July 2016 Archives - Page 2 of 6

The lure or bait on the end of your line makes a difference on how fast you set the hook after a flounder bites.

How long should you wait before setting the hook on a flounder?

For years, fishermen have debated how long they should wait before setting the hook on a flounder. Some support a 10-second count after the fish takes a live bait, but when anglers are using artificials, there never seems to be any lag time between the bite and hookset. […]

Justin Whiteside’s stinger- hook rig is very effective on big Lake Monticello catfish.

Stinger hooks will increase hookup ratio for anglers using big baits to target big catfish

Terry Madewell

Guide Justin Whiteside will present all sizes of baits for catfish on Lake Monticello, but when he uses huge baits for big fish, he often adds a stinger surprise for the big blues. […]

Putting a lure or bait right in front of a flounder matters more than putting the correct bait close to him.

The Jim Caudle Reef off Little River is tops for summer flounder

Jeff Burleson

Over the summer, the flounder fishery runs strong inside the estuaries and around the inlets close to Little River. Anglers get plenty of opportunities to reach their limit with a bucketful of mud minnows or their favorite soft-plastic bait, but the inshore lairs aren’t the only places to load up on a limit of flounder either. […]

Anglers like Greg Dreibelbois are allowed to keep one amberjack per day; this one has no problem exceeding the 28-inch size minimum.

Many rules govern snapper, groupers

Craig Holt

The snapper-grouper complex in the South Atlantic includes 59 species, as determined by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. […]

Anchoring up as dusk approaches can be a great way to produce nice catches of Lake Monticello cats.

Drift-fishing isn’t the only way to catch catfish; anchoring has its moments

Terry Madewell

Justin Whiteside said he seldom drifts at Lake Monticello unless he’s targeting suspended fish. […]

Greg Dreibelbois of Gastonia battles a large amberjack fishing offshore with Capt. Kevin Sneed.

Weather, vessel size are keys to offshore fishing

Craig Holt

Weather and boat size are keys to bottom-fishing in the ocean. […]

A balloon rig is an effective way for an anchored angler to cover more water without moving.

Try a balloon rig for big catfish

Terry Madewell

Justin Whiteside said he can tap into the suspended catfish action even from an anchored position, as easy as blowing up a balloon. […]

Noisy lures with imbedded rattles will often get the attention of speckled trout from long distances, drawing strikes other lures wouldn’t get.

Noisy lures attract more trout bites

Mike Marsh

Daybreak is the best time to catch speckled trout during summer. Helping fish locate the lure takes more than just the typical vibration of an injured or swimming baitfish or the subtle movements of a soft plastic. […]

The perfect pole for vertical jigging crappie is light, sensitive and has plenty of backbone.

How to make a good jigging rod for crappie? Sam Heaton asked B’n’M and got one.

Phillip Gentry

Legendary fisherman Sam Heaton once earned a living by guiding for crappie on Alabama’s Lake Weiss, a relatively shallow, lowland lake filled with stumps, logs and standing timber. He spent a lot of time fishing for crappie the old fashioned way: one pole, one hook. […]

Gray trout are often caught on the same lures, in the same areas, as the more-popular speckled trout.

Weakfish are a big bonus for speckled trout fishermen

Mike Marsh

While most anglers who catch summer trout are targeting spotted seatrout exclusively, other species will torpedo lures intended for specks. One of the best of these bonus species is the gray trout, aka weakfish, so-called for its weak mouth. However, a mouthful of treble hooks that snags one usually holds it tightly all the way to the boat. […]