Jeff Nail’s Lake Lanier Bass Fishing Report

Also See:

Lake Hartwell Fishing Report from Captain Mack

Lake Lanier Fishing Report from Captain Mack

Lake Guntersville Weekly Fishing Report from Captain Mike Gerry

Lake Country Fishing – fishing reports on Lakes Sinclair and Oconee, and more. (subscription required)

Texas Parks and Wildlife Weekly Freshwater Fishing Reports

Texas Parks and Wildlife Weekly Saltwater Reports

Jeff Nail’s Lake Lanier Bass Fishing Report

Lake Lanier Weekly Fishing Report
June 7, 2024

Water Level: The lake level stands at .64 feet ABOVE full pool.

Water Temp: Temps are hovering in the upper 70s on my Garmin

Water Clarity: Nothing significant to report on the clarity of the lake, it’s typical clarity for June.     

I have been on Lanier for 4 of the past 7 days. The fishing was very good for numbers with some good fish mixed in to keep things interesting.

There really has not been a lot of changes in what I have been doing since my last report.  Top water is still the most productive pattern day in and day out.  I expect this to continue until the water temps creep up into the low to mid 80s range.  When that happens, the thermocline will become more prevalent, surface O2 levels will decrease and Anglers will have to get more creative with presentations. 

For now, it’s time to enjoy the famed topwater bite that Lanier is known for.  My focus is humps and point in 25’-35’ FOW.  Chrome if it is sunny, bone or more subdued colors when it is cloudy. 

This is also the time of the year where it is a good idea to have several different styles of top water baits available.  Anglers may need to vary their retrieves and bait profile to figure out what the fish want on any given day. 

Lastly, I want to hit on our old buddy the shaky head.  While Top water rules the roost for most days, the shaky head can still be a trip savior.  Anglers often don’t think of the SH as a June bait, but it can be extremely effective on days when the fish just don’t want to play ball or when Anglers are just looking to give fish a different look.  I throw it in the same areas as I do top water, I am just slowing way down.  A 3/16oz Davis HBT head with a Trixster Tamale is my go to set up. 

The daily videos I publish cover these techniques in greater detail and all other techniques that were effective over this past week. In these videos, I cover the conditions, part of the lake, and how I caught fish (or did not) for most days that I am on the water.  All subscribers will have access to all historical videos as well (261 previous videos). You can sign up and view videos at https://jeffnail.uscreen.io

Lake Lanier Fishing JournalDaily updates on bass fishing at Lake Lanier. Created by Jeff Nail Fishing and Guide Service.jeffnail.uscreen.io

For the new few weeks, I have the following dates available: June 15-18 and 21. July:  I am pretty open for all days after the 8th.  If you are interested in a trip, please reach out and I will get you on the calendar. 

Jeff
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jeffnailfishing@gmail.com
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Jeffnailfishing.net

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When Is National Fishing and Boating Week in 2024

National Fishing and Boating Week is June 1 through June 9 this year.  This week, set aside to recognize the millions of people who love fishing and boating, was started in 1979 a National Fishing Week and Boating was added later to include others.

    Georgia celebrates this event by offering ”Free Fishing Days” from June 4 – 11th.  During this week you can fish on public waters without first buying a fishing license.  You also can fish on WMAs without a Land Pass and do not need a trout stamp to fish for them.

    Based in those relaxed rules, this would be a good week to check out Big Lazer PFA south of Thomaston.  It offers great shore or boat fishing and has good facilities for fishermen and their families.  Although gas is ridiculously expensive to get there, there are no other costs once you arrive with your tackle and bait.

    Also consider trips to High Falls, the Flint River (a public access boat ramp is at the Highway 18 bridge,) Still Branch Reservoir and Jackson Lake.  All are less than an hour from Griffin and give you the chance to enjoy the water and catch some good eating fish for dinner.

    I’m glad this all takes place after Memorial Day weekend. There are already many jokes on social media about the kinds of clueless boat owners that visit the lake on holiday weekends.

Some are just funny, like the pictures of boat ramps with truck underwater with boat trailer still in parking lot, or boat floating in the water with trailer still firmly attached under it. 

But what is scary to me are the folks out there that don’t have a clue on driving a boat safely.  They are apt to cut across in front of you illegally as well as not obeying other laws. They have no clue about boating “rules of the road.”

I will be home this weekend.

How KastKing Fishing Contributes To Getting Wounded Warriors Back On The Water

  • EVENTS, GEAR, INDUSTRY, THE LEAD

KastKing Contributes To Getting Wounded Warriors Back On The Water

  • May 8, 2024
  • By The Fishing Wire

The simple pleasure of casting into the water and connecting with a fish attracts millions of anglers to the thrill of the sport. It’s easy to take the sport and hobby we love for granted until a traumatic injury takes that opportunity away.

Such is the case with many wounded warriors and first responders harmed in the line of duty. Spinal cord or head injuries can leave them with limited or no use of their hands, arms, and legs.

Before their injuries, these wounded heroes may or may not have been avid anglers; however, veteran assistance groups, such as River Deep Foundation, recognize the restorative power of being outdoors and having a renewed empowerment to cast and retrieve a lure to catch a fish.

image 43

Through a collaborative effort with their non-profit alliance member organizations, River Deep Foundation works with vets with debilitating spinal cord and other traumatic injuries to offer outdoor family events, such as fishing, to assist in re-engaging in sport and adventure.

This is where Colorado University Graduate Engineering student, Connor Borshard, and the team of six other fellow engineering graduate students stepped in to help. A non-profit group called Quality of Life Plus issued a call for university STEM programs to create innovative technology solutions that improve the quality of life for injured veterans and first responders. Borshard’s team was drawn to a project aiding in the casting, catching, and reeling of fish for individuals who have little to no dexterity in their hands or upper limbs. Borshard and his team proposed and engineered a brilliant solution they’ve dubbed, the Adaptive Fishing Device.

image 44

In summary, the Adaptive Fishing Device holds a spin cast rod and reel in the vertical casting position above a firm tripod base. The device receives inputs from the user, such as the desired casting distance, then loads a set of torsion springs to bring the rod back while depressing the casting button of the reel. Once loaded, the device springs the rod tip forward while releasing the casting button and launching the lure toward the target.

As Borshard explains, “We wanted the device to be relatively portable, yet stable enough for different terrains. It weighs in at 36 pounds total weight and has a 15-minute setup by those providing assistance to the angler.” 

image 46

There are two methods of casting with the Adaptive Fishing Device. For those with some fine motor dexterity remaining in their fingers, a joystick can be maneuvered back and forth to load the cast. If the angler is further limited with no movement in the arms, hands, and fingers, a sip or puff device can be utilized to provide casting inputs to initiate the cast with air pressure.

The notion of getting veterans and first responders back out into the therapeutic element of the outdoors struck a chord with Borshard, who in addition to being a graduate student, is also an active-duty U.S. Marine. Once his graduate studies conclude at Colorado University, he’ll enter the Marine Corps flight training program.

When KastKing President, Al Noraker, heard of the initiative by the CU Engineering team, he leaped at the chance to aid in the effort by donating six-foot KastKing Crixus spin cast rods and KastKing Brutus spin cast reels to be used with the Adaptive Fishing Device. 

image 47

“I’ve been fortunate to witness the incredible transformation from those with extreme PTSD and debilitating traumatic injuries leading to severe depression,” remarks Noraker. “I’ve seen it in a 19-year-old wounded warrior to an older Vietnam vet and it’s truly amazing how a simple experience of catching a fish changes their whole demeanor in such a short time.”

Recalling the transformation struck an emotional chord with Noraker, as he added, “When you witness the difference that fishing can make to people who have lost almost everything in the service of their country; well, that’s why I’m involved and will continue to be well after I’ve retired.”

For those interested in learning more about or implementing the Adaptive Fishing Device, Quality of Life Plus will take ownership once the graduate team hands over the finished product.

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For inquiries about the device, Scott Huyvaert, Program Manager at Quality of Life Plus can be reached via email at scott.huyvaert@qlplus.org. 

For technical data and inquiries on the design, Connor Borshard is available at cjborshard@gmail.com.

For more information about KastKing, contact Dena Vick at dena@kingeiderpr.com.

About KastKing

Founded in 2013, KastKing had a vision of producing quality products designed by anglers for anglers and delivered directly to the consumer at affordable prices. True to that vision, KastKing products are developed through feedback from the fishing community and go straight to the manufacturing floor. This inverse of the traditional manufacturer-to-consumer formula introduces cutting-edge features into new products that anglers want and need. The brand has gained popularity among anglers by offering affordable innovation through in-house engineering, which allows KastKing to provide never before seen technology at truly remarkable prices. Ten years later, KastKing products have been sold to consumers in more than 150 countries and regions across the globe through a variety of supply chains. Originally, KastKing’s products were only available online, but consumers can now find their favorite products in a growing number of retail locations. For more information about KastKing and KastKing products, please visit our website at kastking.com or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.

How Blueback Herring Have Affected Post Spawn Bass

Bass were feeding on herring or gizzard shad spawning on a rocky point. I caught every fish I weighed in except one by 8:30 each morning.  Several hit a spinnerbait, the others hit an underspin lure.

    For years at Clarks Hill after the spawn bass hung around back in coves and pockets feeding where they had bedded.  I remember daddy and two other men going around the back of a creek with Hula Popper and hooking big bass one morning.

    They would not let us kids back there with them, we were too noisy!  Four of us were in a bigger ski boat that we had pulled their jon boat to the creek from the boat ramp.  We were near the mouth of the cove, trying to paddle it and fish.

    I tried to make a long cast to a button bush in the water with my Devil’s Horse topwater plug but it went way off target. As I reeled it in as fast as I could turn the handle on my Mitchell 300 Spinning reel, a huge bass attacked the plug.

    Somehow we managed to land that seven pound largemouth. It was by far the biggest bass I had ever caught when I was 15 years old.  For days we talked about that bass being crazy chasing down that lure skipping across the top of the water. Everybody knew you fished slowly for bass!

    Now we know you can not reel a lure faster than a bass can chase it down, and often very fast moving lures will attract bites when nothing else will.  Buzzbaits were invented for that kind of fishing. I just wish I had been smart enough to figure that out back then and invent them!

    I caught many bass at Clarks Hill in the 1970s and early 1980s fishing back in coves and creeks in April. Then the blueback herring population exploded in the lake and changed everything.

    Bass love the herring.  They are big with an average size of about seven inches so they are a big meal to fill a bass fast. And they are very rich in oils and protein, perfect for bass recovering from the spawn.

    Herring are an open water fish, living on the main lake where it is deep.  When the herring spawn they go to shallow gravel and rock areas on the main lake and are easy for bass to catch and eat.

    It seems all the bass have learned that and almost[RG1]  all of them will head to open water as soon as they spawn in April to eat herring.  It has changed the way I fish on herring lakes like Clarks Hill. 

 [RG1]

Captain Macks’ Lake Lanier Fishing Report

Also See:

Jeff Nail’s Lake Lanier Bass Fishing Report

Lake Hartwell Fishing Report from Captain Mack

Lake Lanier Fishing Report from Captain Mack

Lake Guntersville Weekly Fishing Report from Captain Mike Gerry

Lake Country Fishing – fishing reports on Lakes Sinclair and Oconee, and more. (subscription required)

Texas Parks and Wildlife Weekly Freshwater Fishing Reports

Texas Parks and Wildlife Weekly Saltwater Reports

Lake Lanier Fishing Report from Captain Mack

The first weekend of May might be a little on the soggy side, with warm temps and a light to
moderate south winds. Hmmm… sounds like pretty good fishing weather to me. The extended
forecast indicates lots of cloud cover through the week, and an increasing chance of rain late in
the week. The bite reminds pretty good for Bass and Stripers, although we are seeing some
changes with the warming water temps. The lake level dropped last week, .28 feet, to a level of
1071.23 that is .23 above full pool. We’ll call the core surface temp 72 degrees.

Remember to
be sure and tune into Capt Macks Epic Outdoors Radio each Saturday AM, 4 to 6 am. on WSB
750 Am. Yeah, it’s early, but I’ll be up with a pot of coffee and some Fig Newtons waiting to take
your hunting and fishing calls.


Striper Fishing


The bite is good, and the techniques are really the same as recent weeks. The fish are also
using the same types of structures and areas, with maybe a little more emphasis on the Herring
spawn. The fish are pretty catchable when you find them so stay in the move until you locate
them. Free lines and planers continue to account for good numbers of fish, but the down lines
are still producing and are perhaps a bigger part of the pattern than in the last few weeks. Keep
in mind the floating down lines, they are often a good technique at this point in the year. Herring
and Gizzard Shad are catching fish, with shiners also still being effective, the shiners mostly on
the free lines. Pulling the baits around shallow humps, reef poles, and points is a solid pattern,
best in the am, but effective all day.


Looking for the spawning bait fish remains a good strategy, find the bait fish spawns and the
Stripers will likely be nearby. Shad and Herring may spawn on almost any type of rock or hard
surface. Look around the ridge pilings, seawalls, rip rap or rocky banks. The fish that are around
the bait concentrations may be shallow, especially early. After the bait fish activity slows or
ceases, the Stripers may stay in the same area, just backing off into deeper water and relating
very loosely to the structure.


The pitch bite remains very, very good, perhaps one of our most prolific patterns each year. To
respond to a couple of questions; What exactly is pitching? It is just finding a likely structure that
is holding fish, securing the boat with spot lock shallow water anchors, and casting or “pitching’
a live bait, on Lanier general a Herring to the structure. Easy enough, but there are a couple of
pointers there will catch more fish. Firstly, once you pitch, lob may be a better description, to the
point, fish with your rod tip low. The reason being, many of the fish, especially the Stripers will
eat the bait and swim towards the boat, fast! Maybe faster than you can reel. If you rod tip is
high, you lose the benefit of being able to lift the rod on the bite which gives you the ability to
take up several feet of line, aka slack. Also, I prefer not to set the hook, but just start cranking
until you feel the weight of the fish, then lift the rod, keep reeling and that should get the hook
set. I prefer a circle hook over the octopus for the pitching technique


Bass Fishing


April Was a very good month, it’s early, so far it looks like May will continue that trend! The
patterns of the last few days are continuing, I think we can just add in a few post spawn patterns
that are emerging. Are the fish still spawning? I think so, however, I think there was a big group
of fish that spawned on that last full moon that be will be finishing up soon. I still think we will
have another group of spawning fish, maybe not as big as last month, so the shallow water
patterns will still have merit, we’ll just have some post spawn patterns to add variety.

With water
temps in the low 70’s we should have shallow fish anyway, regardless of the spawn.
You’ll still have the advantage of catching fish on many baits, the same baits that have been
effective in recent weeks will still be catching fish. The soft plastics, jerk baits, spinnerbaits,
swim baits (both soft plastics and hard baits)and top waters continue to produce. One footnote
on the spinnerbait bite I have discussed so much recently: as the fish leave the banks the
spinnerbaits will still have application. The technique is the same as mentioned in earlier
reports, just deeper. Fish the bait slowly enough that is following the slope of the bottom to get
the bait down into 5 to 12 feet. a heavier bait may also be a plus in getting into the appropriate
depth range. Banks with cover will still hold fish, it will most likely be that shallow offshore
structures will be more prolific. Target long flat points, shallow humps, deep stump flats and
shallow brush tops.


Keep an eye on the spawning Herring, find them and you find the fish. What to cast? Again, lots
of choices will get the bite. Sashimmy Shads and Lanier Baits Magic Swimmers, are a couple of
consistent producers. Soft plastics on the lead head, and top waters should all get the bite. The
same baits will have application for any schooling fish you see chasing bait, and that is
occurring frequently now!


Good Fishing!!
Capt Mack

Amazing How Fast Bass Fishing Can Change In A Few Spring Days

Call it a tale of two Sinclairs.  Or a tale of three lakes in only three days. Last weekend showed how fast bass fishing can change this time of year.  

    Last Friday I met Ricky Layton to get information for my GON April Map of the Month article.  The weather guessers were right for a change when they predicted high winds, bluebird skies and cold weather. That combination is usually the kiss of death for fishing in the spring.

    Ricky said we would meet at Bass’s Boat House, an old marina where the clubs used to put in back in the 1970s. It was near the dam and the water might be slightly clearer in that area, and we would be more protected from the wind. All this spring the flooding rains have made our lakes fill up with very muddy water.

    We waited until 9:00 AM to go out since it was cold.  The first two hours seemed to show the weather and muddy water was working against us. Ricky took me to some places he had caught good fish the weekend before, but the water was even muddier than it had been and we got no bites.

    At 11:00 Ricky was starting to look at the article pattern and caught an eight-pound largemouth on a bladed jig. The fish was up shallow near a grass bed, the pattern for April.  That is a big fish for Sinclair, it has been a long time since I have seen one that big there, although there have been several that were close the past few years.

    About noon we started fishing and marking places for the article, working bass bedding and shad spawning areas.  Ricky caught a five-pound largemouth out of a grass bed on what will be hole #2.  A few minutes later he caught one weighing about six pounds there.

    The next place we fished Ricky caught another fish right at six pounds, on the same pattern, halfway back in a creek with grass beds up shallow on the bank.  One of the last places we fished he landed his smallest fish of the day, one that weighted about 3.5 pounds.  In all that time I landed one weighing about 2.5 pounds, but my excuse is I was too busy netting his fish and taking pictures and notes to fish.

    Ricky ended up with five bass weighing a conservative 28 pounds.  That is the kind of catch you dream about and expect on Guntersville, not Sinclair, especially under bad weather conditions.  The water temperature was 58 to 59 degrees where we fished, making those big largemouth were looking for bedding areas.

     On Saturday Ricky took his son fishing at Sinclair.  Although colder, the weather was better, but the fishing was not.  He said they did land a seven-pound fish out of hole #10 but their best five weighed “only” about 14 pounds, not great compared to the day before.

    I could not wait to get on the water Sunday morning in the Flint River Bass Club March tournament at Sinclair.  I should have known better.

    After fishing from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, 13 members landed 20 bass weighing about 36 pounds.  There was one five bass limit and five people didn’t catch a 12-inch keeper.

    Travis Weatherly won with five weighing 9.02 pounds and his 4.99 pound largemouth was big fish.  My three weighing 7.47 placed second and I had a 4.57 pounder for my biggest fish. Niles Murray placed third with three weighing 5.75 pounds and Brent Drake came in fourth with three weighing 4.20 pounds.

    The cold air made me shiver on my run to my first stop. Luckily there was enough wind to keep the fog down, it was wispy and hanging just off the water. But there was enough to make it scary trying to watch for all the floating wood.

    I stopped off a grass bed that was perfect for the pattern Ricky caught his big fish on Friday, but my heart sank when my temperature gauge hit 49 degrees.  A nine or ten degree drop just had to affect the bass. It surely did affect my optimism!

    I fished three places in three hours without a bite.  Around 11:00 the weak sun was warming the water a little, raising the temperature to about 51 degrees in the cove where Ricky caught a six pounder.  I cast a Chatterbait across in front of a grass bed, something thumped it and I set the hook.

    My rod bowed up and the fish headed for deep water. I just knew I had a six pounder on, but suddenly my line went slack. The fish just pulled off without me ever seeing it.

    At noon I was in the area where Ricky caught two fish, hole #2. I was very down, fishing half the day without a keeper. The water had warmed to 52 so I had some hope. I cast my Chatterbait into some grass and hooked the four pounder I weighed in. That improved my attitude a lot.

    After another hour of fishing without a bite, I caught a two pounder in front of some grass, then at 2:00 PM landed my third keeper, a one pounder, from another grass bed.  That was it. I fished hard for the rest of the day without another bite.

Sturgeon Poachers Fined, One Jailed

Sturgeon Poachers Fined, One Jailed in Oregon

from Waterworld

St Helens, Ore. — Three men owe thousands in fines, and one served jail time after a felony conviction for poaching five oversized sturgeon fish, including one giant white sturgeon, in Scappoose Bay in 2022.

The original incident gained attention in 2022 when sportsmen fishing along the banks of Scappoose Bay noticed people fishing from a boat had caught a sturgeon but did not release it as required by law. The legal anglers reported what they saw to OSP Fish and Wildlife Troopers, who began monitoring the area. After two days of surveillance, Trooper Scott Bernardi and Senior Trooper Justin Morgan, both from the St Helens office, approached the men where they were moored at the dock.

The subjects claimed that they had not caught any fish. However, Troopers could see two lines extending from the dock into the water. When they pulled up the lines, they found four live sturgeon, ranging in size from five feet to more than seven feet long. All four were secured under water so they would remain alive. While inspecting the boat, Troopers found an additional large white sturgeon, about five feet long.

Julio Duran, of Salem, pleaded guilty to take/possession of a giant white sturgeon, which is a Class C Felony, and take/possession of four oversized sturgeons, which is a Class A misdemeanor. He pleaded guilty to fishing without a license, although officials dropped charges for fishing with illegal barbed hooks. Duran served 20 days in the Columbia County jail and owes $5,000 in restitution to ODFW; $500 to the Turn In Poachers TIP reward program; 36 months’ probation, and a three-year angling license suspension. He forfeited the fishing rods and equipment used during the crime.

Jose Plascencia, of Dayton, pleaded guilty to fishing without a resident angling license. Plascencia must serve either 10 days on a Columbia County work crew, or 80 hours of community service, and 24 months of bench probation. He must pay $750 in restitution and is suspended from fishing for three years.

Axel Guell, of St Helens, pleaded guilty to angling without a resident license. Guell must pay $500 in restitution, serve 24 months bench probation and is suspended from fishing for three years.

Senior Trooper Justin Morgan is pleased with the dedicated effort of the Columbia County District Attorney’s Office to pursue charges and bring poachers like this to justice.

“This poacher spent 20 days in jail over the holidays in hopes of changing his behavior. Luckily, the quick-thinking juvenile sportsmen were able to report what they witnessed to the Oregon State Police, through the TIP line, and we were able to apprehend this individual and release the large sturgeon back into the bay,” he said.

All five sturgeon were released back into the bay alive, which is a relief to conservationists. White sturgeon, once plentiful in Oregon waterways, are a Pacific Northwest icon. Sturgeon are long-lived and revered as “living fossils” because they have remained nearly unchanged since they first evolved around 200 million years ago.

White sturgeon fisheries in the lower Columbia and Willamette rivers can currently generate between 30,000 – 40,000 angler trips annually, which contribute millions in economic benefits. In recent years, lower populations of the slow-growing fish preclude taking one home for a meal. But anglers can still catch and release the massive fish, which provides the thrill of the experience.

An 80-year-old giant sturgeon like the one Duran poached is a valued contributor to the breeding stock. Sturgeon don’t reach breeding maturity until they are about 20 years old, and about six feet long. They can live more than 100 years. Older female sturgeon can produce ten times the number of eggs as young females. Poachers who take these giants contribute to an ongoing reduction of the fishery.

Catching poachers is a collaborative effort that often begins with lawful citizens doing the right thing and reporting suspicious behavior, according to Morgan, and recently another youth reported a poaching incident that resulted in criminal citations. Morgan is proud to live in a community that values the state’s natural resources.

“These recent acts by young sportsmen to protect wildlife is a testament to values of young Columbia County residents and is a direct reflection of their parents and mentors,” Morgan said, “A game warden’s biggest asset is the public doing the right thing by reporting poaching incidents.”

The legal fishermen who reported the crime received bonus rewards of $500 each through the Turn In Poachers (TIP) Reward Program. The program offers cash rewards or hunter preference points to people who report fish and wildlife crimes that result in an arrest or citation.

Turn In Poachers campaign coordinator Yvonne Shaw states the importance of the TIP Line.

“The TIP Line is a key tool to fight poaching,” she said, “People who call the TIP Line to report poaching or suspected poaching, can remain anonymous and they also can get cash rewards or hunter preference points if their tip leads to an arrest or citation.”

The Protect Oregon’s Wildlife- Turn In Poachers campaign educates the public on how to recognize and report poaching. This campaign is a collaboration among state agencies, sportsmen and other conservationists, landowners, and recreationists to engage the public in combatting Oregon’s poaching problem. Our goal is to: Incentivize reporting on wildlife crimes through the TIP Line; Strengthen enforcement by increasing the number of OSP Fish and Wildlife Troopers; and Support prosecution in becoming an effective deterrent. The campaign helps to protect and enhance Oregon’s fish and wildlife and their habitat for the enjoyment of present and future generations. Contact campaign coordinator Yvonne Shaw for more information. Yvonne.L.Shaw@odfw.oregon.gov.

If you know of or suspect other crimes against fish wildlife or habitat, please report to the Turn In Poachers (TIP) Line. 1-800-452-7888 or *OSP (*677) from a mobile phone. Or email: TIP@osp.oregon.gov.

How Can You Start Young Anglers the Right Way?

Starting Young Anglers the Right Way

If you’re reading this, you probably remember your first fish and its impact on your life. Most anglers get their start early on in their lives and the reason is because somebody decided to take them fishing. It’s always fun to introduce someone to fishing and the “take a kid fishing” mantra has been stated for years, but the important part is to make the experience enjoyable and catch fish.

Two guides, who live far apart and fish for different species, Wisconsin’s Rob Friedley and Louisiana’s Captain Joe Ezell, share some tips they’ve learned to keep kids catching and engaged on the water.

All about the action

The attention span of young ones is short and getting shorter in today’s world of electronics and video games, making it even more important to keep them engaged while fishing.

Ezell operates Whiskey Bayou Charters, primarily targeting redfish, and takes plenty of families with young kids on the water each year. “Kids are your toughest critics, and you have to be catching fish, or they’ll let you know about it,” he said. “That’s why you have to make it fun for them because they are the future of our sport. You have to keep them engaged.”

Friedley operates a multi-species guide service in Wisconsin’s Manitowish Waters while holding down a full-time job as a special education teacher. His background and years of experience fishing these waters make him an excellent choice for a guided trip for kids and their families.

“The biggest thing is to temper the expectations before a trip because, as we know, catching fish is not always immediate,” he said. “Kids now are used to video games and that instant gratification. A lot of times, fishing is not like that.”

No matter the size of the fish, the kids enjoy catching them, which is something both guides keep in mind at all times.

“If I look back at pictures of me with fish as a kid, I don’t remember the dimensions of the fish,” said Friedley. “I remember the experience of catching that fish and how it made me feel.”

It’s the same for Capt. Ezell in saltwater, and he’ll keep on active fish, no matter the size or species. “There are times when we are on a point with a bunch of small redfish and we’ll stay on them as long as they keep biting,” he said. “In trips with adults, we would have moved on long ago to search for bigger fish.”

It is not just about the fishing

Going on a guided fishing trip is primarily for fishing, yet both Ezell and Friedley understand that it’s important to include time for sightseeing and other fun activities.

“I let them play with the steering wheel or dig around in the bait bucket,” said Ezell. “We’ll also take boat rides to look at the alligators, birds, and nutria. You always have to find a way to maintain the action if the fish aren’t biting and I gauge the success of a trip with kids based on how long I can keep them out there on the water.”

Another tactic that Ezell stresses is having plenty of snacks on the boat; the more, the better. “I’ve found that a variety of things is the way to keep them entertained,” he said. “Juice boxes, gummy bears, and apple slices are all good. It helps to burn some time until the fish start biting again.”

Friedley uses a similar approach and seeks out undeveloped sections of lakes for the wildlife. “We can see eagles on many trips, and the river sturgeon are spawning in late June and early July. You can sometimes watch them breaching water,” he said. “Seeing a 6-foot long fish coming out of the water is like ‘Shark Week’ for them and very exciting. It’s important to create enthusiasm about being on the water outside of just catching fish.”

Tailoring gear for young anglers

When targeting redfish, Capt. Ezell says that a popping cork with live or dead bait is one of the most user-friendly ways for young people to catch fish. He uses the same basic setup as he does with adults, with a few minor adjustments, including using a jighead with a circle hook to prevent gut hooking so the fish will hook themselves.

“Since they are simply smaller, I’ll also use shorter rods, smaller reels, and shorter fluorocarbon leaders,” he said. “I’ll also loosen up the drags so they don’t panic and let go of the reel if they hook a big one. I’ve learned that from experience. The other adjustment is I’ll always go up a size in line to a 20-pound Seaguar TactX braid with a leader of 30 or 40-pound Seaguar Inshore since kids are generally rougher on gear and land fish with line rubbing the gunnels of the boat. The heavier line stands up to that abuse.”

During many trips, Friedley will work with clients young and old on the intricacies of jigging weed beds for walleye and smallmouth. Still, he always has a backup plan: live bait on a slip bobber for anglers of all ages, especially kids who love to watch a bobber disappear.

“I always have a slip bobber out for the chance of a big walleye, pike, or muskie,” he said. “We fish them on 7-foot medium light St. Croix spinning rods with 20- to 30-pound Seaguar Smackdown braid and 15-pound Seaguar Gold Label leader. That’s a heavier leader than usual and gives you some wiggle room if you catch something with teeth, but it also helps to compensate for young anglers who tend to horse the fish in. The line holds up very well and you still have a chance to land that huge muskie if you get one to bite.”

We should all take kids fishing, but it’s an entirely different experience than an outing with adults. We can share our love of fishing with the next generation by keeping things fun, no matter how well the fish are biting.

Seaguar Gold Label Fluorocarbon leader is available in twenty-five and fifty-yard spools in 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 & 12 lb tests for freshwater use, complementing the 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 80 lb test leaders available for saltwater.

Seaguar Smackdown Braid is available in high visibility Flash Green and low visibility Stealth Gray. It is available in 150- and 300-yard spools ranging from 10 to 65 lb test sizes.

Seaguar Inshore Fluorocarbon leader is available on 100-yard spools from 12 to 80 lb test.

Seaguar TactX is a camo-colored braid available from 10 to 80 lb. test in 150- and 300-yard spools.

Finding Good Seafood While Fishing In Alabama

 One of the perks of traveling around Georgia and Alabama doing research for my Map of the Month articles is exploring places to eat.  Many of the places I eat are memorable, most for the good food, some not so much. And a couple literally gave me a stomachache.

    I love to cook and most food I cook at home is better than what I can get in restaurants.  I never look for a steak, pork chops, Italian, or any kind of country cooking since that is what I cook at home.  And my fried bass filets are good enough I won’t eat fried fish in a restaurant. 

But I don’t do fried seafood very well and I love fried scallops, so I seek them out.  My second choice, usually easier to find, is fried shrimp.

    I am seldom in a big city, so I eat in small towns and around the lake.  And after driving several hours to get there, I don’t want to go too far for food the first day. After spending the next day on the water getting information, I really do not want to drive far that night.

Often, small hole-in the-wall type places turn out surprisingly good. And some of them have interesting histories and backgrounds.  A few years ago, when at Logan Martin Lake near Pell City Alabama, I found “The Ark,” a little nothing looking place with a very rustic interior just off the Riverside City exit on I-20.

When I walked in I was greeted by my kind of people, with accents like mine. The wood paneling was dark from years of food frying in the kitchen, and the walls were decorated with racing memorabilia. Riverside is not many miles for Talladega and many famous stock car drivers have eaten at The Ark, most loving the catfish if their autographs are any indication.

The back of the menu tells the story of “The Ark.”  Back in the early 1900s most of the counties in that area were “dry” meaning you could not buy alcohol legally. This was long before the lakes were built and the Coosa River itself was the county line of the two counties there, but they considered the edge of the rive the county line.  So, the river itself was not under the jurisdiction of either counties’ law enforcement.

E. O “Red” Thompson, being an enterprising young man, bought an old barge and anchored it in the river about 30 feet from the bank.  He made a four-foot wide walkway to it and provided tie-ups for locals with boats to access the bar onboard.

A salvaged sign from that old bar said “Beer 15 cents” and “All the catfish and hushpuppies you can eat, 60 cents.”  Apparently, many folks had “fun” there, eating catfish and drinking their favorite beverages that were illegal on the nearby bank, all during prohibition and the roaring 20s.

 The original Ark burned and by then laws were more liberal, so Red build a restaurant on the bank near the road.  It too burned a long time ago, but the current restaurant was built across the highway.  No dates were given, but I would guess sometime in the 1950s.

Catfish is the staple on the menu, but you can get everything from chicken livers to frog legs. The jumbo shrimp I got that first night were exceptional, very lightly battered and fried to perfection.  The cup of gumbo started the meal just right and I loved the hushpuppies served with it.

Every time I am at Logan Martin for an article, I stay at a motel about five minutes from The Ark and have eaten there several times. Last summer the Potato Creek Bass Masters fished our July tournament there and I camped about 15 minutes away for a week, driving up two nights to splurge at The Ark.

Monday I drove over to Childersburg on Lay Lake, the next lake downstream on the Coosa River.  I checked and my GPS said I was 30 miles and 45 minutes from The Ark. After the miserable three hours drive in the rain, I just could not make myself do that, so I went to “La Parrilla,” a Mexican restaurant across the street from my motel.

It was a nice surprise, with bright fresh paint, excellent service and even better food.  I thought it must be new but one of my waiters said they had been there 14 years. I had my favorite, chili rellenos, and they were as good as I have eaten.

After a rainy day of fishing Tuesday, I just had to drive up to The Ark Tuesday night for dinner. As expected, it was well worth the drive and the cup of gumbo and dozen big butterflied shrimp stuffed me just right.

With So Many Choices How Do I Choose My Line for Fishing

What’s My Line For Fishing?

By Bob Jensen

It’s this time of year when people who fish gather in a variety of locations.  It might be at a sportshow, maybe a fishing seminar, sometimes at a bait shop.  The talk will start with current subjects like the Super Bowl, college basketball, families, or almost anything else.  Eventually the conversation will turn to fishing.  In late winter and early spring, fishing equipment will be a popular topic.  One area that gets lots of attention is fishing line.  

The line that we fish with is so important.  Your line is the only connection between you and the fish. In today’s fishing world there are three primary types of line, and they all have their own personalities and features.

Monofilament has been the go-to line since most of us have been fishing, but braided and fluorocarbon lines possess desirable qualities and have become popular in recent years.  In a very unscientific poll, it appears that most anglers still mostly use monofilament.  Monofilament handles well on a reel, it has some stretch which provides forgiveness when fighting a fish, is usually less expensive, and has the trust of most anglers. 

Braided lines are often favored when we’re after largemouth bass in heavy cover.  Braid is resistant to nicks from the vegetation, and with its no-stretch feature, an angler can get quicker control of a bass in heavy cover.  50 and 65 pound test braids are what many bass-chasers use when fishing in shallow vegetation.  

Braid is also favored by walleye anglers who are trolling crankbaits in deeper water.  Braid is smaller in diameter than mono or fluoro in similar weights.  Smaller diameter has less water resistance, so a crankbait trolled on braid will run deeper than a crankbait trolled with the mono or fluoro of equal pound test.

Fluorocarbon is tough stuff, very sensitive, and nearly invisible under water.  It also sinks faster than mono, so it can be an advantage when fishing deep water.  If you go with fluoro, practice your knot tying.  The knot that you use with mono might fail with fluorocarbon.

More and more anglers are using a combination set-up when it comes to line.  They’re using braid as the primary line with a fluorocarbon leader between the braid and the bait.  The braid is super-sensitive and doesn’t stretch, but some anglers are concerned that the fish can see the braid easier and it might spook them into not eating the bait.  Whether or not braid spooks the fish is another story, but to eliminate the possibility of the braid alerting the fish, these anglers tie a two to three foot length of fluorocarbon to the braid, then tie their bait to the fluorocarbon.  Because of fluorocarbon’s hard-to-see quality, the odds of scaring the fish are significantly reduced.  With the braid/fluoro arrangement we get superior sensitivity and hooksets as well as minimal visibility to the fish.  The braid/fluoro set-up is best when a slow moving technique like jigging or drop-shotting is being employed.  

I often have the same thoughts about modern fishing lines that I have for modern boats, motors, electronics, rods and reels:  How can they get any better?  But they always do.  I wonder what the next improvement in fishing lines will be?