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LOCAL CATCH PHOTOS

GRASS FLAT

GATOR TROUT

CURRENT INTEL FROM AREA CAPTAINS PHOTO CREDIT: PAUL MACINNIS IG: @RSOCFISHING

VOLUME 27 • ISSUE 323

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ost folks associate the word “gators” with big scaly reptiles or a college mascot. Mention gators to a cadre of hardcore inshore anglers and you are likely to elicit fond memories of 30-plus-inch silver flanks speckled with black spots and gaping yellow mouths sporting a wicked pair of canine teeth. I’m talking about seatrout, big trophy trout that prompt some of us to wake up at 4 a.m. so we can be on the water throwing topwater plugs at first light. Big trout don’t act like their smaller brethren, and the techniques that hammer schoolies won’t work on bigger fish. Most gator trout are caught on shallow grass flats 1 ½ to 3 feet deep. Look for flats with dense grass mixed with a few sandy potholes that big trout use to ambush prey. The flat should also have a healthy supply of bait like mullet or pinfish, and it should be close to deeper water, so a wary old trout has a short escape route. During the hottest days of summer, big trout retreat to deeper water off the edge of a flat or seek out shade under mangroves or docks. During the coldest nights of winter, gator trout move into deep channels, canals and dredge holes where they can be targeted with sinking plugs and shrimp imitations worked slowly along the bottom. Seatrout see well in low light, unlike their prey items, like mullet. So, big trout feed best during low light. It is best to

By Paul MacInnis

SLING LURES for Grass Flat Gator Trout

fish early mornings, late evenings, on overcast days and at night. It may seem counter intuitive, but more trophy trout are caught on artificials than bait. Big trout are loners. Lures allow you to cover a lot of water, increasing your odds of intercepting bigger fish. About 80 percent of an adult seatrout’s diet is fish. With that in mind, large mullet-imitating lures are a good choice. The classic gator trout lure is a topwater “walk-the-dog” bait like the venerable Zara Spook. Of course, big swimbaits and shallowrunning plugs also work, along with soft plastic shrimp. A seatrout doesn’t grow to trophy size by being stupid. Big trout are wary and will evacuate a flat at the slightest indication of danger. Hull slaps and pressure waves from a drifting boat put wise old trout on high alert. It’s best to ditch the skiff and either wade or fish from a minimally invasive vessel like a kayak. It also helps to make long casts to get your lure in front of a fish before it detects your presence. Catching a true gator seatrout is not easy, and even when you do everything right there is still an element of luck involved. When you finally catch that trophy fish, handle with care and release her gently. A mature female seatrout can release over a million eggs during a spawn. Let her go to release her big-fish DNA into the gene pool.

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The Experts in Custom Rod Building Have Much to Share

ud Hole Custom Tackle is the world’s largest supplier of rod building and tackle crafting goods and instruction. The heart of Mud Hole is its people, who strive for excellence and truly care about what they do. From leadership to customer service, and from product development to the warehouse floor, Mud Hole is comprised of passionate anglers and rod builders who use their own products every day and are eager to bring custom rod building to anglers everywhere. Established in the 1970s as a custom rod shop in New Jersey, and named after the famed Mud Hole trench at the outflow of the Hudson River, Mud Hole has truly humble, “tackle-shop” origins. Things really picked up in 1999, when the headquarters moved to Oviedo, Florida and the Internet made it easier to connect across the globe. Promoting the many benefits of custombuilt fishing equipment, Mud Hole Custom Tackle thrived and brought custom rod building to the masses. As interest in rod building grew and the industry flourished, Mud Hole dedicated itself to providing accessible DIY rod building instruction and resources to anyone who wanted to learn. Today, the Mud Hole YouTube channel hosts almost 500 videos with over 10 million views, and is followed by over 31,000 subscribers. From Rod Building

101 instructional videos to product reviews to Rod Recipes to Mud Hole TV episodes—where the team builds custom rods and puts them to the test against the most popular target species—Mud Hole provides the highest quality, most entertaining rod building content available. In addition to recorded video content, Mud Hole also hosts a live, streamed rod building show, Mud Hole Live, where hosts and guests share rod building techniques with an interactive, online audience. Who knew that custom rod building would hit the big time! Beyond making quality rod building content easily accessible to DIY audiences, Mud Hole also offers custom rod building classes with professional instructors. The workshops take place in the Mud Hole Education Center in Oviedo, Florida, in local markets across the U.S., and even online, in the comfort of your own home. A variety of topical classes are offered, from beginner workshops to application-specific builds, such as surf, fly, redfish and mahi rods. All classes include every component, supply, and all of the personal interaction needed to build high quality, custom fishing rods. Mud Hole also collaborates with schools and youth organizations like the Boy Scouts of America and 4-H to bring rod building to students through

specialized programs and education curriculum. In its 13 years, the Mud Hole Education program has reached over 30,000 students across 650 institutions in the United States, Canada and Australia. For Mud Hole, it’s not just about selling customers the components, tools and supplies they need with top-notch customer service, it’s also providing all of the instruction and resources to help them build! It’s about supporting and growing the community of rod builders who share a passion for custom rod building. Check out all that Mud Hole Custom Tackle has to offer at mudhole.com.

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PUBLISHER & EDITOR BRENDA RIGGS MIKE RIGGS Co-publishers & Editors

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CONTACT INFORMATION For editorial comments, articles, photography, artwork and all other inquiries please contact:

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FEB. 2022

TIDEWATER & THE OUTER BANKS 1

Jake’s Outdoor Adventures By Jake Worthington

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his is the year that the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center will begin construction for a complete remodel that will change the face of the Fishing Center for decades to come. The Fishing Center has been operating for years based out of the building constructed during the 1960s with some updating and remodeling over the last five decades. I remember my Dad telling me stories when his Dad took him Fishing out of Oregon Inlet. He said they even had a restaurant where they ate breakfast before they went out Fishing. There has not been a restaurant in the Fishing Center since I was born, but it looks like that may be changing. With the new ownership group in place with a new 20-year lease and all the site plans gaining approval by the National Park Service, construction will be starting soon. The plans include three phases. In the first year plan, site work construction will begin, new parking lots and a major reworking of the fuel pumps. The new fuel pumps will provide the boat captains and mates the ability to fuel right in their own boat dock slips. This beginning plan also calls for the remodeling of the fish house and reworking and replacement of the utilities. Once these items are completed the next part of the plan will be to do some dredging, construction of a new building that will house the new Ship’s Store, a museum display and restaurant. Construction and replacement of the board walks will occur during this time also. The final part of the plan will be the removal of the current Ship’s Store and Fish House and it will be replaced with an open pavilion that will serve as a gathering spot for events. These improvements will really make the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center a premier destination for world class recreational offshore and near shore fishing. As a First Mate working on one of the offshore fishing fleet boats, I am looking forward to these improvements over the next couple of years and being there to watch it being utilized during my career. I am pretty sure we will see more and more visitors come out to greet the return of the fishing fleet and watch the fleet unload their catch for the day. With a restaurant, they will be able to watch the unloading of all the boat’s catches of the day and then stay right on the property and enjoy a great meal. I am sure with a new Ship Store and a museum display the Oregon Inlet will be a stop most families will take advantage of while they are on vacation in Dare County. So, if you visit the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center during the next two years remember “We are under construction” but I am sure you will be as excited to see the metamorphosis of this landmark. For more information about the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, visit their website to check the Fishing Report, book a charter or just check the webcam of the fleet. The website is https://www.oregon-inlet.com/ Jake Worthington 800-272-5199. First Mate, The Seaducer Charter Fishing Boat, Oregon Inlet Fishing Ctr

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THE FLYING FISHERMAN By J. Andre

Skunk’s Out of the Boat

Last month we discussed my terrible dry spell and attempts to get the skunk out of the boat. There were two problems: 1) lack of the right bait and 2) locating the fish. Unlike the lower James River, where a gill net is often used to catch shad for bait, our local river has restrictions against nets and the use of shad or herring for bait. This time of year, bream and perch are the baits of choice, but they developed lockjaw lately. I have reverted to buying fresh catfish bellies at the grocery store. They are cheap and a native food for cannibalistic blue catfish. Bait problem - solved. I have yet to sink to the levels of Catfish Eddy, who uses chicken breast marinated in Strawberry Jell-O. No, it ain’t happening, Eddy! I started the morning late with my typical set-up, a four-rod spread anchored up on my favorite spots - feeder-creek deep holes. And got my latest typical result - 0. The purpose of the mid-morning start served two functions. While I don’t mind freezing in a deer stand, I enjoy the heat of the sun during winter fishing. The second reason is to explore the sunheated shallows for catfish chasing shad into the warmer water. It was time for Plan B. Rather than fishing the creeks, the alternative was to fish the shallows in the main river. While the river’s surface looks like a vast waterway, anyone a little taller than me can walk across it and keep their hair dry except in the Intercoastal Water Way channel. This location requires dealing with the barge traffic and the Snowbirds heading South during Fall and early Winter. You must keep your head on a swivel to avoid swamping wakes. This time of the year there is less traffic. I’m a faithful follower of YouTuber Catfish Dave. His tips have guided me on this catfish renaissance for the last four years. Like other folks targeting catfish, he uses a pair of planer boards to cover ground and avoid spooking the fish with the boat. Suspend fishing in 5-6 feet of water behind a boat that just scared the slime off of a fish isn’t a practical way to hook up. My new secret weapons are B-KAT planer boards and their flexible dragging weight drift sinkers. This stealth tactic is a game-changer in the shallow rivers. Whether drifting, a slow creeping troll or a combination of both, planer boards get the baits away from the boat. You become a hunter searching for fish rather than waiting for them to come to you. The set-up starts with a regular Santee Cooper bottom float rig (circle hook, float, snap swivel, and sinker on 30 inches of 60-pound leader). Now, I replace the (still water) 2-ounce bank sinker with a 2-3-oz—snake-like drift sinker. I like the flexible dragging weights because the forward part of the snake is filled with foam to float the front up and over obstructions such as roots, branches, ancient duck blinds, etc. Lead shot in the snake’s back end holds the rig down, so the bait is inches from the bottom. The float location adjusts the height of the bait on the Santee Cooper Rig. My float of choice is a Demon Dragon knock-off (hookless floating lure with an eye on both ends (Zara Spook bodies work great – so would a Styrofoam peg float or five-inch length of a broomstick - keep it simple)). My version has the leader threaded through the eyes and under a band of surgical tubing holding it snug to the lure body. There are no knots to come undone. Sliding the float on the leader ahead of the hook adjusts the bait height. Deployment is easy. 1) Set the boat on a drift or troll. 2) Cast your rig out to the side of the boat using your best Catfish Dave bank fishing cast. 3) Take hold of the line (near the rod tip) and clip it onto the forward tension release clip of the planer board – take the line in the back of the tension release clip and slip it onto the board’s rear snap release clip. 4) Place the float in the water. Let the line spool off the reel until the planer is out away from the boat (30 yds. appears right). 5) Put the reel in gear, set the drag, and start fishing! The planer will start slicing through the water off to the side of the boat as soon as the line is taut. The tension release clip releases the line when the fish takes the bait, and the board slips to the terminal tackle holding the fish. You reel in everything in one effort. It doesn’t get much easier, AND IT WORKS! I can’t wait to confirm the results with a repeat trip. Check out the folks at www.bkatboards.com. They have lightning-fast shipping — order on Monday - fish with boards on Saturday. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

FEB. 2022

TIDEWATER & THE OUTER BANKS 3

OBX By Aaron Kelly

INSHORE

Bluefin fishing has been red hot in January. Quotas may have been met but the bruisers are still there! You want to catch a fish that looks like a Buffalo with fins here ya go!!! Inshore fishing is tough this month. A few bottom fish on the wrecks and smooth dogsharks to provide action. Inlets are for the most part pretty quiet. Go west to find the best fishing. Black water creeks have been holding the meat! Well speckled trout meat. Fishing the slow twitch mirrordine baits will induce strikes. Kinda like that hot slice of New York pizza in your face. They just can’t help it. Mirrolure has been kicking out trout hard baits for years. The myriad of colors is astounding and addicting. Fun to go into the local tackle shop and grab a new color! If speckled trout is not your flavor, schoolie stripers will be available on the river mouths. Bends in the rivers or sumbmerged cypress stumps will hold packs of fish. Shimmy swimmy jigs and rattletrap great lures to prospect with! Stay warm, have fun, God Bless! Capt. Aaron Kelly rocksolidfishing.com 252-441-657

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KNOTS & CRIMPS By Capt. Jim Davison, Miss Disturbed Sportfising

rying to figure out what to talk about this week and decided to talk a little about knots and crimps and what I do. First lets talk about knots. What knots do I use and at what point do I go over to crimps. Ninetynine percent of the time I stick by a simple rule, knots to 80# mono and crimps on anything over that. With braid its knots 99% of the time. For this article lets just stay with mono. So, the 3 knots I use are the bimini twist, uni, and snell. Each one has its place and function. I use the bimini twist primarily for loop to loop connections such as top shot to braid backing. This knot is a great knot and very strong but can be a pain to tie. My recommendation is to sit down and practice when you are bored and become proficient with it. My second and most popular is the uni knot. I love to tie this knot direct to the hooks when using 80# and below. It’s a real easy knot to tie and very strong as well. The last knot I use is the snell. This is the knot I use on all circle hooks with the angled eyelet. Again, I love to use this knot when using 80# and below and it’s a must on circle hooks with the angled eyelet. Now with anything over 80# I go to crimps. The biggest thing I can tell you about crimps is take your time. If you take your time and make sure you have the correct size crimp and crimp it correctly you shouldn’t have failure at your crimp. So many people get in a rush when the bite is hot and make real small mistakes that cost you that monster yellowfin. A word of advice, pick your leader material and size and stick with it so you only have to match those lines. Here’s what I carry just for reference. I have 100#, 130#, and 200# in flourocarbon and 250#, 300# and a little 400# for outrigger line repairs. Now keep in mind this is the sizes I have for crimps. I carry all the way down to 20# flourocarbon but tie below 100#. As you can see, I only need 4 different sizes of crimps. Now, I know there are hundreds of makes and models so you will need to figure out what works best for you. Now that you have your line and crimps now it’s pretty easy. Make sure you have the correct crimp for the line. Slide your crimp on, then slide your hook, swivel etc. on. Feed the tag end back into the crimp. I like to leave about a 1” extra. Put the crimp in your crimping pliers in the correct size starting just a little from the end of the crimp working down. Make sure you leave a little at each end so you don’t cut into the mono. This is when you loose the big one on the knock down. After you crimp down and everything looks good, the last thing I do is trim the tag end back to just before the crimp. That’s it, pretty simple. Now there are things like ballyhoo pins etc. you can add to the mix but we are keeping it simple for now. Make sure you practice this again during slow times when you’re bored waiting for the snow and cold weather to leave. I hope these little tidbits helps someone out and they get that monster on the deck. Stay safe everyone.

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FEB. 2022

TIDEWATER & THE OUTER BANKS 5

BIG OUTBOARDS TODAY

By John Tiger

oday’s outboard market can be summed up in a statement and a question: Bigger is better, and can you get one? The Covid buying panic in effect since 2020 has had boaters pining for the water and wide- open spaces, and the net effect on outboard supply has been dramatic. However, demand tailed off a bit in late 2021, allowing supply to begin its catch-up game. For 2022, outboards will still be difficult to get, especially if you want a new one in a particular size, but the supply should continue to get better as 2022 progresses. Even in just a few recent years, the outboard landscape has changed dramatically. With the recent departures of Evinrude and Seven Marine, Mercury is the only American manufacturer left. Together with Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and Tohatsu all compete for a slice of the US outboard pie. The focus of the market continues to be on huge outboards. Most boat buyers drool over the big beasts of outboarding—the 300, 400 and even 600 horse behemoths. Truth is, they’re really “halo” engines—they bring big attention to the brand, but reality is most folks can’t afford them, and don’t buy them. The big driver for huge outboard sales is offshore fishing and cruising—multiple engines, deep-vee offshore hulls sporting twin, triple and even quad engines totaling 600, 1200, 2400 horses or more. But make no mistake, there are everyday runabouts and pontoons built specifically for these monsters of outboarding, and if you have the funds and the dream, a boat outfitted with a big outboard can thrill you every time you fire it up. The technology premiered on the big ‘uns trickles down to even the lil’ kickers, so let’s look at what’s available. HONDA (marine.honda.com/home) The Honda lineup has not changed much in at least a half-decade. Honda builds a stout 250hp V-6 entry, but that’s as big as they go, and that hasn’t changed in many years. Honda’s 3.6-liter EFI four-stroke V6 is a proven engine with many years of reliable service. Available in 20”, 25” and XXL 30” shaft lengths for taller transoms, the 250 makes a stout flagship engine for Honda. The 250 weighs in at a published 613 pounds and is rated to turn a maximum of 6300 rpm. It has a 90-amp alternator to charge the boat’s batteries, with AMP+, a feature which senses electrical loads and automatically increases idle speed minutely (about 100 rpm) to increase charging output by another 9 amps—often just enough to keep the boat tunes blasting and the nav lights glowing. The Honda “BLAST” system, which stands for “Boosted Low Speed Torque” rapidly advances ignition timing while enrichening the fuel mixture electronically for quicker holeshots and more low-end torque. IST-Electronic shift and throttle controls—are standard. Color choices include silver and white. Honda backs up the 250 with a 5-year non-declining transferable warranty as standard—one of the best warranties available. MERCURY (mercurymarine.com) Mercury has been on a tear since the 2018 product introduction, when they first released the current Mercury and Mercury Racing four-stroke outboards. Last year, Merc topped them all, introducing the 600hp, 7.6 liter V-12 (!!) Verado; it is truly a breakthrough powerplant in terms of sheer size, but also for its innovative features. This engine weighs almost 1000 pounds and costs nearly $80k, so it’s clearly not for everyone. But for those who want unparalleled power and performance, it’s the ultimate in outboards. Heres’ just a quick highlight of its many advanced features: 1) Top-mounted access to the important maintenance features, including engine oil and gear lube changes. This makes servicing the V12 Verado easier, because the boat doesn’t have to come out of the water to do so. 2) Rotating gearcase for steering. This is a unique feature; when you turn the steering wheel, the engine doesn’t move, only the gearcase does. This makes for a more secure mounting and allows the boat builder and rigger to mount the engines much more closely together for better performance. 3) Extremely quiet operation. Even the “pee tube” (overboard water indicator) is eliminated to reduce sound. For the rest of us, here’s a quick run-down of the V6& V8 Mercuries: The FourStroke engines are the “bread and butter” V-6 offerings from Mercury. Available in 175, 200 and 225-hp versions from a 3.4-liter four stroke EFI powerhead as well as 250 and 300-hp versions from a 4.6-liter V-8 EFI. These are clean-sheet designs ten years in the making and they offer light weight (V-8s at 527 pounds, V-6s at an industry-leading 475 pounds) coupled with consumer-driven simplicity and reliability. A myriad of color choices ensure matching to your boat. The 300 and 200 are available in 20” and 25” versions, while all the others are also available with a XXL 30” shaft. The Pro XS engines are slightly warmed-up performance versions of the FourStroke lineup, with enhanced acceleration and performance exhaust note

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as well as multiple performance gearcase and gear ratio choices (plus cool graphics!). In the Pro XS line, the only V-6 is the 175hp; all others are V-8s that weigh just 505 pounds, which is lighter than most competitors V-6s. The Sea Pro lineup is for commercial applications; the Sea Pro engines are workhorses, designed for heavy loads and tough conditions. All are fitted with heavy-duty lower units validated at 3x the lifespan of recreational gearcases and all are based on the 4.6-liter V-8 except the 200, which is the 3.4L V-6. Replacing the existing inline-6 four stroke Verado line is the new FourStroke Verado, available in 250 and 300-horse 4.6-liter V-8 versions. The AMS (Advanced Midsection) makes the Verado unique in that it isolates all sound and vibration from the transom. The Mercury Racing division offers the “R” series higher-performance versions of these engines in 300, 350, 400 and 450-horsepower versions. While Mercury was a strong competitor a few years back, they are clearly leading the pack today. SUZUKI (suzukimarine.com) Suzuki brings it to the Giant Outboard party with their 350-horse V-6 dual propeller outboard. The big brother to their already-stout DF300A, the 350 is a 4.4-liter V6 four-stroke with special gearcase featuring dual contra-rotating propellers. Weighing in at 727 pounds, the 350 features every electronic convenience Suzuki has to offer in an outboard to make this an easy giant to tame. It’s for big boats only though; a 20” shaft version is not even available (only 25” and 30”). With a narrow 55-degree vee cylinder arrangement, the 350 is slim enough to look like an inline 6. A low 2.29:1 gear ratio ensures big planing power for heavy boats (compare to others’ 2:1 and 1.75:1 ratios). The top RPM on the 350 is 6300, where its alternator produces 54 amps. The “little brother” 300 is a tried-and-true giant producing 300 ponies at 6300 rpm from a 4.0-liter powerhead. Weight is 578 pounds and the 300 is available in 20”, 25” and 30” versions to accommodate all transom heights. A three-year warranty is standard on both engines and both the 350 and 300 achieve the best possible three-star CARB/EPA emissions rating. Suzuki customers and dealers rate the company’s customer service record highly, especially in the past few years; it’s clear Suzuki is after market share and they are getting it. Their offering has improved dramatically since the early 2000s, and they were no slouch then. These are outboards to watch. TOHATSU (tohatsu.com) While Tohatsu doesn’t have an outboard in the 300-horse range, their 250 V-6 four stroke is a great competitor from a company whose approach is no-nonsense, straightforward and dependable engines. Tohatsu’s TLDI direct-injected two strokes (available up to 115hp) don’t get enough credit in the marketplace for their reliability and clean-sheet approach. Their larger four-strokes, made by Honda and private-labeled for Tohatsu, are excellent, quiet, feature-packed and dependable. The largest 250hp model is essentially Honda’s 250, so it’s a proven performer and a solid competitor to the other manufacturers’ 250s. For specs, check the charts; this is a 613 pound, 3.6-liter V6 four stroke that is well noted for its smooth and quiet demeanor and low-end torque for larger hulls. YAMAHA (yamahaoutboards.com) Yamaha needs no real introduction; their dominance of the outboard market has become an accepted thing, due in large part to their nearly flawless outboard engine performance and wide range of horsepower. Yamaha’s top of the line is their XTO Offshore, a giant of an outboard V-8 at 5.6 liters and 425 horsepower. Introduced in 2018, the XTO is really aimed at the offshore multi-engine market, as it weighs in at nearly 1000 pounds and available only in 25”, 30”and 35” shafts. The next step down is the F300, a 4.2-liter V6 EFI four stroke that has been a proven performer since its introduction at least a decade ago. With a dry weight of 562 pounds, this engine is available in 25” and 30” shaft lengths for larger boats with taller transoms. This basic powerplant is also offered in 250 and 225-hp versions. All Yamaha outboards are CARB 3-Star Ultra Low emissions certified. Whatever your brand and power preference, if you’re in the position to buy one of these monsters you’re in for some serious performance and superlative reliability. Buying the largest outboard is not the same as it was, for example, back in the 1980s when 300-horse two-strokes were offered by Evinrude/Johnson and Mercury. Those engines were not even close to reliable or easy to operate (by today’s standards) and they gulped fuel quicker than a 454 Chevelle. Today’s 300+ outboards offer brute power along with refined operation and uncanny reliability. The downside is initial cost, of course, and the fact that dealer service is now a necessity—as complex as they are, no shade-tree mechanics will be able to repair one of these babies like they could “back in the day.”

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CATCHIN’& COOKIN’ IF YA CAN GET ‘EM SEA BASS The season may be closed, but if ya happen to have some in the freezer or you bump into some at a seafood store, here is a favorite recipe. Take your Sea Bass and lightly coat them with your favorite breader, then pan fry. Once golden brown, set aside in the oven at 200 degrees. Next, chop one red, green, and one yellow pepper as well as one yellow onion. Also chop two cups of schrooms. Peel and devein two pounds of shrimp. Place one stick of butter in a deep pan and melt. Then stir fry all the veggies and add two cups of white wine. Next add the shrimp and continue to stir and cook. When shrimp are close to done, add 2 cups heavy whipping cream and 1 diced tomato. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Pour the sauce over the fried Sea Bass. Fantastic! For more updates on our fishing trips and latest shows log on to our blogspot at https://jimbaughoutdoors.blogspot.com/

JIM BAUGH’S RECIPE OF THE MONTH

I WISH !

by Jim Baugh reporting from Oyster Farm at Kings Creek, Cape Charles VA I can’t tell you folks how sad I am to say that this is the first year since I can remember that Jim Baugh Outdoors TV will NOT be filming our traditional offshore sea bass trip this month. Tears are swelling up as I am writing this. Every year, and all year long, we look forward to this tradition. To me it’s like having Thanksgiving with out a Turkey or Christmas without a tree. But hey, nothing old JB can do, the winter season as of now is closed. DAM! I wish it was different, but then again it would be nice to have hair on my head; but that aint gonna happen either. Stay tuned, check out all our fun Sea Bass shows on JBOTV You Tube channel and Amazon Prime Video. When the season opens, contact the fishing center and book a trip. We will!! Hey check out our new Nightscape Gallery at jimbaughnightscapes. blogspot.com; you can also scan the QR Code below. These metal prints look amazing and were filmed from Eastern Shore, Virginia Beach, and Roanoke Virginia. If you are on the Eastern Shore stop into the Lemon Tree Gallery in Cape Charles and see our Nightscapes on display. Free delivery to the Eastern Shore and Virginia Beach. Winter is not just a great time for boat shows, but it is the perfect time for that weekend getaway with that someone special. Contact the Oyster Farm for beautiful accommodations and enjoy the awesome dining at the Seafood Eatery. No doubt the best view of the Chesapeake Bay and Kings Creek. For more info and to book marina slips and accommodations (Or boat and RV Storage) just visit www. theoysterfarmatkingscreek.com Jim Baugh, Jimbaugh.net, Jim Baugh Outdoors TV For more updates on our fishing trips and latest shows log on to: https://jimbaughoutdoors.blogspot.com/ for updates on everything, digital prints gallery, etc. Jim Baugh Outdoors TV Amazon Prime Video https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07Z9S825F/ref=atv_ dp_share_cu_r JBOTV Online Hubb: https://jimbaugh.blogspot.com/

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NORTH CAROLINA VIRGINIA VIRGINIA SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE EXMORE NORTH Suzuki Limited Warranty for additional details. Suzuki, the “S” logo, and Suzuki model and product names areVIRGINIA Suzuki Trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. Marine USA, LLC. All rights reserved. Smith Mountain Seaworthy KILL DEVIL HILLS© 2021 Suzuki ACCOMAC CHESAPEAKE NEWPORT NEWS CHESTERFIELD YEAR Boat & Tackle Marine Services Bill’s Marine LLC Sandpiper Marine Inc. Centerville Waterway Marina Sports Marine, Inc. Nautical Marine LIMITED WARRANTY 540-576-2755 757-442-3666 252-982-6595 757-787-7783 757-547-4498 757-595-9333 804-271-3198 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 March 31, 2022. See Suzuki Limited Warranty for additional details. Suzuki,COASTALANGLERMAG.COM the “S” logo, and Suzuki model and product •names are Suzuki Trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and 2022 drive. Always wear a USCG-approved jacket and read your THEANGLERMAG.COM FEB. TIDEWATER & life THE OUTER BANKS owner’s manual. © 2021 Suzuki Marine USA, LLC. All rights reserved.

SO YOU NEED SOME STUFF (OR NOT) By Scott Reppert Virginia Coastal Fly Anglers

f you pay attention to this column you may notice that I support all sorts of fishing but primarily fishing with a fly. This month I want to talk about the Flea Market put on by the Great Bridge Fishing Association. I am a former member and not particularly active. This article was not solicited. I just like fishing stuff. This event has an assortment of fishing and boating oriented vendors and an array of customers. As you may guess I am a regular attender of the flea market as I like stuff, any stuff. This habit of acquiring things that I may or may not need does not always make my spouse happy, but I go every year. I primarily look for good values in fly fishing equipment but I am not above picking up a surf rod or two. If you have vintage lures reels rods etc. this is a good place to see how much they are worth. You may be surprised, I routinely see great values and ones that are not so great. You may find that your spouse is correct and you own a bunch of junk. If you are seriously in the mood to buy something in particular, you may want to be the first person in the door. On the other hand, sometimes the best deal is at the end of the day when vendors do not want to carry something home again. Either way, I prefer to avoid the middle of the day as it does get busy. It will be held March 12th at the Chesapeake Conference Center. February is a great month to reassemble everything that you broke, disassembled, and generally messed up. If you are like me please reread last month’s column and consider cleaning, sorting and replacing used equipment that you know needs to go but is still hanging around. Please recycle used line properly. Your local tackle shop has a bin and they are glad to refill your spool (for a price). The last thing you want to do is to lose a great fish on faulty equipment. As always please make safe choices and consider checking out the Virginia Coastal Fly Anglers. Spring is coming and you want to get out and catch more fish. See you next month.

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STATE RECORD TRIPLETAIL

n 8-pound 9-ounce Atlantic tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis), caught on July 14, 2021, by Hayden Head of Yorktown, VA has been certified as the initial Virginia State Record for the species by the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. The record-setting tripletail measured 23 inches (TL) and had an 18.5-inch girth.

Tripletail were added to the list of eligible species for state record consideration in 2020 with an initial qualifying weight of 8 pounds. No entries were submitted that first year. Hayden’s fish is the first tripletail registered which met the 8-pound minimum established for initial state record recognition. For more information, contact Lewis S. Gillingham, Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 380 Fenwick Road, Fort Monroe, VA 23651, (757) 491-5160, vswft@ mrc.virginia.gov

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If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about the mysterious art of catching speckled trout from the surf then there is a new book dedicated to that. Capt. Gordon Churchill of Carteret County, NC, has written “Speckled Trout From the Surf ”. Learn all about the where, how, what and even the why, of pursuing the wily speckled trout in the most difficult of environments. Available as both a print or e-pub on all available on-line book retailers.

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By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

Fishing the bay side may not even be a second choice this month, with the abundance of cobia, snapper, mackerel and the other usual suspects that frequent our shallow-water wrecks. However, if the weather allows, fishing the Atlantic side is advisable. Snapper and amberjack are a viable option, while being near an excellent pelagic fishery. Wahoo and king mackerel will be cruising the reef, along with sailfish, tuna and the occasional mahi. Mahi may be few and far between in February, but they will likely be much larger than summer schoolies. On the reef, incredible tailing conditions occur this time of year, which pushes migrating species to the surface. Once in a lifetime sightings can be had, but the most notable species affected by this anomaly is sailfish. On days like these, we target sailfish by cruising waves along the reef and looking for fish swimming on the surface. Sailfish appear black in the water, and on sunny days you can see them several waves ahead, leaving ample time to set up a pitch bait for sight casting. In the beginning of winter, when sailfish season begins on the reef, ballyhoo are extremely abundant, and the challenge is to get the fish to choose your bait out of the rest. This time of year, when bait is more scarce, your bug-eyed, red-nosed bait might actually have a chance at coming across as appealing to these hungry travelers. Tailing conditions in Marathon are caused by an east wind that opposes the current of the Gulf Stream. Migrating fish are traveling against the current, and heavy wind creates waves that push in the direction they are going. By swimming on the surface, to the point where their tails even breach, they use the force of the wind to surf the waves. It gives them a little break. It is a breathtaking experience to see these fish with such clarity, as if they are in a rolling aquarium. For obvious reasons, this type of fishing requires some heart to brave the he coldest month of the year may shut off a lot of fisheries around waves, and possibly some Dramamine. If you are prone to seasickness, take the country, but the Florida Keys thrive throughout the month of Dramamine the night before. This allows time for it to get into your system February. and eliminates the uncomfortable drowsiness that occurs from taking it the While the Keys are not immune to seasonal cold fronts, the temperatures morning of your trip. remain significantly higher than the rest of the country and provide the Capt. Quinlyn Haddon, of Blue Magic Charters, can be reached at versatility of being able to duck onto the bay side if waters on the Atlantic (504) 920-6342. Check out her social media: @captainquinlyn. side get too sporty.

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move up to spawn. For most of the country, a transition area can be anything from deeper water with structure, points, or even deep banks leading near the spawning grounds. Here in Florida, we look for submerged grass clumps or edges, brushpiles, and even shell bars in a bit deeper water near spawning areas. This habitat provides bass with an ambush point to feed heavily and an easy route to spawning grounds when they are ready. Side scan is very helpful in for finding these things, as you can see the bottom 150 feet or more on each side of your boat at idle speeds. This allows you to cover a ton of water and eliminate a lot of the guesswork. With some trial and error, you can actually see fish with this technology as well! I know this technology is expensive and takes some time to learn and understand. However, if you can get your hands on it and learn how to us it, your understanding of where these fish move, live, and feed will grow exponentially. The best way to learn is to get out on the water and find that special area for yourself. Content and video on the Internet helps if you get stuck in a technological bind or aren’t quite sure what you are seeing on your screen. You can always reach out to me on social media with questions. I’d love to help in any way I can. Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com.

TIPS FROM A PRO

UTILIZING ELECTRONICS TO FIND GROUPS OF PRE-SPAWN BASS

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UTILIZING ELECTRONICS TO FIND GROUPS OF PRE-SPAWN BASS

SEAWALL EROSION CONTROL I TYLER WOOLCOTT

n the South, bass are making their transition to prepare for the spawn. This time of year can present an awesome opportunity, with large groups of fish ready to feed before they head to the shallows to do their business. One of the best ways to catch bass is to locate a large group of feeding fish with electronics and put them in the boat. This time of year is my favorite time to do it. Bass group up, stage on certain things in a little bit deeper water near spawning areas and feed heavily. This scenario presents some very fun fishing days! The first thing you need is a fish finding unit with side-scan capabilities and a little bit of patience. Finding the perfect spot sometimes isn’t easy, but when you do find it, it can be extremely rewarding. SAFE FOR THE The first step is to identify a general area in a lake where bass ENVIRONMENT will eventually go to spawn. After that, you want to look for a transition area with structure that bass will stage on and feed before Our Polyurethane they move up to spawn. For most Fills voids of the country, a transition area can Seals cracks Strengthens soilsbe anything from deeper water with structure, points, or even deep banks leading near the spawning grounds. Here in Florida, we look for submerged grass clumps or edges, brushpiles, and even shell bars in a bit deeper water near spawning areas. This habitat Free Estimates Competitive Pricing provides bass with anofambush Free 2nd Opinions Serving All Floridapoint to feed heavily and an easy route to spawning grounds when they are ready. Side scan is very helpful in for finding these things, as you can see the bottom 150 feet or more on each side of your boat at idle speeds. This allows you to cover a ton of water and eliminate a lot of the guesswork. With some trial and error, you can actually see fish with this technology as well! I know this technology is expensive and takes some time to learn and understand. However, if you can get your hands on it and learn how to us it, your understanding of where these fish move, live, and feed will grow exponentially. The best way to learn is to get out on the water and find that special area for yourself. Content and video on the Internet helps if you get stuck in a technological bind or aren’t quite sure what you are seeing on your screen. You can always reach out to me on social media with questions. I’d love to help in any way I can.

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ot only is custom rod building fun, it also offers a valuable skill set that you’ll use for a lifetime! Creating and repairing fishing rods is a rewarding hobby for the professional or weekend angler, and it has also become a profitable business for serious builders worldwide. It all starts with building your first custom fishing rod. Mud Hole Rod Building Classes make it easy to take that first step in rod building with our Basic Rod Building 101 workshop. Live classes with professional instructors can be taken online or in-person, and include all of the components, supplies and equipment needed to build a high-quality, custom fishing rod. Mud Hole Rod Building Classes have become so popular that we now offer specialty classes for both beginners and experienced builders who have a specific fishing application in mind. From surf to fly, and from redfish to mahi, we have a class to fit your passion for fishing… and soon to be your passion for rod building! Take the next step and check out the rod building class schedule at mudhole.com/classes and sign up today. Mud Hole Custom MUDHOLE.COM/CLASSES Tackle. Your Rods. Your Way.

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By Richard Matteson

Cool Water, Hot Surf Fishing

ebruary is one of the coolest months for surf fishing, and it’s one of the best for cool-water fish. Mackerel, jack, bluefish and ladyfish are coolwater fish that are very active this month. February is also one of the best months for table fare like large pompano, whiting and croaker. The schooling predator fish mentioned above are active chasing bait in the morning around daybreak and in the evening. They are shallow in the morning around the first breakers and running the trough, a deep cut along the shoreline under the closest breakers. Any shiny, fast-moving lure will produce strikes. I prefer small crocodile-style spoons (1-ounce) in the morning, a shallow-running crankbait, if there are no weeds, or small jigs (4-inch pearl white with a 3/8-ounce chartreuse jig head). Schooling mackerel and bluefish will cut your line, so use a heavy 40-pound mono or fluoro leader tied onto braid. Whether it’s early morning or not, you need to find bait to be successful. Look for birds feeding. On any beach, there will usually be some schools of bait. They might be 100 yards away or a half a mile. Walk the beach and look for dark spots in the water and small splashes on top. Although birds will be feeding on large schools of bait, they may not see smaller schools. Make long search casts past the bait and use a fast, steady retrieve to pull the lure through the bait. The action can be fast and furious as long as you are around bait and feeding fish. All the cool-water predator fish will take live bait and cut bait. Greenies and live shrimp work as well as cut ladyfish and frozen shrimp. If it gets cold, try beach fishing with waders. Numbers of pompano have been reported along many of the beach accesses in the Treasure Coast area, including Bathtub Beach and Middle Cove up to the Ft. Pierce Inlet. February is one of the best months for large 3- to 5-pound pompano. Pompano beach fishing is an art in itself and requires longer fishing rods as well as triple rigs baited with sand fleas or FishBites (red or pink). One of the easiest ways to catch pompano is to fish the lagoon bridges (Jensen Beach Causeway/Stuart Bridge if you are in Martin county) with pompano jigs (pink) on moving tides. The whiting bite has been very good this winter with small pieces of frozen shrimp. Cast just past the shoreline breakers. When fishing live or cut bait on the beach, make sure you reel in pompano or whiting fast or your fish might be shark bait. The best table-fare beaches have deeper water. The best times are when high tide is moving in or out. The weeds have been much better on the beach and the water is clear. Richard Matteson is a long-time contributor to Coastal Angler Magazine who reports from the Stuart Rod and Reel Club. Contact him at (336) 414-3440.

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CATCH SMALLMOUTHS IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA

By Capt. James McManus

ere in the western North Carolina mountains, we get a lot of visitors. Snowbirds are what we call people who come here from up north to enjoy our milder climate. One snowbird most fishermen cherish is the smallmouth bass. We are at the southern end of their natural range, and almost all of our watersheds contain some. Smallies have characteristics that endear them to anglers. They are aggressive, eat year-round, grow to respectable size and when hooked spend as much time out of the water as in.

You can find these beauties in most of our sizeable rivers. River fish seem to be more active in summer. I think it’s linked to terrestrial food items being more available. Floating area rivers like the Tuckasegee, Little Tennessee, Hiwassee and French Broad will keep you in fish regardless of your preferred method. For fly guys, any minnow or crawdad imitation will draw strikes, and in warmer weather nymphs and hoppers get their attention. Poppers and sliders can be lots of fun, just remember river smallies tend to be smaller than their lake buds. I spend more time chasing lake fish. There is less competition from other anglers, and average size is much better. Winter and early spring are the best seasons, in my opinion, only because the females are chock-full of eggs. It is when we catch our largest fish of the year. Many methods produce, and I throw a lot of jigs and jerkbaits. Lake fish have a variety of forage, so anything resembling threadfin shad, blueback herring or crawdads fits their menu. Dropshot, Shaky head and wacky-rigged worms all catch fish. Average depth for smallies year-round is 45 feet, or so. However, our clear mountain lakes allow them to identify prey up on the surface. Don’t shy from throwing topwater just because you mark fish deep. Especially when they are feeding up pre- and postspawn, you’ll find smallmouths on rock or gravel, where they love to eat little lobsters. They also suspend in open water to chase shad, but this is more of a warm-water behavior. On Lake Fontana, my home lake, we troll a good bit, and it’s not unusual to find them suspended at 45 feet over 200 feet of water. I should note that while we still have good smallmouth fishing, invasive spotted bass have forced their way into smallie enclaves. For this reason, we never kill a smallmouth. If you like to eat fish, take all the spotted bass you want; they are better eating anyway. Smallies and spots use the same spawning areas and hybridize. While not good genetically, it produces a fish that has that hybrid vigor, hence the name “meanmouth.” Markings and coloration make the smallmouth one of the prettiest of all fish. We should try hard to preserve them so our kids have the thrill of fighting one of the gamest fish around. Captain James McManus owns 153 charters out of Sylva, N.C. Call him at (828) 421-8125. James fishing McManus/Instagram.

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RUN LONG. RUN CLEAN. RUN STRONG.

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

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C-HAWK & MITZI SKIFF: DEPENDABLE SIMPLICITY

here’s a certain type of boater who values simplicity and functionality over flashiness. Most anglers fall into this category. A simple boat comes with less hassle, allowing you to spend more time on the water. Two brands that fit right into this niche for dependability and easy boating are C-Hawk and Mitzi Skiff. Across the product lines for both boats, a no-nonsense reputation has developed a considerable following among people who would rather fish than look at their boats. No trailer queens here! “We build a keep-it-simple-stupid boat. If you want something you can soft scrub at the end of the day and put it away, you’re my guy,” said Brad Grubbs, the owner and manufacturer of C-Hawk and Mitzi Skiff. “We set out to make boats that are affordable to operate and affordable to own, and the philosophy has worked.” C-Hawk, which has been around since the mid-1970s, offers lines of 16’ to 29’ center consoles and 22’ to 29’ sport cabins that were originallyw developed for commercial applications. C-Hawks remain widely used commercially, and many recreational boaters also see the value in a vessel

H that’s built to take a beating. “Really, we just took a commercial-duty boat and put a little lipstick on it,” Grubbs said. “The boat is as tough as it ever was. It’s been the same boat for nearly 50 years.” Mitzi Skiffs were designed for a specific purpose, yet the same philosophy applies. When the first Mitzi was designed in the mid-1990s, the concept was simple. There was nothing on the market with the shallow draft, clean layout and quiet maneuverability needed for fly fishing the flats. Those ideas propel the company today. Almost 30 years later, Mitzi’s line of 15’, 16’ and 17’ skiffs achieve those purposes exceptionally well, and they are inexpensive to own and operate. With the original design and continuing innovation, Mitzi Skiffs are flats boats other boat builders imitate. C-Hawk and Mitzi Skiff boats are available exclusively through select dealers. Contact your local dealer to find out how they can be rigged out to fit your style of fishing.

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