Features from September 2018
Brad Madden sat high in a climbing tree stand overlooking an open bottom frequented by grass-browsing does that were beginning to be chased by bucks at the onset of the rut. He had seen a few does earlier in the afternoon, but nothing with antlers.
- Even with summer’s heat still pounding down on Mississippi waters, catfish are almost always ready and willing to bite. Here’s how to catch them.
- The best wing-shooting on Labor Day weekend will usually be in fields where doves have discovered a solid food source. You need to join them.
- When most fishermen hear about saltwater sight-fishing out of Biloxi, they immediately think about spotting redfish tailing in the shallows of the marsh or pushing water against a bank.
- September’s tactics for bass fishing on small ponds, big lakes and rivers. Learn how to approach these different but similar fisheries.
- Deer hunters should be prepared to figure out where whitetails will be when bow season opens, and knowing food sources and trails will give you a leg up.
Columns - September 2018
Two longtime fishing buddies couldn’t keep a good thing to themselves 7 ½ years ago, which was a blessing for bass fishermen who love to catch on quality spinnerbaits.
- Ricky Ruffin of Bay Springs shares a recipe for Panéed Snapper with Meunière Sauce inspired by Randolph’s restaurant in Golden Meadow, La.
- Preference in weapons, ammo and sights pales in comparison to the ability to put your shot on target when the opportunity presents itself.
Recruitment of young fish is essential to sustained fishing. Despite the amount and intensity of management directed at largemouth bass, America’s most-popular gamefish, the relationship between the abundance of adults and their offspring has not been clearly established. Pond studies from the University of Florida shed light on this critical question.
As the calendar flips to September, my thoughts turn to deer and bowhunting. Archery season is already open in some places, and is about to open in many others. No matter where you hunt though, game time is imminent.
- I’m concentrating on 1,075-acre Lake Okhissa this month, since it is home to plenty of vegetation and numbers of big bass. September often is a tricky month to fish for bass; baitfish are starting to move into shallow water — with bass following them — and the vegetation is breaking up some, which means more areas will be available to fish than in the summer. My favorite lures will be surface lures, frogs and punch baits.
Outdoor Updates - September 2018
Last year, blue-winged teal showed an 18-percent increase over 2016 and were 57 percent above the long-term average. It’s that 50-year average that is indicative of the strong population.
- New regulations will allow more days to hunt Canada geese during September, as well as rails, moorhens and gallinules.
A speckled trout tournament format, designed by fishermen for fishermen, proved successful this summer and could lead to a series of contests on the Mississippi coast in 2019.
Field Notes - September 2018
Is there anything worse than having to spool a reel while on the boat? I mean, after you spend the time to snatch the old line off the reel, you then have the pleasure of fighting a plastic spool of new line rolling around the boat — and it’s a pain to ensure you’re putting the line on the reel tightly.
Deer hunters are often guilty of discarding items that are useful, and could be used to create reminders of a special hunt.
- During the summer, Todd “Marsh Man” Masson catches numbers of marsh bass using weightless worms in clear water.
- As some early migrating blue-winged teal are already arriving in the Magnolia State, hunters are gearing up to chase the feathered rockets.
It’s easy to look upon an area of marsh and only see a bunch of grass and water.