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Fall Fishing
Redfish On The Fly Kings of Fall
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Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events PHOTO COURTESY OF NOAH MILLER VOLUME 23 • ISSUE 284
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By CAM Staff • Photos courtesy of Larry McGuire, Show Me The Fish Charters
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ater temperatures are falling. King mackerel are on the move. Wherever they roam, fall is the time to catch kingfish during their annual migration south. In the Atlantic, from the Carolinas south along the Florida coast, kings are following bait to warmer waters. The same thing is going on in the Gulf of Mexico. Kingfish that summered in the northern Gulf are splitting up. Some head west down the Texas coast. Others move east along the Panhandle and down the west coast of Florida. Wherever you fish, the next few months offer the opportunity to connect with the movements of these mercury missiles as they mingle with resident populations. The prospect for drag-burning runs is out there for anglers who pay close attention to water temperatures and stay on the move until they find the fish. King mackerel are as temperature driven as any fish in the sea. When they’re marauding baitfish, they can be found close to shore on the beaches, passes and jetties, where even shore-bound anglers have a shot at them. But most of the larger kingfish hunt over nearshore reefs in 30- to 60-feet or deeper. Deep or shallow, they’ll seek out 68- to 73-degree temperatures where they are comfortable. Watch the water temperature charts, and fish by them. Find the right temperature and an abundance of baitfish, and putting out a spread of baits will tell you quickly if there are kingfish around. Live bait is always the best bet, especially for big smokers. The best bait will depend on where you fish and what baitfish are most prevalent. Pogies (menhaden), hardtails (blue runners), pilchards and threadfin herring are all good baits if they are present. The fall mullet runs offer an abundance of good bait. A lot of tournament and charter boats put a Spanish mackerel in a spread looking for a big bite. Most importantly, baitfish should be fresh. Catch the bait that is available with Sabikis or cast nets, keep it well-oxygenated and switch them frequently. Most kingfish rigs will use a mainline of 20- to 30-pound monofilament. Obviously, with those teeth, a wire leader is essential. You should go as heavy as the fish will let you get away with—depending on water clarity—but it must remain light enough for the bait to swim. A 24-inch, single-strand wire leader of 40-pound test is a starting point. Go lighter in clear water or with smaller baits; go heavier in dirty water or if you’re fishing big baits for big fish. Leaders can be made longer for security. Hooks should be matched to the size of the bait, and it’s wise to add a stinger hook on large baits. Whether anchored, drifting or slow-trolling, a fresh chum slick is a good idea. If a king doesn’t hit within 15 or 20 minutes, pick up and go find some that are biting. They shouldn’t be hard to find this time of year.
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By Greg Hatten etails are important when fly fishing for steelhead and running a wood boat through the rocky rivers of the Pacific Northwest. It’s the details I obsess about – the knots, the leaders, the water temperature, the boulders that might hold fish or punch a hole in a wood boat. I am “Obsessed by Details” or OBD. Every piece of gear I carry must pass the OBD test. When I put sunglasses under my microscope, Popticals are my choice. It’s the only brand that provides superior visual performance and a portable design that can be easily packed anywhere to protect the lenses. Eyewear must cut through the glare and provide clarity to see tiny details like the color of insects hatching, the subtle rise of trout, or the faint underwater shadow of a holding steelhead. Popticals offer a level of detail head and shoulders above other glasses. When I row, eyewear must give me clarity to see “the safe line” through rocky sections of river as well as in the distance when I am judging obstacles downriver. Popticals are the sunglasses I trust with my boat on the line. My sunglasses must also provide superior protection from sharp hooks flying through the air. The Popticals I wear have a great side guard that provides outstanding protection. Popticals are the perfect combination of performance and protection with the bonus feature of folding down so small they fit in the palm of my hand. Greg Hatten is a professional fly fishing guide and wood boat builder. Check out Popticals at popticals.com.
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By CAM Staff
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wo fishing buddies from Pocatello, Idaho recently broke the catch-and-release state record for kokanee salmon twice in three weeks. For those unfamiliar with kokanee, it is the freshwater form of the well-known sockeye salmon of the northern Pacific. Sockeye, the salmon you find at the grocery store, are anadromous. They run out of the ocean and into rivers to spawn each fall. Kokanee also make a fall spawning run up creeks and rivers, but their lives are spent entirely in freshwater. It is thought the two species diverged thousands of years ago when
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ice melt created a system of large freshwater lakes and rivers across northern North America. While the sockeye continued their anadromous lives, kokanee did not to return to the sea. In some regions the two species still interbreed, while in others kokanee have become entirely landlocked. Kokanee exist in lakes and rivers across the northern United States and Canada. They have even been transplanted into systems as far south as North Carolina. According to the Idaho State Journal, Cody Spencer and Rob Mackesey got onto a good bite as kokanee ran out of Palisades Reservoir and up Elk Creek to spawn in August. Palisades is a 16,000-acre impoundment of the Snake River that sits hard on the Wyoming border near Yellowstone National Park. Elk Creek feeds the northern end of the reservoir just upstream of the dam. Spencer and Mackesey told the Idaho State Journal they are relatively new to kokanee, but they were actually fishing for the record after they learned the existing catch-and-release record measured just 18.5 inches. For reference, the IGFA world record kokanee measured 27.75 inches and weighed 9 pounds, 10 ounces. Ronald Campbell caught the world record from Wallowa Lake, Ore. in 2010. On Aug. 19, both Spencer and Mackesey caught fish longer than the 2-year-old catch-and-release state record. Mackesey landed a 20.08-incher, and on the same day Spencer caught the 20.9-inch record setter. But the story doesn’t end there. On Sept. 8, Spencer went back and bested his buddy with a 21.5-inch male that was dressed in its full spawning regalia. Part of the allure of kokanee is their unusual appearance. For most of the year, they are silver-sided and resemble a rainbow trout. During the spawn, the bodies of the males turn bright red and they develop a hump on their backs. The catch-and-release state record is a relatively new program for Idaho that encourages the release of fish by allowing anglers to apply for the record by photographing their catch next to a measuring device. The official certified Idaho state record for kokanee is a 6.59-pounder that measured 24.5 inches. Jerry Verge caught it from northwest Idaho’s Priest Lake in 1975.
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Photo Courtesy of Silver Sailfish Derby
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OAA Fisheries recently denied an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) that would have allowed pelagic longline (PLL) vessels into the East Florida Coast Pelagic Longline Closed Area. “Angler conservationists can breathe a sigh of relief that the longline EFP application is no longer a threat to the conservation gains in the E. Florida Closed Zone,” said Jeff Angers, president of the Center for Sportfishing Policy. “We will remain vigilant in protecting both this conservation zone we fought so hard for two decades ago as well as this amazing catch-and-release sailfish fishery that has grown off the east coast of Florida.”
On March 6, 2018, leading recreational fishing and boating organizations submitted public comment to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council in opposition to the EFP. More than two decades ago, swordfish in the Western Atlantic were in serious trouble due to overfishing. The public responded forcefully to the plight of swordfish, and as a result, nursery areas were identified and closed to the United States PLL fleet in 2001. Today, anglers point to the recovery with pride as a significant conservation victory. “We greatly appreciate NOAA’s decision to keep the conservation zone off-limits to this destructive gear,” said Patrick Murray, president of Coastal Conservation Association. “Clearly the voices of recreational anglers and marine conservationists were heard. This is a great victory.” An unintended benefit of the East Florida Coast PLL Closed Area has been the establishment in the region of the nation’s best sailfish fishery. The direct economic benefit to coastal recreational fishing-related businesses and coastal economies has been remarkable. “Saltwater recreational fishing along the East Coast of Florida supports 35,523 jobs and has a sales impact of over $4 billion annually,” said Glenn Hughes, president of the American Sportfishing Association. “Much of this economic activity is attributed to the tremendous sailfish fishery that has been supported in large part by the East Florida Coast Pelagic Longline Closed Area. The recreational fishing industry is relieved by NOAA’s announcement to not put this conservation success at risk by allowing longlining back into the area.” Ever since the fishery was deemed recovered, there have been attempts to reopen the closed areas to commercial harvest and expose it to the types of intense commercial fishing pressure that drove it into an overfished condition. The permit denied by NOAA Fisheries would have authorized PLL vessels to make thousands of sets in the conservation zone for up to three years and sell all the legal fish caught.
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CONNECTICUT/RHODE ISLAND EDITION
www.coastalanglermag.com/rhodeisland
OCTOBER 2018
FISH FOCUS BY ZACH HARVEY
This is Supposed
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to be FUN!
h, to have back the untold thousands of hours I’ve squandered in two decades trying to justify my escalating fluke habit to “real” fishermen who measure what they hunt in terms of their own testosterone production. Never mind my 15-plus-year defense of scup fishing. Them things (i.e. fluke) fight like the tire on my kid’s bike…. And you think like the tire on your kid’s bike. Why don’t you go kill a real yellowfin with a hammer. Meathead. What do I see in fluke? To attempt an explanation for a striper specialist would be like trying to read a sonnet to a water-logged twoby-four. No, fluke don’t grow to 50 pounds. And yes, actually, I did catch a 50-pound bass and so not having caught a big one is n-o-t the reason I hang my stripers one peg below my summer flounder…. I like playing pool, loved tennis and squash. I love many other games—playing them, not watching others play them. The sports metaphors that sneak into my everyday thinking mostly relate to the pool table. I assume that fact probably says something about me. A few of my friends have told me my obsession with fluke fishing makes sense, then invariably land on the word, “finesse,” which is the lead
“There’s too much earnest talk about the virtues of “fishing hard”—two words that sound, under the heading of sport, like the bastard son of mini-golf and hospital-grade constipation.” cliché about the fluke fishery. The word sounds like a yawn to me, so I counter with imagery on loan from the billiards hall: Fluke fishing, by which I mean catching 7- to 12-pounders on purpose, is like breaking a perfectly-racked frame of nine-ball and running the table. Striper fishing—or bickering about high-speed trolling spreads where the continental shelf dumps off into the abyssal plain—is like playing bar-pool eight-ball with a guy who doesn’t call his shots— who sinks a shit-luck two-bank shot then assumes an expression that reads: I meant to do that… I love fluking because I can put in a six-hour effort and not know deep down that I half-assed it. I love tuna fishing, too, but it makes me hurt, and closing in on age 40 I’m increasingly adamant about the age-old sport fishing refrain: This is supposed to be fun. Staying up to sling chum and work the lines, or clearing little bits of Sargasso weed off spreader bars, bleary-eyed in the sickening dawn, stomach churning with a fourth pot of coffee and 43 cigarettes, I approach the point where I’m having serious doubts about whether I 2 CONNECTICUT/RHODE ISLAND
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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
really want to square off with what we’re trying so hard to catch. Is it fun? Or is it whacking myself in the forehead with a brick because it’s going to feel so good when I stop? Fun in my present tense is relaxing, but more now than ever before in my life, relaxation demands total immersion in the day’s diversion. I love immersion in all kinds of activities, whether sitting still or straining to catch my breath. Targeting monster striped bass offers immersion—up to my knees in green water when the scuppers get indigestion, or immersion in the full-time labor of staying upright as we bounce and slam around in a rip face, battling its intermittent compound gravity. I love and respect your stripers, and I’ve caught loads of them—schoolies and slobs—in all kinds of different places with all different kinds of gear. What I mean is: I get it. Here’s the trouble: My first loyalty in my free hours is to fun, and frankly, people spend too much time looking stoic and vigilant and square-jawed, looking brave and strong when there are stripers around. There’s too much earnest talk about the virtues of “fishing hard”—two words that sound, under the heading of sport, like the bastard son of mini-golf and hospital-grade constipation. Fluke are fun and I can fish at any intensity level given time constraints, tides, mood, or the skill level of my companions. Fishing the outermost rock with the slimiest bubble weed underfoot on the darkest, windiest night looking for a 30-pound cow is not a slidingscale undertaking. It’s fun—one size fits all. What I know—and if you’re fluke-afflicted, you know it, too—is that after a day’s search for quality fish, I sit down before a plate of fried fluke, mashed potatoes, one of the perfect late-summer tomatoes sliced and salted lightly, and a steaming ear of corn. I recount the day’s triumphs, my big fish for the day (a six-pounder, say), and those two sledgehammer bites I completely bollixed up. A couple of truly offensive jokes, told flawlessly as we ran back up between drifts. Standing in the waning afternoon sun, warming my bones just before the faint evening chill sends me to the car. The immense hug from the smallest person in my household, Kaya, age five now, who remains, miraculously—and not for too much longer—oblivious to the day’s powerful stench on Dad. Truth be told, I’m for any fishery anyone does for genuine love of the quarry, the meticulous rituals of preparation, the fine-tuning of approach over years, the ball-busting and sharing of sandwiches during slack tide. The politics—critical as it is to make yourself management-literate, lest there be no one to advocate for the future of our life passion—is a black hole for rod-and-reel fun. That’s nasty business for long winters. So let’s all—I’ll include myself, here—stand by with the hellfire-and-brimstone sermonizing pending the six waves of shaky rec catch data. When the “paybacks” come down the ASMFC pike, there will be all kinds of time for snarling and colorful expletives. Last thought: Surveying the last ten years of catch-limit wrangling, one thing we all need to spend more hours doing? Stop bickering about “these kids today” long enough to go find one of them and pique his interest in our chosen form of merriment. “Take a Kid Fishing”—once—is feel-good for a self-congratulatory banquet in February. We need to start thinking in terms of “Teach a Kid Fishing,” keeping it front of mind, as we do so, that the fishery’s ten-year prognosis ultimately rides on our success at making it fun for the next generations.
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OCTOBER 2018
CONNECTICUT/RHODE ISLAND 3
WORD ON THE BITE BY TOM SCHLICHTER
Can’t Miss at Mystic
Glenn Lagoy drilled this nice striper while bucktailing at The Race. Photo courtesy of Frank Zodl.
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tripers, false albacore and gorilla blues are all key players in Freedom Boat deal. In the spring you’ll find me running out the October’s magical fall run. All are serious predators and drawn Stratford, CT location to fish bass in the Housatonic River. In summer, to departing baitfish schools exiting harbors, bays, tidal creeks Mystic is my favorite spot because I can target fluke off Isabella Beach and river mouths in what amounts to a giant chum slick spilling out at Fishers Island or run as far as the windmills of Block Island. That into the waters of the Long Island, Fishers Island and Block Island was the hot spot for big fluke this past year. Early in the fall, I’m sounds. Positioned perfectly to take advantage of this predatory hitting The Race to jig stripers or blues and to cast for speedy false rush is Freedom Boat Club in Mystic, CT. Tucked up inside Mystic albacore. Later in October, you’ll find me sailing from Westbrook, CT for ‘tog. It’s all good.” Harbor it provides a straight run With late summer and fall out to some of the fishiest waters bluefish or stripers in The Race, on the Northeast Coast. Zodl likes to jig and bucktail. “If you’re a fisherman,” says With the diamonds, he’ll match Frank Zodl, 65, of Orange, CT, the weight to the water depth “you’ve got to love this place. and current strength, generally Once you break free of the settling on an 8-ounce option. 5-mph zone on the Mystic River These he’ll drop to the bottom, and enter open water, it’s just a crank up 10 to 20 turns, then 15-minute run to Fishers Island free-spool back down. The where fluke, blues and stripers strikes on the retrieve are usually can be found all season long. very solid, he notes, but a lot of Five minutes more aboard one fish hit on the drop as well. Those of Freedom’s center consoles gets hits are more subtle, so you’ve you to The Race for bruiser blues and stripers. If you want to head Frank Zodl drilled this nice fluke off Fishers Island after setting sail from got to stay focused at all times. Freedom Boat Club – Mystic in a 239fs Key West center console. When it comes to bucktailing, to Montauk for fluke or serious Photo courtesy of Frank Zodl. Zodl, prefers using a threestripers, that’s just 35 minutes way rig with a 1- to 2-ounce away. You can even hit Block Spro tipped with a Fat Cow or Otter Tail trailer. You’ll need 8- to Island in less than an hour in calm seas.” A serious fluke and striper fan, Zodl takes advantage of all these 12-ounces of lead to stay in contact with the bottom using this rig, options, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg, he explains. “Because he notes. Drop it down, then crank up five turns so that you aren’t I’m a Freedom Club boat member,” he says, “I can actually take a dragging your sinker through the rocks where it is likely to get stuck. boat out of any of their locations. That means I can follow the fish wherever the action is best, I think that’s my favorite part of the See Word on the Bite (Continued on Page 8)
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OCTOBER 2018
CONNECTICUT/RHODE ISLAND 5
Fall’s Frenzy is Underway! BY TOM SCHLICHTER
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ou’ve waited all season and now it’s finally here. With the start of October, it’s reasonable to expect the fall blitz to officially commence across the Northeast from Massachusetts to Long Island. Actually, it has quietly been building for the past few weeks as peanut bunker, spearing, bay anchovies, sand eels and other small baitfish have begun exiting harbors and tidal creeks, pursued by snapper blues. With all that fresh fodder flooding out and along the beaches, big blues and scattered pods of false albacore have begun to make more regular forays into the shallows. As this flood of food baits continues, the action will undoubtedly intensify and striped bass should join the mix. Bottom species, too, dial up feeding activity as numbers increase with influxes from more northern waters and competition builds though month’s end. If you’ve been banking any vacation days, cash them in now. The true beauty of the fall blitz is that it offers something for every kind of angler. Kids and beginners can have a blast catching snappers on Styrofoam poppers with trailing tube lures cast from beaches, docks and bulkheads. The poppers work fine right out of the package for the diminutive bluefish, but are even more effective when the hook is sweetened with half a spearing. Virtually any small, silver tin such as an AVA 007, small Hopkins Shorty, KastMaster or even a 1/4-ounce Sidewinder spoon will also tempt the baby blues. If all else fails, the traditional spearing bait set three feet below a float should just about guarantee a great catch.
The author loves using a Panther Martin Big Fin swimbait for both stripers and false albacore. Photo by Tom Schlichter. Experienced anglers hoping for more of a rough and tumble battle need look no further than the larger blues patrolling beneath the remaining schools of adult bunker inside harbors and bays, working the depths on the Long Island Sound Middle Grounds, barreling through the rips at such famous spots at Montauk Point, The Race and Plum Gut, or crashing the shoreline at dawn, dusk and the start of outgoing tide during any part of an overcast day. These can be baited with bunker chunks, especially early in the month, but are far more challenging when duped with lures. Tins of all varieties work for the blues, of course, but for unbeatable surface smashing thrills, toss a large yellow, white or blue bottle plug into a school of surfacing fish and hold on tight as you shake the lure 6 CONNECTICUT/RHODE ISLAND
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violently throughout the retrieve. So aggressive are the choppers some days that anglers have been known to occasionally catch two big blues simultaneously on the same plug. Boaters, of course, have an edge when it comes to the blues because there are often vast schools holding offshore of just outside the surf line. These fish, generally running four to eight pounds and will smash tins, wreck trolled umbrella rigs and demolish any fly pattern that incorporates a flash of sliver or white. Along the beach, the choppers can run from 2 pounds on up to ‘teen sized gorillas and alligators. The edge here goes to those timing trips to match up with the start of the ebb and rough winds from the north or northeast that kick up a nasty surf and turn the curls brown. When fishing for blues and bass from shore from now until Thanksgiving figure the meaner the surf, the better the scores. While the choppers seem to relish roiled breakers, false albacore prefer a gentler surface that allows them to surround and herd the baitfish schools that stoke their fire. As fans of the little tunny quickly come to realize, the best way to tell these fast moving predators from bluefish is by their light splashes and accelerated pursuit as they race quickly into and then out of casting range. Light-tackle and long wand aficionados delight in hunting them down on calm days, easing quietly into position to intercept the schools, and casting slender tins along the lines of Deadly Dicks and Ava 17s, white Fin-S-Fish, Bass Assassins or sparsely tied crease flies and epoxy patterns in olive, chartreuse, tan or white.
Blackfish are also an October favorite. This one ate a Tidal Tails jig tipped with a piece of green crab. Photo by Tom Schlichter.
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Boaters can work rips and points for albies while surfcasters will usually do best in coves and pockets that corral the baitfish, and thus the albies, into confined stretches along the shore. Areas adjacent to inlets and harbor mouths are also good starting points. October, of course, is also prime striper time. Expect to find plenty of bass stacked up in major rips, holding in the lee of large boulders around points, or mixed in with the blues along rocky beaches. Jig the linesiders from deep water with tubeless diamonds or bait them with chunks at the top of an ebbing tide. If working the beachfront boulder fields - from shore or boat - try tossing soft plastic stickbaits. Hogy’s 10-inch original in black, impaled on a small jig head works, works well after dark if you are hoping for a keeper. For daylight action, my favorite swimbait by far is a Panther Martin Big Fin. This lure is snagless and comes in both a 1-ounce (5-inch) and 2-ounce (7.75-inch) sizes. Simply cast out and retrieve it at medium speed with a twitch of the rod every now and then. From schoolies to cows, the bass can’t resist it. This same lure, in the white/red 1-ounce size, by the way, is also the single best false albacore lure I have ever used. For Fat Albert, reel just quick enough to keep the lure 4- to 6 inches below the surface. Not to be forgotten in all the predatory fish mayhem is some terrific bottom action. Porgy fishing can be awesome this month and black sea bass, in case you somehow haven’t packed away enough of their fillets already, usually go on a tear. Blackfish, too, are an October
Look for stripers to come close to shore this month, especially around rocky beaches and points. The author hooked this one from a Sea Eagle FishSUPTM 126. Photo by Felicia Scocozza.
treat. Early in the month the ‘tog move into rocky waters, sliding from deep haunts into rough patches as shallow as six or eight feet deep. Start probing in 25-foot depths and follow the fish shallower for a week or two before reversing course and tracking the tough-mouthed crab eaters out to deeper waters when November rolls around. Editor’s Note: Catch more of Tom Schlichter on his Outdoor Tom Facebook page (@outdoortomcorp). Here, you’ll also find his Outdoor Tom E-news posted every other Tuesday.
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WORD ON THE BITE (Continued from Page 4) Swing hard any time you feel a tap. “I really like the flexibility to go where the fish are biting best,” says Zodl. “I used to have a boat I trailered around. When it came time to shop for a new, bigger vessel, I figured I’d dock it in Milford, CT. With the flexibility to sail out of so many places, however, I’ve been covering a lot more water this way. Heck, I’ve been to Montauk/Block Island eight times already this year! Up in western Long Island Sound the bass never really settled in on the bunker last spring and the fluke fishing was disappointing overall. Having the ability to fish further east really saved my season.” Indeed, it’s just that flexibility that many Freedom Boat members tout as being one of the major reasons they’ve joined the club. The organization has 165 locations across North America, and 115 boats between Long Island, CT and RI alone. They also have new locations coming in France. There are currently 6 different boats in Mystic, with more planned for next year to accommodate membership growth. Of course, a no-hassle policy also helps seal the deal. “I just show up at the dock, pick up the keys, and head on out,” says Zodl, who often fishes with his brother, Eric and buddy, Glen Lagoy. “Most of the time, I choose the 239fs Key West center console with a 225 h.p. outboard. That will get me anywhere I need to go. But it’s nice to be able to take out a pontoon boat, dual console or cruise-style vessel if I just want to bring family or friends out for a ride or some touring. No matter which boat I choose, at the end of the day I pull up to the dock, drop off the keys and tip the deckhand. That’s it; time to go home with no serious cleaning or maintenance issues.” Getting back to fishing, Zodl is hoping the fall action will break loose early in October. He notes that in addition to bass, blues and Fat Alberts, the fall season also sees spectacular action with scup and sea bass in the Mystic area. These, he says, can be found on just about any local mussel bed or hump from depths of 30 feet or more on out to 100-foot drops as the season grows late. As for the blackfish, he’ll probably head back to Westbrook and target them close to home. “The waters there are gentle,” he said, “so it’s easy to anchor up on the good spots. I’ll use green crabs on
The brothers Zodl show off a brace of tasty black sea bass caught that the Race aboard a Freedom Boat Club 239fs Key West center console. Photo courtesy of Frank Zodl. standard bottom rigs or blackfish jigs for that fishing. Hopefully, it’s pretty solid. Otherwise, I guess, I’ll just head back out to Mystic. There’s plenty of rock-strewn bottom to investigate there, and some of the blackfish in that area push into the double digits. Come to think of it, I might have to give it a shot there either way.”
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E
ight years ago, Jeff Kolodzinki spent 24 grueling hours on the dock of a Minnesota pond to break the Guinness World Record for Most Fish Caught in a Day. With a 10-foot pole simply rigged with a float, fluorocarbon line and a barbless hook holding live bait, he yanked 2,649 fish from the water in a single day. Dubbed the Marathon Man, Kolodzinki will attempt to break his own world record on Sept. 11-12, 2018 at Giant Goose Ranch in Canton, Ill. Kolodzinski already has his spot in the record books. This time he’s doing it to introduce people and families to fishing and to increase awareness and financial support for the Fishing For Life, a non-profit, tax exempt charitable organization whose Next GEN program finds mentors for children of families in need. A special focus within the program serves families of veterans who have lost loved ones while serving our nation. Not only is Kolodzinski the current world record holder for fish caught in a 24-hour period, but he also represented the United States seven times in international competition at the World Championship of Freshwater Fishing. He currently serves as the Fishing Brand Manager for Johnson Outdoors and is a longtime fishing industry professional with many awards.
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History’s Alive
on Palm Beach’s Wrecks
By Andrea Whitaker • Photo by Andrea Whitaker
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elow the ocean’s surface rest giants, the wooden and steel beauties that once demanded the sea’s attention. Lying there quietly, patiently suspended under the weight of water, what secrets do they hold? What lost memories are kept in their walls at the bottom of the sea? There is a calming silence as a diver approaches these giants. In the middle of a sandy desert, a diver approaches a dark shadow. As the current pushes them closer, the shadow grows and the shape of a bow or stern emerges. Then the sheer size of the sunken vessel towers overhead. It is dark and mysterious, yet full of life... and forgotten memories. Many wrecks off the coast of Palm Beach were sunk in the 1960s and now sport coats of sponges and coral growth, surrounded by underwater life. One in particular, the Mizpah, is a popular wreck to dive. Once a private Greek luxury liner, she was commissioned by the U.S. government for service in WWII, her rails outfitted with guns to patrol the coast for German U-Boats. After decommission, she sat in a storage yard for some time before being re-discovered. Her original family could not bear to see her wither on land, so they cleaned her up and gave her a burial at sea. I had the honor last August to dive with a granddaughter of the family who purchased the Mizpah and made an artificial reef out of her. My dive buddy showed me photos of the vessel in her prime and shared stories of childhood on the boat. It was an incredible experience to watch her eyes light up when she first saw the Mizpah underwater... how it had become a beautiful habitat. Seeing her excitement and, post-dive, her quiet reverence, made me realize there are secrets and lost memories in the walls of these sunken vessels and that these forgotten walls now have new purpose and life. Once at the bottom of the sea, these sunken giants attract life quicker than you might expect. In Palm Beach, from mid-August through October, wrecks are surrounded by Goliath groupers. Their favorite places to aggregate for spawning is around wrecks.
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Photo by Devon Kinney and family
Dive operators have created The Palm Beach County Diving Association (PBCDA) to give divers and dive operators a bigger voice in local ocean-related issues, and to aid in the sinking of other ships as part of an active artificial reef program. On Oct. 6, the PBCDA is hosting its annual Artificial Reef Fundraiser at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach. All proceeds go to the creation of artificial reefs in Palm Beach County. Tickets include an evening of entertainment, delicious food and beer, and a plethora of raffle and silent auction prizes. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.divepbc.com/participate. All are welcome to attend and be a part of the local underwater history.
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r spread
By Nick Carter
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oling mangrove edges and flats in search of tailing and belly crawling reds is as much hunting as it is fishing. When the target is sighted and it’s time to take a shot with an 8-weight fly rod, your aim better be on target. Gillz pro staffer Noah Miller, of Melbourne, Fla., has spent the on-the-water hours it takes to consistently take reds on the fly. He’s one of those anglers who knows there are still plenty of fish in the famous inshore waters around Titusville. The Indian River, Banana River and Mosquito Lagoon might be facing water quality challenges, but the fishing remains good. Right now, during the fall mullet run and lasting into February is prime time on Florida’s east coast.
“There’s lots of forage, and the fish are happy,” Miller said of current conditions. “They’re very opportunistic this time of year and will eat almost any fly, as long as it is presented correctly.” The redfish display a lot of schooling activity in preparation for a late fall spawn. These fish are resident to their respective waters and remain there through the seasons, even during the spawn. They can be encountered in large schools of 100 fish or more, and finding them is the key to catching them. “Put in the time on the pushpole,” Miller coached. “These fish do move, but they might only be 200 yards away from where they were yesterday. If things look right and you think there should be fish around, don’t leave an area until you’re certain they’re not there.” If the fish are not visible, it is tough to catch them on a fly. With conventional gear, an angler can make long searching casts to cover water for fish that are not showing themselves. With a fly rod, you’re better off holding the fly on the deck until you spot a fish. Seeing the fish and which way it is headed allows for presentation of the fly. You want it to plop down in front of the fish and close, but not too close. “About 40 feet is the cast I like to make,” said Miller. “You’ll be able to tell if he’s seen it and is interested right away… as soon as the fly hits the water. Then you want to start stripping it away from the fish to make it look like a fleeing crab, shrimp or whatever fly you’re fishing.” Miller caught the redfish on the cover of this month’s editions of Coastal Angler Magazine in stained water with a Seaducer pattern that had purple and black hackle feathers for a tail, a black EP Fiber head and bead chain eyes. That fly worked for the 26-incher on the cover, but this time of year presentation is much more important than fly selection. Noah Miller is a Gillz (gillz-gear.com) pro-staffer and is co-owner of Florida Fly Co., which provides the things fly rodders need to fish Florida’s waters. Check them out on Instagram @FloridaFlyCo and on Facebook.
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By Tom Schlichter Photo by Paul Dixon
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ontauk, NY. It’s known locally as “The End,” and it’s marketed as “The Fishing Capital of the World!” It can back up both claims. “This is an awesome place for fly- and light-tackle fall thrills says charter skipper Paul Dixon of To the Point Charters (516-314-1185; www.flyfishingmontauk.com). “During October, the inshore action with speedy false albacore, stripers and monster bluefish absolutely sizzles.” Dixon has been fishing Montauk waters for 25 years, loading customers aboard his Contender Tournament 25 and working anywhere from the shadow of Montauk’s iconic lighthouse at the tip of the South Fork to Orient Point at the eastern terminus of Long Island’s North Fork. In the winter months, he charters out of Key Largo to fish the Everglades and Florida Keys. “It’s in the rips and coves at Montauk that the fall mayhem really
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comes together,” said Dixon, who loves targeting albies with fly rod in hand. Through September, you’ll find pods of Fat Alberts scattered across Long Island’s East End, but once the rainbait exits the bays, Montauk explodes with fish.” According to Dixon, at the height of the run so many bay anchovies stack up in the rips surrounding Montauk Point that the water actually appears brown with the immense schools. “At that point,” said the skipper, “the albies feed in two ways. They’ll cruise through the densest baitfish schools in tight packs, turning on their sides with their mouths open and simply strain anchovies as they move along. They are tough to hook under those conditions since they aren’t singling out specific targets. Wait a little while though, and they’ll begin to bust up the baitfish schools. That’s when the fishing absolutely breaks loose and every cast has the potential to connect.” While light-tackle fans can hook-up using small tins like a Deadly Dick or a white 1-oz. Panther Martin Big Fin swimbait, Dixon prefers the long wand when sea conditions allow. “These fish hit hard and run fast, so go with the best fly fishing gear you can afford,” he suggested. “I use Cortland Compact floating/intermediate lines, Rise fly rods and Tibor reels. For patterns, 2- to 3-inch Epoxy Minnows get the job done most of the time.” Dixon pointed out that it’s important to know exactly what you are casting for each time you let your line fly. “The albies will be slicing right through the baitfish schools, and it’s important to lead them by several feet,” he said. “The bass, meanwhile, stick close together and plow through the schools like they are mowing a lawn. For these, bring your fly right across the front of the pack. Either way, stay in the bait with each cast. If your offering lands outside of the baitfish school, it’s going to get slammed by a monster blue.” Launch your own boat at Montauk for $25 at Gone Fishing Marina (www.gonefishingmarina78.com). For overnight stays, Montauk Harborside Resort Hotel and Snug Harbor Motel and Marina (www. montauksnugharbor.com) offer suitable accommodations at reasonable prices. Plan your visit with the Montauk Chamber of Commerce (www. montaukchamber.com).
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TIPS FROM A PRO
FRESHWATER
14
BRANDON LESTER
O
ne of the best parts of summer ending is the beginning of fall fishing and FROGS! I love to fish topwater frogs over grass, and this time of year is prime time. I live about 45 minutes from Lake Guntersville in Alabama, and there’s no place better, or more famous, for frog fishing than Guntersville. In the parking lot this time of year, there’s no telling how many different states you will see license plates from. I’ve fished all over this country and Guntersville definitely doesn’t have a monopoly on the frog bite. It has more matted grass than other TVA lakes, but fisheries up north have loads of grass too. And the bass up north seem to be more eager to bite. I think it’s because they aren’t targeted as heavily as they are down here. If I had the opportunity to take someone out and try to get them fired up about bass fishing, I think fishing a frog over matted vegetation would be my choice. If that person’s heart rate didn’t spike when a big bass blew up through the mat on their frog, then they would be better off doing something else. And then once they’ve seen a blow-up, the excitement level for the next one is all the higher. I get a huge smile on my face every time I see it happen no matter how many thousands of times it has happened. Just watching a fish blow up on a frog is exciting, but you also need to get him in the boat for that all-important photo op or weigh-in stage. For that you must have the right
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gear. If you throw a hollow frog like the one in this photo over matted grass and he bites, you probably won’t get him in using monofilament line and a rod and reel from the department store. My setup for frog fishing is a sure-fire winner. Rod: MHX FP885 with Winn split grips and Winn Grip Sleeves | Daiwa reel | 60 lb. Vicious braid | Spro frog. Give it a try this weekend. I know it will work for you.
Watch Lester fish a frog at
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9/17/18 10:45 AM
GET A GRIP By Martin Bawden
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4.4
LOADED LINE SPEED (FPM)
3.6
YES
AUTO LOAD BRAKE
YES
YES
CABLE TENSIONER
NO
BADLAND ZXR 12000
NOW
WARN
WITH
12,000 LB. ELECTRIC WINCH WITH REMOTE CONTROL
Customer Rating
9 $2999
CABLE DIAMETER
359
AMP DRAW @ 12,000 LBS
399 99
$
SAVE $400
ITEM 64045 64046/63770 shown
3/8"
PRICE
• 9 LED • Compact, Lightweight WARN 96820
3/8" 457
RAYOVAC
69999
$
*WARN 96820 stated specs
COMPARE TO
TEQ
$
MODEL: T830018Z
97
99
$79
ITEM 63750/63181 shown
24
$ 99 GAME WINNER MODEL: FSGWHE1030 COMPARE TO
30" BULK STORAGE TECH CART
SAVE 48%
Customer Rating
20 VOLT LITHIUM CORDLESS 1/2" COMPACT DRILL/DRIVER KIT
SNAP-ON
• 450 in. lbs. of torque • 1.5 amp hour battery • Weighs 3.4 lbs.
MODEL: KRBCFLTPC
RYOBI Side tray sold separately.
ITEM 64002
$
99
$
MODEL: P1811
LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
7499
ITEM 69091/61454 62803/63635/67847 shown
$299 $499
9
$ 98 BLUE HAWK MODEL: BG8X10-Y COMPARE TO
DRIVE 1/4"
ITEM 2696/61277/63881
3/8"
807/61276/63880
1/2"
62431/239/63882
COMPARE TO
ITEM 64754/63531 shown
Item 239 shown
ITEM 69249/69115/69137/69129/69121/877 shown
HUSKY
$
8497
MODEL: H2DTWA
SAVE 88%
Customer Rating
9 $15 49
99
$9
COMPARE TO
COMPARE TO $
MIBRO
6499
MODEL: 426920
ITEM 60658/97711 shown
SAVE 69%
$
3999
LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
19
99
AWP $ 98
19
MODEL: 3L-2216
$52999
HONDA $ Wheel kit and battery sold separately.
2,599
$
MODEL: EB6500X1AT
SUPER COUPON
8
$4
$ 99 SAVE 75%
ITEM 62163/62349 61467 shown
$499 9
SAVE $60 COMPARE TO $11095 BUFFALO BLACK $
6499
MODEL: DP5UL
ITEM 62520/60238 shown
LIMIT 6 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
SUPER COUPON
80 PIECE ROTARY TOOL KIT
SUPER COUPON
10 FT. x 17 FT. PORTABLE GARAGE
Customer Rating
Customer Rating
NOW
NOW
SAVE $207
COMPARE TO $
SUNFORCE
$
RENEWABLE ENERGY, ANYWHERE
357
19
MODEL: 50180
199
99 NOW
ITEM 64335 63585 shown
LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
$1 4999
SAVE 73%
PROFESSIONAL WOODWORKER
9 $1 699
99
ITEM 63292/63235 68986/97626 shown
COMPARE TO
59999
LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
99
• 5400 lb. capacity
$1 9
SUPER QUIET
NOW
COMPARE TO
$
SUPER COUPON
3/8" x 14 FT., GRADE 43 100 WATT SOLAR PANEL KIT TOWING CHAIN Customer Rating
99
ITEM 68530/63086/63085 shown ITEM 68525/63087/63088, CALIFORNIA ONLY
SUPER COUPON
LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
NOW
SUPER COUPON
12" WIDE MOUTH 8", 5 SPEED Customer Rating TOOL BAG BENCHTOP DRILL PRESS NOW
Customer Rating
NOW
ITEM 64715/64478/63287 shown
SUPER COUPON
8750 MAX. STARTING/ 7000 RUNNING WATTS 13 HP (420 CC) GAS GENERATOR
99
NOW
LIMIT 7 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
ITEM 62434, 62426, 62433, 64178, 64179, 62432, 62429, 62428 shown
SAVE $2,069
Tools sold separately.
179
MODEL: 25521
YOUR CHOICE
Customer Rating
$
11
LIMIT 6 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
40 VOLT LITHIUM CORDLESS 14" BRUSHLESS CHAIN SAW
SAVE $25
$ 99
VALEO $ 02
Customer Rating
Customer Rating
NOW
SAVE 70%
5
COMPARE TO
LIMIT 8 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
CLICK-TYPE TORQUE WRENCHES
SUPER COUPON
7 FT. 4" x 9 FT. 6" ALL PURPOSE/WEATHER RESISTANT TARP
Customer Rating
17499
SUPER COUPON
LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
SUPER COUPON
$
$399
• GFCI outlets
$6499
COMPARE TO
SAVE $315
SAVE $79 COMPARE TO $ 229 HUSKY MODEL: C201H
• Reversible
NOW
SAVE $34
$799 9
$1 49
NOW
SAVE 63%
LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
SUPER COUPON
Customer Rating
NOW
395
15
99
LIMIT 7 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
• 4847 cu. in. of storage • 355 lb. capacity • Extra deep top compartment and drawer for maximum storage space
$
$
NOW
99
$12
SUPER COUPON
COMPARE TO
Customer Rating
99
LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
8999
• Air delivery: 5.8 CFM @ 40 PSI 4.7 CFM @ 90 PSI
NOW
NOW
SUPER COUPON
21 GALLON, 2.5 HP, 125 PSI MECHANIC'S GLOVES VERTICAL OIL-LUBE Customer Rating AIR COMPRESSOR
Customer Rating
ITEM 62326/61282/61253 shown
$
SUPER COUPON
.50 CAL METAL AMMO CAN
99
Limit 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, Extended Service Plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day Parking Lot Sale item, compressors, floor jacks, safes, saw mills, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, trencher/backhoe, welders, Admiral, Ames, Bauer, Cobra, CoverPro, Daytona, Diamondback, Earthquake, Fischer, Hercules, Icon, Jupiter, Lynxx, Poulan, Predator, Tailgator, Viking, Vulcan, Zurich. Not valid on prior purchases. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 2/1/19.
Cannot be used with other discounts or prior purchases. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 2/1/19 while supplies last. Limit 1 FREE GIFT per customer per day.
20"
SAVE $ $70
14999
3
MODEL: BRS9LED-B
SUPER COUPON
• Weighs 73 lbs.
ANY SINGLE ITEM*
ITEM 69111 63599/62522/62573 63875/63884/63886 63888/69052 shown
$ 50
COMPARE TO
SUPER COUPON
Customer Rating
ANY PURCHASE
3-1/2" SUPER BRIGHT ALUMINUM FLASHLIGHT
LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
RAPID PUMP® 3 TON STEEL HEAVY DUTY LOW PROFILE FLOOR JACK
20% OFF
FREE
900 Stores Nationwide • HarborFreight.com
SUPER COUPON
SUPER COUPON
$
2635
MODEL: 51832
LIMIT 8 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
$6 $999
COMPARE TO SHELTER LOGIC
$
270
MODEL: 76377
SAVE $100
$
19999
ITEM 62859/63055/62860 shown
LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 2/1/19*
At Harbor Freight Tools, the “Compare to” price means thatI the OCTOBER specified comparison, 2018 which is an item the same or similar function, COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM I with NATIONAL 17 was advertised for sale at or above the “Compare to” price by another national retailer in the U.S. within the past 90 days. Prices advertised by others *Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 2/1/19. may vary by location. No other meaning of “Compare to” should be implied. For more information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate.
CANGL_NAT3-NAT18.indd 17 hft_coastalangler_1018_M-REG152006.indd 1
9/17/18 11:33 10:45 AM AM 8/29/18
NO S E M ND FOR NO O QUA W NE LIFI Y ED !
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CANGL_NAT3-NAT18.indd 18
9/17/18 10:45 AM
AUTUMN SALES EVENT JUST IN TIME FOR THE FALL BOAT SHOW SEASON Your Suzuki Marine Dealer has exceptional deals in store for you when you purchase a new Suzuki outboard from 25 to 350 horsepower this fall. Get Suzuki’s 3-Year Limited Warranty plus 3 years of Extended Protection at no extra charge.There are Instant Savings on select models, and Low-Rate Financing is also available.
SIX YEARS OF PROTECTION 3 Years Limited Warranty + 3 Years Extended Protection
Six Years of Protection at no extra charge on all new outboards 25 to 350 HP.
INSTANT SAVINGS Instant Savings of up to $800 on select models. See your dealer for details.
REPOWER FINANCE REPOWER FINANCE
Rates as low as 5.99% on new Suzuki outboards on approved credit.* [60 Months]
If you’re in the market to buy, we have the deals! See your participating Suzuki Marine dealer today for all the details or visit www.suzukimarine.com.
Gimme Six Extended Protection promo is applicable to new Suzuki Outboard Motors from 25 to 350 HP in inventory which are sold and delivered to buyer between 10/01/18 and 12/31/18 in accordance with the promotion by a Participating Authorized Suzuki Marine dealer in the continental US and Alaska to a purchasing customer who resides in the continental US or Alaska. Customer should expect to receive an acknowledgement letter and full copy of contract including terms, conditions and wallet card from Suzuki Extended Protection within 90 days of purchase. If an acknowledgement letter is not received in time period stated, contact Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. – Marine Marketing via email: marinepromo@suz.com. The Gimme Six Promotion is available for pleasure use only, and is not redeemable for cash. Instant Savings apply to qualifying purchases of select Suzuki Outboard Motors made between 10/01/18 and 12/31/18. For list of designated models, see participating Dealer or visit www.suzukimarine.com. Instant Savings must be applied against the agreed-upon selling price of the outboard motor and reflected in the bill of sale. (Suzuki will, in turn, credit Dealer’s parts account.) There are no model substitutions, benefit substitutions, rain checks, or extensions. Suzuki reserves the right to change or cancel these promotions at any time without notice or obligation. * Financing offers available through Synchrony Retail Finance. As low as 5.99% APR financing for 60 months on new and unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors. Subject to credit approval. Not all buyers will qualify. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. $19.99/month per $1,000 financed for 60 months is based on 5.99% APR. Hypothetical figures used in calculation; your actual monthly payment may differ based on financing terms, credit tier qualification, accessories or other factors such as down payment and fees. Offer effective on new, unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors purchased from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between 10/01/18 and 12/31/18. “Gimme Six”, the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2018 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.
COMMON CVRS_1018.indd 3 SZ_Q4Promo_1PG_APV.indd 1
9/17/18 8:54 AM 9/12/18 2:42 PM
COMMON CVRS_1018.indd 1782-18A Coastal Angler .indd4 1
9/17/18 8:54 AM 5/8/18 10:51 AM