TAKEOFF
IN SEASON
Seasonal tips and tricks
other odds and ends
By Paul Strege
AUGUST HOT SPOT
PRO CHOICE:
FISHING
ACCESSORIES
1. Austin Felix
JB’s Fish Sauce
“i like it for a wide variety of
reasons: it masks human
scent, helps for rigging
baits and is an effective
hookset lubricant for swim-
baits. it comes in a spray,
stick and paste.”
south carolina’s Lake Murray, host of the 2017 Forrest wood cup, features a
very unique and historic man-made structure. when finished in 1930, the 200-
foot-tall, 1 1/2-mile-long Dreher shoals Dam was the world’s largest earthen dam.
today, it features a recreational trail that trekkers can enjoy while soaking in the
beauty of Lake Murray, known as the Jewel of south carolina, and even the down-
town skyline of columbia.
2. Casey Scanlon
T-H Marine/YOLOtek
PowerStick
“for those anglers that like to
use an action camera like a
Gopro, this is a must-have. it
sticks in the boat’s navigation
light port and has a universal
mount and power cable that
is compatible with nearly all
cameras, cellphones and
other electronic devices.”
TRY THIS NOW:
TINY TUBES FOR MID-SUMMER SMALLMOUTHS
20
canadian flW tour standout chris Johnston is known for his skill at catching small-
mouth bass. While Johnston identifies many typical smallmouth lures as go-to baits, his
manipulation and modification of them make the difference between average and
prize-winning days on the water.
“What i’ve found through experimenting is that a smaller-profile tube like the 2 3/4-
inch strike King Bitsy tube works way better than a standard-size tube,” says Johnston.
“i like to rig it on a heavier 1/2-ounce jighead.”
Because standard jigheads are largely incompatible with smaller-profile tubes,
Johnston pours his own. he selects a heavier-gauge hook with a gap that extends just
beyond the bottom of the tube body where it transitions to skirt.
“When fishing vertically,” Johnston adds, “i’ve found that suspended smallmouths will
actually follow it down on the fall and eat it when it hits bottom. in many situations, they
will eat it better than a drop-shot. it works that well.”
3. Michael Neal
Russell Marine Products
Shallow Water Anchor Light
“it’s a fantastic little light that
mounts on top of a power-
pole. You don’t have to
worry about putting in a
light, taking it out or
breaking it off.”
FLWFISHING.COM I AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2017