Sidebars Archives - Page 27 of 194

86ee5538-bc4d-4b6b-84b8-3c4bf28a7020

October 23, 2026

Red drum don’t contribute to the spawning process until they’re larger than North Carolina’s 18- to 27-inch slot limit.

Notice big and little drummer boys

Craig Holt

Mature and immature male reds may “drum” when caught, making a sound similar to a small pig grunting. […]

Planer boards push against the current, and by using line clips and swivels, they can carry trolled or drifted baits well away from a boat, allowing a tremendous amount of water to be covered by a spread of baits.

Planer board features, advantages are easy to learn

Terry Madewell

According to guide, Justin Whiteside, planer boards are primarily employed when an angler uses an electric motor to move a boat on a specific course at a specific speed. […]

It takes a big planer board to effectively pull an extremely large bait, but small baits in shallow, clear-water situations are best used behind a small planer board.

Match planer board size to bait size

Terry Madewell

Planer boards are made in a wide variety of sizes because of the varying needs of anglers for specific species and circumstances. Selecting the right one for the job at hand is crucial. […]

Zakk Royce fights a big Lake Gaston catfish hooked on a bait pulled along the bottom behind a planer board.

Catfish pros recognize planer board uses

Terry Madewell

Guide Zakk Royce took the principles of using planer boards in striper fishing that he learned from a buddy and applied it to catfishing, and it has significantly improved his success. […]

Floating a live bait or lure under a cork allows anglers to put baits in places where it’s tough to troll or cast.

Float a bait past a flounder; sometimes, it’s the only way to reach them

Jeff Burleson

Flounder are voracious feeders that will find the best places to set up to gain an advantage on their prey, and since they can hide in precarious positions, anglers need to look at alternative methods to get baits in their wheelhouses. […]

Flounder will move as the tide moves and changes, and fishermen need to move with them to keep the bite going.

Trolling is a great way to kick-start a flounder trip

Jeff Burleson

During the spring and summer, flounder are one of the most-abundant fish in the estuaries along South Carolina’s coastline. They can be caught anywhere from jetties and nearshore reefs to every flooded channel, bay and grass flat, but they will not stay in one place for very long. […]

South Carolina’s Marine Artificial Reef Program has 38 artificial reef sides off its coast to fill with steel, concrete and old boat hulls to promote marine life and add to the public’s fishing opportunities.

Artificial reef programs benefits marine life

Phillip Gentry

Artificial reefs are man-made structures laid on the sea floor that provide a foundation for the establishment of productive habitat for marine life. They attract fish and other marine organisms from many levels of the food chain. […]

Before venturing offshroe in a small boat, do as much research as you can to determine areas you want to fish and possibly shorten the amount of water you cover.

Bridled planer rig is a must for small boats

Jerry Dilsaver

Most offshore fishermen consider having at least one planer line in their trolling spread. Fish are usually in the upper part of the water column, but they aren’t always feeding at the surface. […]

Sample the buffet line

Phillip Gentry

While many bass anglers don’t distinguish between threadfin shad and blueback herring when they refer to the “shad spawn,” knowing the differences between baitfish species could pay off at weigh-in time. Here’s a run-down of what prey species are likely to be sharing water with bass this month: […]

The proper way to hook a live shrimp for use on a float rig for speckled trout is by pushing one barb through just under the shimp’s horn.

Speckled trout: the people’s favorite

Jerry Dilsaver

Spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus — aka speckled trout or specks — are found in the surf from Hilton Head, S.C. to Corolla, N.C., and beyond. They gather in schools and feed on shrimp, minnows, smaller fish and crabs on the bottom and suspended in the water column. […]