Kayak Fishing Book Alert!
You say you wish you had all of the kayak fishing intel ever produced by Team FishTalk within easy reach? You can now make that happen, because the second book in the FishTalk library is now in print. “FishTalk’s Guide to Kayak Fishing the Chesapeake and Mid-Atlantic” includes 50-plus articles—over 41,000 words—dedicated to helping peddlers and paddlers catch more, bigger fish. The book is divvied into four different sections, including:
- Kayak Fishing Tactics
- Species-Specific Tactics
- Chesapeake Region Kayak Fishing Where-to
- Fishing Kayak Rigging and Gear
There are pieces covering the tactics you need to know to target just about every species found in Chesapeake Country, both saltwater and fresh. There’s also a healthy dose of intel on where to try kayak fishing, including launch points and site-specific angling intel. And we’ve put together reams of info on how to choose, rig, and customize your mini but mighty angling machine. If you’re a FishTalk reader then you already know this information is solid. If fact, we even back it up with our patented guarantee: If this book doesn’t help you catch more, bigger fish, we’ll eat our bait! (As long as we're fishing with shrimp or soft crab).
The information in this book comes from seven different authors, all known for being straight shooters as well as top casters. As you may have guessed, there’s a ton of contributor Eric Packard’s words of kayak fishing wisdom on these pages, as well as a healthy dose of kayak fishing—and even some kayak crabbing—advice from FishTalk’s own Zach Ditmars. We know that the kayak angling crew is an enthusiastic one, and being a member of the Plastic Navy requires very specific gear, modulated tactics, and a different kind of attitude. If you know exactly what we’re talking about, you’re going to love “FishTalk’s Guide to Kayak Fishing the Chesapeake and Mid-Atlantic.” Price: $24.99. Visit the FishTalk Store or order from Amazon to soak up the intel.
Magellan Outdoors Jacob Wheeler Collection
Magellan Outdoors released a new line of fishing apparel designed in collaboration with pro angler Jacob Wheeler. I met Jacob a few times at the ICAST fishing tackle show and we’ve watched him compete in tourneys a bunch on TV—honestly, he’s a pretty cool dude so I was happy to try out his new threads.
The Long Sleeve Camo Canvas shirt is made of washed cotton canvas and has four zippered pockets. The material feels quite durable with reinforced elbows. This will come in handy trudging through the brush as I hike to those hickory shad spots this spring. Bonus, it has one of those sunglass chamois thingies inside on the bottom of the front. The reversible Insulated Long Sleeve Shirt features a water-repellant polyester shell on one side and a 60-percent cotton, 40-percent polyester flannel on the other. I wore this relatively lightweight jacket out fishing on a cold December day and was impressed by how much warmth it provided while I was cruising down the Patapsco. That’s due to the Seawool faux down insulation, which is made from oyster shells and recycled plastic water bottles. The 60-percent cotton, 40-percent polyester blended lightweight Angler Flannel Hoodie, meanwhile, is super soft and comfortable, and moisture wicking fabric and UPF 50 sun rating make this a great choice for brisk spring and fall fishing days. Buttoned chest pockets with zippered side pockets give you plenty of places to stash your jigs. Ouch—my finger! I always forget when I put those in there...
These new performance-fitted clothes from Magellan are designed to be stylish for casual wear but with all the technical capabilities suitable for fishing. Price: $79.99/$49.99/$37.48.
-By Zach Ditmars
Xtratuf Ice Fleece Line Ankle Deck Boots
It’s tough to find a good pair of deck boots, but it’s even tougher to find a good pair of deck boots that keep your feet warm in January and February (especially this past winter!!). That’s when we tested out a pair of Xtratuf Ice Fleece Lined Ankle Deck Boots. And we not only wore them on the boat, we also tried them out during a day of ice fishing. That’s not as crazy as it sounds, because these deck boots have Xtratuf’s “Glacier Trek Pro” ice-gripping compound on the soles. And the conditions were ideal to put them to the test, because after the sun shined brightly for an hour or two there was a skim of water over super-slick ice. We found these boots significantly grippier than the norm and while we wouldn’t say it’s like wearing ice cleats, we will note that a couple of the anglers who were not wearing these boots wiped out a time or two. We also found them plenty warm, and with temperatures ranging from the mid-20s to the mid-30s and two layers of decent socks on, our feet never felt chilly. We also loved the easy-off pull loops. These boots are 100-percent waterproof and come in sizes 7 to 14 for men and 5 to 11 for women. Price: $140. Get a pair and your feet will thank you.
Freedom Baits USA
Freedom Baits USA is a lure company based on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. You may recognize their Bare Knuckle Shad soft plastic from the world-famous Roy Rig. These baits have a unique caudal fin above the paddletail, giving them an aggressive swimming action. They come in several sizes, from 2.3” up to 8”, and are available in a variety of colors. The silver mullet color is a great bunker imitation, and the rockfish were quick to snatch them up. The Bare Knuckle Shad is a great offering for a variety of fresh and saltwater species. They pair up nicely with their Lights Out Jig Heads which come in 3/16-, 1/4-, and 1/2-ounce sizes. Price: $5.99 per pack.
-By Zach Ditmars