crayfish. Once the spawn cycle is over you, will find bass that will either go deep or shallow and they will stay there all summer. This is the time you will find schools of bass in both places. If you know how to fire up a school, you can

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load the boat up in a short time. Bass in the shallows will Wolfpack with other similar sized bass to chase and ambush prey to satisfy their hunger. If you have good clear conditions, you will be able to spot these aggressive fish working together. Getting them fired up can be a fun time for all especially when you get a bait right in front of them and watching them compete with one another to get at it. This is a fun time in the season where you can catch bass in so many different ways. They will be most aggressive from now until the summer slowdown. Power fishing is at its best right now. Concentrate on baits that have a reactive action that cover more water. You only want to go after

the most aggressive fish in the school. Do not spend too much time trying to catch bass that are not in the mood. I hope this helps, so get out there and have some fun and introduce new people to the sport.

Scott Norton is a Western North Carolina native. Born in Asheville, N.C., he is a long-time hunter, angler and weekend warrior.

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Boating – Title and Register a Watercraft or Outboard Motor in SC

n the state of South Carolina, the law requires all motorized boats and watercraft, except exempted vessels, sailboats, and all outboard motors five horsepower and greater to be titled. By law we must have your completed application and other required documents, which vary by purchase or selling situation, to title and register your boat and/or motor. If you are selling a boat and/ or motor in South Carolina: You must be the titled owner. If you are not listed as the owner of the title, you must complete the application process with SCDNR prior to the sale. If you have purchased a boat or motor that has ever

been titled and/or registered in South Carolina: • Pay your property taxes in your name with your county • Submit a paid property tax receipt in your name or notice from the county that no taxes are due with your application and other supporting documents. If you have purchased a boat or motor out-of-state or from a SCDNR permitted marine dealer: • Property taxes will be billed by your county after being titled and/or registered with SCDNR. • Once purchased, your boat and/or motor may be used 60 days from the date of purchase, even with expired or out-of-state decals.

• If you have questions about boat titling and registration, please visit our https://www.dnr. sc.gov. If you have any questions about your property taxes, please contact your county tax office.

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WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA GREAT SMOKIES

Insane Hybrid Fishing on Lake Chatuge with Big Ol’ Fish

or us, the most exciting trips of the year on this lake begin in June. Summer fishing on Lake Chatuge, which borders Western North Carolina and North Georgia, really gets fired up. With warmer water temps, the hybrids and bass really school up, which means we are able to load the boat with 30 to 50 hybrids a morning. It’s not uncommon to do that in less than a couple hours too. These hybrids are Lake Chatuge’s hardest fighting fish and we can definitely put you on some. You’ll have the fishing trip of a lifetime! Currently, Lake Chatuge is at full pool. Water temps are in the mid 70s, and water clarity is clear

By Shane Goebel

throughout the lake. Hybrid fishing is great as the fish are schooling in large numbers, and we are catching some big quantities. Most of our hybrids are averaging 6-10 pounds. The early morning bite has been prime. Look for schools of fish off shallow humps along the main channel, clay banks, and off points. Downlining live blueback herring has been the best technique. Search out your areas and watch your electronics. When you mark fish, drop your lines. Fish will be slightly shallower in the early morning hours and will move to deeper water by midmorning. Top-water bite remains very good as well. When these fish

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start busting on bait, it’s always a good idea to have a plug, spook, or red fin at the ready. Spotted bass fishing remains excellent, too. We are still catching some huge spots throughout the day, and it’s not uncommon to put 30-40 of these feisty fish in the boat in one trip. Early morning top-water bite has been strong. Top-water plugs, spooks, and jerk baits have worked well. Our downline bite has also been very productive, especially in the midmorning hours. Look for fish to be schooled up on shallow clay banks, humps, and off points. In terms of location, the upper end of the lake has been producing slightly better numbers than the lower end.

June is a fantastic month for catching a lot of trophy hybrids on this North Georgia lake. Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1-rated guide service put you on some of Lake Chatuge’s best trophy hybrids during the fishing trip of a lifetime. We are Murphy, NC’s and Blairsville Georgia’s premier full-time guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lakes Hiwassee and Nottely, and Lake Blue Ridge in Blue Ridge, GA. So, come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine, and let us help you get your fish on!

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Lake Hiwassee Stripers

By Shane Goebel

he long hot days of summer are finally here, and so are the insane schools of stripers and hybrids that this warm weather brings with it. We always tell everyone, “If you wanna’ catch numbers, then June is a great start. It’s the perfect time to hit the lake and catch some amazing fish! Absolutely not uncommon to catch 30-50 of these explosive stripers in just a couple of hours. Now, What’s the best way to do that? By booking a trip with Western NC & North Georgia’s #1 striper guide service: Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. Check out our Facebook and Instagram page to see just what I mean. And, of course read these awesome articles. Lake Hiwassee is unbelievable for summer striper fishing. There’s nothing like starting your day off with the birds chirping, morning

fog lifting and an explosion of stripers slamming all your rods. It’s a feeding frenzy of schooled-up stripers and mass chaos of loading the boat with tons of fish. It’s not uncommon for us to boat 30-50 fish per trip out here on this serene Western North Carolina lake. Currently, Lake Hiwassee is at full pool. Water clarity is clear throughout the lake, and water temps are in the low 70’s. Striper fishing remains excellent. We have been loading the boat with some big fish in good quantities. Several of our fish have been in the 20-35 pound range. The early-morning and evening bites are your best times to see action. In the early morning hours, we are still pulling planer boards and free lines with live blueback herring and shad. As the sun comes up in the later morning hours, start to focus on deeper

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water and switch to down lines. Target creek mouths and points off the main channel. As the top-water bite has also been excellent, keep a spook or a Red Fin at the ready to snag those surface-busting fish. By mid-month these fish will really start to school up and we’ll switch to all an all down line bite. Just remember to keep an eye on your electronics and watch for schools off stripers. Also remember to try to get the fish back into the water as quick as possible. June is a fantastic month for catching a lot of trophy stripers on this Murphy North Carolina lake.

Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1-rated guide service put you on some of Lake Hiwassee’s best trophy stripers during the fishing trip of a lifetime. We are Murphy, NC’s and Blairsville Georgia’s premier fulltime guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lakes Nottely and Chatuge (in North Carolina), and Lake Blue Ridge in Blue Ridge, GA. So, come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine, and let us help you get your fish on!

Shane Goebel owns Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service and is a member of The Angler Magazine Fishing Team. See the website at www.bigolfish.com or call (828) 361-2021

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nd is a website 1-2021

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Mixed Bag An’ Good Fishin’

By Ronnie Parris

ey folks, hope all is well! June kicks off one of the best times of the year to be on the water. The temperature is great, the water levels are up, and the fish are biting. This is one of the best times of the year to catch a variety of fish. Bass have spawned and are trying to fatten up again. The occasional walleye will be caught. The crappie are bunched up on structure and the bait will be up on the surface, so you’re likely to see breaking fish. This time of year, I like to troll with downriggers and planner boards. I usually have my spread

from the surface to around 60 ft deep according to where l see fish on my depth finder. Spoons and small plugs are usually the baits of choice but I do swap over to live minnows if I see crappie or bluebacks, when I’m targeting stripers. Best times are early morning and late evening. Hopefully, you will get a little chop on the water as this really helps the bite. This is a great time to take the kids since it’s not cold or miserably hot. Be sure to take lots of snacks and your gonna’ have some happy kids and make some lasting memories. As always, stay safe and take a kid fishing!

Ronnie Parris is owner and head guide of Smoky Mountain Outdoors Unlimited-Fontana Lake Fishing Guides, headquartered in Bryson City, N.C., heart of the Great Smoky Mountains www. smounlimited.com; (828) 488-9711.

Fontana Lake Fishing Guides – Ronnie Parris, Owner & Head Guide LAKE, CREEK & RIVER FISHING • FLY FISHING • CAMPING We offer both full and half day trips with the most competitive rates available. All tackle and supplies you will need while you are on your trip is covered by our listed price.

1012 East Alarka Road, Bryson City, NC • 828-488-9711, Cell: 828-736-9471

smokymountainoutdoorsunlimited.com

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GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 17

Thoughts on Summer Fishing

By Capt. James McManus

une is here and I have mixed emotions coming in to the summer. As a youngun’ there was the freedom from school so that I could play baseball, hang out, and go to the pond any time I felt like it. As an adult, and especially a fishing guide, there are more frequent trips, lots of tourists to shuffle around and more daylight to do it in. The only problem is that sometime during June, the fishing often slows down. Most fish will finish their spawning activity, May on Fontana has been exceptionally easy and productive with spotted bass thick on the banks. Spots and May are two of a guide’s best friends. So what do you do when you head down a bank that has been super easy and come up empty, or only get a few ticks? Those ticks offer one solution. Get yourself a cricket tube and a small float and you can have a ton of action

with bream. Try and find pockets with some laydowns in the water and just keep moving ‘til you find some. This will work all summer as they will spawn several times. It’s also an excellent time to introduce kids to fishing, plenty of action, colorful fish and don’t forget the snacks. If you are after larger prey, look out towards the open water. After spawning, the baitfish head out into an offshore lifestyle and bass, whites, crappie, and walleye move out with them. Areas like the river junction of the Tuck and Little Tennessee often hold lots of suspended fish. You can get fancy with downriggers, side planers and lead line to troll or you can simply troll flat lines. There will be packs of several bass chasing fish on top, so go to where you see breaks. While trolling, we generally cast jigs or jerkbaits to breaking fish as we move towards

them. Think small as the baitfish will be only an inch or so long. Watch your electronics and if you are using riggers or leadcore put your baits just above where you are marking fish. Typically they will be between 20 and 45 feet down but as the water warms could go to 75 or 80 feet later in the summer. So summer can still be productive and there are things to

look out for including lightning storms, sun exposure, and heat issues so keep hydrated, aware, and covered. Also be on the lookout for other boaters, they are not all skilled and some are downright dangerous. There is the bonus of a swim if it gets too hot. Just remember to use life jackets and enjoy some of God’s blessings in being out on our lakes. Later, Capt. James

Capt. James McManus owns 153 Charters. Give him a call for a great day on the water at (828) 421-8125.

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GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 19

Tippet Sizes for Trout

here’s a lot of debate in the fly fishing community about tippet sizes for trout. Some anglers swear fishing 7x on one particular river will make the biggest difference in whether someone catches fish or not, and others say it doesn’t matter at all. It’s natural for us to want to argue about it, seeing as it is the direct connection between us and the fish. It can however, even for seasoned anglers, become very complicated in determining what size tippet to use for a given river/ fly/ technique. It’s another cog in the wheel that is the overcomplexity of fly fishing, but it doesn’t have to be. This is especially true for trout. Most people associate moving to a larger or smaller tippet size with water clarity and the spookiness of fish. Granted, it’s logical; however, I think that fish get more

By Ethan Hollifield

line-shy based off of presentations they see rather than whether they can physically see the line or not. Studies on bass have shown that individual fish in clear water can see 6lb fluoro about as well as 15lb fluoro. The biggest difference to me is whether the fish associate the line with a threat. This does make sense when you think about heavily pressured/lightly pressured trout fisheries. I’ve used tippet sizes as heavy as 3x on lightly pressured trout streams that hardly see angling pressure and caught plenty of fish. If I were to repeat that on a stream like the Davidson that sees angling pressure daily, I probably would fare much worse. Again, I’m sure trout can see 6x as well as they can 3x to a certain degree in clear water, but the difference is whether the trout associates it with a threat or not.

There is a difference between monofilament and fluorocarbon in the way both reflect/absorb light, stretch, and last against the elements. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but the differences per manufacturer are numerous. We won’t even attempt to go down the rabbit hole of “the fish can see mono better than fluro.” Since we cannot see in the same spectrum that trout can, it’ll be a debate that goes on until the end of time. With all that said, I break down my tippet size based on three main factors: the size of the rod I’m using, the wariness of the fish, and the presentation I am trying to achieve. Lighter trout rods in the 2-4 weight range are excellent for fishing tippet sizes in the 5-7x class. This is due to rods in those weights having, in general, a much softer tip that allows them to protect that lighter line during the hookset and when fighting a fish. The heavier the rod, the generally heavier flies you’ll be throwing, and thus a stronger tippet is needed to compensate for that. ‘Spooky fish’ also doesn’t mean that you always have to scale down to the smallest tippet sizes known to man. I mainly use smaller tippet sizes as a means of getting flies down deeper at a faster rate in the water column, or for fish-

ing very light, small dry flies on a slack leader. I don’t really consider whether the fish can see the line or not: I just try to make my presentation as natural as possible to the fish. The Davidson is a great example of this. Many people think that 7x is the only line size you can use due to the pickiness of the trout. I promise, that’s far from the truth. The line size doesn’t mean anything if a fly isn’t correctly presented in the first place. Overall, if I had to pick one type/ size of tippet for trout, it would be 5x fluorocarbon. Mainly for its versatility when fishing with different types of flies/techniques and its breaking strength compared to other tippet sizes. As I’ve written before, it’s the presentation of the fly that matters more than anything else. If you focus your attention on that, and keep everything else simple, then you’ll have greater amounts of success on the water.

Ethan Hollifield is a member of a conservation organization called 2% For Conservation and a guide for Southern Appalachian Anglers

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Fly of the Month – Texas Piss Ant

here are times when fly patterns that are intended to imitate floating aquatic insects such as mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies simply fail to attract a topwater strike from trout. Maybe they are keyed on feeding in the water column or on the bottom. These conditions are very similar to the ‘dog days’ of summer when there is little or no aquat-ic insect activity on streams. In either case, a good ant fly patterns seems to be a recipe for success. Dale and Jerry Hodge, who were close friends and angling buddies of Don and Dwight Howell, designed an ant fly pattern that has been highly effective on Southern Appalachian streams. Do not let the name mislead

By Tom Adams, Alen Baker www.rockyrivertu.org/dry-fly-patterns.html

you. Don Howell named the fly pattern because the initial, highly productive fly pattern they used on Hazel Creek was a size 10 or “big” like eve-rything touted from Texas. “Due to the overgrown size, brown hackle and white wings, the fly is not impressive, as ant fly patterns go. But because dad (Don Howell) was so impressed with the fly, we (Dwight Howell and Kevin Howell) decided to tie a few and try them out. It truly does catch trout when other traditional fly patterns fail.” - Kevin Howell When trout are more-selective or refuse conventional fly patterns, even smaller ver-sions of this fly pattern are usually productive. Who knows? A trout may see the silhou-ette of a caddisfly due to

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the dark body and wing. The position of the poly yarn wing traps air and the oversized, trimmed hackle both make this fly pattern a super floater. The white wing also provides a hi-vis element to the fly pattern making the prominently visible in the water, an advantage not typical of ant fly patterns. Note: Don Howell was Kevin Howell’s father. Dwight Howell was Kevin Howell’s un-cle. Don and Dwight were brothers that founded the Davidson River Outfitters. Kevin Howell is now the owner. This fly pattern is from the book Tying & Fishing Southern Appalachian Trout Flies written by Don Howell with contributions from Kevin Howell and published in 1999 by Davidson River

Outfitters (DRO). Originated by Dale & Jerry Hodge for Hazel Creek. This terrestrial fly patter was promoted and sold by Don R. Howell from Brevard in his fly shop, Kevin Howell his son now owns and operates his fathers fly shop, Davidson River Outfitters.

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Texas Piss Ant - Rocky River Fly of The Month 6.22

Hook: Tiemco 3679 heavy nymph or equivalent Size: 12, 14, 16, 18 Thread: 8/0 Black Uni or equivalent Body: Black fly rite poly dubbing or tying thread Hackle: Oversized coachman brown hackle, trimmed Wing: White poly yarn

Directions

Detailed tying steps may be found at the Rocky River Chapter of Trout Unlimited at www. rockyrivertu.org/dry-fly-patterns. html. 1. Debarb and mount the hook adding thread just behind the hook eye. 2. Wrap the thread in tight touching turns to the hook bend and slightly down the bend. 3. Bring the thread forward to two eye lengths back from the eye.

Repeat taking the thread toward the bend but stopping short and return to the thorax, stopping short. Do this three times and stop short each time. This will build a tapered thread body. 4. Choose a rooster hackle that is about one and one half the hook gape and strip a quarter inch of barbs from the base to use in tying in. 5. Tie in the stripped stem with the shiny side toward the eye and at about the half way mark and then advance the thread to the thorax once secure. 6. Advance the hackle in tight touching turns for about five wraps and bind in with the thread. 7. Cut away the waste hackle and select a piece of poly yarn. Secure the poly yarn on top of the hook shank with several turns cover and trim any waste poly and form a small thread head. Whip finish and trim the waste thread. 8. Trim the poly yarn to the length of the hook shank before the bend.

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Tom Adams

JUNE 2022

Alen D, Baker

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Murphy Area Summer Fishing Forecast

ost people associate mid-summer with water sports, pools, beaches, boat rides, cookouts, etc., more than they think of fishing. Conventional wisdom, among most southern freshwater anglers, is that summer fishing simply isn’t as good as other seasons.

By Aaron Kephart

This couldn’t be further from the truth…In fact, summer offers some of the best opportunities of the year for multiple species of fish on our Murphy area lakes. I would like to take a brief moment to look at those opportunities. Stripers-by far, the majority of my summer guiding revolves

around stripers. They might go deep in the summer, but they don’t stop biting. In fact, they often congregate in summer mega-schools of sometimes hundreds of fish, and it is not at all uncommon to

hook up multiple fish at a time. Put simply, summer is one of (if not the) best time(s) to target these fish. Bass (smallmouth/largemouth/spotted)-Spotted bass bite

Continued, see MURPHY AREA SUMMER FISHING Page 26

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EAST TENNESSEE AND KENTUCKY

The Casting Corner: Practice Set Up

By Rene Hesse

f you wanted to get better at casting, you would do everything you could to make it easier on yourself. For example, the equipment you practice with, the place you practice, and even the type of practice you decide to use will make an impact on your learning curve. So let’s look at the things that can make fly casting practice fun and easy. Starting with the rod and line, I would suggest nothing lighter than a 5 weight and nothing heavier than a 7 weight rod. The thought on that is the line is easier to see and thus easier to evaluate. The repeated casts will tend to make your arm tired, so don’t go over an 8 weight if you can. The next thing to consider is the line, and that has several points of interest. If you can, get a bright colored

line, for example, orange or yellow. Again, that is so you can see it. Also consider getting a line that has a longer head so you can carry more line. A good example of this is the Scientific Angler Mastery-Expert Distance line. Then, for the leader, use a 7 ½ ft. 0X with a bit of yarn tied on the end. Next, give yourself the best environment to cast. Seek a good

background to see the line against it as it travels through the air. If there is wind, set up your casting tape measure to have the wind coming into your line hand (The hand that is not holding the rod.) Set up targets at 20, 30, 40, and up to 75 feet along the tape measure. Have a goal in mind when you go to practice. Always start with making good loops with 30 feet

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of line out of the rod tip. That will give you the feel of the rod that the manufacturer intended. Until you have good loops with 30 feet of line, don’t add more line. When you practice, make sure to do 2-3 false casts each sequence. If you just do a pick-up and lay down, there is no real feel of timing and tension on the line. Do not let the line hit the ground in the back. If you can have someone watch you, even better. Kids are always happy to point out our errors. If you are going to practice on your own with targets, only cast for 30 minutes. If you want to just go out in the courtyard, plan on only about 15 minutes. If you leave a rod rigged and ready to cast, it is so much easier to get started. Take the first step to decide you want to get better, and you will.

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MURPHY AREA SUMMER FISHING continued from page 24 year round, have done irreparable damage to the smallmouth population on most of our mountain lakes, will bite all summer long, and are delicious. There is a reason the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources has removed the size and bag limit from spotted bass in our local lakes, and I would be happy for you to come fish with me and take a bunch home. When it comes to smallmouth and largemouth, we still have some lakes with sizable populations of both, and current is the name of the game. Under the right conditions (I don’t want to give too much away in writing) the smallmouth and largemouth fishing can be phenomenal in the summer. Call me if you are interested in more information on this fishery, and please remember we are 100% catch and release on smallmouth and largemouth. Crappie-One of the most overlooked, laid back, family friendly fisheries that exists on our lakes

is night time crappie fishing. In fact, I much prefer summer night crappie fishing to spring daytime crappie fishing. There are certain conditions that make the bite more favorable, but a typical trip usually yields 20 to 40 keeper fish, with some nights giving up considerably more (depending on how many people are in the boat). Remember, the bag limit is 20 per person, and the minimum size limit is 8 inches. Other Species-Walleye are one of the other species that we encounter a lot in the summer. We typically catch them 60-100 feet deep in the hottest part of the year, and we usually encounter them while fishing for stripers. We also typically encounter a lot of large brown trout on another fishery while we are targeting smallmouth. A final species that interests some people are catfish. We run into some big flatheads while night fishing, and catch a lot of channel cats and a few blues

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while fishing for stripers and bass. To sum it all up, summer fishing on our Murphy area lakes is phenomenal. A lot of your success depends on the conditions, timing, and quite frankly local

knowledge and history on the lakes, but if everything aligns, the fishing can be fantastic. If you are interested in a trip please call me at 865-466-1345. I look forward to hearing from you!

Aaron Kephart is the Owner of Mountain Lakes Guide Service. To book a guided trip on one of the Murphy area mountain lakes, contact him by phone at 865-466-1345 or by email at mtnlakesguide@outlook.com Check out his website at http://www.mountainlakesguideservice.com and catch him on facebook@ mountainlakesguideservice

BE PREPARED continued from page 6 All these rods stay out of the way in my t-top rod holders, but anyone can grab one when the opportunity arises. There’s one other thing that I put in the ‘ready’ category and that’s having pre-rigged leaders. The night before my trip, I tie up twenty leaders with hooks on one end and a swivel on the other. When I lose a rig, I can slide an egg sinker on the main line, and tie it directly to the leader swivel, and I’m back fishing

in about 15 seconds. If you make a habit of changing out your leader when the slightest signs of leader abrasion show up, you’ll bring more fish to the boat. The point with a ready rod is to have ‘something’ ready to throw to a fish that only presents itself for a brief moment. Not being ready can equal a missed fish, so before your next trip, think like a Boy Scout and be prepared.

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Time to Fly

By James Bradley

s the month of May has come to an end, rising trout are quickly learning to take tiny morsels off the water’s surface. As the temperatures heat up, so will the dry fly action for trout. On our last several trips, we’ve been keying in on caddisflies. It’s definitely dry fly time in the mountains. Let’s go into a little detail about caddisflies. Caddis goes through different stages in their lifetime starting out as tiny eggs that are practically invisible to the human eye. They are laid onto the surface of a stream where the eggs trickle down onto the steam floor. The higher the quality of stream with less human disturbance, farm runoff, pollution and so on, the better the survival rate of the insect’s eggs. These eggs then hatch into larva where they either build a case of tiny rock around the body, use small sticks to create their case (locals call them

“stick bait”) or they may be free form caddis that build a tiny web between rocks. When the cased caddis begins to hatch, it will rise to the surface as an adult emerger. Once its wings dry, off it will fly to return to lay eggs. After laying its eggs, the caddisfly will begin to quickly deteriorate or perish on the stream where it may be eaten by a trout. This we refer to as rising trout. Doing a little research, I found that caddisflies have approximately 14,500 described species. The caddis come in different sizes with most being referred to as tent-winged, due to their wings being swept back over their bodies resembling a tent. You can catch them in your hand to inspect their underneath side for color. Common colors are black, tan, yellow and green. One bit of advice to aid you in

identifying rising trout: Trout normally rise above the water to catch a caddisfly, due to their bouncing nature while laying eggs. We refer to this as a “splashy rise”. Most mayflies will land on the water’s surface to deposit her eggs causing trout to normally sip them from the surface. We refer to this as simply a “sipping rise” that leaves small dimple rings on the water’s broken surface. If you are a beginner wanting to learn how to fly fish, we have a great

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staff of instructors who have been schooled in the art of fly fishing. One of the best ways to learn about fly fishing is to spend time with those of us who are professional, full-time guides. Don’t forget to ask about our float trips! Currently, we are doing floats on the Toccoa Tailwater and on the upper Toccoa as well. Give us a call to book your amazing trip on the water and don’t forget that we offer gift certificates!

Reel ‘Em In Guide Service operates as an Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Outfitter in North Georgia’s Historic High-Country region. They have been offering their services to fly anglers since 2001.They have permits to guide in Georgia, offer over 7 miles of private trophy waters across Georgia and operate float trips on the Toccoa River in GA. www.ReelEmInGuideService.com; (706) 273-0764

JUNE 2022

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 27

Captain Jim - KY Fishing Report By Captain Jim Durham

reetings to my readers! I hope that the world finds you and your family doing well!

STRIPER FUN GUIDE SERVICE ON THE LAUREL DAM TRACE The Laurel River Dam Trace is located in the Daniel Boone National Forest. We fish for Stripers May thru August in the “cold” trace waters that flow for about a mile or so out of the Laurel Lake Dam into the Cumberland River, as well as in the Cumberland River itself near where the trace flows in! This area is located only 25 minutes from Corbin KY, 20 minutes north of Jellico TN and only 55 minutes south of Lexington KY. Our Striper guides on the Laurel Dam Trace are Fred Hoskins and Bracken Castle. These men

grew up there and have decades fish that abound in the cold trace of experience catching these huge waters from the dam! In this area where the Cumberland River meets the tail water out of Laurel Lake, the fishing is phenomenal! Limits are caught frequently with 30 and 40 fish days not uncommon (catch and release is allowed). The average fish is usually around 10 pounds, but larger Stripers are not uncommon. We fish with live Shad using down lines and pulling planer boards as well. Most excitingly, on many days there is a great “top water” bite as well, on Captain Jim “Striper Magic” Lures (go to our website to order)! It is great to be alive and be a “free” American! I look forward to seeing all of you

this year on the water. Always remember to stop and shake the hand of a person in uniform or wearing garb that shows they are a veteran! Their service is why you speak English, can vote, and can enjoy the freedoms you do! Until next time, blue skies and tight lines!

With full State licensing and insurance, any of Captain Jim’s Guide Service guides (16 guides on 14 waterways) can take you on a safe, fun and unforgettable fishing adventure! Check out all of our fishing services as well as our exclusive “online” store at www.striperfun.com or call 931-4032501 to make reservations today. 28 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

JUNE 2022

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JUNE 2022

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 29

One of Those Days By Gary Turner

ohnny Stabile and Laura Battye were picking me up to drive to Gatlinburg, Tennessee and fish a day for trout, and any other fish that might be biting. The mountain was closed, so we came in from the Knoxville side. As we made our way in, the GPS said to avoid an accident on the Gatlinburg – Pigeon Forge Highway. If you have never been on the back roads of that area, you are in for single lane, steep roads. Johnny brought his Pathfinder 2300 along for us to fish Lake Cumberland, our final destination. Gatlinburg was just a stop for them to try and catch their first trout and see Gatlinburg. So, here we are as the beautiful day turns to sleet, hail, and snow. We come around a curve near the ridge over Gatlinburg and the big F250 starts spinning, pulling the boat straight up this hill, so we had to stop and engage 4WD to continue. We make it over the mountain and Gatlinburg is a parking lot. A combination of spring break and a car show are jamming the parkway. Welcome to Gatlinburg. We checked a few spots and headed to Pigeon Forge to a hole I know. We get there and it’s sleeting. We work down to the river and I catch a nice trout right off. Then Laura has one repeatedly follow hers in with no bite. The sleet turns to rain and we pack it in for the day. We have all had these days. You drive 1,000 miles dragging the

boat, and the weather just doesn’t want to cooperate! Early the next morning, we hit the river and Laura catches her first smallmouth, and I catch a large redhorse. We pack up and head to Somerset, Kentucky where we catch up with Damon Melcho, the owner of Xtreme Bait Tanks. We tour the plant and see the tanks in progress, including my new 80 gallon. It was really cool to see them all being fabricated and assembled. We then head to Lake Cumberland. The next morning, the wind is howling with intermittent rain. We launch anyway only to find giant waves and cold rain. We go back to the houseboat and hang out. Repeat and repeat again for 2 more days. On the 5th day, we ran to the Wolf Creek Dam and John-

30 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE

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ny and Laura caught their first trout! The 6th day we packed it up and head to Guntersville. We get to Guntersville just as a large band of storms rolled in and now we are under a tornado warning. The storms raged most of the night. The next morning we finally have some nice weather and fish! We caught fish all day with lots of hybrids, drums, skipjack and catfish. Laura even caught a 25-pound blue catfish. The next morning, we met up with our friend Rocky Drake of Rocky Drake Outdoors to catch some big smallmouths. On the

first cast, Laura hooked something big on the little Daiwa 1000. After some work, Johnny netted a very nice striper. Rocky was dialed in and put us on the smallmouth. We all caught at least three fish over 5 pounds. We continued to catch lots more species and numbers. It was an epic day of fishing. The next morning, we all headed home but are planning our next trip already. You can reach me at gary@purgeright.com. Please remember, if you are not going to eat it, don’t kill it.

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JUNE 2022

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 31

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM JUNE 2022 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 32 32 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE • THEANGLERMAG.COM JUNE 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

PARTING WATERS

LIKE NO OTHER INNOVATION DRIVES SUZUKI ON THE WATER Unparalleled throttle response and silky-smooth shifting along with the outboard is in a class of it’s own. With Suzuki Marine’s reputation for going to make memories that will last for years to come.

YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY

5 YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY applies to qualifying purchases of Suzuki outboard motors sold and delivered to the retail purchaser, for pleasure (non-commercial) use only, from April 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. See Suzuki Limited Warranty for additional details. Suzuki, the “S” logo, and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki Trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2022 Suzuki Marine USA, LLC. All rights reserved.

Mark Your Calendars for the 2022 Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament!

ong considered the granddaddy of all kingfish tournaments, the 42nd year of the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament (GJKT) is slated for July 22-23 out of Jacksonville, Fla.’s Jim King Park at the confluence of Sisters Creek and the St. Johns River. Started by local businessmen in 1980, the GJKT has spawned the interest of generations of anglers, and the inaugural event was held in July of 1981. Out of its success, Jacksonville Marine Charities was born and serves as the operating arm of the GJKT. Proceeds from the event will support marine science research, preservation and education. To date, well over $400,000 have supported these ventures. Traditionally the tournament draws thousands of spectators, who enjoy the daily events and the parade of boats arriving to weigh their catch. This is as close to stadium spectating as it gets, because boats of all sizes and almost every make will make their way to weigh in. It’s great to root for the underdogs in the small boats. There will also be good food and plenty of drinks in the Liar’s Tent as well as entertainment. And don’t forget the Boatique, where you can purchase some very nice tournament shirts. Since it’s inception, the GJKT has been a multi-day event, but with the

uncertainty of fuel prices, as well as a sputtering economy, the board of directors of the GJKT has adopted a format change. This year we have moved the tournament fishing days to Friday and Saturday. Friday will be the General Tournament Day. That’s right, it is a one-day general tournament day. Anglers may weigh in two of their biggest fish and the Ladies can weigh a Lady Angler fish. The Largest Kingfish and Largest Aggregate places, as well as Largest Ladies will all come from that one day of fishing. Saturday is dedicated to the Kids Jr. Angler Tournament, and fishing will end at 2 p.m. on Saturday. All awards will be Saturday evening. These changes will save you the whole second day of expenses that normally come with tournament week, such as lodging, fuel, bait, etc., as well as saving you from using up vacation days from work. The tournament payout will still be the same! Anglers still fish for the best prize in the game, a 25-foot Contender with twin Yamaha 150s, rigged out and valued at over $160,000. Also new this year, the tournament will pay down to 20 places in Big Fish and 20 places in Aggregate as well as 10 places for Ladies! The rewards are bigger than ever, and you’ll save the added expense and wear and tear of that second day. So do your homework and be ready for game day! The GJKT looks forward to having a great event. For more information, please visit kingfishtournament.com

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LURES

CASTING FAR FROM SHORE: THE DYNAMICS OF LONG DISTANCE LURES PATRICK SEBILE

If you read my column last month, I introduced the topic of true long-distance lures. This month, I’m going to present the elements of a lure that allow it to be cast a long way. I hope this helps you select lures that achieve excellent distance and action. Shape: A lure that’s built for distance is elongated so that the widest diameter or width is no more than a quarter of the lure length. Width adds air resistance, which results in lost momentum and poorer performance. On the other hand, counter to what some may think, very slim lures are also not the best. Unless most of the weight is at the very end of the tail, a super slim lure will These see-through pencil lures illustrate tumble with air resistance weight placement for an optimized on a cast, which has balance of casting distance and fishing a negative effect on action. They also demonstrate proper distance. ratios between length and width. The longest distance lures have their widest diameter at a fifth and a third of the length of the lure, from the tail. Buoyancy: There is no doubt that sinking lures cast farther than floating lures with a similar shape. Within reason, the more dense a lure is, the farther it will fly. Depending on the brand, these can be called “Super Long Distance,” “Bullet” or “Rocket” type lures. Unless you specifically want a topwater presentation, you want a lure that sinks at rest if you’re after distance. Weight Position: To impart the most momentum to a lure in the casting movement, the majority of weight should be located between the tail and a third of the length from the tail. Total Weight: This one depends on angler preference as well as the rod being used. There are situations when light tackle is called for. However, for pure distance, regardless of a lure’s dimensions, there’s a weight range between 1.5 and 4 ounces for most anglers and most rods to deliver the most efficient casts. That can be narrowed down to a sweet spot of 2.5 to 3 ounces in most cases. Only trial and error will dial in what works best for you and your needs. Appendages: The denser the lure, the better it is for the distance. The catch is, high density may impact swimming action. The best lures offer the best of both worlds. Appendages such as side wings provide lift in the water when a lure is retrieved, which provides action without sacrificing casting distance. Next month, we’ll speak about types of long distance lures. Legendary angler Patrick Sebile is a world record holder and an award-winning designer of innovative lures and fishing gear. Check out his creations at abandofanglers.com.

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he Suzuki DF2.5 portable outboard is the smallest Suzuki 4-stroke to date. Weighing just 30 pounds, the DF2.5 is the lightest Suzuki 4-stroke motor ever built. Suzuki is also proud to note that the DF2.5 meets the rigorous EPA 2010 and CARB 3-Star Ultra Low emissions standards. A 2.5 HP single cylinder OHV 4-stroke engine, with 4.15 cu. in. displacement, generates plenty of power for small tenders and inflatables. It features easy-to-pull recoil starting with Suzuki Pointless Electronic Ignition. No battery is required for this remarkably simple and reliable system. Drawing held 8/1/22. Winners announced on Facebook.

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exter’s Versa~Flex provides a superior ride utilizing patented torsion technology. Uniquely designed with independent suspension, Versa~Flex allows your boat trailer to pull smoothly and safely, matching all types of road conditions. Versa~Flex mounts direct to the trailer frame to add stability and reduce flex. Each wheel-end is attached with a splined system that delivers maximum adjustability for your ride height. The one-bolt design can also be easily changed if damaged. Dexter offers Versa~Flex in capacities ranging from 3700 lbs. to 7000 lbs. to match your application. For peace of mind, Versa~Flex is backed by a 5 Year warranty. Dexter is committed to providing its customers with the most durable, highest level quality, and performance torsion axles on the market. All axles go through rigorous safety and quality testing, so you’ll have no concerns of damage to precious cargo due to road shock. Their unique independent axle suspension means a smoother ride for your trailer and a greater peace of DEXTERAXLE.COM mind for you.

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MITZI SKIFF:

the marketplace. Mitzi Skiff became the brand for skinny-water anglers who value simplicity and functionality. A Mitzi does everything the pricier skiffs do, yet they are affordable enough for any angler to own and operate. About 30 years later, Mitzi has expanded to offer 15’, 16’ and 17’ skiffs that all perform the purposes of the original design exceptionally well. Continued innovation has made Mitzi a boat other builders imitate, and they still come at a significantly lower price point than the competition. The 17’ and the 17’ Tournament have become the brand’s hottest sellers. “The 15’ took the micro-skiff market by storm,” said Brad Grubbs, who owns and manufactures Mitzi Skiffs in North Carolina. “Since then, the brand has sort of evolved toward the 17’, which works just fine as a multi-purpose boat. It really is a very nice boat, notwithstanding the price point.” The Mitzi Skiff 17’ is a stripped-down and customizable version of the 17’ Tournament, which comes with the options Grubbs said most of his fishing customers were asking for. Both boats draft just 7 inches loaded, they pole easily, they pole straight, and they reach speeds into the 40s with a 60 hp engine. While the 15’ is a one or two-man boat that’s at-home on the flats, the 17’ can fish three people and it’s got better range. The 17’s primary purpose is still as a flats boat, yet it also doubles admirably as bay boat. “It’s not just a flats boats; it’s a little bit of an open water boat, too,” Grubbs said. The 17’ features a modified V-hull with an 11-degree deadrise at transom. There’s no hull slap, and rolled gunnels knock down spray for an exceptionally dry ride. They are built for light weight to run shallow, yet they are solid and durable to stand up to long years of heavy use. From hideaway pushpole holders to flush-mount hardware, Mitzi has obviously put some thought into making decks clean and fishable for fly anglers. Large, clean and stable casting decks are something Mitzi has become known for. “Keep it simple stupid, and if it ain’t broke don’t fix it,” Grubbs quipped. f you’re a shallow-water angler, you might already know the story behind the legendary Mitzi Skiff. In the mid-1990s, Tom Mitzlaff started toying For nearly three decades, Mitzi has built skiffs for anglers more interested in with ideas to build a boat for his own use. There was nothing affordable fishing than in spending a lot of money. It’s a philosophy that works. on the market with the shallow draft, clean layout and quiet maneuverability Mitzi Skiff boats are available exclusively through select dealers. needed for fly fishing the flats. So, Mitzlaff built the original 15-foot Mitzi Skiff. For more on Mitzi Skiffs, go to www.mitziskiffs.com. It didn’t take long for anglers to take notice, and that boat revolutionized

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CHOOSE FIBERGLASS PONTOON HULLS FOR THE BEST BOAT RIDE EVER StyleCraft Boats Makes Proprietary Fiberglass Pontoon Hulls

luminum has dominated the platform boat industry for years, until now. Move over aluminum, fiberglass pontoon hulls are the way to go for so many reasons. StyleCraft Boats creates multiple versions of the popular pontoon boat, all based on proprietary fiberglass pontoons with a racing hull design. The advantages of fiberglass over aluminum are great for the boat owner. Starting with the design, StyleCraft Boats uses A&M Manufacturing fiberglass pontoon hulls with a successful track record of a quarter century. The unique design is not round but flat on the bottom. This produces a very shallow-running boat with a draft of just 8 to 10 inches. The flat bottom pontoon also enhances the boat’s performance. Getting on a plane is much quicker, and the boat quietly glides across the water with less friction. As a result, less engine horsepower is needed. Less horsepower means less fuel demand. With today’s gasoline prices, this is a huge plus. Ever see an aluminum hull with welding scars that weaken the aluminum, bent fins or creased sides? The durability of fiberglass eliminates these issues. The fiberglass on a StyleCraft Boat is 1/2 inch thick, with much more body than aluminum of equivalent weight. StyleCraft Boats can take the abuse and mishaps with little to no harm. And should the boat have an accident, the fiberglass can be repaired back to new condition. No one enjoys boat maintenance, and fiberglass pontoon hulls are extremely user friendly. The very nature of aluminum causes electrolysis in saltwater, which deteriorates from corrosion on the hull surface in a big way. Not so with fiberglass. StyleCraft even coats the bottom of the pontoons with a special “SharkSkin” paint layer to reduce biological

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ere’s a memorable beach moment: You’re basking in the warm sun, toes in the sand, letting the gentle turn of the foam-capped waves lull you into a state of complete relaxation. As your eyes scan the endless horizon of blue on blue, you’re rewarded with a school of dolphins making their way across the sea. There’s no denying their signature shape as they leap from the water. If you don’t see anything else extraordinary the rest of the day, you can take solace knowing you’ve witnessed one of nature’s most playful and intelligent creatures in their natural habitat. Why not re-create that special toes-in-the-sand moment with our Blue Topaz Dolphin Pendant? The beloved sea mammal has been captured mid-jump in sterling silver. And, tucked into its fins is a full two carats of shimmering blue topaz. Nothing captures the shimmering color of the ocean in the midday sun like blue topaz. With its sparkling clear blue color and high refractive index, blue topaz is one of the top-selling blue gemstones. And with our special price, you have quite the catch. Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. Enjoy the Blue Topaz Dolphin Pendant for 30 days. If it doesn’t pass the test swimmingly, send it back for a full refund of the item price.

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BUSINESS

PARKIT360°:

BUILDING THE WORLD’S MOST ADVANCED TRAILER DOLLY

uccess stories are often driven by individuals with the ingenuity and work ethic to recognize and fill a need in the marketplace. The longevity of a dream results from a commitment to quality and continued innovation. Parkit360° is such a story. In 2009, when founder Steve Houle brought his electric trailer dollies to market, it was the culmination of years working to fill a niche need. About a decade later, with business booming, Steve has passed down the same work ethic and problem-solving spirit to his son Stefan Houle, who now manages the company and continues to produce the planet’s most advanced trailer dollies for happy customers worldwide. None of this happened overnight. Steve is a problem solver and the son of a millwright. He grew up around a machine shop using his mind, hands and machines to build things. He credits his father for instilling in him work ethic as well as the business sense to turn good ideas into marketable solutions. “I’ve always enjoyed building solutions to problems I saw around me,” Steve said. “Being able to turn this hobby of mine into a career has been hands down the greatest experience of my life.” Years ago, a problem manifested itself in dramatic fashion when Steve and his wife purchased a 27-foot cabin cruiser. On their maiden voyage, the wind blew them into another boat while maneuvering out of the docks. That costly mishap set Steve on a career path devising tools to maneuver large objects safely in small spaces. “The same week, out of pure necessity, I developed my own bow thruster, spending countless days testing, developing, and finally bringing this product to the market,” he said. “We received great feedback from the release.” That bow thruster became Sideshift, which revolutionized bow and stern thruster technology to make docking large boats easier. But Steve didn’t stop there. “Backing a trailer into a tight spot can be the most frustrating experience in the world. I know firsthand,” Steve said. “I found this gap in the market and I aimed to do my best to fill it.” Thus, Parkit360° was born. Steve started small, collecting feedback from RV enthusiasts and boaters and building prototype trailer dollies in his garage shop. “My number one priority was to help individuals trying to fit their boats or RVs into a small spot in their garage or yard,” he said. After seven prototypes, Steve finally built a product he was satisfied with. He began selling units one-off on ebay. Since then, Parkit360° has grown along with its reputation as a superior product. The company now

occupies a 12,000 square foot facility with numerous employees building thousands of units per year. And as the passion for a product passes on to the next generation, Stefan is tasked with continued improvement to trailer dollies that are already more powerful, more versatile and easier to use than anything else on the market. Check out Parkit360° at https://parkit360.ca.

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