October 10, 2023
Walking the bank of a mountain stream in search of native brook trout is a fine way to calm the nerves — your nerves, that is. Those brookies are as jumpy as any fish on the face of the planet, they…
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 16, 2023
Trees lying in the water present something of a conundrum: we know they create some serious fish-attracting structure, but we also know they’re magnificent snag-machines. What tactics can you use to…
August 20, 2023
Weakfish, also known as yellow fin sea trout and gray trout, have not been a big part of Chesapeake Bay fishing in recent decades. In the past few seasons, however, growing numbers have popped up in…
August 18, 2023
Every serious flounder angler dreams of catching doormats — you know, those big trophy fish that make everyone say “wow.” And even though the occasional trophy flounder may be caught mixed in with…
August 15, 2023
We’ve covered standard-issue Spanish mackerel trolling tactics more than once in FishTalk, but it’s been a while and now that August is here most of the Chesapeake should be riddled with these…
July 19, 2023
When tuna move up the coast, anglers from Wachapreague to Indian River hope and pray that they decide to set up shop at the inshore lumps and hotspots like the Inshore Deli. With the fish feeding…
July 17, 2023
A friend of mine, Dennis, had asked a few times if I’d like to do some crappie fishing on the Potomac River with him. But I always had some other commitment. So when I read a text from him saying “…
June 28, 2023
Maybe you got a taste of tuna trolling on a charter boat trip, a buddy turned you on to the thrill of watching a marlin attacking a bait, or you got a bit adventurous and ran your own boat through…
June 28, 2023
All forms of fishing require some level of knowledge and skill that must be built over time, but one of the easiest fish to target and catch is the catfish, even when it comes to hunting for those…
June 16, 2023
When it comes to the most dangerous fish to catch in the ocean most people think of fishing for sharks. With a bite pressure of four tons per square inch and dozens of dagger-sharp teeth, the mako…
June 12, 2023
Chatterbaits work great in a lot of situations, and are a good pick for many species ranging from largemouth bass to snakeheads. Unfortunately, many aren’t ideal for adding hollow-body trailers.…
June 4, 2023
Is there a kid alive who wouldn’t be thrilled to try fishing for sharks? We think not! Is there a more challenging, interesting species for a beginner angler to reel up to the surface of the water?…
June 2, 2023
You have a passel of family and friends due in 12 hours, they all know you enjoy trot-lining for crabs almost as much as you enjoy Chesapeake Bay fishing, and everyone’s depending on you to fill that…
May 28, 2023
As the summer sets in and waters warm up, an interesting returning visitor to our Bay in recent seasons has been the long, skinny, indisputably weird ribbonfish (also known as cutlassfish). Many are…
May 6, 2023
If you missed our earlier installments, see Critical Rigging for Beginners, Part I: Critical Rigs and Rigging for Beginners, Part II: Rigging Lures.
What’s the easiest way to fool a fish into biting…
May 4, 2023
Hopefully, you’ve already taken care of the usual wintertime fishing gear maintenance chores. Your line is fresh, your reels are cleaned and lubricated, and your leaders are prepped. But savvy…
April 10, 2023
If you missed last month's initial installment in this series, be sure to read Rigging for Beginners, Part I: Critical Rigs.
Catching fish will keep those kids happy, and rigging up right is a must…