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…
September 22, 2022
Part 3 of The Past, Present, & Future of Striped Bass: Chesapeake Perspective focuses on Rebuilding a Fishery and Bay that Future Anglers Deserve. In the final installment of this series we have …
September 6, 2022
One of the beautiful things about Chesapeake Bay fishing is that there’s no rule that can’t be broken, no prediction that can’t be right one day and wrong the next, and no one “correct” way to do…
August 24, 2022
Tributary light tackle trolling is an excellent tactic to apply when the water begins to cool, the bunker push out of the creeks and rivers, and the striped bass move in to intercept them. Since most…
August 5, 2022
Those who fish the Virginia side of the lower Potomac River know the edge off the lower north coast of Smith Point well. Ebb currents distribute bait along this edge. In the fall, waiting schools of…
July 14, 2022
Part 2 of The Past, Present, & Future of Striped Bass: Chesapeake Perspective focuses on The Current State of the Striper Fishery, Habitat, & Forage. We were very fortunate to have an expert…
June 4, 2022
My Brother once commented “Fish are where you find them.” We laughed, but what could be closer to the truth? Striped bass, rockfish as we call them in Maryland, are fairly easy to catch once you find…
May 13, 2022
Many anglers dread the May worms, as they can lead to striped bass with full bellies and little desire to eat a lure. Consider this event from a slightly scientific-ish perspective, however, and you…