November 20, 2023
Every year like clockwork December rolls around — and we anglers in the Chesapeake Bay fishing zone love this time of year for many reasons. Yes, it gets a bit chilly. But here in Chesapeake Country…
October 29, 2023
Spoonin’ Up the Stripers
When the water temps drop this month, at some point the stripers will move deep. And in-between flurries of bird action there will almost certainly come a time when you spot…
October 19, 2023
What’s worse than waking up to discover a 20-knot breeze when you’re bound and determined to try some Chesapeake Bay fishing? Not having a backup plan. Push your luck and head for open waters on a…
October 6, 2023
As water temperatures fall striped bass begin to school up as they follow the bait out of the rivers — making for some of the best light tackle fishing anywhere in the world. Knowing how to maximize…
September 21, 2023
It’s the most common mistake I see people make aboard my boat: when told the rockfish are hugging bottom, they cast out and then retrieve without knowing exactly where in the water column that jig is…
September 13, 2023
When I exited school and had no kids, no real job, and no serious obligations, naturally, I fished just about every waking hour. A buddy and I would pore over ADC map books (remember those?) looking…
August 24, 2023
It’s the most common mistake I see people make aboard my boat: when told the fish are hugging bottom, they cast out and then retrieve without knowing exactly where in the water column their jig is.…
August 3, 2023
It’s one a.m. The winds howl as ice forms on the surface of the Bay under the crisp black sky. The rest of the world sleeps, but a few bleary-eyed, battle tested anglers overcome the somatic calls to…
July 5, 2023
You may remember that in the May edition Notes from the Cockpit column I asked readers to chime in with their thoughts on the spring trophy striped bass season. Here are some of the reasoned, well…
June 18, 2023
A circular pile of rocks southeast of North Point (Site 1 on Image 1) at the mouth of the Patapsco River had been a mystery. Charted as an obstruction, I supposed it could be a ballast pile but the…
May 14, 2023
Late spring can be a tough time for jiggers, as many of the Chesapeake's striped bass are in small, highly mobile pods that haven’t yet joined up to form big schools. They’re often in open water,…
May 11, 2023
ASMFC Public Hearings Scheduled - 2nd UPDATE to new striped bass maximum size cap - The ASMFC will hold webinar-style public hearings informing the public and identifying next steps for management,…
March 21, 2023
With the April shut-down on catch-and-release striper fishing in Maryland’s Bay waters, March is now the only spring month for anglers to tangle with catch-and-release pre-season trophies. And, the…
March 5, 2023
Yes, you will have to time your trip in-between passing fronts, it may be frigid outside, and the potential for a skunk is always there even if you pony up and go on a charter fishing boat. No, March…
November 23, 2022
Who says humans aren’t a migratory species? Keep a close eye on the roadways, and you’ll notice a late fall/early winter migration taking place — a migration of DelMarVa anglers headed for the ramp…
November 6, 2022
Every fall is different and it’s impossible to predict from one to the next where the hottest bite will be, but if you had to pick one location on the entire Chesapeake Bay as the most consistent…
October 29, 2022
It’s early in the morning and I’m heading out for a morning topwater bite. My kayak glides across the surface of the water, and there is a light fog rising off the creek parting as I pass through it…
October 1, 2022
Striped bass are in trouble. The numbers of Chesapeake Bay rockfish have plunged to such worrisome levels that strong action is required to begin to rebuild the Mid-Atlantic population. To help…