TAKEOFF
IN SEASON
Seasonal tips and tricks
other odds and ends
By Paul Strege
STEFAN’S WING DAM PRIMER
as bass make their late-spring-to-early-summer migration on navigable waterways
and river systems, flW tour pro Matt stefan gravitates toward wing dams to locate
active fish.
Which ones – “the first wing dams i look at are the ones closest to spawning
habitat,” stefan says. “ones located around the mouths of backwaters can be really
productive early in the year. as summer progresses, bass will spread out from those
areas farther up and down the river.”
Dialing in – once he has located a potential wing dam, stefan concentrates on
key areas along the rocky outcropping.
“i always start by fishing the base of the wing dam and the tip. and, if there are
any irregularities like a blowout, i’ll fish those, too. if i don’t get bit in those places, i’ll
move on.”
some of the most active and accessible bass utilize wing dams topping out in 4 feet
of water or less, so stefan relies on a combination of topwater walking baits, swim jigs
and flipping jigs to catch them.
PRO’S CHOICE:
FISH CARE TOOLS,
TIPS AND TRICKS
1. Andrew Upshaw
Lew’s Speed Beam
Culling System
“the culling system is really
easy to use, and the com-
posite clips hold fish really
well. Best part is that the
clips won’t harm the fish.”
wing dam
wing
dam
wing dam
FREE FISHING?!
cELEbrAtE nAtionAL FishinG AnD boAtinG wEEK
starting in May, a number of states across the country offer “free fishing” days
as a way to introduce more people to outdoor recreational opportunities. often
coinciding with national fishing and Boating Week (June 3-11, 2018), participat-
ing states allow interested anglers to fish without a license on designated dates.
also consider visiting with flW anglers at #Reelfun fishing events, which are
held at many Walmart stores June 1-3. part of national fishing and Boating Week,
the events are hosted by flW in partnership with the Recreational Boating and
fishing foundation and Wildlife forever.
for complete details, visit takemefishing.org.
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2. Peter Thliveros
Mountain Dew/Citrus Soda
“if i’ve nicked a gill or hooked
a fish deep, i’ll pour a little
Mountain dew on the spot
to stop the bleeding. there’s
something about the car-
bonation and citric acid that
works. it might seem crazy
until you try it.”
3. Jeff Sprague
Insulated Livewell Lids
“Keeping livewells cool in the
summer is critical. My boat
has insulated lids, but for
those that don’t, i suggest
laying a life jacket across the
lid. it offers protection from
sunlight and provides a little
bit of insulation.”
FLWFISHING.COM I MAY-JUNE 2018