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42
Above the Fall Line
Smallmouth bass, walleye, and muskie rage in the rivers of our region.
By Eric Packard
44
Rock Around the Dock
Fishing around docks is an excellent tactic throughout the Bay and its tributaries.
By Peter Turcik
46
Buoy Oh Buoy!
Why are there always boats fishing around buoys? The answer might hold a surprise.
By Wayne Young
48
Stop Buying Crab Bait: Catch it Instead
Ditch the bag of chicken necks and catch more crabs with better bait.
By Adam Greenberg
50
Paying the Bills
You want to catch a marlin this season? Make sure you’ve paid all your bills.
By Lenny Rudow
52
Searching for Summer Specks
The heat of summer can make speck fishing tough — but you can still get ‘em with the right tactics and techniques.
By David Rudow
54
Ultralight Action in the Creeks:
Rock, Perch, Drum, and More!
The creeks of Chesapeake tributaries hold magical angling moments.
By Lenny Rudow
Isaiah enjoys smallmouth action on the Monocacy. Photo courtesy of Joshua Vinson.
612 Third Street, Suite 3C, Annapolis, MD 21403 (410) 216-9309 FishTalkMag.com
ANGLER IN CHIEF
Lenny Rudow, lenny@fishtalkmag.com
PUBLISHER
Mary Iliff Ewenson, mary@fishtalkmag.com
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Chris Charbonneau, chris@fishtalkmag.com
MANAGING EDITOR
Molly Winans, molly@fishtalkmag.com
SENIOR EDITORS
Beth Crabtree, beth@fishtalkmag.com
Kaylie Jasinski, kaylie@fishtalkmag.com
COPY EDITOR
Lucy Iliff, lucy@fishtalkmag.com
FISHING REPORTS EDITOR
Dillon Waters
ADVERTISING SALES
Katie Lange, katie@fishtalkmag.com
Eric Richardson, eric@fishtalkmag.com
Brooke King, brooke@fishtalkmag.com
DISTRIBUTION
Beatrice M. Roderick, beatrice@fishtalkmag.com
ART DIRECTOR / PRODUCTION MANAGER
Zach Ditmars, zach@fishtalkmag.com
GRAPHIC DESIGNER / PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Royal Snyder, royal@fishtalkmag.com
TACTICIAN
Craig Ligibel
COASTAL CORRESPONDENT
John Unkart
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Alan Battista, Jim Gronaw, Chuck Harrison, Capt. Monty Hawkins, Eric Packard, David Rudow, Wayne Young
DISTRIBUTION
Martin and Betty Casey, Gregory and Dorothy Greenwell, Dave Harlock, Ron and Colleen Ogden, John and Chrissy Wathen
Rudow’s FishTalk is a monthly magazine for and about Chesapeake and Mid-Atlantic anglers. Reproduction of any part of this publication is strictly prohibited without prior consent of the officers of Rudow’s FishTalk LLC. Rudow’s FishTalk LLC accepts no responsibility for discrepancies in advertisements. Rudow’s FishTalk is available by first class subscription for $45 a year, and back issues are available for $4 each. Mail payment to Rudow’s FishTalk Subscriptions, 612 Third Street, Suite 3C, Annapolis, MD, 21403.
Rudow’s FishTalk is distributed free of charge at more than 850 establishments along the shores of the Chesapeake and the DelMarVa Peninsula. Businesses or organizations wishing to distribute Rudow’s FishTalk should contact the Rudow’s FishTalk office, (410) 216-9309 or beatrice@fishtalkmag.com.
Embarking on the open water is an exhilarating experience, lled with the promise of adventure and relaxation. Whether you’re a seasoned sailor or a weekend cruiser, safeguarding your vessel with proper insurance is not just a choice—it’s a necessity. Explore the reasons why every boat owner should prioritize boat insurance for a worry-free voyage.
Navigational exibility
The open water can be unpredictable, with unexpected storms, collisions, or other potential accidents. Boat insurance can give you nancial protection if there is damage to your vessel, providing coverage for repairs or replacement.
Damage and injury
Accidents on the water can result in damage to other boats, docks, or even injuries to passengers. Boat insurance offers liability coverage, which can pay for damages or injuries you’re liable for while boating, up to speci ed limits, and lawsuit costs if you’re sued. This includes damage you cause to another watercraft or if someone on or near your boat is injured and you’re found to be legally responsible.
Theft and vandalism
Unfortunately, boat theft and vandalism are realities that boat owners face. Boat insurance has comprehensive and collision coverage that can protect you against events outside of your control, including theft and vandalism.
Incurred medical payments
Accidents on the water may lead to injuries for you or your passengers. Boat insurance offers a range of optional medical payments coverage limits, helping to cover medical expenses if you are in an accident or someone is hurt on your boat, regardless of fault.
Peace of mind for nancing
If you nanced the purchase of your boat, most lenders require insurance coverage to protect their investment. Having boat insurance not only ful lls these requirements but also gives you peace of mind knowing that your nancial interests are safeguarded.
Some water municipalities and marinas may require proof of insurance for docking or accessing certain areas. Boat insurance allows you the exibility to explore different destinations without worrying about entry restrictions.
Emergency towing and assistance
Progressive boat insurance can include optional Sign & Glide® On-Water Towing coverage. If your boat is disabled or breaks down on the water, Sign & Glide® pays for on-water towing, jump starts, soft un-groundings, and fuel delivery.
Wreckage removal
If your boat sinks, Progressive boat insurance will cover the cost of removing your boat from the water (if removal is legally required).
Investing in boat insurance is not just about protecting a valuable asset; it’s about safeguarding the memories, experiences, and joy that come with your on-water adventures. Don’t let unforeseen circumstances disrupt your journey—navigate with con dence, knowing that Progressive boat insurance has you covered. Ensure a smooth and worry-free voyage, because when it comes to your boat, peace of mind is the ultimate luxury.
Notes from the Cockpit
By Lenny Rudow
One recent evening we pulled up to the Thomas Point lighthouse rocks, Spotlocked in place with the Minn Kota on the bow, and caught one fish after the next for half an hour. Then an older center console with a twostroke on the transom started fishing the other side of the rocks. They weren’t catching and we had enjoyed our fill, so we waved them over into the hot zone. With a ripping tide the captain had to shift into and out of gear to keep the boat in position, but he did a good job of it as the other angler aboard pitched his offering into just the right spot over and over again… and didn’t get a single bite. Nor did we get another hit from that point on. Ouch.
I can’t say for sure if the fish were spooked by the noise of the two-stroke, we had worn the spot out by the time they came over, or if the fish just plain quit biting. But I do know, as has been proven many times, that an idling two-stroke makes quite a racket underwater and shifting into and out of gear also makes a metal-on-metal bang that sounds like a gunshot beneath the waves.
I felt terrible for those guys — they were working it as hard as they could and looked to be doing everything right. The example of FishTalk’s own Zach Ditmars, our Art Director and Kayak Fishing Sharpie, however, proves illuminating.
A year or so ago Zach picked up an old 16’ Carolina Skiff powered by a two-stroke, and spent much of last season and the winter refurbishing it. (You can read about the process at PropTalk. com, in “Carolina on My Mind: A Carolina Skiff J16 Restoration”). One of the improvements he made was building a light but sturdy Starboard motor mount and bolting it to one
corner of the transom around the lowprofile grabrail. Then he put on a small but easily affordable 55-lb thrust Minn Kota Riptide electric trolling motor. He took me fishing on that boat a few weeks back, and although not quirkfree, the rig worked magnificently. He used the blapping, belching outboard to get us into the general vicinity of the fish, shut it down, and maneuvered around in complete stealth. We caught specks, reds, and rockfish, all in shallow weedbeds where a noisy presence is sure to spook the fish. It may not have been ideal; top speed was just 2.3 mph, he had to work the tiller regularly to keep the boat properly positioned when the wind was blowing, and at times it was necessary to allow the boat to blow out of position far enough to avoid spooking the fish when re-starting the outboard and making a more major reposition. But it worked, and it worked a whole lot better than I would have guessed — a cooler full of fish proved it.
If you have a boat with a two-stroke you may not want to replace it because it runs great, it’s balanced ideally for the boat, or the economics just don’t work out. Or, maybe you have a four-stroke and want to get even stealthier or have more micro-maneuvering abilities. Either way, Zach’s rig fished so well it even gave me a bit of boat-envy and caused me to consider adding an electric eggbeater to my 16’ skiff. Most of the time I use that boat for crabbing, not fishing, but there are plenty of times I throw it on the trailer and haul it here or there to fish different waterways. And it sure would be nice to have a stealthy trolling motor to maneuver around with. I guess I’d better get to work. Dang it, Zach…
Send your fish photos, questions, and comments to lenny@fishtalkmag.com
# Zach with a puppy drum caught in the shallows of the Potomac; note the Riptide on the corner of the boat.
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Correction!
Iwas excited to see “Larvae under the lens” in the July edition and really appreciate FishTalk covering this work and getting the word out to anglers, but wanted to correct some information. Our Choptank River survey in 2023 found that striped bass larvae fed well (rather than poorly as indicated in the article). We didn’t see an indication of a shortage of eggs in 2023 that could explain the poor year-class in the Choptank River, either, and basic water quality was much better than what we saw in the 1980s. The best explanation from our survey data was that the main spawn was mistimed with rapidly changing temperatures in 2023, and a lot of eggs and early larvae were killed before feeding became important. There is a Goldilocks “just right” temperature window for good survival of eggs and early larvae and bad timing with too cold or too hot can be fatal.
-Jim Uphoff, Fisheries Biologist, MDDNR
Dear Jim: Thank you for the correction, and I apologize for botching that detail. We certainly want to keep anglers informed about the striped bass situation and we have our fingers (and toes) crossed that we get a good spawn asap.
-Lenny R.
Deep Breath, People, Deep Breath
Dear FishTalk,
Q: Why did the blowfish quit dating?
A: He was always getting re-puffed. -Anonymous
Circular Logic
Dear FishTalk:
We love the magazine and your YouTube videos, please keep it up! My 10-year-old son and I went fishing last weekend after checking the reports and they were spot-on, we caught two big red drum on peeler crab fished over oyster bar — he caught the biggest fish of his life and was grinning from ear to ear! One question, we were using 10/0 circle hooks and we also missed a lot more bites than I think we should have. I never jerked the line to set the hook but a lot of times the rod tip danced and then nothing, and the bait was gone. Any suggestions?
-William T, via email
Send your fish photos, questions, and comments to lenny@fishtalkmag.com
Dear William: First off, we’re glad you’re enjoying FishTalk and congrats on the great catch! As for missed bites, there are several possibilities. First, it might have just been croaker, spot, or some other fish too small to eat the hook but big enough to grab the bait and try to make off with it. Second, make sure the gap and point of the hook are fully exposed when you bait up. If you try to cover the hook point to keep it hidden often the bait prevents the point from grabbing properly in the corner of the fish’s mouth. And third, we wonder if you had a tight drag and the rods in holders? Often more of the bites will lead to hook-ups if you have on a Baitrunner, a Ghost Drag clip, or loosen the drag before sitting it in a holder. You can also try holding the rod and let the fish take some line in freespool before (slowly) tightening up.
Fi SH N E w S
By Lenny Rudow
Rockin’ a New World Record Rockfish
Angler Brody Mahon of Reston, VA, is in the IGFA record books after catching and releasing a 107-centimeter (42.1 inch) fork-length rockfish while fishing with Captain Drew Grahame of Griffin’s Guide Service. The fish set a new bar for Junior Angler in the All Tackle Junior division, and Brody bested the big striper after a five-minute fight on 15-pound test. As luck would have it, at the very same time his dad Chris caught and released another trophy-sized striper—but Brody’s fish was certainly the catch of the day!
TSurvey Says…
he results of the winter crab dredge survey are in, and they are not terrifically encouraging. The cooperative Maryland Department of Natural Resources/Virginia Institute of Marine Science effort estimates a population of 317 million crabs, down slightly from last year’s survey of 323 million. Spawning age females dropped from 152 to 133 million, adult males fell from 55 to 46 million, and juveniles rose from 116 million to 138 million. Several consecutive years of low juvenile abundance have triggered a new multi-year, large-scale stock assessment and analysis for blue crabs, with results expected in the spring of 2026.
The Whole Ball of Wax
The Whole Watershed Act (SB 969/HB 1165), introduced by Senator Sarah Elfreth and Delegate Sara Love, was passed and signed by Maryland Governor Wes Moore this spring in response to the Comprehensive Evaluation of System Response report released by the Chesapeake Bay Program in 2023. This five-year pilot program targets five of Maryland’s watersheds for a science-based approach to restoration utilizing state funds. Fisheries improvement is among the project’s goals, along with water quality improvements, improved public access, and climate change resiliency.
Study Says…
Anew study by researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) shows that living shoreline erosion control is not only better for the environment, but also better for the angling economy. Researchers surveyed over 1500 fishermen during an attempt to assign economic value to living shoreline, and in doing so found the benefits include more than $6.4 in economic value each year from recreational anglers. Shallow water habitat and its use by speckled trout, redfish, striped bass, and other species was identified as key to attracting recreational fishermen to rivers like the James and the York.
# Living shoreline providing habitat for multiple shallow water gamefish species was identified as critical to drawing anglers and the angling economy to the Bay. Photo courtesy of Eric Packard
# Angler Brody Mahon of Reston, VA, is in the IGFA record books after catching and releasing a 107 cm (42.1”) fork-length rockfish.
Tou RNAMENT N EWS
The 501(c)(3) VBBT
The Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament takes place August 21 to 24 this year, with proceeds supporting Achievable Dream, the Boys and Girls Clubs, and The Billfish Foundation along with other beneficiaries. This is an invite-only event (contact the tournament to request being added to the waiting list), with multiple cash-prize categories. New for 2024 there’s a “Lay Day Tournament,” a one-day tournament-within-a-tournament, for teams that want to fish during their declared lay day. Visit vbbt. com to find out more.
Gals Get Ready
August 15 through 17 it’s time for the Poor Girls Open out of OCMD. This is a ladies-only billfish tournament which benefits breast cancer research, with funds going to the American Cancer Society. It’s a biggie, too, with more than 800 female anglers participating. Visit poorgirlsopen.com for the details.
Ladies only, as Well
August 18 it’s ladies only for the 22nd annual Wine, Women, and Fishing Charity Billfish Tournament, held by the Chesapeake Bay Wine Classic Foundation. This event has raised over a million dollars for breast cancer research at the Eastern Virginia Medical School and is open to women anglers of all skill levels. Registration and the captain’s meeting take place the evening before, and all activities are held at Southside Marina in Virginia Beach. Check out cbwc.org to get the full scoop.
The Big one
The White Marlin Open, billed as the largest and richest billfish tournament in the world, takes place August 5 through 9 in Ocean City, MD. With more than 400 boats running the field in 2023 (and a $6.2 million top prize) you can bet it will be a crowded ocean in 2024, and an even more crowded scale at the Harbor Island weigh-ins. This is an IGFA rules tournament with boats choosing three days out of the five to fish, but there’s a very long list of additional rules and requirements—and a long history of lawsuits over who violated which and won what—so read the paperwork very carefully before fishing. Visit whitemarlinopen.com to learn the details.
SCHOOL IS IN SESSION.
Today’s lesson? How to land more fish with the incredible clarity of new MEGA Imaging+™. Using this high-frequency sonar, spot a school of tarpon, down to the direction they’re facing, for easy cast and catch. Class dismissed. Visit Humminbird.com/MEGA to learn more.
School of Tarpon Boca Grande, FL
# John Ols’s 640.5-pound blue marlin took home over $6.2 million dollars in 2023. Photo courtesy of the White Marlin Open
H o T NEW GEAR
Editor’s Note: We wish we could personally test every item that appears on these pages, but that simply isn’t possible. So that you know the difference between when we’ve physically tested a piece of gear and when we’re writing about it because it’s newsworthy and we think you’ll want to know about it, we’ve developed this FishTalk Tested button. When you see it printed next to something in this section, it means we’ve personally run it through the wringer.
Svago: Italian for Fun
By Kaylie Jasinski
Looking for a lightweight yet stylish pair of polarized sunglasses that won’t break the bank? Check out the Svago sunglasses from Tifosi, featuring polycarbonate lenses that are shatterproof and scratch-resistant and come with UVA/UVB protection to keep your eyes safe from harmful UV rays. Simply put, they are lightweight yet robust. The frames slide on comfortably and provide a no-slip fit, the integrated hinge won’t pull hair, and because they are so light, they provide day-long comfort. For me, there’s nothing more frustrating than bending over to tie a knot and having your sunglasses slip off your face, especially on a hot day, but these stay put and they look good, too. And for being a less expensive pair of polarized glasses, I was pleasantly surprised with the definition I was able to see in the water. I was able to spot rays left and right (unfortunately!) even in murky conditions. Price: $54.95; visit tifosioptics.com. The Svago also comes in a non-polarized version ($25), but why would you even consider that if you’re using these for fishing!?
Sling Blade
Bank fishermen who are sick and tired of lugging armloads of rods back and forth to the parking lot will want to hear about the Side Sling, a waterproof, floating rod holder designed for carrying rods without allowing the usual tangles. It secures the rods in an EVA foam holder in L-cuts so the eyes remain separated and facing away from each other, and an adjustable strap lets you sling it over your shoulder as you head for the shoreline. Added bonus: the Side Sling comes with predesigned hanging slot and mounting hardware, so when you return home you can simply hang it on the garage wall with the rods still in place instead of loading and unloading it after every trip. Price: $59.99. Visit side-sling.com to check it out.
Go To the Go-To
Looking for some topwater action?
We all have our favorite go-to lures, and now there’s even a Go-To lure—a bunch of them, actually. This home-brewed lure company based in Colorado has come out with a complete topwater lineup, and they sent us a bunch to put through the wringer. Our favorite?
The Wicked Walker, a 6.5” half-ounce spook-like topwater with a tinsel and feather tail and number-four hooks. It’s available in six color patterns and has a great walk-the-dog motion with lots of added rattling inside. The Shake ‘N Wake collection is also quite interesting, with a swimming body and a long tail that mimics a mouse. There’s also a Pro series that has an amazingly mouse-like look and 3D eyes — if you see one sitting on the floor you’ll be tempted to swat at it with the broom. Price: $13.49 to $17.99. Visit go-to-lure.com to check ‘em out.
Now That’s Cool
Have you ever wished your cooler or your five-gallon bucket had rodholders? Or drink holders, or a cutting board? CoolerClips started a Kickstarter campaign in 2021 and has developed a product line that now includes all of the above designed to fit everything from Igloos to Yetis, in supercooler, backpack cooler, and soft-side cooler forms. They have a C-clip, channel bracket, and attached accessories which secure into place via a plunger-lock. On soft coolers they attach to webbing with an additional V-bracket. CoolerClips are hand-made in the US of A out of white poly Marine Board and aluminum. Price: $49 - $59 depending on size/style. Check out coolerclips.com to see the range.
Quest for Control
By Zach Ditmars
Irecently had the opportunity to go fishing out of Stuart, FL with Capt. Sam Zyak aboard his Kenner 22 bay boat outfitted with the new Minn Kota Riptide Instinct Quest. This bow mounted trolling electric motor can be automatically stowed and deployed from anywhere on the boat with the newly redesigned remote control, mobile app, or by using a Humminbird Helix, Solix, or Apex fish finder. It features a built in GPS heading sensor which gives this unit seamless integration with the One-Boat Network right out of the box. Minn Kota has also unveiled a new battery monitoring system and automatic power-saving mode. The Quest series is built tougher than ever with a carbon-infused shaft as well as sealed upper and lower units to mitigate saltwater intrusion. The new brushless motor design gives you 30 percent longer run time and 50 percent more torque than the previous 24V model (about 30 percent more on the 36V). It also has a cool new Spot Lock Jog function that will maneuver the boat five feet in any direction at the press of a button. Utilizing Minn Kota’s new Drift Mode, Sam was able to set the boat’s speed and direction regardless of the influence of wind and current, which gave us an ideal drift across a wreck to hook up on amberjack—the new Quest delivers a new level of control. Price: Varies widely by motor; see minnkota.johnsonoutdoors.com/us See our video of the Quest in action at FishTalk’s YouTube channel.
OShore Thing
ne of the great things about modern printing is that it’s given people the ability to create niche books that are very focused in nature, the latest example being “Kayak Fishing the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia” by Bob Lombardi. If you’re a kayak angler and you hope to target the backwater marshes of the Shore for fish like stripers, specks, and reds, the intel he shares on these pages is exactly what you’re looking for. Lombardi covers topics like finding cool new fishing spots, tides and currents, effective tactics and techniques, and setting up your kayak. We found the Case Study chapter on visits to five new fishing grounds particularly interesting, as it helps the reader get a feel for how to attack unfamiliar territory and get that rod bent. Price: $19.95, available at amazon.com
Jump N’ Pump
These days portable jumper packs are so small and inexpensive, it’s a good idea to carry one aboard every fishing boat. There’s a new one out, however, that has an edge over the competition: Uncharted’s Zeus Air. This 55.5 watt-hour lithium polymer battery has the oomph to turn an 8.0L gasoline or 6.0L diesel engine so virtually any outboard is a piece of cake, and like many on the market it also has a built-in flashlight, USB-A and -C outputs, and included jumper cables. Unlike others, however, it also has a 130 psi air compressor built in. Some land-loving vehicle fans might immediately think of inflating tires (and we admit it would come in handy if you needed to pump up the doughnut on a tow vehicle), but we’re thinking this would be better used to inflate tow-toys if the kids get itchy during a slow bite. Price: $219. Visit unchartedsupplyco.com to learn more.
20-in-one
We anglers love multi-tools, and the latest from Leatherman is a serious piece of top-shelf work. The ARC is the first multi-tool around to feature a MagnaCut steel blade, it opens and closes using magnetics so you don’t have to pry with a fingernail, and screwdriver bits are changeable to fit not only the included reversible bit but also everything in Leatherman’s custom bit kit.
The 420/440C stainless-steel tool and its blades are even DLC nanocomposite and/ or PVD coated, where the coating is vaporized in a vacuum and deposited atom by atom to the metal’s surface to create a super-thin protective layer. Included tools include just about everything you can imagine, from a wood file to electrical crimpers, and the wire cutters are replaceable. This is Leatherman’s new top-of-line offering, however, so be prepared to pay top dollar for the quality. Price: $229.95. Visit leatherman.com to learn more.
Q: Many anglers are used to spinning or casting gear, what’s the attraction to saltwater fly fishing on the Bay?
A: It’s a new and different challenge to most. Some are just looking for something different than the trout fishing they have done for years.
Q: Tell us your top three tips for fly fishing on the Bay.
A: First, use an intermediate line. Second, remember that bigger flies work better for the larger Bay predators. Third, have a rod with sinking line with you, also. (Which allows you to fish down deeper).
Ask an Expert
This month we pose some questions about fly fishing on the Bay to Capt. Scott Barmby, of Rock On Charter Fishing.
Q: Are there some specific fisheries/situations where fly fishing will out-catch other methods? If so, how/why?
A: I have a good customer that started fly fishing after he was on a boat with a fly angler fishing for speckled trout, and the fly angler was out catching him five to one. Why? There are a couple of reasons. First is the ability to present a slower retrieve. There’s also a better ability to match the fly to the bait the fish are feeding on. And finally, the fly can stay above the grass and enter the water with less noise and disruption. So, yes, there are situations where fly fishing will out-catch other methods.
Captain Scott has started the new Orvis Fly Fishing School here in Maryland. It includes hands-on instruction in fly casting technique, gear, knots and fly tying, how to set the hook and fight the fish, and more. If you’d like to learn about fly fishing on the Bay or give your skill level a big boost, check out all the details at fishrockon.com, on the Orvis Chesapeake Bay Fly Fishing School page.
Q: As a guide you see a lot of different anglers try to fly fish on the Bay. What’s the most common mistake you see people make, and how can they correct it?
A: For many anglers it’s setting the hook. We are not jerking the rod up like with spinning gear, nor is a trout fishing hook set appropriate. Instead, you need to strip-set when the fish gets tight. Then, lift the rod sideways, not 90 degrees over your head.
Q: Open mic time — what would you like to tell all the anglers out there, fly and otherwise?
A: Let’s take care of the fish and do more catch and release. Enjoy the time on the water, and remember that taking a kid fishing is always a good thing. #
Contact Captain Scott at (240) 372-1864, scott@fishrockon.com, or via fishrockon.com.
skills with the Orvis fly fishing school.
through Aug 29
st. michaels concerts in the Park series
The St. Michaels Community Center hosts its waterfront Concerts in the Park Series at Muskrat Park in St. Michaels each Thursday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. with plenty of shade, treats, and water for sale.
3
little Bobbers fishing Derby
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center in Grasonville, MD. Sign up online at ccamd.org (registration is free). The derby not only raises funds for creating fishing reefs and oyster beds at CBEC but also introduces kids to the hobby of fishing.
4
chesapeake cowboys
Boat docking competition in Cape Charles, VA.
5-9
51st annual White marlin open
The world’s largest billfishing tournament. In Ocean City, MD.
6 combos for kids
Combos for Kids provides fun opportunities to celebrate and enrich the lives of children and their families through the sport of fishing. Presented by Anglers Sport Center. At Mike’s Beach: S.A.F.E./ KPIPP Kids Play in Patterson Park - Bob’s Kids (boats needed - crabbing). Contact: EJ Harman, (410) 299-2693.
9-11 Becoming an outdoorsWoman Workshop
This three-day workshop is for beginners who want to improve their outdoor skills or learn new ones. It is designed primarily for women, 18 years or older. Register at dnr.maryland.gov
August
9-11
Pirates & Wenches Weekend
Come by land or by sea to Rock Hall, MD, and experience a town-wide family-friendly theme party everyone will enjoy.
11
anne arundel county River Days
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at West River Center (5100 Chalk Rd., West River, MD). Each festival will feature fun activities for all ages, including water activities, environmental educators, boat rides, live music, food trucks, games, crafts, face painting, county agencies, and more. Registration to the festivals is free and required for entry, as capacity is limited. Registration does not include boat ride tickets or kayak lessons, which are also free but must be reserved separately for a specific time slot.
11
Watermen’s appreciation Day 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD. CBMM’s annual celebration of the men and women who make their living on the Chesapeake Bay and their heritage, featuring a boat docking contest, steamed crabs by the dozen, live music, family activities, and more.
14 frederick saltwater anglers monthly meeting
Food starts at 6 p.m. followed by meeting at 7 p.m. at 289 Willowdale Drive, Frederick, MD 21702. Each meeting has a speaker, vendor, prize raffle, and 50/50.
17 chesapeake cowboys Event Boat docking competition in Pocomoke, MD.
17 18th annual Youth fishing Derby
Sponsored by the Kent Island Fishermen, Inc. and the Kent Island Estates at Romancoke Pier on Kent Island. 8 a.m. registration, 9 to 11 a.m. fishing, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. prizes and refreshments at the Kent Island American Legion 278. Age groups: 3-5, 6-10, and 11-16. Bring your rods (minimal number of loaner rods available), bait provided.
17 cca southern maryland chapter summer shrimp Boil 4 to 8 p.m. at 10425 Mackall Road in St. Leonard, MD. Featuring all you can eat low country shrimp boil (courtesy of the Grille Sergeant in Lusby), pork BBQ, beer, wine, and soft drinks.
25 anne arundel county River Days
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis. Each festival will feature fun activities for all ages, including water activities, environmental educators, boat rides, live music, food trucks, games, crafts, face painting, county agencies, and more. Registration to the festivals is free and required for entry, as capacity is limited. Registration does not include boat ride tickets or kayak lessons, which are also free but must be reserved separately for a specific time slot. Registration opens July 25 at 12 p.m.
25
chesapeake cowboys Event Boat docking competition in Taylors Island at the Slaughter Creek Marina. All proceeds go to Taylors Island Volunteer Fire Company.
SaleS, Service and re-PowerS
s eptember through Sep 30
5th annual mongo offshore challenge The sportfishing world’s most unique challenge! You can fish any time, anyplace you want, with blue marlin, swordfish, yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, wahoo, and mahi-mahi categories in the East Coast division. These are winner-take-all divisions, with additional calcuttas in play.
7
4th annual Portsmouth Paddle Battle
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Elizabeth River in Olde Towne Portsmouth, VA, followed by the Portsmouth Junior Battle for youth ages 8-14 from 1 to 5 p.m. SUP and kayak categories. Also featuring music, good food, children’s activities, and more. Proceeds will help The Friends support the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum and the Lightship Portsmouth Museum.
7 free kids fishing tournament Hosted by the North Bay Fishing Club. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Levy Pavilion at North East Community Park (250 W. Walnut St., North East, MD). Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. or pre-register by emailing northbayfishingclub@yahoo. com with child’s name and age. Free, prizes, three age categories: 5-8, 9-12, 13-16. Loaner rods and bait available to borrow or bring your own. Free picnic lunch after for all participants.
7 fsff monthly fly tying 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Free State Fly Fishers clubhouse (behind Ford Hall) at the Davidsonville Family Rec Center. Join FSFF as one of our members instructs us on how to tie a couple of fly patterns and demonstrates proper tying techniques. All materials will be provided. Please bring your vise and tying tools if you have them.
7 onancock Bay challenge fishing tournament
6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Weigh-in at the park near the wharf. Eastern Shore of Virginia Anglers Club. Blow day September 8.
7
Reelin’ 4 a cause charity fishing tournament
It’s more than a fishing tournament, it’s a fundraising tournament - and the captain/team that raises the most money will be crowned winners of the Captain’s Challenge. Benefiting Calvert Health’s Cancer Center.
7-8 combos for kids
Combos for Kids provides fun opportunities to celebrate and enrich the lives of children and their families through the sport of fishing. Presented by Anglers Sport Center. At Port Covington: CCA Family Fishing (boats needed). Contact: EJ Harman, (410) 299-2693.
18TH ANNUAL YOUTH FISHING DERBY
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Boys & Girls Age Groups:
• 3-5 Years Old
• 6-10 Years Old
• 11-16 Years Old
Romancoke Pier
Rt. 8 South Kent Island
All participants must be accompanied by a PARENT OR ADULT
Sponsored by the Kent Island Fishermen, Inc., and the Kent Island Estates Community Association
In memory of Jon Bupp & Dave Grapes
8 AM | Registration 9 AM - 11 AM | Fishing
11:30 AM - 1 PM | Prizes & Refreshments at the Kent Island American Legion #278
Bring your own rods. A minimal amount of Loaner rods available. Bait is provided. Wristbands are required for Fishing and Lunch admittance. Prizes: Largest Fish, Smallest Fish, Most Unique Fish, Most Fish Caught in each age group. Must be present to claim prize. No more than one trophy per winning child.
s
eptember (continued)
11
frederick saltwater anglers monthly meeting
Food starts at 6 p.m. followed by meeting at 7 p.m. at 289 Willowdale Drive, Frederick, MD 21702. Each meeting has a speaker, vendor, prize raffle, and 50/50.
14 anne arundel county River Days
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Fort Smallwood Park, Pasadena, Each festival will feature fun activities for all ages, including water activities, environmental educators, boat rides, live music, food trucks, games, crafts, face painting, county agencies, and more. Registration to the festivals is free and required for entry, as capacity is limited. Registration does not include boat ride tickets or kayak lessons, which are also free but must be reserved separately for a specific time slot. Registration opens Aug. 14 at 12 p.m.
15 Bay Bridge Paddle
East Beach at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, MD. Presented by ABC Events. Three course options: The Span (elite) 9-mile course, The Steamer (intermediate) 5K course, and The Soft Shell (Recreational) 1-mile course.
21 Boatyard Beach Bash
4 to 10 p.m. at the Annapolis Maritime Museum. Let yourself be whisked away to Key West as you immerse yourself in the incomparable talent or world-class musicians. Tickets: $150 includes drinks and food. Benefits the Annapolis Maritime Museum.
24-28 trawlerfest Baltimore
At Harbor East Marina in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. New and pre-owned cruising powerboats, education and demonstrations, and opportunities to network with fellow cruisers and industry experts.
26 the World is Your oyster fest
The Bay’s biggest bivalve bash featuring Baltimore’s premier shucking competition, immersive educational moments that will help you understand the significance of the Bay’s keystone species, and a chance to sip and slurp to your heart’s content. Presented by the Oyster Recovery Partnership at the B&O Railroad Museum.
27 havre de grace lighted Boat Parade
Five categories to win prizes. The parade will start at the Amtrak bridge and traverse the shoreline to Green Buoy #17. Prizes will be awarded that evening at the post-parade party. Location TBD.
29
cca supports military families on mallows Bay
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mallows Bay on the Potomac River. CCA Maryland will partner with the National Park Trust, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, NOAA Fisheries, and NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries to host 40 participants from two distinct national military family organizations.
Presented by
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# Lucy strikes again!!!
# Seth tied into a trophysized 30” weakfish while kayak fishing at night in Ocean City.
# Mark scored a nice one late in May.
# The St. Mary’s River was good to Steve in the form of specks, reds, and rock!
# Steve enjoyed a nice mix of specks and flounder fishing around Smith Point.
her first tuna — on a rig tied with her first
Now, she says, she has the fever and the only prescription is more tuna, tuna,
# Taylor landed
Bimini twist — while fishing on the Susan’s Deal out of OCMD with Bobby and crew.
tuna!
# Jamie, Joe, Konner, and Kobe tore up the white perch on Stoney Creek fishing with grass shrimp.
# Jennifer tied into a new PB 47-incher while fishing a croaker on the Way South flats.
# Ryan and his dad Randy enjoyed an excellent topwater bite fishing docks in the West River.
# Joe tossed a bunker chunk into the Bethany surf, and came up with this nice chopper blue.
Who’s catch is better, Alexander’s, or his dad James? We’re not sure – they’re both awesome!!
#
# Coy got into the sea bass big-time – four at a time!
# Constantine caught his first tog, a 27-incher. Sweet fish!
# Toby pulled this nice largemouth out of a local pond.
# Brent found a South River redfish among the stripers.
# Camille caught this nice catfish while soaking her baits in the Sassafras.
# Potomac smallmouth made Billy’s day.
# Eric got into a flurry of spot action off Holland Point.
# Macy caught her very first fish in Oyster Creek.
# Louie started off summer vacation the best way possible: by fishing!
#
FIS H PIC
OF THE MONTH
#
# Ivy cast a Bloody Point Perch Prowler into the waters of the lower Potomac and cranked back a redfish.
# Gannon and his dad enjoyed a great Father’s Day bite in the mouth of the Choptank.
Adi found the spot, including some nice ones.
Ryan and Eric doubled up on black drum while fishing the CBBT.
# Herb spent some time at Savage River Lodge and worked on his trout fishing techniques this summer.
# Steve and Wray tied into this yellowfin in the Washington on Father’s Day, while aboard the She Worthy 2.0
# Tyler picked up a perfect slot fish while eeling near Pooles Island.
# Bill spent a fun evening casting in the shallows of the South River.
# Timmy caught and released this beautiful rockfish while soaking gizzard shad and minnow at Turkey Point.
By Lenny Rudow
Boston Whaler 210 Vantage: The Vantage has an Advantage
Boston Whaler boats have an advantage over the vast majority of the other boats out there: they can legitimately claim to be unsinkable. The hull and deck are laid up separately, then are mated and enclosed in a mold that’s bolted shut. Next, liquid foam is injected between the two parts under high pressure. All of the boat’s voids get filled with the foam, it bonds to the fiberglass, and you end up with one rock-solid structure that will continue to float even if you saw it up into a hundred different pieces-parts.
What doesn’t get discussed as often, however, are the fringe benefits that go along with that unsinkable glassfoam-glass sandwich. All of the integrated compartments, like coolers and fishboxes, are uber-insulated and hold
Quick Facts
LOA: 21’3”
Beam: 8’6”
Displacement: 4880 lbs.
Draft: 1’6”
Transom Deadrise: 20 degrees
Fuel Capacity: 80 gal.
Max. Power: 250 hp
ice far better than the norm. Having a solid single structure rather than different parts flexing against each other eliminates much of the shuddering and vibration you’ll feel on some boats when hitting waves. And the foam absorbs water noise, quieting the ride.
Whether you consider it fair or not, these factors give Boston Whalers a serious competitive advantage. That’s particularly true when it comes to parental anglers, who can enjoy some serious peace of mind knowing that their boat will never sink. Another thing that’s appealing to fishermen who have kids is the dual console design, which provides a lot more protection from the elements than a center console can. Too bad Boston Whaler’s Vantage line begins at a 24’, and if you want a 21-footer that’s easier to trailer and easier to afford you’re out of luck, right? Not anymore — now there’s a 210 Vantage dual console.
For the most part the 210 Vantage follows a classic DC layout, with seating forward which can be stripped of its cushions to serve as a casting platform, a head compartment in the port console, stowage in the starboard console, and an open cockpit aft. The stern arrangement
is a bit unusual in that it has flip-up jump seats which can be folded flush for use as an aft casting deck, giving this model a leg up over some DCs in the fishing department.
Speaking of fishing, the 210 Vantage comes along with five stock rodholders, two in the gunwales and three more on the transom. Most of us will want to add the Fishing Package, which gets you an 18-gallon livewell, a raw water washdown, locking rod stowage in the starboard console, and another pair of gunwale-mounted holders. You can also opt for factory-installed electronics packages with nine- or 12” Simrad NSX MFDs in the helm, and the Active Imaging transducer with CHIRP, SideScan, and DownScan.
Power options include 200- and 250-hp Mercury outboards. With 200 horses you can expect a cruise in the neighborhood of 30 mph at 4500 rpm and a top-end of around 40 mph. Get the max power and cruise jumps into the mid-30s, while top-end bumps up to the 50-mph mark. The 200 option can provide slightly better economy, peaking at 3.5 mpg as compared to 3.3 mpg for the larger engine. Either way,
Hot New Fishboats
with 80 gallons of fuel you’ll have a range of over 200 miles.
Hold on there, partner, if Whaler’s way of doing things gives them that unsinkable advantage, why doesn’t everyone else build their boats this way? Well, simply put it’s more complex and more expensive than stock-and-trade boatbuilding methods. Most other builders aren’t willing to risk it. That’s why Boston Whaler basically owns this chunk of the market. And if you had hoped to find an unsinkable 21-foot dual console you’d have been out of luck — until now.
Area Dealer: Chesapeake Whalertowne, Grasonville MD, (410) 827-8080 and Annapolis, MD, (410) 267-9731, or whalertowne.com
Jeanneau Leader 6.5 WA:
Take Me to Your Leader
We love fishing from center consoles, but as the market shifted in that direction many manufacturers ceased building walkarounds and cuddy cabin boats altogether. These days they’re few and far between, which can make it tough to find the ideal fishing machine if you also need it to be the ideal family boat and overnighter. So, what’s an angler with ankle-biters or aspirations for weekending at foreign ports to do? Check out the Jeanneau Leader 6.5 WA.
Wait a sec, doesn’t Jeanneau build snailbotes?! Well, yes, they do. They also happen to have been building fiberglass powerboats since 1960, have set several powerboat speed and endurance records through the
years, and are part of the massive Groupe Beneteau — which also builds Wellcraft, Scarab, Four Winns, and Prestige. Considering that they offer six lines of motorized marine machines including 25 different models, we can forgive them for knocking out a few hulls that are incapable of internal combustion, right? Besides, once you take a look at the Leader 6.5 WA you might have a tough time turning away. Since that cuddy cabin is going to be the main attraction for a lot of folks, let’s take a peek in there first. Most of it is dedicated to what technically is a V-berth, but the term sells it short. The cabin retains most of the boat’s beam relatively far forward and berths extend aft to either side, so it’s
really more of a U-berth with a point at the front. A lift-out center section houses the head. Tall anglers will be happy to note that while the forward section is tucked under a flush foredeck — awesome on the angling front as compared to trying to fish from a foot-wide walkaround — the aft section rises up with the helm and entry so you won’t have to imitate Napoleon to get inside. And Jeanneau uses a windshield frame that rises above the windshield itself and incorporates a grab rail, so you’ll always have a good handhold when going in and out.
The gunwales house a pair of flushmount rodholders, which can be complemented by adding rail-mounts on the ski mast or vertical racks on the transom. Cockpit seating can be either L- or Ushaped, though on fishing days you’ll want to leave the drop-in extension in the garage to maximize deck space. Same goes for the bow cushion; it may be great having a big sunpad up on the bow when you’re family boating, but when it’s time to fish you’ll want a casting deck with firm fiberglass underfoot.
The Leader 6.5 WA is the smallest boat in the Leader lineup, yet there are some other important features to note that give
UNLEASH PURE POWER
Quick Facts
LOA: 22’6” Beam: 8’2”
Displacement: 2650 lbs.
Draft: 1’8”
Transom Deadrise: 17 degrees
Fuel Capacity: 45 gal.
it a leg up over the average rough-andtumble center console. It has a 13-gallon freshwater system with a cockpit shower, which will work equally well for rinsing off rods and reels or rinsing off the kids after a dip in the Bay. There are extended swim platforms on either side of the outboard. And speaking of outboards, even with the smaller powerplant option (you can choose 150 or 200 horses) you’ll see top-end speeds in the 40-mph range and a cruise of
Max. Power: 200 hp For more fishboat reviews, visit: FishTalkMag.com/fishboat-reviews
over 30.
Sure, we love those center consoles. But for some fishing families the lack of a cabin can be a deal-killer. And in this case a fishable flush bow and a castable cockpit make the Jeanneau Leader 6.5 WA a killer deal.
Area Dealers: Rudy Marine, Dagsboro DE, (302) 945-2254 or rudymarine.com
RETURN THIS FORM BY MAIL OR EMAIL: MaIl: 612 Third St., Ste. 3C, Annapolis, MD 21403 EMaIl: beatrice@fishtalkmag.com O R SUBS c RIBE ONLINE : fishtalkmag.com/subscribe-to-fishtalk
# Weekending aboard becomes a possibility with the Jeanneau 6.5 WA.
Mercury 8.0/9.9: Mini-Might
You need a new small outboard? Mercury Marine has just announced new 12.8 cid in-line-two 8.0- and 9.9-hp FourStroke engines, along with a 9.9 ProKicker model. The big news here is that these are EFI engines, providing easy starts, up to 27 percent better fuel economy, smooth running, and eliminating all those ethanol problems that go along with carburetors. These engines are available with either manual or electric start, and the 9.9s can come with remote controls or tillers and manual or power trim. Tiller models have shifting, throttle, steering, manual tilt, and a stop button that can all be operated with one hand. Powerheads are balanced and vibration- and sound-dampening materials are incorporated to reduce vibration, and there’s a quick-disconnect garden hose flush attachment. ProKicker models come with a high-thrust four-blade prop and the heavy-duty Command Thrust gearcase, plus power tilt. Weight is 85 pounds for the 9.9 (with manual start/tilt and remote control) and 88 pounds for the 8.0 with a tiller. Price: starting at $2735. Visit mercurymarine.com to learn more.
Invasive Catfish Cover Contest
Here’s How it w orks:
• Visit fishtalkmag.com/cover-contest and follow the instructions to enter your favorite fishing photo by september 15 One photo per person please.
• Your photo submission must include anglers with their catch of flathead catfish or blue catfish caught while fishing on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
• Vertical high-resolution photos work best, with room for our logo header and cover lines.
• If the angler is a child is on a boat, make sure he or she is wearing a lifejacket (properly) in accordance with state boating regulations, or we won’t consider it for the cover.
• Once the submission period has ended, our graphic design team will disqualify any photos that do not meet our printing requirements (any images that are too low of a resolution, are blurry or too dark, if a child was pictured without a lifejacket, and if there was not enough room in the image for our FishTalk header, footer, and cover lines). We will then let you vote for the winning cover for the September issue of FishTalk Magazine!
Above the Fall Line
By Eric Packard
Smallmouth bass, walleye, and muskie are three exciting species of gamefish that freshwater anglers can target above the fall line of the Chesapeake region’s Western Shore rivers. The states of Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania all contribute to feeding Chesapeake Bay with its lifeblood of freshwater. Water on the Eastern Continental Divide gathers then
Smallmouth bass, walleye, and muskie rage in the rivers of our region.
flows down to the Bay, and between the fall lines of these rivers and their upper reaches you’ll find a variety of temping opportunities.
Smallmouth Bass
You can find smallmouth bass in most, if not all, of the Western Shore rivers feeding the Bay, although they are not native to Maryland. They were introduced in the mid-1850s by employees of the B&O Railroad company. Some 20 fish from the Wheeling River in West Virginia were introduced into the C&O Basin in Cumberland at that time. And boy am I happy that they did it. Smallmouth bass are pound-for-pound one of the best fighting fish out there, especially in a river’s current.
You can find them in areas with rocky, gravel, and sandy bottoms. Catch them by casting baits into eddies, over gravel or substrate, and in shaded areas along the shoreline. Cast next to fallen trees and around logjams, too. Look for deeper
# Smallmouth are pound-for-pound one of the toughest fighters around, as Bryan can attest to.
pools where you have swift water, casting into the faster water and working the seam where the water becomes smooth and flat.
I use light spinning tackle and cast one of my favorite baits, a Ned rig, dressed with plastics that are various darker browns or hues of blue and gray, as well as plastics that mimic a crayfish. Crankbaits with a crayfish pattern worked across deeper pools produce fish, too. You can also throw square-billed crankbaits, bouncing them over gravel bottoms or rocks. Use a deeper diving bait if you locate deep flats or pools. Jerkbaits with patterns of minnows or creek chubs also work well.
Top Pick:
The upper Patuxent or Patapsco Rivers. Throw a pair of hip waders in the truck, then head to Laurel or the Daniels area and cast smaller baits and inline spinners. Though most of the fish in these areas will be on the smaller side they are quite prolific and as I said, smallmouth bass are one of the hardest fighting fish around — catching lots of small ones can be a ball.
# Cliff is all smiles after tangling with a James River muskie.
Waiting for Fall
We included muskie in this article because they’re such a cool fish to catch when you’re fishing above the fall line, but the timing is off — August is not the best time to hunt for muskellunge. They are a relatively fragile fish during summers as they do not tolerate heat well, and they have a high July-August mortality rate according to studies performed in the James River. Anglers are encouraged to wait until the heat of summer has passed to pursue them.
Walleye
Walleye were first introduced to the Potomac River in 1979. A 2019 Maryland DNR study found that walleye range from Cumberland, MD, to Washington, DC, with the highest concentration between Harpers Ferry and Clear Springs. Walleye will gather at the base of the river dams during their spring spawn, then spread out downriver as the summer weather moves in. You can find them over rocky bottoms or sandy substrate. They can also be found in some numbers at the base of the Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River. Walleye are native to the Clinch and Holston rivers in Virginia, and today can also be found in the New, Stanton, and Dan.
Casting small paddletail jigs and jerkbaits into cuts, deep holes, around boulders, and eddies with a rocky bottom will produce fish. Look for them where cool creeks enter the river. Early morning is a good time to cast on them, but evening is their preferred time to eat. During the summer look for walleye near the mouths of and up inside spring-fed creeks, too.
Top Pick:
The Potomac River near and around Great Falls. Try casting jerkbaits into eddies and pools and remember that walleye tend to bite best early in the morning and late in the evening.
Muskellunge
Okay, let’s talk about Muskie. This is one fish that anglers are quite tight lipped about, they handle with kid gloves, rarely take a photo of and if they do they have
the background blurred out. Why? This is the “fish of 10,000 casts.” Muskie are the largest of fish in the esox family, they can live as long as 20 years and grow up to 50-plus inches. Being a top apex predator, they exist in relatively low densities. If you are fortunate enough to catch one, hang on for one of the best fights you’ll ever have with any freshwater sportfish. Like smallmouth and walleye, muskie are not native to most of the region. In Maryland they are only found in the Potomac River, first reported there in 1996. No one seems sure how or when they were introduced, and there are just a few locations to hunt for them along the river. The highest density of muskie is in the Washington County portion of the river. The James River in Virginia is often considered a world class muskie fishery, with fish first stocked in the state in 1960s and now reproducing naturally in some areas.
If you haven’t yet fished for muskie my recommendation would be to seek out a guide who can help you reduce that 10,000 casts number. Guides will know the river, the specialized gear, and how to safely handle the fish once boated. If you do venture out on your own, you’ll need a rod and reel that can handle very large
baits. Typically you’ll want a 300 to 400 baitcaster spooled with 80-pound braid, heavy leader in the 60-pound class or bigger, with an eight- or nine-foot heavy action rod. You will have to determine the appropriate rod length for your use; if you’re fishing from a kayak a shorter rod is appropriate. All of this isn’t just due to the fight or size of the fish, it’s also due to the baits you’ll need to use. These are big lures with large, thick hooks, such as nine- to 12-inch plugs and size 20 spinners. And don’t forget to take along the proper sized net, too.
Top Pick:
The James River above Lynchburg, VA. When fishing from a boat remember to always do a “figure eight” with your rod at the end of your retrieve because muskie are known for following a bait right up to the boat. Doing the figure eight before recasting leads to a lot of strikes.
Targeting walleye, smallmouth, and muskie is a must in my book — each of these fish are worth getting excited about. If you haven’t yet cast on them, now is the time to make a trip above the fall line.
# The author with a Potomac River walleye.
#
Fishing around docks is an excellent tactic throughout the Bay and its tributaries.
By Peter Turcik
Whether it was playing the video game “Bassin’s Black Bass with Hank Parker” on Super Nintendo when I was very young, fishing in the pond on a family vacation, or out kayaking here in Maryland, I have always liked fishing docks. Docks offer built-in habitat for small fish and crustaceans, which then attract larger predator species looking for an easy meal or a place to hide from the bright sun. Docks are my go-to structure on hot sunny days, particularly in the summer.
I am frequently surprised by the diversity of fish species I find fishing docks; each year seems to be different. Sometimes there are stripers ranging from fingerlings up to mid-20 inches, other times channel catfish grab my lure, redfish appear in dryer years where the salinity is high, or there might be all the white perch you can stand. My personal best for several species has come while fishing docks. While fishing docks is often a case of trial and error, there are a few tips you can follow to maximize the
bite and catch fish when nothing else seems to be working.
If you have the time, my recommendation is to fish as many docks as you can — leave no stone unturned — because there is no way to predict which dock has a bunch of fish, or a big fish, or perhaps nothing at all. However, time is often in short supply and there are certain things you can look for that make one dock more appealing than another. First and foremost, the older and more decrepit the dock, the better
it is likely to be. Brand new docks need a couple of years to grow barnacles and algae to attract grass shrimp, crabs, and small baitfish. Meanwhile, a dock that has been in place for a long time has built up an ecosystem that attracts fish. When I search for docks, I also look for a distinct lack of use by the local residents. The most obvious thing you will see is a big section missing, which prevents anyone from going out to the end of the pier. Other signs to look for are lots of bird scat and birds
Docks that have fallen into disrepair, such as this one, are seen as an eyesore for some. However, for an angler, this is an ideal spot to find big fish hiding in the warmer months.
themselves — they like to hang out where they won’t be bothered. Some of the best docks I have fished used to be docks, but now have no decking, and are just a group of pylons. Docks that obviously get lots of use and have rod holders, boats, or jet skis are the ones you save for last.
Before you go out, you can do some research using Google maps and Navionics. Checking the depths and what other structure is available will allow you to check a spot without casting blindly. It has been my experience that a dock that starts shallow and drops to deeper water, particularly more than 10’, will hold better fish. Deeper water is cooler, and on a hot summer day, cool and shady is what fish seek. Even if the dock does not extend into the deeper water, having it nearby makes the dock an enticing spot.
As a kayak angler, I have an advantage fishing docks over a powerboat. I see boaters anchor near docks, and they are only able to fish one area, having to pull and reset the anchor to fish every section. If they are drifting, the boat usually moves out of the spot quickly. A trolling motor with Spot-Lock helps, but not everyone has it. A more maneuverable kayak can get up close and keep a lure in the strike zone for longer, and if I do not have too many extra rods, I can deal with a fish that has wrapped itself up in a pylon.
When fishing these docks, my advice remains the same from the beginning — leave no stone unturned. If you can access a section of pylons, fish them. Probabilities aside, you don’t know when or why a fish will be where it is, at least at first. As you fish and patterns unfold, you can be more discerning and go right for what you think is working.
I mostly fish artificial lures and jigs under docks. A paddletail on a jig is the most versatile, such that you can change the size to fit the type of fish you want. You can also fish it slow or fast, depending on what fish is there. However, I generally fish the lightest jig I can get away with. Unless I have found a spot that goes down 10’ to 15’, I rarely fish something larger than half-ounce. If you are fishing a lure with a steady retrieve, such as a Beetle Spin or a lipless crankbait, it’s a good idea to cast well past where you think the fish will be to
give them more time to see it coming. If you are going to use live or cut bait, try using single-hook rigs to avoid snagging and to keep things simple.
My favorite dock rod is a six-foot medium action. A shorter rod is more accurate for precise casting and is easier to work a fish. It might be light for bigger stripers and catfish, but it is a good all-around choice for smaller fish like spot and perch on up to decent-sized stripers, redfish, and others.
Lastly, let’s talk etiquette. Docks in the Chesapeake and its tributaries are on public water and you have the right to fish them. However, you may not
get onto someone’s private dock without permission to retrieve a snagged rig. Most people are generally friendly but some entitled owners do not want you to be around their dock period, and they are not shy about telling you. Legal or not, you may be pestered — I had one lady say to me, “Why don’t you go out with the REAL fishermen?!” and did not stop insulting me until I left. Or, they might start dropping things in the water to disrupt the fishing. In my experience, it is best to move along and try another dock. Let them be miserable grouches who do not understand the joy of fishing — there are plenty of other docks out there.
# Docks that stretch into deep water (about eight feet in this case) often produce the best catches.
Buoy Oh Buoy!
By Wayne Young
Why
are there always boats fishing around buoys? The answer might hold a surprise.
How often have we heard in fishing reports that fish are at a certain buoy? Stripers, redfish, and cobia seem to hang out around navigation buoys and markers — or, at least that’s how we ID the area they’re in. But why are they there? Do fish like buoys?
Marine growth on navigation markers and buoys sometimes does attract bait, and bait attracts predators. Certain fish (particularly cobia) may also suspend under floating objects in ambush or for cover. Even so, buoys, buoy chains, and buoy sinkers are generally not particularly attractive by themselves. The primary draw that pulls in baitfish and predators is what exists or is happening around buoys, and what they’re identifying. For example, a buoy may be marking a shoal, outcropping, or wreck. A big secondary draw, however, can be huge “buoy holes” scraped and
scoured out under the buoy sinker, such as shown for Chesapeake Channel Lighted Buoy “78” on Chart 1 off the southwest corner of Dominion Reef at the Gooses.
Although I’m a former Coast Guard buoy tender sailor, I had no idea about the extent of some of these scrape and scour holes until discovering Bathymetric Attributed Grid (BAG) depictions of bottom structure while exploring features using NOAA’s Bathymetric Data Viewer (BDV).
The size of many buoy holes displayed by the BAG data layer is shock-
ing, not so much because the sinker is in a hole, but because the sinker has moved around so much. That means the buoy is ranging a lot father away from its charted position than I would have thought. This movement could be significant depending on what the buoy is marking, especially if you’re trying to use it as a visual frame of reference. And there’s no way of telling from the chart which buoys are over large holes or how large the holes are.
Why are the buoy holes so large? What we’re seeing are scour holes from currents sweeping around the huge concrete blocks the Coast Guard uses as a sinker, to hold a buoy in place. But on close inspection, there’s more going on. The sinkers can move around; my best guess is that the combination of strong winds and currents during episodic storms stretch the buoy out on its chain and then storm-generated waves lift the buoy causing the sinker to hop. Since buoys have marked the same locations for decades, and in some cases over a hundred years, the effects of the sinker hopping and scrapes and scours are cumulative.
Buoy holes aside, aids to navigation mark features and hazards important to navigation such as small boat and shipping channels, shoals, obstructions, ruins, and wrecks. These various fea-
#
Chart 1: Huge scour and scrape hole around the Bouy “78” sinker. Screenshots from NOAA Bathymetric Data Viewer.
tures can interact with local physical conditions, especially current, to attract or funnel bait or provide foraging opportunities for predators, and are the primary reason fish are often found near buoys.
Chesapeake Lighted Channel Buoy “72A” on Chart 2 provides a multifeature example. It’s located at the southwestern corner of a broad shoal area that once was the end of a peninsula on the north side of the ancient Honga River entrance. On a rising tide the flood currents run into and are disrupted by the protruding subsurface shoal, creating turbulence favorable to foraging by predators such as striped bass and redfish. The area around and east of the buoy where there is a long slough are trolling hotspots from spring through fall and jigging spots in the fall and winter when fish are deep. There’s also an unidentified 42’ wreck just southeast of the buoy at coordinates 38’09.926 x 76’13.491. The BAG and sonar scans I took show bulwarks and keel or keelson of what is mostly likely a wooden wreck. It measures about 170’ by 35’ on the BDV scale and rises several feet off the bottom. There appears to be a protrusion that sticks upward perhaps five to eight feet in the center of the southern bulwark. Captain David Howe, Institute of Maritime History, and owner
and skipper of the dive boat Roper, believes this is the schooner barge Tuckahoe which foundered in 1949. If so, its actual length is 179 feet.
We see another example by returning to Chesapeake Channel Lighted
Buoy “78” on Chart 1, marking the edge of the deepwater channel off the southwest corner of Dominion Reef at the Gooses. Here the buoy hole is a minor feature compared to the natural bathymetry and the artificial reef. The shoal edge is a traditional trolling hotspot. But don’t try trolling over the reef structure unless you like to snag and lose lures. Jigging is an option but expect to lose some as well. Most of the reef deposits consist of Wilson Bridge demolition material that was dumped across the bottom as shown by Chart 3. The northern two reefs are materials donated by Dominion Energy and the large block-like objects on the bottom are dolphin caps that were deployed in 2010.
As well as being a regular contributor to FishTalk, Wayne Young is the author of multiple books detailing wrecks and fishing reefs in the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, and beyond. All are available at Amazon.com, and you can find his Facebook page at “Chesapeake Bay Fishing Reefs.”
# Chart 3: Right – Reef deposit configuration of Dominion Reef at the Gooses. Screenshot from NOAA Bathymetric Data View. Top left – Dolphin cap donated by Dominion Energy. Photo courtesy of Maryland DNR. Left middle – Underwater picture of dolphin cap. Image courtesy of Captain Drew Payne, Big Worm Sportfishing.
# Chart 2: Subsurface corner of drowned peninsula deflects incoming tidal current in lower portion of water column at Buoy “72A”. Top screenshots from NOAA Bathymetric Data Viewer. Wreck thought to be schooner barge Tuckahoe . Sonar scans by Author.
# Freshly steamed crabs are delicious, and they taste even better when you’ve put in some work for them.
Stop Buying Crab Bait: Catch it Instead
Ditch the bag of chicken necks and catch more crabs with better bait.
By Adam Greenberg
Can you name a more quintessential Chesapeake Bay tradition than a family crab feast? I doubt it. But with the rise in prices for a bushel of commercially caught crabs or a few dozen at a restaurant, it has become increasingly difficult for families to justify spending that much dough on just one meal.
The solution? Catch your own crabs with your own bait. Fresh fish in traps or on hand lines attracts more crabs than just about anything you’ll find in a tackle shop freezer, and no fish are fresher than the ones you’ve just pulled out of the water yourself. To put it simply, fish are a regular part of a crab’s diet, and chicken necks are not. I’ve
A Note on Regulations
As with all types of fishing, make sure that you are operating within the law. The maintenance and survival of our Chesapeake Bay fisheries depend on us to adhere to regulations and only harvest what we need. Some states require the purchase of a recreational crabbing license in addition to the standard fishing license. There are also rules for crabs regarding the daily creel limit, size limits, and keeping males versus females. The Maryland and Virginia portions of the Bay are subject to different regulations so be sure to check your state’s regulations.
caught my fair share of crabs on necks, but they have been far out-performed by fresh fish over the years.
There are plenty of stinky, oily delights swimming around in the Bay that tickle the fancy of our local Jimmies, and all it costs is a bit of your time and effort to secure the family a loaded, low-cost crab feast. So strap in, channel your inner waterman, and let’s catch some crab bait.
Type of Bait To Target
My first plan of attack when collecting crab bait is to target fish species with no minimum size requirements and a high daily creel limit. You’re going to want to catch a lot of bait, and fast, so you can get right to crabbing. In the Chesapeake, spot and white perch are what you should be going after.
Save the Scraps
Although perch and spot are the primary target, just about any fish swimming in the Bay will make excellent crab bait that competes with anything you’d find in a tackle shop freezer. Fileting a slot striper or legal bluefish for dinner? Save everything! Entrails, carcasses, and fish heads are candy for crabs.
Anglers can keep any sized white perch and as many fish as they choose. The same goes for spot, except that their daily creel limit is 50 fish. These two species are abundant and relatively easy to catch in the summer months that coincide with the recreational crabbing season, making them my top choice for bait.
Small spinners, spoons, and jigs work well for perch and spot. A Chesapeake sabiki tipped with bait does even better. But don’t go out of your way to buy bloodworms or grass shrimp; you might as well stop for chicken necks at that point. Just one fish caught on a lure can be cut into a whole bunch of tiny strips, threaded
onto your hooks, and will work better than most store bought offerings. Now, you can bait up your rods, toss them out, let them sit, and kill two birds with one stone as you prepare your pull traps and hand lines.
How To Prepare Bait for Pull Traps and Hand Lines
There are slight variations in the way I get my baits ready for action, with the two biggest concerns being scent and security. You’ll want your offering to give off the right amount of stink to attract as many crabs in the area as possible while also ensuring that the bait can’t be easily stolen.
Cut off the perch and spot heads to use for hand lines, as they will be the easiest to attach a string or some fishing line to. Go through the gills and mouth or the eyes for the most secure hold, and tie a good, tight knot. Usually a couple of half hitches will do the trick.
Pull traps should be baited with chunks of fish. If you aren’t planning to work hand lines, the heads can be used, too. Take your spot or perch and cut them into pieces. The best way to do this is to steak them into one- to two-inch thick portions, making sure to cut through the back bone. Remember to secure your bait tightly in the bottom of the trap. Many crabbers use string, which is effective, however if you have some medium stiff wire laying around, that will hold your fish chunk a bit better.
Better Bait, Better Crabs
A little hard work is all it takes to skip the stop at the store and catch your own crab bait. Plus, fresh fish flat-out fills the bushel basket faster than most other bait. Trust me when I tell you that after a long day or two of working hand lines and re-baiting traps with bait that you caught, the crabs will taste a whole lot better, too. The family will thank you, and so will your wallet.
# White perch like this one are plentiful in the summer months that coincide with recreational crabbing season, making them a top choice for bait.
# The author prepares to season some crabs he caught using spot and perch on hand lines and in traps.
pAying the BillS
You want to catch a marlin this season? Make sure you’ve paid all your bills.
By Lenny Rudow
FAct: If you want to run your own boat out into the ocean and fish for marlin, you'll have some bills to pay. Big Bills.
FAct: The first time you watch a billfish tail-dance from the port side of your boat to the starboard side you won't care one iota about how much the trip cost.
We spend plenty of allegedly disposable income on fishing boats, fuel, rods, reels, and lures, and no form of fishing eats through the angling budget quite as effectively as the pursuit of bluewater pelagics. You might be tempted to try tangling with a billfish on the cheap, but cutting corners in this case simply doesn’t work. If catching a marlin is in your plans pry open that wallet and get ready to throw around some cha-ching.
Buy A DreDge
A shocking number of people who fish offshore and hope to catch a billfish fail to spend the money on a dredge. For a couple-few hundred dollars you can get a good small-boat dredge (plus a weight and line for rigging) that stows easily and can be deployed from
a stern cleat. And it will boost your chances of success by a huge margin — there’s a reason why no serious billfish pro on the planet would be caught trolling rigged baits for whites without a dredge in the water. Check out the Stripteaser Small School Kit Marlin Dredge, Strike Point Tackle Value
# There’s nothing quite like coming face to face with your first billfish.
Bar Dredge Kit, and Squidnation Australian Small Boat or Compact Dredge Kits at alltackle.com for some affordable options.
Buy A SpreADer BAr
Yes, we said a spreader bar — sure it’s a tuna lure, but these things attract a ton of attention and since most small boats will have half as much fish-attracting stuff dragging through the water behind them as a big boat professional will, pulling one is a good move. Just be sure to deploy it on the opposite side from the dredge and run a ballyhoo 10’ to 20’ behind it and off to one side, so the billfish has something more to its liking close by if all that splashing commotion draws it in. Keep a close eye on it, too, and if you see a weirdlooking stick flipping around among the plastic squid, crank the ballyhoo up to the bar then drop it back repeatedly until it catches the fish’s eye. We could specify a few choices here but the truth of the matter is that any spreader bar splishing and splashing along the surface will draw attention and you don’t actually want the fish to eat it, so take your pick.
Buy twice AS MAny BAllyhoo
Unless you’re a pro, you have a pro aboard, or you’re exceptionally good at rigging ballyhoo, half the baits you’re rigging are bound to be sub-par. Actually, it might be more like 75 percent. The reason is because a rigged ‘hoo should swim, not drag through the water. How often do you hold your bait next to the boat, to watch it and make sure it’s swimming and in a fully upright position? Do so, and you’ll be amazed at how many of the baits you rig don’t cut it. Full disclosure: I’ve been rigging ballyhoo for well over 30 years and even back when I had a boat at the beach and fished offshore 30-plus times a season, at least a third of the baits I prepped needed additional attention and adjustment before they were swimming properly. Here’s the costly rub: you can only adjust the way a bait is rigged so much, before you either rip the belly, split the bill, or otherwise ruin the ballyhoo. At that point you have two choices: run a crappy bait, or rip it off the hook and start all over again. If you really want to fool a marlin into biting, the choice is obvious… so bring twice as many baits as you think you’ll need.
Buy SSt
Yeah, you can find free services, and they’re helpful. But not nearly as helpful as the pay-fors. You’ve heard us mention SiriusXM Fish Mapping more than once, and there’s a reason for it beyond the fact that they’re FishTalk supporters. The freebies tend to update their intel far less often, offer far lower resolution, have fewer fish-finding features, and you certainly can’t access them when you’re in the middle of the ocean. That’s why they’re free. Pony up, and you’ll discover you do a lot less guessing and a lot more catching.
Buy
A Slip –
Yup, this one costs bigtime. But when you have your boat in a slip at one of the oceanic marinas, you’ll have the chance to meet and talk with many other offshore anglers, and hopefully a few of the professionals. You’ll learn a ton even just getting a transient slip for a week or two. You’ll see what’s on the end of everyone’s lines as they come in at the end of the day, and you’ll
BuDgetAry MAneuverS
We know it can be tough to go offshore fishing on a budget, but we do have a few suggestions on how to save some cash elsewhere to make it possible:
• Sell your spouse’s car. They’ll be in better shape if they bike to work (explain this gently).
• Sneak around the neighborhood on recycling day and snag all the aluminum cans out of the recycle bins. Aluminum goes for about $0.30 a pound, which is 32 cans. So 480 cans equals one gallon of gas at the fuel dock. If your boat has a 100-gallon tank 48,000 cans will completely cover your bill. See how easy that was?
• eBay your kids. Shoes. We meant to say eBay your kid’s shoes.
quickly figure out who’s been successful and who has not. Spend as much time as you possibly can at the marina for as long as you possibly can, hang out at the dock bar and restaurant (there
went more money!), and spend breezy afternoons waxing your boat. You’ll be amazed at how many knowledgeable people you can meet and how much you can learn.
# Make sure that ballyhoo is swimming, not dragging, and that fella will eat.
Searching for Summer Specks
The heat of summer can make speck fishing tough — but you can still get ‘em with the right tactics and techniques.
By David Rudow
The hunt for speckled trout during the warmer months can be particularly tricky. Many of our shallow water grass flats are ghosts of what they were in the spring, and increasing water temps have left the fish’s former haunts barren more often than not. If you’re set on slinging specks over the gunwale while other anglers set their sights on simpler species, here’s how to find them and catch them.
Tools for Trout
Before you worry about how to find these fish, you need to make sure you’re properly equipped. Speckled trout are notoriously leader-shy, have mouths softer than a freshly molted crab, and can give some of the subtlest bites in the Bay. A medium-light fastaction rod spooled with 15-pound braid paired with a 10-pound fluorocarbon leader is my weapon of choice. A light rod with fast action will allow you to feel subtle bites, but still have enough flex to maintain the integrity of the fish’s jaw on a hard strike or long run if your drag is set appropriately. I’ll upgrade to 15- or 20-pound
# Finding summer specks can be tricky, since they’ll vary depth according to temperature and sunlight.
leader if I’m fishing very heavy structure or there are bluefish around, but going any higher is a great way to send that trophy trout swimming in the opposite direction.
Keep it fairly simple when it comes to tackle. Pick up an assortment (and an excess) of jig heads ranging from a quarter ounce to one ounce, and soft plastic tails. I like paddletails and flukes for speckled trout, ranging from three to six inches depending on the class of fish I’m targeting and depth I’ll be fishing. Metal jigs are a good backup for especially tough jigging conditions (high wind and current) and have a much lower chance of getting bit off if there are bluefish in the area. Color isn’t a HUGE deal… but never leave the dock without pink.
On the Search
Every season is unique, but specks can be found in the Chesapeake’s waters from Poplar Island south (and often up into Eastern Bay) by June most years. Wherever you start, plan on searching around the mouths of rivers or in the general vicinity of islands. I’ll bet quite a few of you raised an eyebrow when I said to bring one-ounce jigs and metal spoons, which brings us to locating fish. During the peak of the summer, the shallows that were holding speckled trout in previous months can hit almost 90 degrees in the afternoons and the fish simply do not want to be there after that summertime sun is high in the sky. Don’t be afraid to get in the skinny for a sunrise bite or during a cooler, cloudy day. Otherwise, it’s time to start looking in deeper water, specifically near areas that hold fish in the shallows other times of the year. These are going to be the specks’ first stops on their way into more comfortable waters, and have the highest likelihood of holding fish. Oyster beds, docks, rock piles, and wrecks in 10-plus feet of clean water are go-to structure when the shallows aren’t producing. Bounce around between spots trying different kinds of structure in progressively deeper water until you find where the fish want to be that day, and try to replicate that bite elsewhere after locating some.
If you still can’t find the fish try running north or south until you find cleaner water, and don’t be afraid to
cover a significant amount of water to find the right conditions. My best day of speckled trout fishing last year was the product of using this method to find them. We started in the shallows, but with a water temperature of 87 degrees, our normal spots were lifeless. We went on the hunt, fishing deeper and deeper. After a good bit of running, we came across a large school of speckled trout and bluefish on a wreck in 16’ of water off Tangier Island. We pulled out countless eating-sized bluefish, and around 10 speckled trout between 20” and 25” before moving on to another wreck nearby and having the same results.
These fish are often schooled up tight to the bottom in these scenarios, sitting in heavy current. If the area looks good, pick apart every piece of structure before moving on. Often, speckled trout will only be congregated around one small piece.
Jigging Deeper Structure
Remember those heavier heads? Tie on one of those bad boys and slap on a five- to six-inch soft plastic. Flukes and other straight tails sink a bit faster than paddle tails when rigged on the same head, and (in my opinion) have a much better vertical presentation. There’s no magic number for what size jighead you should use; every scenario is different based on wind, current, line diameter, depth… you get the drift. As a general rule of thumb, if you can’t reliably feel the bottom upsize your jig. If you’re
constantly getting snagged, downsize. Position your boat so that you’ll drift past whatever structure you’re fishing, and cast short enough that your lure will hit bottom close enough to be in the strike zone without snagging. If you have multiple capable anglers on the boat, you may need to stay at the helm while slowly moving around the structure. If you see fish on the electronics or your buddies start hooking up on a specific part of the structure, drop the trolling motor or anchor while positioned up-current of where they were catching, and start casting. Remember, trout in deeper water are usually right on the bottom. It’s imperative to keep your jig as close to it as possible, which can be pretty darn tricky. If you have newer anglers on the boat, upsize their jigs a bit to help them stay in the strike zone. They’re going to lose plenty of your precious jigheads, but it usually makes a significant difference if they aren’t getting bit while more experienced anglers are. Knowing how fast your jig is sinking makes life a whole lot easier. Drop it down vertically and count how long it takes to reach the bottom. Divide by your depth, and you have a rough fall rate of your lure through the water column.
Keep these tactics in mind when you head for the depths on those sunny summer days, and you’ll be sitting in speckled trout heaven in no time.
# Plastic on a jig head earns top honors for summer specks.
Ultralight Action in the Creeks: Rock, Perch, Drum, and More!
The creeks of Chesapeake tributaries hold magical angling moments.
By Lenny Rudow
Catch the biggest! Catch the most! Out-fish the other guys! Most anglers want to score big on their fishing adventures, with results like these as the goal. So we go cruising for the canyons or blasting around the Bay, putting dozens of miles under the keel and burning dozens of gallons of fuel. Have you ever asked yourself: just how many fish did I run past while going from the dock to the hotspot?
Undoubtedly, the answer is a lot. Also undoubtedly, some days we’d catch more fish if we stayed within 1000 yards of where we started. Even a kayak angler has to wonder sometimes if he or she paddled past 50 fish to get to the one they’re hoping to catch. This is especially true if you’ve launched from a protected creek off of a Chesapeake Bay tributary.
From the coves of the Elk to the cover of the Elizabeth, the transitory water-
ways we often leave in search of fish are themselves full of fish. The species may be different and the sizes may usually (though certainly not always) be smaller, but if you overlook the opportunities provided by the tributaries you’re missing out. This is particularly true when the weather has large bodies of water riled up, and you’ll have to battle the elements if you hope to battle a fish.
Case in point: One breezy evening last summer a friend and I ran out of Ramsay Lake and into the South River, quickly decided the whitecaps were more than we wanted to deal with to catch a few schoolie rockfish, and turned right back around. Rather than return to the dock, however, we decided to enjoy a mellow evening of fishing in Ramsay itself.
This small creek off of the river is less than one mile long and a third of a mile across at its widest point, with an aver-
age depth of around six feet. From the angling perspective it doesn’t look like much. You could fish every inch of its shoreline in one afternoon, and you certainly wouldn’t think of it as a “hotspot.”
Yet in three hours of fishing that evening we caught two small black drum, a small red drum, dozens of nice white perch, dozens of small croaker, and a halfdozen rockfish up to 16”. The action was nonstop, and we had a ball.
Kit for the Creek
The single biggest adjustment you need to make to be successful in these small waterways is swapping out your gear. If you cast the five-inch paddletails on the rockfish-sized rigs you have set up for the Bay you might catch a fish or two, but the bites will likely be few and far between. Instead, scale down to ultralight rigs spooled with six- or
# Just about every species found in a tributary creek or cove will hit a shad dart dressed with a grass shrimp.
be the most numerous species; Perch Pounders are a great way to get ‘em on the line.
eight-pound test, topped with eight- or 10-pound leader.
The idea here isn’t to reduce gear size to match fish size so much as it is to match bait size. In these little creeks and coves the main forage base is grass shrimp and minnow, so casting anything over three inches fails to match the hatch and most offerings should be considerably smaller. Flinging these micro-baits any distance requires very light tackle, and when you luck into a big fish — it does happen from time to time even in the smallest creeks and coves — you’ll need to apply some finesse to bring it to the boat.
Top lure offerings include tube jigs on 1/8th or 1/16th ounce leadheads (just like the ones you’d fish for crappie), tiny crankbaits like the Bill Lewis Tiny Trap, and mini spinnerbaits like Perch Pounders and Super Roosters. But on many days you’ll catch more fish than all of the above combined if you tie on a shad dart and tip it with a grass shrimp. Save carp, there’s no species around that lives in creeks attached to the Bay’s brackish waters that doesn’t
TipCreeks and coves heat up more than open waterways and can get uncomfortably warm for the fish. They’ll seek out shade, so you should, too. Overhanging trees, boathouses, and docks all create shade and often you’ll find fish hiding in it, especially when there’s a strong afternoon sun with no cloud cover.
enjoy eating grass shrimp, and sliding one onto a shad dart cast with ultralight gear is an excellent way to present them to the fish.
One more item to make sure you have: a landing net. Twenty-inchers will show up from time to time and with lines, rods, and hooks so diminutive, trying to swing up a relatively large fish usually results in a break-off or pulled hook.
Hotspots Galore
Working shorelines is usually the best approach in a creek, and you probably know what to look for already: docks, riprap, and deadfall. All of these forms of structure can hold fish, but in most bodies of water like these the fish will be concentrated at just a few standout hotspots. And in many areas you’ll be presented
with dozens of docks and items to cast for. How will you know which to target? Over time you’ll figure out which specific ones the fish gravitate towards, but when hitting a new area for the first few times make it a point to stay on the move. If there are 10 piers along a section of shoreline don’t take more than two or three bite-less casts at any one before moving on. If there’s a long stretch of riprap don’t try to work each and every rock, instead try moving at least 10 or 15 yards between casts. Only when you hook up a fish should you pause and work the area for a bit.
Spend an afternoon fishing ultralight gear in a quiet creek or cove, and you’ll likely discover that all the times you ran out of it you’ve been running away from fish. A lot of fish.
# In most creeks white perch will
Fi SH i N g For ECAST
for timely, up-to-date reports, visit our website fishtalkmag.com current reports will be published every friday by noon — just in time for your weekend fishing adventures.
Coastal
The dog days of summer can make for a tough bite, but hopefully the Atlantic won’t be as quiet this August as it was last year and there will be some tunas around. If not, at least we can depend on two species to keep things busy offshore: mahi-mahi, and tilefish. Inshore we can hope the bass bite is decent, and flounder fishing at the wreck and reef sites holds up. On the beach things might be in a summer doldrum as well, but with a little luck the surf will hold some kingfish, blues, and maybe a flounder or two.
Freshwater
In the reservoirs think: early, late, and deep. Or shuffle the deck entirely and go night fishing. Whenever you go, remember that the fish are looking for relief from the heat just as much as we humans, and shallow areas bathed in direct sun are not an awesome option right now. One potential exception, of course, is the snakehead. Expect to find ‘em deep in the thickest of cover, but willing to smash topwater. As for river fishing, a lot will depend on water levels. At the very least, wade fishing can be quite pleasant this time of year.
Way North
If this year is anything like 2023 this will be a banner month for catching mega-monster blue catfish. Set up over deep water anywhere within sight of the Rt. 95 bridge, cast out a few chunks, and hold on tight. We do want to note that last season we heard from a lot of readers who were fishing at night and they did exceptionally well. You may remember that late in the month there were some decent rockfish on the Flats, too, mostly hitting right at daybreak.
u pper Bay
As we go to press the bite in Striper City… errr, we mean Baltimore, had begun to slow down a bit, but after the closure and a corresponding drop in the boat traffic there’s a good chance this month will see an improvement. If not, remember that the west side creeks and tribs are chock-full of snakeheads, and they won’t mind this summer heat.
Middle Bay
Anglers in the Middle Bay zone have undoubtedly been waiting to see just how many Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and cutlassfish worked their way north this summer. A smattering of rock should be around, too, though at this time of year you can expect the action to be early or late in the day. And, what about the big red drum? If they’re going to make a showing in this area now is prime time so keep your eyes on those reports.
# At night? Yes, our intrepid Reports Editor Dillon hits the water after the sun goes down, too.
Lower Bay
It may be hot out there, but the cobia don’t mind. Hopefully, we’ll have plenty of ‘em swimming around right about now. Note that the Windmill Point area has been a highlight in recent years for chummers, trollers, and sight fishers alike. Big reds may well be around in the mainstem, too, and all summer long there’s a good shot at finding slot reds in the rivers.
Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore
The shallows will likely have slowed by now thanks to the heat of summer, but those fish won’t be far off. Expect to find specks and stripers on slightly deeper structure, and remember that last year at this time there was a nice smattering of pompano holding in the same areas. Or head out for open water—there will likely be plenty of blues and Spanish mackerel chasing the bait.
Way South and VA
We’re in the height of the summer, and that means we’re in the middle of cobia season. Though they can get tougher to find at this point in time there’s no doubt they’ll be the prime target of hordes of anglers. Keep track of where the bull reds have been going, too. Last year it was possible to find them on and off through the entire month and hopefully we’ll get a replay of that action. Then, there are the sheepshead, flounder, triggerfish, spadefish, and more that are sure to be hanging around the pilings of the CBBT this month. Who knows, we may also continue to see an uptick in the weakfish action that’s been slowly building the past couple of years.
# In one of the more unusual summertime catches last year, Grant encountered an Atlantic stingray all the way up near Elkton. If that kind of crazy stuff is going to happen in 2024, now’s the time.
Current reports will be published on our website every Friday by noon, just in time for your weekend fishing adventures.
FishTalk’s weekly fishing reports are presented by:
Scouting Tributary Creeks and Ponds
By John Veil
To the human eye, many areas look like good habitat for the fish. But fish are pickier. Typically, they inhabit only a small fraction of the available shorelines. There are things about those small sections that appeal to the fish. Determining which sections in a tributary creek or pond are productive and which are not takes a lot of trial and error and time on the water.
Knowing the slope of the bottom near the shoreline is important in figuring out where to fish. If the bottom is fairly shallow for a distance from the shore, then begins sloping down, this drop-off can be a good spot for targeting fish. The habitats that offer good conditions for fish usually contain some type of structure where they can wait to ambush prey that comes along. One of the best examples of prime habitat is fallen trees and branches that are covered with water. If you can get out on a lowwater day, you can scout around to see what type of wood is under the water at normal levels. Other examples of good habitat are rock riprap structures, dock pilings, bulkheads, or other non-natural structures in the water. But remember
they are not initially good fish-holding locations. It often takes several years for a productive microcosm of the food chain to grow there. Until those organisms in the food chain are established, the targeted game fish are less likely to be there.
If I could give out just one tip for perch fishing in creeks and ponds during the warm months it would be to fish in shaded areas. These areas could be the side of a water body that is naturally shaded by trees and the angle of the sun. Or they could be manmade structures that create a patch of shade such as under docks, inside boat houses, or under bridges. Most of my Severn River trips during warm months are made during the morning typically in the range of 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. The sun is fully or partially blocked by the trees and slopes on the southern shorelines, so this is where
In cold weather, such as when fishing for pickerel, the opposite can be true. When the water is cold the bait as well as the pickerel are sluggish, but by fish-
ing on the northern shoreline that has received the morning sun, you can find slightly warmer water. Shallow areas with dark bottoms (typically mud) will warm up faster and are good spots to try on cold days.
If you are on the water following a storm, look for areas that are relatively cleaner and less turbid. If the entire area has low water clarity, you may have better success by using lures that throw off vibrations so the fish can sense the lure is nearby. Using a scented bait (either a live bait or a product like Gulp! or Fishbites) can also help the fish find your offering.
During some times of the year you may observe algal blooms, as I have in the Severn’s waters. They are quite obvious and change the color of the water to brown or reddish brown. On occasion, you can observe a sharp boundary between water affected by the algae and unaffected areas. Fishing is rarely good in water impacted by algal blooms— when you encounter one it makes more sense to relocate to some other spot.
Excerpted from John Veil's new book, Kayak Fishing on the Severn River. You can order the book directly from John by emailing javeil09@gmail.com
# When scouting new shorelines in tributary creeks and ponds, knowing how to spot prime habitat is key. Photo courtesy of Eric Packard
Charters, Guides, and Headboats
One of the most difficult ways to learn how to fish the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean is trial and error. Then there’s the boat issue; we don’t all have one. Luckily, the Bay is full of knowledgeable guides and charter captains ready to show you the ropes. Below you will find a directory of professional guides, charter boats, and head boats to get you started on your quest for the perfect fish. Whether you like to fly fish, troll, or bottom fish, there’s likely a local expert who can lend a hand.
BRO k ERAGE & CLASSIFIED SECTIONS
Sea-Doo 16’ 150 Speedster 2012 Pre-owned, 2012 Rotax-220Hp (28 hours), 2012 Sea-Doo trailer, Super clean/Garage Kept, Digital Display Gauges, custom cover, floor storage, Bluetooth radio, interior orange on white, ski tow pkg. $11,999 - Price lowered! (Stock# U-410) Rudy Marine, 302.945.2254, www.rudymarine.com
19’ Judge/Eastern Center Console Nice, clean, upper Bay boat located in Rock Hall, MD. Stainless steel top, GPS, 90Hp Honda outboard. Price reduced $24,900 trailer included. Call for additional info and pictures 410.459.5670
2020 Yamaha 210 FSH Sport Great Family and Fishing boat! Twin Yamaha TR-1 Jet Drives w/ 210 hours. Extended Warranty until 6/14/2025. $52,900 w/ 2022 Venture Trailer. Beacon Light Marina 410.335.6200 sales@beaconlightmarina.com www.beaconlightmarina.com
2023 Bayliner Trophy T21BAY 150 EFI 4S Mercury OutboardUpgrade, Hours - 28, Mercury Marine Gold Engine Warranty until 7/01/28, Karavan Galvanized Trailer w/ Brakes, T-Top w/ Rail Mount Rod Holders (4), Aftermarket Extra Rod Holders (2), Aftermarket Extra Cupholders (4), Leaning Post, 7” Simrad GPS w/ Engine Data, Rear Jump Seats, Trophy Logo Decal 8” Upgrade, Stainless Steel Package-Upgrade, Aerated Baitwell, Rod Storage, Stereo AM/FM/MP3 Ready / Speakers, Port and Starboard Swim Boards w/ Ladders, Automatic Bilge Pump, and more! $37,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20925
and
sections, contact beatrice@fishtalkmag.com
2023 key West Boats 219 FS F200XB Yamaha Outboard, Engine Warranty until 5/1/26, Engine Hours72, 2022 Venture VATB-4225 Aluminum Trailer, Hard Top w/ White Powder Coating and Matching Underside Color, Leaning Post and CC Covers, Helm Chair & CC Cover, Garmin 10” XPS Map xsv GPS, VHF (in electronics box), Fusion Stereo w/ (4) Speakers, Smart Craft Monitor, Yamaha Digital Gauges, Tilt Hydraulic Steering, Compass, 12V Adapter, Trim Tabs/Trim Gauges, Dual Batteries w/ Switch, Raw Water Washdown, Underwater Lighting, and more! $69,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20870
2023 Sportsman Open 212CC F200XB Yamaha Outboard, Custom Black Engine, Yamaha Extended Warranty until 7/13/25, Hours - 147, 2022 Venture Aluminum Trailer, Shark Gray Hull w/ Jet Black Bottom, Black Powder Coating, Ash Gray Upholstery, Platinum Package, Slide-out Track, Mooring Cover, Underwater Lighting, Garmin DF/FF/GPS, compass, Hour Meter, Trim Tabs/Gauge, and more! $74,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20744
2002 Sea Hunt Victory 225 Yamaha V4 115Hp Four-Stroke outboard w/ 422 hours, dual battery w/ a Perko Master Battery switch, ICOM VHF Radio and remote mike, Garmin 188C Depth Finder w/ Blue Chart Thumb Drives for Norfolk and Chesapeake Bay, GPS, and lots of extras! 5 Star Trailer w/ new surge break/coupler and electric winch. $18,500 Contact riverjanjohn2@me.com or 703.298.7370. For more info, visit: www.boattrader.com/boat/2002-seahunt-225-9405659
2007 Sea Hunt 225 Victory Walkaround Alot of new recent upgrades including Minnkota Trolling motor setup! Yamaha F150 w/ 336 hours and a new F9.9 Kicker. $34,900 w/ 2022 Loadrite Trailer. Beacon Light Marina 410.335.6200 sales@beaconlightmarina.com www.beaconlightmarina.com
2020 Bayliner VR6OB Bowrider 150 EFI 4S Mercury Outboard, Karavan Galvanized Tandem Axle Trailer w/ Brakes, Solid Blue Hull, Graphite Interior, Boot Stripe, Stainless Steel Package Upgrade, Bimini Top w/ Boot, Bow Well and Cockpit Cover, Windshield w/ Opening Center and Side Wings, Cockpit Flooring Gray Mat, Swim Platform Gray Mat, Simrad 7” GPS w/ Engine Data, Cockpit Table, Portable Head, Privacy Curtain, SkiTow Pylon, Automatic Bilge Pump, and more! $37,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20888
2022 Bennington 22 SSR Pontoon F115LB Yamaha Outboard, Yamaha Warranty until 4/13/25, Load Rite Galvanized Tandem Axle Trailer, Garmin GPS / DF, Bimini Top, Ski-Tow Bar, and more! $42,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20821
Chaparral 226 SSI Wide Tech 2012 Volvo Penta 5.0, Interior Seating in excellent condition, Bilge Pump, Navigational Lights, Bow Seating, Sun pad, Full Cover, Ski Tow Bar, New Bottom Paint. WAS $29,999, Price Reduction NOW $29,500 (Stock# U-406) Rudy Marine, 302.945.2254, www.rudymarine.com
1989 Correct Craft 23 Fish Nautique 351 Pleasurecraft FWC Recent long block. Lowrance fish finder/plotter. VHF radio. Swim platform. New gauges and bilge pumps. And more! $14,500 painted steel trailer included. Contact 443.510.8168 or rghinesjr@aol.com
2000 Grady White 232 Gulfstream Overall great fishing platform w/ a comfy cabin and wide beam! Single Yamaha 225 OX66 2 Stroke. $34,900 (No Trailer included). Beacon Light Marina 410.335.6200 sales@beaconlightmarina.com www.beaconlightmarina.com
Trophy Bayliner 23’ 2302WA 2000 Mercury 225 Optimax, Loadrite roller trailer, hard top w/ electronic box, runs great, cuddy cabin w/ toilet, wellmaintained. WAS $19,995 - Price Reduction NOW $15,950 OBO (Stock# U-332) Rudy Marine, 302.945.2254, www.rudymarine.com
2022 Bayliner Trophy T24CC 250 4S Mercury Outboard, Mercury Warranty until 7/16/25, Hours – 30, Power Assist Steering, (new trailer shown in photos is available for $6,746), Graphite Interior, Stainless Steel Upgrade, Ski-Tow Pylon, Center Console and Helm Seat Cover, Bow Filler Cushion, CC Fishing Seats with Livewell, Digital Dash with Mercury Vesselview ink - Twin 9” GPS, and more! $69,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20671
Twin Vee 24’ 240DC 2024 Twin 150 4-stroke Mercury, new custom fitted alum. Loadrite trailer, dual console, powder coated hard top, full head compartment w/ toilet, super load, 9 hours. WAS $149,999 - New Lower Price $139,995 (Stock# U-390) Rudy Marine, 302.945.2254, www.rudymarine.com
Wellcraft 24’ 242 Fisherman CC 2020 Mercury 250 Verrado, new alum. Loadrite trailer, powder coated hard top, head compartment w/toilet, low hour, super loaded. WAS $57,996Price Reduced NOW $49,999 (Stock# U-396) Rudy Marine, 302.945.2254, www.rudymarine.com
2017 Sportsman Open 252 CC Twin F150XB Yamaha Outboards, Venture Trailer 7225, White Hull, Black Powder Coat, Hard-Top w/ Rocket Launchers, Spreader Light and Outriggers, Spray Shield, Simrad 12” GPS, Simrad VHF, Compass, Hours570, Trim Tabs / Trim Gauge, Bottom Paint, Lots of Extras! $94,000 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20803
2018 Parker 2520 XL Sport Cabin 25’ Yamaha F300, under 500 hours, clean boat, lift kept, Garmin GPSMAP 1042xsv, freshwater washdown, second station, anchor windlass, livewell, and more! $85,000 Call Joe 410.798.0421
2021 Sportsman Open 252 CC Twin F150XCA Yamaha Outboards, Yamaha Extended Warranty until 2/2/26, Hours - 631, (display 2021 Venture trailer available for add'l $5,000), Shark Gray w/ White Bottom, Hardtop w/ Electronics Box, Rocket Launchers, Spreader Light, and Outriggers, Windlass, Underwater Lighting, Trim Tabs/Trim Gauge Auto Pilot, (2) 12 Garmins, Minnkota Ultera 10' Power Pole, Electric Trolling Motor, Boatel Kept! $114,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20628
Aquasport 25’ 2500CC 2020 Twin F150 4-stroke Yamaha, Venture alum. trailer, radar, twin Simrad, head compartment w/ toilet, and much more. Super low hours. WAS $89,995Price Lowered NOW $79,950 (Stock# U-365) Rudy Marine, 302.945.2254, www.rudymarine.com
Parker 25’ 2520 Pilot House 1993 Yamaha 250Hp, Karavan aluminum trailer, solid floor and transom, super clean, awesome 6pack boat. WAS $39,999 - Price Reduced NOW $35,500 (Stock# U-389) Rudy Marine, 302.945.2254, www.rudymarine.com
2017 Century Boats 2600 CC Twin F200XCA Yamaha’s, Hours - 320, Yamaha Extended Warranty until 4/19/25, Venture Trailer-8725, HardTop w/ Electronics Box, Rocket Launchers, Spreader Light/Outriggers, Windlass, RayMarine DF/FF/GPS, RM VHF, RM Radar, Trim Tabs, Compass, Dual Batteries w/ Switch, Leaning Post, Aerated Baitwell, Tackle Station, and more! $99,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20645
Cutwater 26’ C-26 2016 Volvo Penta in-board diesel, new customer fitted Loadrite aluminum trailer, super loaded boat, like new condition, super low hours. WAS $149,995 - New Lower Price NOW $139,999 (Stock# U-395) Rudy Marine, 302.945.2254, www.rudymarine.com
Jeanneau 26’ 7.5 CC 2022 Yamaha F300 4-stroke, white powder-coated T-top, Garmin electronics, Fusion stereo, electric windlass, bow thruster, head compartment w/ toilet, under 40hrs., super clean. $99,995 OBO (Stock# U-387) Rudy Marine, 302.945.2254, www.jeanneauboatsforsale.com
(Reel Blessed) 28’ North Coast ‘21 $239,000 Jack Kelly 609.517.2822 jack@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net
2017 Boston Whaler 285 Conquest $239,987 Fully loaded and IMPECCABLY maintained 2017 Boston Whaler 285 Conquest. Twin 250Hp Mercury Verado’s - only 320 hrs. Lift kept, single owner boat. Call Josh Miller at 810.531.9191 or jmiller@pocket-yacht.com www.pocketyachtco.com
2022 Cutwater 288 LE $349,987 fresh water kept w/ very low engine hours. She comes w/ the trailer and a seven-year ceramic coating on the interior as well as the exterior. Call Chris Holtsclaw at 252.606.4004 or choltsclaw@pocket-yacht.com www.pocketyachtco.com
Chaparral OSX 280 2021 Twin Yamaha 200Hp 4-stroke, Power Arch w/ Canvas Bimini top, Grey Sea Deck Flooring, Lenco Trim tabs, Windlass, Optimus 360 Joystick, Low Hours and Super Clean. $149,500 (Stock# U-404) Rudy Marine, 302.945.2254, www.rudymarine.com
2016 Sailfish 290 CC $159,987 Loaded w/ standard fishing amenities, including 16 rod holders, 35-gallon leaning post live well, 30-gallon transom live well w/ highspeed pickup, four fish boxes in the floor, rod storage and much more. Call Lee Cook at 810.531.9191 or leecook@pocket-yacht.com www.pocketyachtco.com
2000 Formula 31 PC FULLY LOADED! T/5.7L 310Hp Mercruiser FWC, B3, Kohler gen, AC/HT, Raymarine axiom, Quantum radar, full canvas & isinglass, sleeps 6. Well-maintained w/ $11K recent work. Kept indoors. $50,000 202.798.0443 or jperez9630@gmail.com
2018 Sportsman Open 312 CC Twin 300 Yamaha Outboards, custom painted White, Engine hours: 639, (New Tri-axle Trailer available for $11,129), Optimus Electric Power Steering, 2x Simrad NSS16” evo3 MFDs, Simrad Dome Radar, Simrad RS35 VHF. Service fully up to date, records on hand. $177,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20745
2004 Stamas 320 Express Twin 225 Yamaha Outboards - White, Hours-795, (no trailer), Light Blue, Full Curtains and Slant Back Cover, Snap-in Cockpit Cover, Tackle-Prep Station w/ Fresh Water Spray, Fresh Water Tank - 40 gal, Spotlight on Hardtop, Hardtop Sun Shade (covers entire stern), Garmin 12” Touchscreen GPS, VHF, Stereo System, Anchor Windless, Full Cabin w/ Galley, Dinette (converts to V-Berth), Aft Berth, Enclosed Pump-out Head (discharge capable), Shore Power w/ Battery Charger, Underwater Lights, Very Clean and Well-Maintained! $79,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20874
Annapolis Boat Shows Wants YOU! Annapolis Boat Shows is hiring for the Fall 2024 Boat Shows! Opportunities ranging from water crew to gate support are available August through the Shows in October. Show dates for reference - Powerboat: Oct 3-6, Sailboat: Oct 10-14, Annapolis City Dock. Hourly wage, some meals, and free entry into Shows included. Completion bonus available. To learn more and apply, please visit: www.annapolisboatshows.com/job-opportunities www.annapolisboatshows.com
Seeking P/T Magazine Delivery Drivers for threeday-a-month magazine distribution routes in Maryland (immediate need: Annapolis route). Compensation based upon quantity of stops. Must have a valid driver's license in good standing, reliable vehicle, and be able to lift up to 25 lbs. For more info, please email info@fishtalkmag.com
Yacht Sales - Curtis Stokes and Associates, Inc. is hiring new salespeople for our Chesapeake area operation. Candidates must be honest, ethical and have boating experience. This is a commission only position. Contact Curtis Stokes at 410.919.4900 or curtis@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net
M ARINE S ERVICES
Alltackle.com 2062 Somerville Road, Annapolis, MD 21401, 410.571.1111, and 12826 Ocean Gateway #9548, Ocean City, MD 21842, 410.213.2840, www.alltackle.com
Anglers Sport Center 1456 Whitehall Road, Annapolis, MD 21409, 410.757.3442, www.anglerssportcenter.com
TAC k LE SHOPS
Brokerage/ Classified Order Form
Just Launched
NorthCoast Boats announces its recently splashed flagship: the NorthCoast 415 HT. She is the largest NorthCoast to date measuring 41 feet with a 12-foot, 11-inch beam. Total length is 46 feet, one inch if you include the bracket and engines. NorthCoast Boats has an exceptional heritage of ruggedly built, seaworthy, downeast sportfishing yachts. “Our goal at NorthCoast is to satisfy the most experienced mariners who choose to own a real boat with a timeless practical design—clean and simple. The 415HT is smooth, dry, quiet, and comfortable with a deep V (twenty-four degrees) deadrise at the transom. A subtle round-off at the keel gives our hulls a little more lift aft and allows for a smoother transition to planning,” says Jose DaPonte, owner of NorthCoast Boats brand and C&C Fiberglass Components, Inc. The New NorthCoast 415HT full weight with full fuel, water, and diesel tank for the 9 kw generator is 26,674 pounds. Her complete list of standard features will increase your enjoyment while fishing or cruising—any coast, anywhere. northcoastboats.com
New Model
Formula Boats announces the launch of the all-new Formula 457 Center Console Sport Pushing the boundaries of design, engineering, and construction, the 457 CCS offers the ultimate in performance, ergonomics, and amenities in the center console market. At 45-feet, seven-inches length overall with a 13-foot, nine-inch beam and powered by triple Mercury Verado V-12 600-hp outboards, the Formula 457 will impress all comers. Formula’s exclusive designer John Adams, joined by designer Michael Young, has delivered yet another new platform in the center console world which embodies the evocative yet instantly recognizable Formula masterpiece of form and function, while opening new vistas for established Formula boaters. The Center Console Sport is a superb cruising and entertaining platform for those who prefer center console style with more of an emphasis on fun and entertaining. formulaboats.com
Sustainable Marine Fuel
Partnership
AkzoNobel reaffirms its steadfast commitment to transitioning all its manufacturing sites globally to 100 percent renewable electricity. The company announces its official partnership in the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Green Power Partnership, (GPP) reinforcing its dedication to environmental stewardship. This milestone marks AkzoNobel as a leader in the paints and coatings industry with EPA GPP recognition for using 69 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually at its manufacturing sites in the US, achieved through the purchase of renewable electricity with certificates of origin. EPA established the GPP in 2001 to protect human health and the environment. It is a voluntary program encouraging organizations to embrace green power and to reduce the environmental impacts associated with conventional electricity usage. According to the EPA AkzoNobel’s US manufacturing sites green power use in 2023, is equivalent to the electricity use of more than 6400 average American homes annually. “At AkzoNobel, we have set an ambitious goal to reduce the carbon footprint in our operations (scope 1 and 2) and in our value chain (scope 3) by 50 percent by the target deadline of 2030. We are proud of our partnership with the EPA on the use of renewable electricity in our manufacturing operations in the US,” said Wijnand Bruinsma, AkzoNobel global director of sustainability. akzonobel.com/en
Suzuki Marine USA has joined forces with the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), local dignitaries, and representatives of St. Andrews Marina in Panama City, FL, to expand access to sustainable marine fuel for recreational boaters in the Florida panhandle. During a special event at St. Andrews Marina, it was announced that Hyperfuel Purfuel, a new sustainable marine fuel, is now available at the marina fuel docks for all recreational boaters with gasoline powered boats. This ethanol-free, high-performance 93-octane gasoline has the potential to reduce recreational boating carbon emissions by 30 percent more than E10 gasoline at the same renewable content. Especially important to Suzuki Marine and recreational boaters everywhere, it achieves these advantages without compromising range or performance.
“Sustainable fuels have incredible potential to reduce emissions and lower the environmental impact of recreational boating across the nation,” said Brandon Cerka, Suzuki Marine general manager of sales and marketing. “The key lies in making these fuels more accessible to the boating public at local marinas and fuel docks.” It will be easy for marinas to provide this new fuel to their customers. It will blend with existing fuels, so there is no need to drain the tank dry before filling. In addition, no special fuel dispensers or pumps are required. suzukimarine.com
s end your c hesapeake Bay business news and high-resolution photos to kaylie@fishtalkmag.com
