Southern Sportsman Aquatics & Land Management

10/27/2025

Scott is in Florida working on lakes this week, as our Fall 2025 work continues. Yesterday we visited an old lake of ours, with a new owner. The lake has been neglected for a few years, so it needs some work to get it back to quality status. Scott and Nick saw a lot of skinny bass, but got their hands on a few nice ones.

10/24/2025

This central Georgia lake was dug and filled two years ago, stocked with bluegill, redear sunfish, fathead minnows, mosquitofish, and one Texas Hunter automatic fish feeder placed on it, feeding Purina fish feed, four times per day. In April of 2024, it was stocked with two inch Tiger bass. In 18 months the bass are 17 inches long, weighing over three pounds, with a relative weight of over 110%. With bream over 10 inches long, ready for the fish fryer. The landowner asked us to assist and provide expertise before the first piece of dirt was moved. When following a well laid out plan, our management prescriptions work, and work well.

Wildlife Trends Journal The Outdoors Show Texas Hunter Products Smith-Root MossBack Fish Habitat Purina Feed

10/24/2025

North Florida/South Georgia folks, this is a huge event with thousands of dollars in give-aways! Watch the Outdoors Show and enjoy some great food!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!!

Hagan 'Christmas" Outfitters Holiday Kickoff at Hagan Ace Hardware and HCO of Callahan is Saturday, November 15th - the store opens at 6am!

It's their BIGGEST event of the year and you definitely don't want to miss it - with more than $15,000 in GRAND PRIZES, vendor giveaways, swag, FREE food, live entertainment and of course - our LIVE broadcast!

The entire store is 20% off for the event as well. BIG SAVINGS and the BEST day to get ALL of your Christmas shopping DONE!

You must be registered to attend the event or be eligible for any prizes! 👀 BTW the hit deals and prizes are 🔥 🔥 Click below to see them all and sign up!

https://hagancoastaloutfitters.com/promos/hco-2025-holiday-kickoff/ #5

10/21/2025

Scott's latest article about crappie management in private lakes is in mailboxes this week, in the latest edition of Wildlife Trends Journal. Size of waterbody is a big factor in your success or failure with growing quality crappie. Knowing the forage base present is a must, and don't forget, they compete with small largemouth bass for food. We hope you enjoy it!

10/08/2025

A new Ducks Unlimited podcast from women for women wanting to learn about outdoor recreation.

Authentic Women. Outdoor Adventures.
New Videos and Podcast Episodes Every Sunday.
Sponsored by The Muck Boot Company and Dry Pocket.

10/04/2025

We would like to congratulate and wish Happy Anniversary to The Outdoors Show on Year 28! Our own Scotty Brown has been part of the show since their first year. We would especially like to thank the guys (Kevin, Jeff and Lirk) for all their support since we opened our doors with business advice and always sending new clients our way. We have been managing Kevin and Jeff's lakes for years. This photo of Scotty and Jeff electrofishing in Jacksonville one night at the beaches when Scotty was working for the Florida Game and Fish Commission, in 1999.

10/02/2025

About two months ago we got a dreaded call regarding a fish kill. Understandably the client was very upset. Before the die-off, the lake was full of 10 inch bluegill and redear, with some quality largemouth bass. A productive fishery with an algae bloom went through several days without sun, occasional heavy rain, and sudden drop in temperature. The lake turned brown and fish started floating. Some call it a lake roll over. First we need to establish how much of the fishery was lost, so we electrofished today. Collected two little largemouth bass six inches, and a poor amount of bluegill and redear averaging 3 inches, with 1/2 - 7 inch individuals. It wasn't a total die off, but unfortunately it was not far from it, with a complete restart needed. Thank you to NC State Forestry student and DU Volunteer Hudson for helping out today making a little money and gaining a lot of fishery experience. Next wiill be some restocking and possibly adding an aeration system to help prevent this in the future.

09/21/2025

BREAKING DUCK NEWS! 🦆
The 2025 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest winner was just announced!

Congratulations to James Hautman of Minnesota, with an acrylic painting of three buffleheads. His artwork will become the 2026–2027 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp.

Since 1934, Federal Duck Stamp sales to hunters, bird watchers, outdoor enthusiasts, and collectors have raised more than $1.2 billion to conserve over 6 million acres of habitat for birds and other wildlife.

Congrats to all the winners! See the comments for the 2nd and 3rd place finishers.

Image by © James Hautman, used by USFWS with permission.

08/14/2025

We are setting up our Fall 2025 work schedule! Whether you are a current client or want/need to be a new one, contact us so we can get you on the calendar to come and evaluate your waterbody (chemistry, habitat and fish population) to get your lake management plan created to grow the big fish that you have always want. We work from North Carolina, to South Florida, to Alabama. No waterbody is too small or too large for us to handle.

Wildlife Trends Journal MossBack Fish Habitat Smith-Root Electrofishers, Texas Hunter Products The Outdoors Show

07/04/2025

Happy Independence Day! We hope all our clients, partners and friends have a safe and enjoyable holiday!!

Wildlife Trends Journal The Wildlife Group Smith-Root Atlantic Coast Marine MossBack Fish Habitat Texas Hunter Products The Outdoors Show Ranew's Outdoor Equipment

07/03/2025

Today Scott took a young man fishing in hopes he would catch his first largemouth bass. One of our awesome South Carolina clients let them fish their ponds. Scott may have an upper hand as a guide, since he's been working on them for over 10 years. Scott's plan was to catch several small bass to help with removal numbers, and maybe a nice one or two would bite. Well, mission accomplished!! They removed about 10 small bass and the young man caught a 6.5 lbs largemouth bass. What a fish! Scott said not winning big fish for the day was great, seeing who did win. What memories for everyone. And Scott got a simple dinner of fried bass filets rolled in cornmeal. So he kinda still won.

06/28/2025

Scott & Steve will be buying theirs again this year, will you?