February 23, 2024
We’ve covered the hows and wheres of catching trophy spring rockfish many times. We’ve also covered catch and release more than once. But when it comes to spring trophies we’re talking about the…
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…
April 26, 2023
The first of May marks the much-anticipated opening of Maryland’s trophy striped bass season on the Chesapeake Bay. In Virginia there is no longer any such season. And up and down the coast, state…
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…
December 5, 2021
Winter striped bass fishing in the open Atlantic requires fortitude, motivation, and for most anglers, plenty of hot coffee. Yes, in the areas these fish range during this time of year it’s going to…
April 18, 2019
Attention, all who enjoy Chesapeake Bay fishing: if you haven’t already sharpened your hooks and re-spooled your reels you’d better spring into action – the Maryland trophy rockfish season is just…
April 3, 2019
Spring trophy rockfish trolling is highly effective, there's no doubt, but eventually you might grow sick and tired of cranking up thousand-pound umbrella rigs on broomstick-like rods. You wish you…
March 24, 2019
As satisfying as setting your own favorite spring trophy striper trolling spreads and trolling with planer boards on your personal boat can be, a trip aboard a charter can be a welcome break. Someone…
October 10, 2018
Will big stripers come back into the Bay this fall? Season to season this run varies quite a bit, and there’s no telling whether or not we’ll see ocean-run fish this year. Hopefully they’ll turn…
April 6, 2018
You’ve re-spooled the reels, combed out the parachutes, taken the boat for its shake-down cruise, and as you read this right now your hands are probably shaking with anticipation of the fact that one…
March 31, 2018
Anyone who enjoys Chesapeake Bay fishing from a kayak dreams of landing the striper of a lifetime while paddling or peddling his or her personal angling machine. During the winter months you can…
March 24, 2018
If you run a thick spring trophy striper spread you are no doubt used to tangles and twists slowing you down. Avoid the multiple-line pitfalls, by:
Buy and use leader spools for each and every…
March 23, 2018
Some people enjoy light tackle jigging for stripers and others like to try chumming, but as a general rule of thumb, most spring trophy seasons trolling will be the number-one most effective way to…
March 20, 2018
The Eastern Shore islands of the Chesapeake Bay offer prime pre-season catch and release fishing for trophy striped bass, and spring is a wonderful time of year to be working the shallow waters of…
April 20, 2017
The warm water discharge at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant (CCNPP) gushes a whitewater torrent into the middle Chesapeake Bay, yet the discharge at Brandon Shores meanders gently into the mouth…