Indholdsfortegnelse for June/July 2022 i Game & Fish South

If you’ve been waiting to introduce someone to fishing, now is the time to do it. Kids go on summer break, leaving their days open for a trip to the water. And if you’re looking to take an adult on his or her first outing, longer periods of daylight leave more time at the end of the workday for a lesson. No need to make it an all-day event; newbies won’t likely appreciate a hard-core approach no matter how good the fishing. An hour or two in the morning or evening is perfect. Summer is a time for ponds and panfish, which is the ideal combination for new anglers. Moving water introduces current into the presentation equation, which can be tricky for beginning anglers to understand. Large bodies of water…

Water temperatures approach their annual peak as the sun climbs higher in the summer sky. As their environment warms toward uncomfortable or even lethal levels, gamefish respond in predictable ways in an effort to do one simple thing: cool down, even by just a few degrees. While many fish concentrate around deep cover or suspend in deep water, some fish—often largemouth bass of exceptional size—make the exact opposite transition, moving into thick, matted vegetation in shallow water. These fish ride out the summer heat in the slop. SUMMER SHADE The number of quality largemouth bass that are sucked into shallow slop by midsummer is amazing. The primary reason for this predictable congregation is rudimentary. Matted weed growth on the surface—and the duckweed, algae and “gunk” it collects—provides protection from the…

Go ahead, ask your hunting buddy. What percentage of poachers in America are caught and convicted? Half? A quarter? Not even close. Research sponsored by the Boone and Crockett Club and its partners indicates that the number is incredibly, depressingly much lower. Based on early studies of a decade of wildlife crime citations and court data from Kentucky, researchers estimate that fewer than 3 percent of poachers in the Bluegrass State are caught and convicted. That’s probably not an outlier; poaching rates in other states are distressingly similar, based on earlier studies that looked at illicit wildlife exploitation. Poaching is not only a theft of animals and opportunities from legal hunters, but it turns out there’s a tremendous monetary cost, too. Using only the minimum penalties assessed for fines and…

Tarpon are widely recognized as the ultimate inshore gamefish. They possess the speed and size of the pelagic giants, yet are accessible in the shallow water of coastal rivers and bays and are easily fished in the smallest of boats or even from bridges and piers. Their power and amazing leaping ability—sometimes going 8 feet into the air or greyhounding in a series of 30-foot arches—make them an awe-inspiring target for anglers throughout the Southeast. Silver kings, as they’re called, are primarily inshore fish found in water from knee deep to 20 feet, but they’re also roamers, traveling from the Florida Keys to the Louisiana oil rigs and then back again with the changing seasons. They also make a spawning run as much as 100 miles offshore into the middle…

Many people rank an Amazon Basin fishing adventure high on their bucket lists, but few can afford to make such a trip. However, some anglers in southern Florida experience the thrill of catching colorful, exotic fish from their own backyards, or they leave their offices on their lunch breaks to cast for various strange species. “Part of the appeal of fishing in South Florida is the opportunity to catch species that anglers can’t catch in other parts of the country,” says Barron Moody, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologist. “In urban South Florida, people can catch butterfly peacock bass and largemouth bass together, often right in their own neighborhoods.” Topping the list for most people who want to experience exotic angling, peacock bass offer exciting, tackle-busting action. Native…

Although the Mossberg 940 Pro Waterfowl I took to Saskatchewan was brand new, it felt like I had been shooting it for years. Anyone who has wielded a shotgun that seemed to become an extension of the arms will understand that’s high praise. A slim fore-end and new barrel design made pointing the Pro Waterfowl intuitive, and it was light and easy to swing. Perhaps the most surprisingly aspect of the shotgun, however, is its ability to reduce felt recoil. The 940 Pro line is equipped with a new gas operating system that throws spent shells 12 to 15 feet and uses up much of the energy that contributes to recoil. It cycled flawlessly as I chewed through a case of ammunition. The shotgun is adjustable for drop, cast and…

Rivers and crappies. To most anglers, those words are as incompatible as ketchup and chocolate cake. Crappies are considered lake fish, after all, and when we plan a trip to catch these good-eating scrappers, Southern rivers usually receive little attention. Despite popular misconceptions, however, crappies inhabit many rivers throughout the region and are quite abundant in some. If you know which ones to fish, and have an understanding of the proper methods for catching the crappies that live in them, you can enjoy fishing action comparable to that on any lake or reservoir in the South. RIVER CRAPPIE BASICS It’s important to know that the best crappie rivers tend to be warm lowland streams that meander through fertile bottomland soils. If a river is cold enough and swift enough for…

You can use almost any bait imaginable to entice a catfish—everything from grocery-store offerings like chicken liver, hot dogs and shrimp to homemade stinkbaits, dead fish and even lures like jigs and crankbaits. But the catfish’s incredible senses of taste and smell work best for tracking down live treats such as small fish, crayfish, worms, frogs and various insects. NIGHT CRAWLERS These big worms are first-rate catfish baits. Gather your own by raking through damp leaf litter, or purchase some at a bait dealer. Keep them cool—not cold—for longer life. They seem to work especially well when drifted in rivers and streams. Top Trick: One problem with crawlers is they tend to get lost when fished on the bottom. To remedy that, buy a Lindy Worm Blower—a little plastic bottle…

Families can find unlimited recreational activities while in South Florida. Many visitors to the area frequent the beaches, shops and restaurants in South Beach—the playground of the rich and famous. For those who want more nature than nightlife, take an airboat tour through Everglades National Park (nps.gov/ever/ index.htm). Depending upon the season, sports fans can enjoy a Miami Dolphins, Heat or Marlins game. Famous for its Atlantic Ocean beaches and shopping, Fort Lauderdale offers many entertainment venues. With apologies to Judy Garland, follow the red brick road of the Riverwalk or tour the arts-and-entertainment district. For a visual delight, visit the NSU Art Museum (nsuartmuseum.org) in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Children will enjoy the Museum of Discovery & Science or the Secret Woods Nature Center. Anglers of any age will want…

Jigs are one of the most versatile and effective bass lures of all time. They can probe the entire water column and produce in any habitat, including heavy cover or snag-laden structures where other baits struggle. They’re also known for catching big bass. Historically, jigs have done a great job of visually and audibly attracting bass in environments that few other lures can reach. But now with the introduction of Berkley PowerBait Jigs, which utilize the company’s proprietary infused skirts, anglers can fish jigs that appeal to bass’ sense of smell and taste, too. I recently visited Berkley’s laboratory in Spirit Lake, Iowa, to get a behind-the-scenes look at the development and testing of PowerBait Jigs. Although the chemists and technicians there didn’t reveal any secret formulas, they did shine…

Bowhunters practice a lot. In the months leading up to bow season, it’s not uncommon to see bowhunters shooting in their backyards every evening. Gun hunters, on the other hand, rarely practice. For many, the closest thing they do to practice is checking to see if their rifle is still sighted in a few days prior to the season starting. This obviously explains why so many deer are missed and wounded with rifles every year. It could be the reason you missed or wounded a deer last season. The key to becoming a better shot with a rifle is to practice. Understandably, it is hard for most to shoot their rifle in the backyard; a trip to a suitable and safe range is needed. Also, ammunition is expensive and currently…

Fishing is many things to many people. It can be as easy as stepping out of your vehicle next to a stream or lake and walking a few feet, or jumping in a boat tied to a slip, or hiking to a destination that requires some degree of physical ability. Many of my favorite fishing memories involve adventures I’ve had in the back 40 or high in a remote wilderness. The idea of just getting away from people is plenty of reason to visit the backcountry, and we all know about competition among anglers. It’s often true that the less pressure, the better the fishing. I’ve learned you don’t need to trek many miles in the wilderness to enjoy backcountry fishing. I’ve had outstanding angling in places where just a…

There’s nothing wrong with putting your feet up on the porch rail this time of year, but don’t let yourself miss out on some of the best—and most unusual—hunting and fishing available in the South. From frogs to groundhogs to summer squirrels, there’s plenty to chase as the summer season moves to a full boil. And fishing just doesn’t get any better. So, sit back and relax, but not for long. August is looming, and if you think it’s hot now ... BIG-TIME BIG ROCK You don’t have to run a 50-foot sportfishing yacht to have a blast at North Carolina’s Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament. Smaller boats are getting more popular, and a 35-footer won the tournament two years ago. Onshore, fishing fans crowd the waterfront in Morehead City…

Mother Nature has a unique sense of humor. We had gone to bed with bare, dry fields and roads but woke to 8 inches of fresh snow. Part of our hunting crew suffered delays getting to camp, which meant only a handful of us were crazy enough to consider a morning hunt. We pulled onto the highway, and there were no other vehicle tracks. The snow was up to the hubs on the trailer wheels, and it was still snowing hard. I could not help but think about the passage from Robert Ruark’s “The Old Man and The Boy,” when the Old Man remarked that you had to be crazy to be a duck hunter, as foul weather also spells fowl weather. I went bugged-eyed trying to see through the…

Years ago I’d disappear into the wilderness to hunt elk for 10 days or two weeks at a time. No one would know where I was, or even if I was still alive. It was awesome, but it was also dangerous and stressful for my family. Those times have changed. Now I carry one of Garmin’s inReach satellite communication devices anytime I venture afield. With it I can text my friends and loved ones, check the weather, navigate, mark waypoints, save tracks and much more. And should I become seriously ill or injured I can, with the push of a button, summon search and rescue directly to my location. My go-to inReach device has been the standard Explorer unit, except during hard-core backpacking hunts. For that I carried a superlight…