This month we talk with captain Josh Pasquariello of Good Fish Outdoors, about some unique guided “angling” opportunities.
Q: You can take people on combined fishing/crabbing excursions, which is a bit unusual. What made you decide to offer these trips?
A: I originally offered the combined fishing and crabbing trips as a fun alternative during the summer rockfish closure. What started as a seasonal option quickly became one of my most popular offerings—especially with families.
I was inspired by stories I’d heard about the Dragon Boat in Annapolis, which used to offer short crabbing and bottom-fishing trips in Spa Creek. That sounded like a great two-hour experience. I wanted to build on that idea by covering more water on the Severn River and sending guests home with crabs. Now I offer a four-hour trip that splits time between crabbing, fishing, sightseeing, and learning about the river. It’s a great balance—plenty to keep kids engaged while still being fun and relaxing for adults.
Q: What are people usually most interested in learning about on these charters?
A: Everyone loves eating Maryland blue crab, but most people are either intimidated by the process or don’t have the means to do it themselves. From a crabbing standpoint, guests are especially intrigued by trot-lining and everything involved in that style of crabbing. Many have only seen or heard about crab pots or hand-lining, so trot-lining is something completely new. It becomes very interactive, and by the third or fourth pass, people often get surprisingly competitive with the dip net.
On the fishing side, many of my trips are family oriented. The kids are usually eager to fish, while parents may have little or no experience. We focus on learning about local species—spot, croaker, white perch—and talk about habitat and basic techniques. Most of the time we’re bottom fishing and learning about oyster bars and fish havens in the Severn. If there’s interest and time, we’ll also cover simple cast-and-retrieve techniques in the creeks.
Q: Give us a quick rundown on the gear you like for crabbing and for fishing.
A: For crabbing I start with a short scouting trotline about 150’ to locate the general depth and concentration of crabs. Once I confirm we’re in the right zone, I’ll set a 600’ trotline attached to the end of the scouting line. My bait of choice is chicken necks, which are efficient and practical.
For fishing I use light to medium-light spinning rods with 1000 to 2500 reels. Chesapeake Sabiki rigs are typically baited with bloodworms or Fishbites. Everything is set up to be easy to use so kids and first-time anglers can be successful right away.
Q: What’s a good season for these sorts of charters?
A: Late summer through early fall is an excellent window. Summer is productive but it’s also the busiest time on the water and heavy boat traffic can make things more challenging, especially with larger boats moving in and out of Annapolis. As things quiet down in the fall conditions improve significantly. The water is less crowded, the fishing remains strong, and crabbing pressure drops off. It stays good until mid to late October as the water temperature drops and the action slows.
Q: Of course, you also offer light tackle trips for rockfish and perch—tell us your favorite way to go after these species.
A: Rockfish will always be my favorite, though I grew up calling them stripers since I’m originally from New York. Honestly, who doesn’t love a topwater bite? Low-light conditions in the early morning or late evening, with explosive surface strikes around shallow structure, are hard to beat. I stick mostly with spook-style topwater plugs, especially bone-colored Heddon One Knockers or Yo-Zuri 3DB Pencils. I also rely heavily on classic light-tackle tactics, like casting and retrieving three- to four-inch soft plastics around docks, shorelines, and submerged structure. For perch I use the same tactics but scale everything down.
Q: Open mic: what haven’t we talked out that all the anglers out there should know?
A: Read Fishtalk, follow the articles, and stay up to date on the fishing reports! Just as important, don’t be afraid to talk with and connect with local fishermen and crabbers on the water. Most are very friendly, and because they’re out there day after day, they usually have a handle on current conditions and patterns.
Thank you, captain Josh! If you’re interested in a mixed fishing/crabbing trip or a light-tackle angling experience check out goodfishoutdoors.com, or call/text (410) 934-7230.