Jett’s Marine, Inc. | 804-453-3611 18477 Northumberland Hwy, Reedville, VA jettsmarine.com
Friday’s Marine | 804-758-4131
(Malise Marine Sales & Service) 14879 GW Memorial Hwy, Saluda, VA facebook.com/fridaysmarine
Legasea Marine | 757-898-3000
821 Railway Rd, Yorktown, VA legaseamarine.com
Southern ESVA Part III: The Ocean Side
Part three of Wayne’s examination of wrecks and structure along the southern Eastern Shore of Virginia. By Wayne Young 38
Fishing Artipickerels
Sometimes it can be tougher to catch pickerel on artificials as opposed to live bait, but other times fake fish outperform the real thing.
By Lenny Rudow
40
Prepping for Epic Action
Will monster stripers reappear in the Bay this Winter? Many, many fingers are crossed.
By Lenny Rudow
43
Planning for Winter Projects, 2025
As 2024 draws to a close, now’s the time to prep for those winter projects.
By Staff
46
Whipping the Problem
A soft coral called sea whip tells us where the ocean has been, and where it’s going.
By Capt. Monty Hawkins
48
Outfitting a Fishing Kayak for Beginners
Choose the right kayak for your needs, outfit it right, and you’ll be catching fish in no time.
By Eric Packard
by Ryan
Brittany scored big on the Prime Time Jr. Photo
Mikelonis
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
CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER
Brooke King, brooke@fishtalkmag.com
DISTRIBUTION / BROKERAGE / CLASSIFIEDS MANAGER
Beatrice M. Mackenzie, 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
Adam Grrenberg, 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
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.
Rudow’s FishTalk Recycles
350-HP OUTBOARD
DELAWARE
DELAWARE
Rudy Marine | 302.945.2254 32606 DuPont Blvd, Dagsboro, DE rudymarine.com
Cedar Creek Marina | 302.422.2040 100 Marina Lane, Milford, DE cedarcreekmarina.com
North Bay Marina | 302.436.4211 36543 Lighthouse Rd, Selbyville, DE northbaymarina.com
North Bay Marina | 302.436.4211 36543 Lighthouse Rd, Selbyville, DE northbaymarina.com
1305 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA oystercoveboatworks.com
Oyster Cove Boatworks | 757.716.1819 1305 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA oystercoveboatworks.com
Campbell’s Boatyards - Jack’s Point | 410.226.5105 106 Richardson St, PO Box 410, Oxford, MD campbellsboatyards.com
Anchor Boats, Inc. | 410.287.8280 448 N Mauldin Ave, North East, MD anchorboat.com
Legasea Marine | 757.898.3000
821 Railway Rd, Yorktown, VA legaseamarine.com
Legasea Marine | 757.898.3000 821 Railway Rd, Yorktown, VA legaseamarine.com
Notes from the Cockpit
By Lenny Rudow
Let’s not go Gulfing.
Happy holidays FishTalkers, I hope everyone’s chockfull of holiday cheer and has all their cold weather gear ready for a hot winter bite. As we enjoy it, let’s remember that in some areas, Maryland’s portion of the main-stem Chesapeake Bay in specific, in a few months will be shut down from catch-and-release fishing for rockfish—even though there’s zero scientific evidence that it affects the striper’s population or spawning success. The DNR says this is out of “an abundance of caution,” even though release mortality is spectacularly low at this time of year and every drip of water within 20 or so miles of a spawning area was already off-limits to fishing prior to these no-targeting restrictions being initiated.
Many of us are quite disappointed by this. Many guides, tackle shops, and marinas which could be benefitting from an early spring blast of business will suffer from it financially. We’ve been begging for more science on striped bass since FishTalk first came into being, because making rules like this merely as a result of fingerpointing and blame-shifting serves no one well, least of all the fish. Yet in the past 10 years the state has done… how many studies related to recreational fishing mortality regarding striped bass?
The worse news, and something we need to be watchful for, is making angling policy based on science that’s demonstrably wrong. The Marine Recreational Information Program, MRIP, which alleges to count how many fish we take out of the water, continues to trigger reductions in fishing for sea bass along our coast even as the fish’s population grows. Evidence of radical miscalculations and utter impossibilities in MRIP’s numbers are too numerous to list and too blatant to deny. So far, however, here in the Mid-Atlantic region we haven’t been subjected to the most onerous results of its continued use.
The Atlantic red snapper fishery provides us with an example of just how bad MRIP can make life for anglers. The science shows that red snapper are more abundant now than they have been in decades, but thanks to MRIP’s calculations the Atlantic red snapper season in 2024 lasted for all of 24 hours. Yes, it was a one-day season. Just imagine having that for sea bass.
Remember that back in 2017 the Gulf snapper fishery experienced
a similar outrage and was cut to a three-day season. Gulf states took over management from the feds, a study showed three times the number of red snapper that MRIP claimed existed, and since then the season has expanded to months instead of days— as the fishing has just gotten better and better.
As for the current state of the Atlantic red snapper fishery, Bill Bird, chairman of Coastal Conservation Association’s National Government Relations Committee, summed things up well. “This is a data failure and a leadership failure,” he said. “The Council recognizes that the information being provided by NOAA with regard to recreational discards does not compute, but rather than address the known data problems, NOAA has decided to act unilaterally to close angling opportunity. This is setting a troubling precedent in the management of recreational fisheries.”
A troubling precedent indeed, but this is far from the first time MRIP numbers have been nonsensically used to pummel a perfectly good fishery. Some people might argue that it’s even more onerous to “manage” a fishery based on science that’s known to be incorrect as opposed to managing it on none at all. So, who’s doing the recreational angling community a bigger disservice? MRIP, or Maryland’s state regulators? That’s something to ponder as we sit at home during the striped bass no-target closure, wishing we were fishing.
# Let’s hope regulators learn from the red snapper debacle, rather than repeating it.
Maccabee in the Marshyhope
Dear FishTalk,
With the holidays approaching I wanted to relate an interesting experience I had one Saturday early last December on the Marshyhope River. While fishing minnow for pickerel and bass I hooked a massive snakehead, and decided to keep it for dinner since I had been hearing how great they taste. When I got home, as I backed my boat into the driveway one of the trailer bearings locked up. I got so distracted by fixing it that when I finally finished I forgot all about the fish sitting in my cooler. Eight days and eight nights went by before I was going to go fishing again the next Sunday. I walked over to the boat, saw the cooler, and remembered the fish. I flipped the top open and much to my surprise the snakehead looked up at me, still very much alive. It was then I realized I had just witnessed a miracle… the miracle of Chesapeake Channa-ka!
- Byorn C., via email
Dear Byorn, Wow, that is amazing! We have to ask, after all that time out of the water did the snakehead still taste as expected? Or, was it more like eating gefilte fish?
Send your fish photos, questions, and comments to lenny@fishtalkmag.com
Communication Breakdown
Dear FishTalk,
Q: Why did the manta ray try to talk with the fisherman?
A: Because it wanted to have a manta-man conversation.
-Anonymous
navigating peace of mind
Unpredictable waters
THE IMPORTANCE OF BOAT INSURANCE
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, protecting 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. Scan to get a quote in as little as 4 minutes
to learn more.
F I s H N E ws
By Lenny Rudow
No Joy for the YOY
In the sixth consecutive year of poor reproduction, the 2024 Young of Year (YOY) survey showed a dismal result for the striped bass spawn in Maryland and slightly less dismal results in Virginia. The Maryland index was 2.0, far less than the annual average of 11.0. In Virginia, where an average year brings 7.77, the 2024 index was 3.43. According to the Maryland DNR, “Warm conditions in winter continue to negatively impact the reproductive success of striped bass, whose larvae are very sensitive to water conditions and food availability in the first several weeks after hatching. Other species with similar spawning behavior such as white perch, yellow perch, and American shad also experienced below-average reproduction this year.”
This follows a record poor 2023 YOY in Maryland, which was a mere 1.0, and a 4.26 in Virginia. Previously Virginia’s YOY results had fared a bit better
Shellfish Behavior
Maryland’s DNR has announced its choice of the next three large-scale oyster sanctuary restoration locations: Herring Bay, the Nanticoke River, and Hoopers Strait. This comes as the state wraps up development of the initial five projects resulting from the 2014 Chesapeake Watershed Agreement in Harris Creek, the Little Choptank River, the Tred Avon River, St. Mary’s River, and the Manokin River. The first four are now complete and the Manokin project is scheduled for completion in 2025.
Success at the existing large-scale oyster restoration reefs has been spectacular, with 98 percent of the areas meeting the minimum success criteria (15 oysters per square meter over 30 percent of the reef) and 83 percent exceeding it by a mile with more than 50 oysters per square meter. While Chesapeake Bay oyster populations overall remain a pitiful fraction of historical norms, these restoration projects represent newfound hope for Crassostrea virginica. As long as we can keep these sanctuaries closed to harvest (something Maryland’s prior administration had tried to reverse before being overridden by the state legislature), it seems that oyster recovery does have some light at the end of the tunnel.
Ithan Maryland’s, hovering at or just above average through 2022. Now, however, the vastly reduced spawning success is evident in both state’s surveys.
Capital Idea
n an abrupt but sensible reversal, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) voted to keep the winter dredge crab fishery closed. Opening the fishery, which consists of 90 percent female crabs, was opposed by multiple conservation groups, the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Sustainable Fisheries Goal Implementation team, and the state of Maryland. The VMRC’s reversal, however, came when commercial crab potters realized that opening the winter dredge fishery would require a reduction in potting to maintain total harvest levels and voiced their opposition. As part of the vote the VMRC Crab Management Advisory Committee also suggested extending the potting season by a full month.
Ladies on Ice
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will hold a nifty virtual event on December 4: Women’s Intro to Ice Fishing. From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. commission staff and fishing skills instructors will cover the basics, and participants will be invited to attend an on-the-water on the ice woman’s ice fishing program in January/February of 2025. Visit fishandboat.com to check out the upcoming event details and sign up.
# Maryland hasn’t had an average or above average YOY survey since 2018. Graphic by Maryland DNR.
Tournamen T n ews
It’s December folks, and things are fairly quiet on the tournament front. The CCA Pickerel Championship is now underway and continues through the end of February, with all catches judged via C-P-R on the iAngler app. Check it out at ccamd.org and if you’re looking for a reason to get off the couch this winter, consider joining in—this tournament is a ton of fun and there are a number of ways to win ranging from single largest fish, to longest stringer of three fish, to fly-caught fish.
Congrats go out to FishTalker Herb Floyd of Trappe, MD, who won the 2024 Rod and Reef Slam grand prize. Herb caught an eyebrowraising total of 15 different species while fishing on Chesapeake oyster sanctuary reefs (yes, they DO draw in fish!). Co-hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Coastal Conservation Association, and the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance, some very unusual species were caught this year including cutlassfish, kingfish, and pigfish.
your catch of northern snakehead, blue catfish, and flathead catfish in the Chesapeake Watershed for a chance to win great monthly prizes!
for FREE today!
# Herb scored big in the Rod & Reef slam, and he’s scored in past Pickerel Championships, too. How much you want to bet he’s out there casting right now?!
HOT 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.
Prepping for Battle
Penn has upgraded the Battle line yet again, with the Battle IV. Introduced at ICAST 2024, the new series has Battle favorites like the HT-100 carbon fiber drag washers, five stainless-steel ball bearings plus roller bearing, CNC gears, and a full metal body—but now it also boasts the “Hydro Armor” system. This adds seals at the handle, dust cap, and under the spool, to reduce the possibility of water intrusion. The spool body has also been updated, eliminating the cut-outs. We got our hands on a 3000-size test-reel ideal for Bay jigging, have been casting it for several months, and it’s performed admirably. The full metal body does make it a bit hefty (the 3000 is 11.6 ounces, about three ounces more than some competitors) but also adds some piece of mind as to its likely longevity. Battle IVs are available in 1000 to 10,000 sizes and put out a max drag of nine to 40 pounds. Price: $130 to $180. Visit pennfishing.com before you go to war.
Back in the Black
There’s a new rod in town, and we’re stoked for this one: the Game On Carbon Black Inshore. We’ve tested and reviewed a bunch of different gear from Game On and found that their Big Occhi soft plastics, EXO Jig spoons, and X-Walk topwater baits are all topnotch. And, take note: for many years Game On has been a Fish For a Cure supporter, always donating gear for our team fundraiser. Now the Carbon Black Inshore is also in their lineup, and these rods feature high-end components like Fuji reel seats, K-series alconite guides, cork handles, and carbon fiber blanks. There are five models in mediumlight to heavy power, rated for quarter- to four-ounce lures, and even the heaviest rod weighs just 5.6-ounces—it feels uber-light yet uber-strong and uber-sensitive in hand. Length is 7’0” and tip action is fast. Price: $169.99. Check ‘em out at gameonlures.com
What Goes Around…
Looking for an ultra-thin braid that matches your level of angling finesse? Check out the new Suffix Revolve, winner of this year’s ICAST award for Best New Fishing Line. Suffix says their unique production process including “pitch reduction” allows for minimum diameter, optimized tensile strength, and smoother casting. Two standout features struck us as interesting. First, Suffix gives the line a color break at the 100-yard mark so you can evenly split spools if you so desire. Second, the neon lime green color makes this line incredibly visible, even more so than the fluorescent high-vis lines we’ve seen to date (low-vis green is available, too). The line hits the market available in four-, six-, eight-, 10-, 12-, and 14-pound test, in 200-yard spools. Price: $21.99. Visit rapala.com
Happy Feet
By Zach Ditmars
Dare I say the best boat shoes I have ever tried on are the NOWAKE from Rocky Boots? The quick drying upper mesh is made from recycled fishing net material and is quite breathable on sizzling summer days. The toe cap offers plenty of protection for even the clumsiest of anglers (like me) and the thick EVA sole provides comfort while standing for prolonged periods during a full day of fishing. The non-marking soles offer plenty of traction on slippery boat ramps and wet boat decks, and speaking of wet, holes in the footbed allow water to rapidly exit through drains in the sole. The bungee cord laces have a catch to lock them in place, but with the snug fit of an integrated neoprene sock I never felt the need to tighten the laces. Dirt and debris can become trapped inside the shoes, so be sure to give them a thorough rinse down after each use. Price: $89.99; visit rockyboots.com
Wrist Rocket
Why bother with a fishing rod when you could strap that reel right to your wrist? That seems to be the idea behind the BL10S, made with “high-strength nylon to meet the dynamic fishing needs when fishing.” We don’t want to seem judgmental, especially based on nothing more than an ad found in the darkest corners of the interweb, but it does seem strange that the maker says the BL10S is great for “ocean boat fishing.” It also seems strange for them to specifically state “The amount of tangles 10LB.” Finally, it seems strange that under “Bait Types” it says “Fake Bait.” Considering the price tag, we’re thinking that this one might be more of a fake out on the fisherman than the fish—listed cost is $1.13. Don’t plug in that credit card information!
I Spy
There are a jillion and one different sunglasses out there and it’s rare that one catches our eyes (ahem), but the new Spy Optics Helm Tech stands out in a crowded field. The uber-light Grilamid frames get a protective boost from removable side shields that block out additional light, but don’t affect comfort level or give the glasses a clunky feel like some side shields do. The polycarbonate lenses are tapered to follow the curvature of the eye to reduce strain and provide a distortion-free view, and feature Spy’s “Happy Lens” tech that they say boosts mood and alertness. We’re not sure wearing them made us feel any more alert than a strong cup of coffee, but we certainly were happy with the Helm Tech. Price: $75 to $220. Visit spyoptic.com to get a better view.
Pleased Paws
By Kaylie Jasinski
In the spring sailors burn their socks to signal the end of winter and celebrate the start of boating season. Now, while I have always loved the spirit of this tradition, I had yet to find a water shoe I could wear without socks that wouldn’t lead to chewedup ankles. Enter: the Xtratuf Kiata Drift Sneaker. Made from a quick dry, breathable material, it feels more like you’re slipping your foot into a cushioned sock than a water shoe. Using the original Kiata’s TUFgrp outsole provides SRC-rated slip resistance (the highest safety rating that outsoles can be approved for) while maintaining a non-marking grip. After wearing this shoe on all-day fishing excursions, including both boat and wade fishing, I was surprised at how comfortable my feet were. There is a good amount of cushioning, they’re breathable and comfortable, and best of all, no socks yet no blisters. They also did a good job of keeping sand and debris out compared to some other water shoes. I am a huge fan of deck boots, but sometimes it’s just too hot for a boot and you want more support than a flip flop. In that instance, the Kiata Drift Sneaker is a great choice. $115, available in both men and women’s sizes. Visit xtratuf.com if you want to catch their drift.
Don’t Bug Me
By Zach Ditmars
Whether you’re fishing for snakehead in the swampy marshes of Blackwater or for specks in the Lower Bay grass flats, you will surely be accompanied by biting flies and mosquitoes. The lightweight Equinox Guard Hoodie from Sitka is a perfect choice for these fishuations. This shirt’s tight-knit stretchy fabric is treated with “Insect Shield” to repel a variety of pesky biters. Pop up the hood and the integrated mesh facemask, and you have complete protection from all of those bothersome bugs. Plus, you also get UPF 50+ protection from that burning ball of gas in the sky. Added bonus: with “Polygiene Odor Control Technology” this shirt won’t get the typically musty smell other tech shirts get after a sweaty day of fishing.
Price: $149. Visit sitkagear.com to keep the bugs at bay.
Spot On
Looking for an ideal live-lining rig that you can easily stow in a closet? Okuma’s Custom Blue is designed specifically for the task, pairing a Baitfeeder reel with a two-piece seven-foot carbon rod that features a flexible tip section with plenty of backbone behind it. Guides have aluminum oxide inserts, grips are cork, and rod power ranges from ML to MH. We checked out the CBL-S702M-40, rated for eight- to 12-pound test, which felt perfect for live-lining spot for slot stripers in the Bay. Price: $119.99. Visit okumafishing.com to learn more.
November
15
cca reef ball build 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Barstow Elementary School in Prince Frederick, MD. RSVP to volunteer with CCA MD at ccamd.org
16
fsff hands-on session
10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Free State Fly Fishers Clubhouse (behind Ford Hall) at the Davidsonville, MD, Family Rec. Center. Club member Jim Del Bovi is going to address kayak fishing safety in tidal waters. Questions? Email Ryan Harvey at rybeer@gmail.com
16
UsNs Savannah open ship 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 4601 Newgate Avenue in Baltimore, MD. Free and open to the public.
16 Yorktown market daysharvest festival
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Riverwalk Landing in Yorktown, VA. Kids young and old will enjoy this autumn extravaganza, which features a live animal show, petting zoo, balloon art, inflatable axe throwing, hay rides, and a pie eating contest. Purchase holiday staples like turkey, sweet potatoes, green beans, cornbread, dinner rolls, and pumpkin pie. Local jewelers, painters, and photographers will also be selling their holiday handiwork. Free.
18
cca reef ball build 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Calvert Elementary School in Prince Frederick, MD. RSVP to volunteer with CCA MD at ccamd.org
# Help build reef balls with CCA MD this fall to create habitat for underwater organisms.
20 annapolis anglers club monthly meeting
Speaker, food and drink, table raffle, and 50/50. Food starts at 6 p.m. followed by meeting at 7 p.m. At the American Legion Post 7, Crownsville Road, Annapolis, MD.
23
eastern shore sea glass & coastal arts festival: holiday edition 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD. The event highlights artisans and craftspeople who come from near and far to exhibit and sell coastal and sea-glass related jewelry, home decor, art, and more. Tickets: $10 for members, $22 for nonmembers.
30 middle river lighted boat Parade
The Mid-Atlantic’s largest lighted boat parade and almost the largest in the US! In Middle River, MD. Captains: text name, address, and boat type to (410) 463-2686. Captain’s package includes gift cards worth more than $300.
30
rrYc lights on the creek lighted boat Parade
Hosted by the Rappahannock River Yacht Club (RRYC) on Carters Creek in Irvington, VA. Parade forms at 5:30 p.m. near Custom Yacht Service on the eastern branch of Carters Creek. RRYC will be open to the public to watch the parade and will host a post-parade party at 7 p.m. Prizes. The parade is open to any type or size of boat.
December
5
cca greater baltimore chapter banquet
6 to 9:30 p.m. at Union Craft Brewing in Baltimore, MD. Food, drinks, oysters, raffles, silent and live auctions. This fundraising dinner directly supports CCA Maryland’s focus on ensuring the health of our marine resources and anglers’ access to them, and our objective to conserve, promote and enhance our marine resources for the benefit of the general public. Tickets: ccamd.org
5-19 midnight madnessdowntown annapolis
Dec. 5, 12, and 19. The first two Thursdays of December from 4 p.m. until Midnight and the third Thursday of December from 4 p.m. until 11 p.m. Residents and visitors are invited to stroll along Main Street, West Street, Maryland Avenue, State Circle, Market Space, and Dock Street to support local businesses. The streets will be filled with entertainment and holiday decorations, and the shops will have refreshments and sales.
6
first fossil friday
Fossil hunters, bring your fossil finds from Calvert Cliffs or other local areas from 1 to 4:30 p.m. to be identified! This service is provided for free; however, admission fees apply for access to CMM exhibits. At the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, MD.
Presented by
New episodes air on the first Thursday of the month on our Facebook page (facebook.com/fishtalkmag) and YouTube channel (youtube.com/fishtalkmagazine). View past episodes at fishtalkmag.com/live-with-lenny Tune in Thursday, December 5, 2024 at 6 p.m. for a new episode!
Scan this code to follow us on Facebook and YouTube or sign up to get notified about upcoming LIVE video streams via email at fishtalkmag.com/live-with-lenny
7
24th annual alexandria holiday boat Parade of lights
Boats will cruise past the Old Town Alexandria Waterfront starting at 5:30 p.m. The Boat Parade is complemented by dockside festivities held in Waterfront Park. Register early! The number of participants is limited and fills up fast.
7 cambridge-dorchester county christmas Parade
Lineup at 4 p.m., parade at 5 p.m. Once hailed as the ‘largest nighttime parade,’ the event continues each year as a timeless tradition throughout the decades.
7
chesapeake city lighted boat Parade
The third annual Bohemia River Boaters Lighted Boat Parade. 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Chesapeake City, MD. Watch it from Pell Gardens, Bayard House, Schaefer’s Canal House, and the Chesapeake Inn. Boats will be running down the C&D Canal headed into the basin at approximately 5:30 p.m. Come join the fun, and please bring a few can goods to donate towards the local church’s food cupboard.
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. Questions: rybeer@gmail.com
7 Yorktown lighted boat Parade 6 to 8 p.m. in Yorktown, VA.
Pre-parade festivities start at 6 p.m. and include caroling around illuminated braziers, a musical performance by the Fifes and Drums of York Town, and complimentary hot cider. At 7 p.m. the boats will finish out the evening as they make their way down the river in a dazzling show of lights.
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.
13-15 christmas in st. michaels
Events throughout the town of St. Michaels, MD, including a lighted boat parade Saturday, Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. The mission of the event is to provide resources to help local nonprofit groups enhance the quality of life for the residents of the Bay Hundred community.
14 eastport Yacht club lights Parade 6 to 8 p.m. The Spa Creek Bridge will be closed to vehicles crossing between downtown Annapolis and Eastport periodically from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Find a map of the route and viewing locations online.
15
deale’s annual Parade of lights
Beginning at 5:30 pm. Organizers encourage all boats to begin at Hidden Harbor if possible. Questions: dealeparadeoflights@gmail.com
# Andy tied into this beautiful slot red in Eastern Bay.
# Julian reeled in this nice slot rockfish just after sunset, livelining in Solomons.
# Jack and Theo had a fun morning of casting in the South River this summer.
# Joyce hit the Wye River and hit a home run.
# Matthew got the ball rolling on the new family boat with a 19-incher at Thomas Point. Now that’s what we call a great start!
# Mark and Gabe broke in their new Judge 27 in the best way possible.
Parker and his dad obviously don’t mind the rain when fish like these are biting!
# Gerry found a 28-incher on the fly.
# Despite a relatively thin run for Spanish mackerel in the Middle Bay this year, Phil found ‘em and caught ‘em in the Miles.
#
# Former FishTalk cover model isaiah caught another nice Monocacy smallmouth.
# Alex and Morgan strike again.
# Bryson and Bret tied into some serious dragons this summer!!
# Allison enjoyed reeling in a Magothy River yellow perch.
# Oliver saved up to buy his own rod and reel and on his first outing tied into a redfish – WTG, Oliver!!
# Jeff got into some beautiful reds (and a few cobia!!) while fishing on the Bay Pony out of Reedville.
# Oscar has caught the fishing bug –and is clearly catching those fish up!!
# Carter went fishing with Grandpa, and caught his first fish – WTG, Carter!
# Tim wasn’t able to get out on the water much this summer, but when the opportunity arose…
# Rich hooked into his fist bull red in the Lower Bay.
# Wesley and Willy found a Magothy River torpedo.
# Eli and Ascanio found some true choppers south of the Target Ship.
# Jon tied into this beautiful red just outside the Antipoison.
# Randy found a Middle Bay mackerel.
# Christian and his celebratory crew enjoyed a blackfin-filled birthday trip to Marathon.
# Brad and crew caught a pile of mahi and tilefish at the Washington.
# Henry started in on the Spanish mackerel at the ripe old age of two.
# Joel and friends caught a pile of mackerel while aboard with Miss Lee Charters out of Solomons.
# The Edges strike again – this time on Upper Bay mackerel.
# The pond continues to produce for William.
# Reggie encountered a bass of the striped variety – several, actually – while everyone else aboard caught perch and croaker!
Hot New Fishboats
By Lenny Rudow
Suzuki DF300AP Long Term Test
The DF300AP on my Caymas 26 HB is the largest Suzuki I’ve ever owned, and I’ve now been running it for over two years. The engine is well over the 500-hour mark and going by average use (60 hours a year for recreational boaters) that accounts for around eight years of running. Way back when we promised a long-term test and review, so what can we say with this much cruising under the belt?
Number one, the DF300AP has been running strong each and every time I’ve turned the key. The only glitch to date has been a sensor in the trim motor that needed replacement. This didn’t render the engine unus-
through all this use, so Suzuki gets an A+ in the reliability department.
What about performance? I was told when I ordered the boat that 300 horses (the smallest powerplant the builder will rig with) probably wouldn’t be enough for the 26 HB to break the 50-mph mark. But running light and in ideal conditions I’ve hit 52. In loadedto-fish real world use, top speeds in the upper 40s are the norm and cruise is generally in the upper 30s to lower 40s depending on conditions and the number of passengers.
One feature I thought I’d hate but turned out to love is Suzuki’s auto-trim. I’m admittedly a little bit of a control
# Missed fishing trips due to the Suzuki DF300 on the transom: ZERO!
freak when I’m running my boat, and historically I would tweak the trim to search for a better ride. On the flip side of the coin, after a long cruise sometimes I’d forget to trim back down before the next take-off. With the autotrim I don’t have to remember, and it turns out that the dang automaton can trim the boat better than I can in the first place. After a year of experimentation I put it on auto and left it there. Another digital doodad to love is the Suzuki Precision Control digital shift and throttle. There’s no more grinding gears or boat-shuddering clunks and accelerating through the powerband is silky-smooth.
As far as economy goes we should point out that the boat has as much to do with it as the engine and the Caymas rides on an uber-efficient twinstepped SVVT hull design. Plus, truth be told all the outboards in this size range are pretty darn competitive when
it comes to fuel economy. Still, the DF300AP is as stingy as they come and if I lay off the throttle (which happens ummm… never) and run in the 3000s I can easily keep it north of three mpg. Usually, however, I’m winding 4500 to 4800 rpm and getting closer to 2.8 mpg. You play, you pay.
Of course, nothing in this world is perfect — what downsides or negatives have I identified at this point in time? It may seem nit-picky but I sure wish they’d invent a flush port plug that would float. I can’t say if the plugs found on all outboard engines sink like a rock, but these certainly do when I fumble one and watch it bounce overboard. (The current solution: I have a drawer full of replacements in case I fumble. Again.)
One interesting perk that I didn’t even pick up on myself, but which has been identified by other people stepping aboard the FishTalker, is the
engine’s noise levels. When you first turn the key the sound made by a modern four-stroke — any modern four-stroke — seems like a godsend to those of us who grew up with blapping, burping, roaring two-strokes. And the DF300AP has always seemed pleasantly hushed to my ears. But on multiple occasions people who own competitive motors of the same size have told me that when I hit the throttle and start cruising, the Suzuki is noticeably quieter than their own powerplant.
The bottom line? Today’s outboards are lightyears ahead of those we ran in the past, and so far this Suzuki has proved that the DF300AP is a hands-down winner. It hasn’t caused a single cancelled fishing trip, it hasn’t left me stuck one single time, and it hasn’t disappointed in any way, shape, or form. Now, if only I could snap my fingers and turn it into a 400…
Grady-White Canyon 386: Reveling and Reeling
They say it takes some soul-searching to figure out who you truly are and I say it takes some bilgesearching to find out what a boat really is, but every once in a blue moon I step from the gunwale to the deck and a boat’s core identity is obvious right from the start. That’s exactly what happened at this year’s Annapolis Powerboat Show when I got aboard the Grady-White Canyon 386: I could see in a blink that it strikes a balancing act between serious fishing and pleasing the boating family.
It’s a Grady-White, so I already knew it rode on a SeaV2 variable-degree deadrise deep-V hull and would cruise through the seas as soft and stable as one could hope. I already knew it was built tough by one of the most experienced teams in the boat-building world and hadn’t left the factory before going through an exceptional quality-control process. And I already knew that the boat would be designed to please both anglers and family boaters without sacrificing fishability or comfort. What I didn’t know was that when I went poking through the cockpit, in mere moments it would become clear that the fishing/family balance that this boat strikes was perhaps the best I’d ever seen.
Look at the back of the leaning post module and you’ll see six rocket launchers plus a knife/pliers/tool holder. Flip up the lids on top and you’ll find a sink, an electric grill, and a wastebasket compartment. Slide out the drawers below and you’ll find plenty of room to stow everything from tackleboxes to Tanqueray. Now turn around and gaze aft. The wide-open fishfighting arena is lined with comfy coaming bolsters, four flush-mount rodholders are in the gunwales, there are fresh and raw water washdowns, an easy-to-ma-
Quick Facts
LOA: 36’6” | Beam: 13’2”
Displacement: 14,950
Draft (min.): 2’4”
Transom Deadrise: 20 degrees
Fuel Capacity: 410 gal.
Max. Power: 1350 hp
nipulate swing-up transom bench seat, 35-gallon lighted and insulated livewells with full-column inlets on either side of the transom, and in the middle there’s a 72-gallon fishbox which is a digitally controlled refrigerator/freezer.
Does a fishing-friendlier, familyfriendlier cockpit exist? If you can think of one, let me know.
Same goes for the bow cockpit. In social-mode there’s a huge doublewide lounger with flip-down arm rests atop the console cabin, a convertible dinette/ sunpad forward, and electrically actuated backrests for forward-facing seating. Under-gunwale rodracks are to either side, there are fresh and raw water washdowns up here, too, and if you strip off all the cushions you have a forward casting deck.
microwave, and refrigerator; and a full stand-up head with shower. Naturally its climate is controlled with a 10,000 Btu air conditioning system, which also pipes a cool breeze in at the helm.
The Canyon 386 we saw at the boat show was blocked in by other boats so running performance numbers wasn’t possible, but Yamaha has a published test report on the boat with triple F450 XTO outboards and we’ve always found their reports to be right on target. Most efficient cruise was at 3300 rpm and 30 mph, producing one mpg. Running at a common cruise of 4500 rpm the boat clips along at a hat-stripping 44 mph, or, at least it would be hat-stripping if this boat didn’t have a full three-sided enclosure around the helm. Nail the throttles on those big outboards, and you’ll break the 60-mph mark.
# The Grady-White’s cabin offers plenty of comfort, but more importantly... rodholders!
Setting aside having a place to crash between bites on overnighters at the canyons, one might assume that the console cabin would be a purely family-friendly area. One would be wrong. Even down here Grady-White goes an extra angling mile and incorporates rodracks, so you can lock the big rigs down below between trips. The forward dinette converts into a full berth; there’s a mini-galley with sink,
Wait a sec—what about all that bilgesearching? Go ahead and look down there and you’ll spot yet another feature that will be enjoyed by anglers and boaters alike: a Seakeeper 4.5 gyroscopic stabilization system comes standard on the Canyon 389. The ultimate balancing act, indeed.
Area Dealers
Norfolk Marine, Norfolk, VA, (757) 895-7432 or norfolkmarine.com; Taylor Marine, Milford, DE (302) 251-2506 and Ocean City, MD (443) 647-8265 or taylormarinecenter.com; Tristate Marine, Deale and Annapolis, MD (410) 8671447 or tristatemarine.com
GoBoat Freedom:
Feelin’ Free(ky)
If you need a fishing boat you can pack under the couch, you don’t mind cruising at walking speed, and you find the pointy ends of a kayak offensive, try milling around on a round GoBoat Freedom. This circular craft inflates with a hand-pump and gets its propulsive power from a 35-lb. thrust electric motor. Added bonus: it comes with a backpack so you can sock it away in-between outings. Price: $1599. Visit goboat.com when you get a round to it.
For more fishboat reviews, visit: FishTalkMag.com/fishboat-reviews
Southern ESVA: The Ocean Side
Part three of w ayne’s examination of wrecks and structure along the southern e astern s hore of Virginia.
By Wayne Young
Previously in part II of this series on the ESVA we looked at the wrecks and obstructions off the ocean side of Fishermans Island (sites 1-14 on Chart 1). Continuing northeast up the coast brings us to the remote barrier islands which are part of a natural wildlife preserve. It’s open to the public for wildlife viewing and fishing; access is by boat only. The following features are along this remote and constantly changing barrier island shoreline, which has rather treacherous inlets and extensive shoals. The barrier islands are generally migrating westward with erosion and the shoals are constantly shifting. This is an area where fishing should only be attempted in capable boats with experienced operators.
After passing the abandoned Cape Charles Lighthouse, you may encounter the wreck of the 59-foot tug Osprey (Site 15). It sank off Smith Island in 1966 and was reported as breaking up. A hydrographic survey didn’t find it in 1981, but it was retained as a charted feature. There’s probably little to nothing left by now given that its location is a very high energy zone, but if debris appears on the side-scan sonar when passing through this area, it could be remnants of the tug and may be worth checking out.
South of Little Inlet at Site 16 is the charted location of an unidentified 65-foot fishing vessel that wrecked in 1973. Although still visible in 1981, the barrier islands have been struck by a number of major episodic storms. Sand dunes were flattened, and the shoreline reshaped. With all the physical energy that’s pounded the area, it’s doubtful that much remains of this nearshore wreck. At Site 17 there’s more of a sure thing, a low-profile 50’ least depth wreck at coordinates 37°13.333 x 75°36.549. This is known as the “Bell” after a diver pulled up an unmarked bronze bell. A small section of the stern was above the bottom in 2013, which correlates with the objects at
the southwest end of the wreck shown by the Bathymetric Attributed Grid (BAG) Color Shaded Relief screenshot from the NOAA Bathymetric Data Viewer (BDV) included as part of Image 1. The port bulwark was also exposed. Anecdotally, this was a wooden sailing vessel. It measures about 200’ in length on the BDV distance scale.
Moving offshore, look for the 49’ least depth wreck of the barge Birch Lake at Site 18, coordinates 37°15.257 x 75°37.226, about seven miles off Sand Shoal Inlet. This vessel went down in 1943. As shown by Image 1, the wreck is distributed on the bottom. It has the appearance of a wooden schooner barge
and is a tautog magnet according to fishing reports. It’s configuration with open flat areas inside the hull form ought to hold flounder as well. The side-scan sonar images are from the National Ocean Survey (2013).
Site 19 is charted at the south end of Cobb Island. It’s where the sloop Alcee grounded in two to three feet of water in 1970. The wreck was still visible in 1981 but has since submerged below the surface. Site 20 charted off Cobb Island marks the location of an unidentified wreck with an uncertain physical condition. As with other nearshore wrecks, localized changes and weathering of features should be expected. Another unidentified wreck is at Site 21.
# Chart 1: General location of structural features off Cape Charles to Great Machipongo inlet.
# image 1: Top Left, Middle, and Bottom – Barge Birch Lake . Top Right – Unidentified offshore wreck, known as the “Bell”. “BAG” image screenshots from NOAA Bathymetric Data Viewer. Side-scan sonar images from NOS DR H12599 (2013).
Moving offshore about 18 miles to Site 22 on Chart 2, is a large uncharted anomaly. The feature is under charted detail on the BDV ENC see-through chart when zoomed out which obscures its presence, but it prominently stands out when zoomed in or when the chart layer is switched off. This feature doesn’t correlate with available wreck coordinates, AWOIS Viewer data, or other information resources including multiple coordinate references consulted. Whether or not it’s an artifact of sounding modeling or actually structure of some form is uncertain, but its prominent display in the “DEM” color shaded relief layer merits a note for fishers who prospect near the location. A good guess is that this is a substantial wreck. If you know what it is or can get a good scan, give FishTalk a shout and let us know. Note that there are hang reports for a sunken barge about two miles to the west and a sunken subchaser about three miles to the north, but neither is charted.
A definite offshore uncharted wreck is the fishing vessel Doxie Girl with a least depth of about 55’. This is a clam boat that went down with all hands in 1975. Divers report a small wreck with the deck house gone but with the hull still there, possibly in two pieces. Divers also report lots of interior space for tautog, sea bass, and flounder as well. Where it’s located is an issue because multiple coordinates are posted by generally reliable sources. A reported location which shows as a faint dimple in “DEM” Color Shaded Relief is at coordinates 37°08.341 x 75°35.099. Another set of coordinates puts it nearby at 37°08.128 x 75°34.490.
Although there’s not a huge amount of structure in the coastal waters between Smith Island Inlet and Great Machipongo Inlet, there are nevertheless some interesting features that attract and hold tautog, sea bass, and flounder. This area is about as remote as it gets in our region, and remember that those shoals shift and change. Caution is warranted, and going out with a partner boat would be a good idea.
# Chart 2: Uncharted large anomaly offshore of Great Machipongo inlet. Processed screenshots from NOAA Bathymetric Data Viewer.
Fishing Artipickerels
Sometimes it can be tougher to catch pickerel on artificials as opposed to live bait, but other times fake fish outperform the real thing.
By Lenny Rudow
Maybe the tackle shop was out of minnow, maybe you prefer fishing artificials, or maybe the bucket spilled in the back of your pickup and you arrived at the lake with nothing but stiff little minnow-cicles scattered across the bed—for one reason or another there will be times when your offerings are limited to lures. Which you choose and how you fish them will determine whether you sit there shivering to no avail, or end up sliding the net under a new PB.
The Preferences of Pickerel
Setting aside the availability of bait and personal preference, there are times and places where artificials will out-fish live
minnow hands-down. This tends to occur when the bite is very slow, usually on bright and sunny but cold and crisp days with little to no wind.
Why do the fish behave this way? Ask the pickerel, because I have no clue. But it’s a pattern that becomes clearly evident over time, when the angler drifting minnow comes up with a skunk but the one fishing lures enjoys success multiple times per season. That said, remember, this generally happens when the bite is off so you can’t expect banner action on these days. It’s a fair guess to say that when minnow might produce a skunk, fishing lures might produce one to four fish. Still, a little action is a whole lot
better than none, especially during the winter months when it takes a real effort to get out there and fish.
Remember, though, this isn’t the norm. When lures and minnow go head-to-head most of the time the minnow outperform artificials. There will also be some days when the lures are untouched but the live baits produce fish after fish. The moral of the story? It’s impossible to predict what the fish will do from day to day, but even if you’re cool with fishing minnow and you have a full bucket, it’s still always a good idea to keep artificials on hand— especially when it’s bright and cold outside.
# This pickerel couldn’t resist a purple/chartreuse X-Rap; it went three to zero against minnow that day.
The Lure De Jure
So, what should you stock up on? As a general rule pickerel love some flash and spinners can be killers. For some reason, less so when it comes to spinnerbaits and more so when it comes to inline spinners. In bright conditions silver usually wins out, and in low light gold or matte blade colors are often better. These are usually trimmed out with a three- to four-inch paddle or twister tail. Larger Mepps spinners with bucktail-dressed hooks will also prove effective.
Under-spin style lures can be big producers, too, with the Roadrunner being a classic for pounding on pickerel. Again, these can be dressed up with a paddle or twister tail. And if you happen to have minnow in that bucket, a Roadrunner tipped with a minnow is one of the all-time greats for pickerel fishing.
Another lure that will often produce fish when nothing else seems to work is a suspending twitch-bait like the Rapala X-Rap or MirrOlure Mirrodine in the
three- to four-inch range. Chartreuse is always a great color choice and color preferences can naturally change from day to day, but the purple/chartreuse X-Rap has proven to be a killer through the years. If trolling is your game be it from a kayak or a small boat, shallowdiving lipped floaters in the same size range will produce, as well. Speaking of trolling…
Artipickerel Presentations
Trolling these lures at a slow walking speed is an excellent tactic, especially for kayak anglers who can roam in nearperfect stealth and give an extra kick or two every so often to get the bait working more erratically. This will certainly work from small boats propelled by electric motors, too, even more so if you keep the rod in-hand and give it a gentle jigging motion every now and again. Be sure to give those lures a regular look-see, however, because most of the areas where you’ll find pickerel will also have weeds present, even during winter when the big weedbeds have died back.
# Kayak trolling can be a killer tactic when targeting pickerel with artificials.
One little sprig on the hook is all it takes to deter the fish from hitting.
While most trolling will take place in open water and/or along contours, it’s best to cast and retrieve when you’re targeting fish near specific structure. All of the usual suspects—stumps, downed trees, docks, and weedbed edges—can produce fish. As a general rule of thumb at this time of year pickerel tend to prefer a relatively steady and moderate retrieve with gentle jigging, as opposed to speedy retrieves and aggressive jerks of the rod tip.
We’re incredibly lucky to have uberhealthy populations of chain pickerel here in the Mid-Atlantic zone. They help ensure that year-round fishing is a thing and they’re willing to bite right through the coldest months of the year. At least they are on most days, but fish are fish and sometimes they just don’t seem to be as active as we were hoping for. The next time that bite gets lackluster and you wonder why those toothy torpedoes don’t want to play, remember to try fishing artipickerels. #
# A selection of top producers (top to bottom): sinking twitchbaits, inline spinners, and under-spins.
Prepping for EPic Action
Will monster stripers reappear in the Bay this winter? Many, many fingers are crossed.
By Lenny Rudow
# Will we enjoy another epic bite in 2024? That’s TBD, but our fingers are certainly crossed!
December of 2023 (and into January of 2024) was utterly epic for Middle Bay anglers, as swarms of massive 40-plus-inch rockfish flooded the area and chewed on plentiful schools of bunker. In fact, we enjoyed several weeks of the most consistent action I’ve seen personally in the area in decades, perhaps in my lifetime.
Wait a sec—what about all that chatter saying striper numbers are
trending down? Well, they are. But for whatever reason nature conjured up, the stock of large fish that remains became exceptionally concentrated last winter (and to a lesser degree in 2022). These are the same big fish that trekked down the coast, setting off red alarms for anglers in New York, then New Jersey, and then along the DelMarVa coast. And they were sticking rather close together; through most of the migration anglers just 10 or
15 miles north or south of the action couldn’t buy a single bite.
Will they be back in the Middle Bay in the next month? Or, will they instead set up shop at the CBBT as they did decades ago? Might they even keep heading south and spend the holiday season off the Carolina coast, like back in the 90s? It’s completely, entirely, 100 percent up to the fish. But my fingers are sure as heck firmly crossed, and we do know one thing: if
crimping Your Style
An open challenge to all the anglers out there: consider crimping down the barbs on your hooks. Yes, this will result in lost fish. But it will also result in fewer fish injured or killed. I’ll commit right now to keeping heads and topwater plugs with crimped barbs on-hand at all times, and after an angler on my boat catches one fish of a lifetime, requesting that they switch. Who will join me?
those mega-rock pull off a return, we anglers will want to be prepared to get in on the action.
Tackle for the Titans
You can catch a 40” or even a 50” rockfish on a light rod, 3500 reel, and 20-pound braid, but extending the fight with these fish is the wrong move. Long battles lead to exhausted fish and increased mortality rates. We know this for a fact, so there’s zero excuse to play them for an extended period of time. Medium rods, 4500 reels, and 30-pound test with 40-pound fluoro leaders should be considered the bare minimum. If someone shows up to your boat with smaller stuff in-hand, it’s incumbent upon you to gently let them know the score and put something bigger into their hands.
These fish are often breaking water, and there’s a huge temptation to throw topwater. Give in to it, for sure, but not before switching out all the treble hooks on your lures for single hooks. These beasts have a mouth big enough to suck in your entire arm much less that six-inch Badonk-A-Donk, and it won’t make a dang bit of difference in your hookup ratio. Lures smaller than six inches should be left in the tacklebox, because they’ll get inhaled deep and make a safe release less likely. Whether they’re breaking or not, most of the time you’ll catch the bulk of these fish on jigs (more about that later). One- to two-ounce heads with seven- to 10-inch soft plastics are appropriate. You won’t catch as many of the 20-somethings going to 10-inch baits, but if you truly want to target the catch of a lifetime that’s a good thing. During much of last December anglers casting five- and six-inch baits spent so much time fighting smaller fish that they never hooked up with a biggie.
Note: during a two- or three-week timeframe many anglers reported that they didn’t hook up on large baits but they did score on smaller baits. It’s true that the bulk of the bait was smallish, and smaller baits did match the hatch better—so you do need to show some flexibility on this count. Remember people, these are fish we’re talking about and we often have to bob and weave to be successful.
Which baits should you throw? There are a ton of good ones out there, and some we used last year with solid success included the 10” Boss BKD in white or chartreuse (purple glitter for cloudy days); the 10” Game On Big Occhi in pearl; and nine-inch Old Skool OG eels in white pearl and chartreuse flake. Others may find different, but when the fish were in up-and-down mode breaking water for very brief periods then hanging at mid depth, we found straight-tail plastics out-fished paddletails and were often struck on the initial sink as opposed to during a retrieve.
Tactical Review
As a rule of thumb, you’ll be tipped off to the fish’s general location by birds or by clusters of boats that have already found the birds. However, these fish are often up and down fast and you can’t count on casting under working birds all of the time. A good pair of gyro-stabilized binoculars and a close eye on the radar will help get you into the vicinity. After that it’s time to work with the fishfinder.
When you approach an area where a frenzy has taken place, don’t just stop the boat and start casting. It’ll be tough to hold back, but keep that powder dry and begin circling, remaining on the move until you spot absurdly large marks. If you have a good side-scanning unit set the range to the maximum you’re comfortable with. When you’re
One Hook is Enough
A recent study showed that lures with multiple single hooks cause significantly more injury than lures with one single hook. Again, remember that these fish can suck in a six-inch topwater plug like it was a gnat—you simply don’t need multiple hooks. When you pull those trebles off a plug, just put one single hook back on.
# These fish have jaws quite literally large enough to stick your arm down—you simply don’t need multiple hooks on single lures to ensure a hook-up.
critical Measures
Remember people, what we saw last winter wasn’t more rockfish, it was a higher concentration of rockfish. It’s critical that we all practice best catchand-release methods with these big spawners.
• Getting a Pic –To take a pic, lip the fish with one hand while staying clear of the gills and gill plate, slide the other hand under the fish just aft of its belly as you lift its head, and hold it horizontally. (Holding them vertically by the jaw alone can cause serious injury). As you remove the fish from the water take a gulp of air and hold your breath. When you run out of air remind yourself that the fish can’t breathe either, and get it back into the water asap. After you get your hero shot, release additional fish by lipping them next to the boat and removing the hook without taking them out of the water.
• Landing Nets – It’s best not to net these fish, but we understand that in some scenarios (such as a kid catching their first fish over 40” or somone catching a new PB), you’ll want to use one. Never, ever use a landing net with knotted nylon—if you still have one it’s long past time to throw it away and get a proper release net with mesh covered in rubberized coating. Don’t drop or dump the fish onto the deck, where it may flop around and injure itself. The netter should maintain control while the angler removes the fish from the net using the same method as described for removing one from the water.
• Slime Retention – Anything dry and/or absorbent touching the fish can remove its protective coat of slime. Always wet your hands, any article of clothing, or anything else before allowing it to come into contact with the fish. It can be awfully cold out there in December so remember to pack a towel for drying your hands afterwards.
sure you’re within casting distance of some mammoths fling out those jigs and let them sink to the appropriate depth, or if unsure of their depth, to bottom. Remember that these rockfish are chasing bait, not orienting to structure, so they could be in eight feet or in 80. Once you get beyond 50’ or so the fish usually won’t be tight on bottom and you’ll have to use your electronics to determine their depth.
While your jigs sink keep the bail closed as you drop your rod tip as quickly as necessary to maintain minimum tension. When your tip gets down to water level, flip the bail open momentarily, sweep the rod tip up to release line, then close the bail and begin dropping the rod tip again. As mentioned earlier, often the strike will come on the initial
sink—you need to be on a hair-trigger, ready to set the hook when you feel that bump. If the jig reaches bottom or sinks beyond the target depth start a normal jigging retrieve. Vigorous snapping isn’t always best at this time of year when water temps are low and the fish tend to be moving a bit slower. Instead, long, sweeping motions are often the ticket. Prepare yourself to burn lots of gas and do lots of running around to get on these fish. Most of the time the action is sporadic and after a few casts you’ll need to either search the area to relocate the fish, or pull up stakes and look for another school entirely. And prepare yourself to cross those fingers and keep ‘em crossed, as we all hope those tremendous trophies return to Chesapeake country. #
# Plastics in the 10” range are an excellent offering, with chartreuse and pearl being top color picks.
Planning for WinteR PRojeCts, 2025
As 2024 draws to a close, now's the time to prep for those winter projects.
By Staff
# What will make winning that battle even better? Winning it with a rod you custom-built with your own two hands.
guiding Wise deCisions
Remember that when you build a custom rod the quality of the piecesparts you order will ultimately determine the overall quality of the end product, even if it’s made with a primo blank. If you get cheap guides then use the rod in the Bay brine, for example, corrosion will likely be an issue. But if you choose topnotch Fuji guides with Corrosion Control frames they’ll resist that saltwater attack for five times longer. The quality level of each individual component matters.
We’re hoping for a December striper bite, the tog are eating, and pickerel are just cranking up, but in the coming months there will likely be some period of time—be it a week or a month—when fishing will become virtually impossible. Skim ice, winter winds, or blizzards can temporarily shut us down and even the heartiest anglers among us may suddenly find ourselves sitting on the couch, staring out the window in a winter shut-down daze.
What will you do if and when this moment arises? Savvy anglers will have some winter fishing tackle projects lined up, and now’s the time to get prepped so you’re ready to survive that (hopefully) brief angling interlude. What are some top potential projects to prepare for? How about:
• Building a Custom Fishing Rod
• Reel Repairs and Maintenance
• Terminating Trebles
Building a Custom Fishing Rod
This is a long-term endeavor that’s perfect for those times when a major storm shuts you down for a significant stretch of time. It’s also a project that provides an excellent reward—a new rod that you’ll likely use and love for years to come. But if you don’t get all the ducks in line right now you won’t be ready to get started when the time comes.
Rodbuilding may seem like an overwhelming endeavor, and the first time or two you give it a shot there may be a few imperfect wraps or you might solidify a chunk of carpet with dripped epoxy. But this is the type of project that you can learn on your own, at your own pace, and by the time spring arrives you’ll pridefully be casting your custom creation tweaked and tailored to fit the way you most like to fish.
Step number one is getting an idea of how the process works, which is a piece of cake in this day and age thanks to the great and awesome internets. There are YouTube videos galore which demo the process of wrapping threads and securing or modifying grips. One of the best resources out there is Angler’s Resource (which just so happens to be a FishTalk supporter—thanks guys!), anglersresource.net, which has a huge library of blogs, podcasts, articles, and videos you’ll find helpful; just look for the “Learn” section on the website. Once you’re familiar with the process you’ll want to identify the specific rod type you want to get started with, and then order in the pieces and parts. Key components include the blank, guides, threads, and grips. You can order a kit that has everything you need, or order the pieces-parts separately to get a higher level of customization. Note: if you’re making your very first attempt, ordering a kit is a good move since there are a number of items (like burnishing tools and mixing cups) you might not realize you’ll need on your initial endeavor.
You’ve taken advantage of a rainy day to study up, chose the rod you’ll start with, and ordered in all the parts? Excellent—when the big storm barrels through and fishing is not an option you’ll be ready to hunker down and get to work.
Reel RePaiRs and maintenanCe
Next up: let’s be ready to get those reels into tip-top shape for next season. You’ll want to give them a thorough cleaning and a lube job, of course (see Winter Fishing Gear Maintenance at FishTalkMag.com for a step-by-step), which doesn’t require much prep beyond making sure you have plenty of clean rags and reel lube. But on top of that it’s time to consider the line those reels are holding.
Reels with mono should be stripped and respooled at least every third season. Even rigs that don’t get much use need such treatment, because monofilament degrades over time due to UV exposure. ID the pound-test lines you need, and order those spools now so you’re ready to go when the wind is howling and the snow is blowing.
Braid isn’t nearly as sensitive and can last for many seasons, but it’s wise to trim off the first 10’ of line on every reel. This is the portion of line most likely to be exposed to chaffing against structure, and it’s usually where weak points appear. If a reel has lost a significant amount of line due to a break-off or a tangled knot, strip it down and respool it fully with fresh stuff. Remember, a partially filled spool won’t cast as far as a full one.
Tip: use partially filled reels to spool smaller ones. If you have a 3500 that’s missing a quarter of its capacity, for example, you can tie the end of the line to a 2000, crank it on, and fill it all the way up. Most of the line at the bottom of the 3500 was probably never exposed, so it’s almost like starting fresh with new line.
Now consider any reels that may be sitting on a shelf after a part failure. Bail springs, roller bearings, and other parts can give out and ruin an otherwise perfect reel, and now’s the time to address the issue. But if you don’t order in replacement parts today, you won’t be ready to do all that disassembling and fixing when the time comes.
# A fully filled spool will out-cast a partially filled one every day of the year.
teRminating tReBles
You already know you should have replaced the treble hooks on all your lures with singles… if you haven’t done so yet, what are you waiting for? Order up an assortment of inline singles (which have the eye inline with the shank) right now, have those split ring pliers at the ready, and eliminate the treble trouble issue once and for all while winter weather has you landlocked. Try to match hook weight so the lure’s action isn’t altered, which usually means moving up a couple of sizes. Use this chart as a guideline; you’ll be shocked to discover you really don’t miss many strikes as compared with trebles.
Treble Size Inline Single Size
#6 1/0
#4 1/0 – 2/0
#2 2/0 – 3/0
1/0 3/0 – 4/0
2/0 5/0 – 7/0
Okay people, winter weather is on the way—there’s bound to be a day or three when fishing is simply impossible. Be ready to take on one or all of these projects, however, and you’ll stay sane until the snow melts away. Hopefully… #
Whipping the Problem
A soft coral called sea whip tells us where the ocean has been, and where it’s going.
By Capt. Monty Hawkins
This was no ordinary fishing trip. Aboard the Morning Star I had two engineers and over $350,000 worth of Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) equipment from VideoRay, a Pottstown, PA, company (videoray.com) that does underwater inspection, recovery, and locating work for first responders and our allies around the world. Jason and Liam were here to not only test new equipment, but to look at some of our natural and artificial reefs while doing so.
I’ve been trying to determine if our greening sea has stymied sea whip colonization off the DelMarVa coast, and our first stop was on natural reef in 115’ of water. The area has produced millions of sea bass across the decades for commercial traps and recreational fishers. Though still quite productive, the reef we saw there was not as healthy as shallower ones. We found sea whip there growing more sparsely than anticipated.
Sea whip is a zooxanthellae-driven gorgonian; a soft, orange coral that uses sunlight to feed in the way many shallow water corals do. They contain photosynthetic cells (called zooxanthellae) in their tissue which provide the coral with sugars and proteins used to build calcium carbonate and other building blocks of growth and reproduction. A healthy colony will look like an orange meadow—I call’ em whip meadows— which fluke and sea bass love as habitat.
We have sea whip in great numbers from 55’ to 90’. They get thinner as you go deeper. Is sunlight the critical factor?
Consider: where, say, the hull of a barge is collapsed yet the deck is standing on its uprights, it will leave a large empty void. You will find sea whip where light strikes the deck substrate. But underneath? Where there’s no sun? There’s no whip.
Here many sessile animals that cannot move or swim will colonize these shaded places. But there’s no whip or star coral to be found. Similarly, if it’s too deep there will be no whip.
# Sea Whip: Photo by Jonatan Svensson Glad
I believe the oyster collapse of the 1970s led to the Mid-Atlantic ocean’s eutrophication. That’s just fancy science talk for too many nutrients in the water, which feeds rapidly growing algae populations. That algae then makes the ocean and estuaries green. Once this takes place, sunlight, and thus photosynthesis, is degraded. Eutrophication has, I believe, caused our offshore sea whip habitat footprint to shrink. To contract. They are not as far off as they once were. It’s going to take some digging, but I’m 90 percent sure I have VHS tape from 2004 of whip growing on the deepest reef we looked at with VisionRay’s ultra-advanced ROV equipment. The same exact reef where we saw sea whip in 2004, now looking in 2024? Not. One. Sea. Whip. And I do mean none.
More work is required and there are many more reefs to compare, but this shows exactly what I’ve been thinking. The sea whip’s habitat is shrinking. I sure hope the fellows from VideoRay will help with further explorations. If I put Nick Caloyianis and his team down there they’d only have a few minutes and one dive. When divers are looking at inshore reefs in much shallower water we do multiple dives with a good amount of bottom time, which isn’t an option on deeper reef.
In truth, if bottom could be destroyed, it was. Some areas completely, some at least partly, all post-WWII into the late 1970s when the commercial trawl industry really sprang to life with cheap surplus diesels. Corals on our Bass Grounds reef grew on a soft marsh-like peat, a substrate easily crumbled in the hand and very easily crushed with 15-ton clam dredges that liquify the bottom. The Bass Grounds were destroyed by surf clam boats in the early- to mid-1970s. I had no idea what he was talking about back in 1981 when Capt. Ward Brex said to me, “We had the best sea bass fishing on the coast and let them destroy it.”
We’ve had virtually no trawling on hardbottom reefs here in nearly 15 years, (Maryland summer flounder quota is largely leased to large companies in upper New Jersey), and commercial impacts from stern-towed gear on soft substrates have been nonexistent. And although a bottom trawl will dern sure give a reef a haircut, I don’t think what we saw on
# Fish like this flounder, caught at the Bass Grounds, need habitat— and sea whip provides it.
the deepest reef was trawl damage—I think the absence of whip in 130’ is an artifact of a greening ocean.
We will need more investigation. Maryland is the only state from Mas-
sachusetts to Texas without a marine reef program. Our little nonprofit, the Ocean City Reef Foundation, is it for ocean habitat work. We’re at ocreefs.org if you’d care to help. #
Editor’s note: if you fish anywhere out of OCMD you already vastly benefit from the work of the OC Reef Foundation and Captain Monty’s efforts. Joining the foundation is a no-brainer for coastal anglers—if you haven’t already please head for that website, today!
Outfitting a fishing KayaK
for Beginners
By Eric Packard
Choose the right kayak for your needs, outfit it right, and you’ll be catching fish in no time.
Ikayak fish on most of my outings, whether I’m targeting largemouth bass, pickerel, walleye, crappie, speckled sea trout, red drum, striped bass, or any other species of fish. Why do I fish from a kayak and not a powerboat? For me the answer is complicated. It’s economics, access, storage, weight of the boat, and various other reasons. So, what’s your reason for considering a fishing kayak? Even if you already have a boat, it’s a great way to fish. If, that is, you choose the right kayak and outfit it properly.
Picking a Kayak
Let’s start with styles of kayaks. There are sit-inside, sit-on-top, fishing, and nonfishing styles of kayaks. From personal experience I would avoid any non-fishing type of kayaks for fishing. They are difficult to cast from, even more difficult to stand in to take a cast, and lack easy access to tackle storage and other basics like rod holders. My recommendation is that you start with a fishing kayak, period.
Pedal kayaks usually cost more than most paddle boats, but not always. The brand of kayak will dictate most of the cost. You could choose a Native, Hobie, or other high-end kayak, or one like an Ascend that’s a lower-priced boat. I have owned all types and have settled on pedal boats. They free me from the paddle, allowing me to troll, cast, and stand while moving along a shoreline or grass bed. You’ll still want to carry a paddle for fishing very skinny water where pedal systems drag bottom. Pedal kayak will also provide you with instant reverse when you need it.
Other considerations when choosing a kayak would be your body size and where you plan on using the kayak most. As with all boats, they have weight restrictions. If you are over six feet tall and you weigh over 200 pounds a 10’ boat probably wouldn’t work for you. Remember, you need to consider your gear in the weight calculation
as well. Then, there is the general weight of the kayak, too. Will you haul it in the back of a truck or on a trailer, where you don’t have to lift it very high? Or are you cartopping the kayak and will need to lift the kayak over your head? Weight limits and the actual weight of the kayak need careful consideration.
# The author reflects after a morning of kayak fishing.
Critical Gear
After you pick a kayak, but before you launch, you’ll need to think about safety gear. A personal flotation device (PFD) is a must and is required by law (as is a whistle or other sound-producing device). You aren’t required to wear your PFD, it only needs to be within easy access. But most experienced kayakers prefer to wear their PFD while out on the water. Not only will it keep you afloat, but it also provides you with attachment points for tools and pockets for storage of things like lures and a cell phone.
Before we move on to fitting out your kayak, you should also consider having a first aid kit onboard. Mine has saved the day numerous times. Whether getting a hook in my hand or a cut from a fish, I have my kit at the ready. I also carry a marine radio while out on the Chesapeake Bay, its tributaries, or while out on the ocean. When I think big water, I think marine radio. I will also use my radio if I am fishing with a group of friends. Whether I’m fishing on salt or fresh water, it makes
for easy communication between anglers, sharing information as the day progresses.
If you are fishing at night you’ll also need a white light ready at hand or illuminated for your safety. If you have powered your kayak with an electric motor or similar you will need to have navigation lights, as with any powerboat.
Letting family or friends know of your float plan is another safety protocol and makes good sense. Before I head out on the water, I let my wife know where I will be launching from, where I’ll be fishing, and the time I’ll be off the water. You never know if the weather will change, an accident will occur, or of any other issue that may arise.
Outfitting for Angling
Once you pick your kayak and have your safety gear in order, you’ll want to fit it out to meet your needs. I’m a multispecies angler, so what I have on my kayak may not be what you’ll want on yours. Whatever you plan
to pursue, however, you will need tackle storage. I use the typical plastic Stowaway tackle boxes, carrying two or three on an outing, packing the terminal tackle and baits I need for the day. You need to consider if you want to use a waterproof or standard box, and I recommend using waterproof boxes. Kayaks are notoriously wet from getting in and out of the boat, wave action, and catching fish. To keep your lures dry and prevent rusting, waterproof tackle storage boxes are a good choice.
Most fishing kayaks come with hatches, tiedown spaces, drawers, or fixed places molded into the body of the boat to stow your Stowaways, but you’ll most likely want a bit more. Like many kayak anglers I use a crate on my kayak. A crate serves more than one purpose because it not only holds tackle boxes, but also things like a first aid kit, a jacket or a raincoat, and so on. Most also offer rod holders for all those extra rods you’d like to bring along. I can
# Both paddle and pedal kayaks can be used for fishing, but choosing a dedicated fishing kayak as opposed to a cruising kayak is a good move.
carry up to eight or more fishing rods if I like, though on most occasions I only carry four to six rods. This gives the flexibility to change baits without having to retie by simply changing rods.
You may also want rod holders for trolling. You should not use the rod holders that are molded into your kayak to troll, since they are normally behind where you sit and you can’t watch them. My trolling rod holders are mounted on rails and in my forward view, so I can see if I get bit and if a fish has been hooked. They
are also in easy reach so I can act quickly and play the fish.
As for anchors, at one time I always carried one on the boat. Now I only carry an anchor when I fish moving water and know I’ll want to remain in place to bottom fish. You need to use an anchor system or tie the anchor to the bow or transom of the boat, keeping in mind that you will need to reach it to retrieve it in a safe manner. You don’t want to use your anchor on the side of your kayak, because in swift water you can get yourself into trouble quickly and swamp your boat or turn it over.
Most anglers also will want to have a fishfinder. I have two different types of sonar, a standard fishfinder that reads the bottom and another that has side-scan. Keep in mind that if you only fish shallow water you may not need a fish finder because the depth isn’t there to see fish. If you are fishing a freshwater lake, a small body of water, or casting on a shoreline you may only need down scan. But if you are casing schools of redfish, striped bass, or other open-water fish, side scan is a great benefit. These fish are always on the move chasing bait and side scan can help you keep on the school. #
Okay, now you have a kayak. You have the gear. The next obvious question is: where will you fish? i recommend you start by going to FishTalkMag.com and looking in the WhereTo section, or entering some local bodies of water into the search bar at the upper right of the page to see if they’ve been covered in detail. Or, click on the Kayak button and visit the Kayak Fishing pages, where you’ll find additional information on the above and much more. Remember, a cast not taken is a fish not caught—so take that cast from a kayak, and hang on!
# Crates, sonar, and more—you’ll need plenty of gear!
Tips for Chilly Weather Reds
The season for redfish in some parts of the Chesapeake, and especially its southern inlets, has grown to extend well into December (and sometimes beyond) in recent years. Use these tips to catch more of this “warm water” species as it gets colder and colder outside.
• Probe deeper waters than you did when fishing during the summer months. Holes and ledges of 10’ or more can be productive at this time of year, sometimes even along the same structure (such as jetties and docks) where you found the fish in a foot or two of water during the summer.
• Slow your retrieve. This can mean creeping and hopping your lure along bottom by a matter of inches, not feet.
• Consider bringing live bait. At this time of year a plain old bull minnow is an excellent offering and using one allows you to place your offering in the strike zone and keep it there, wiggling enticingly, without having to retrieve.
• Look for warmth anywhere you can find it. Pinch-points like creek mouths, inlets, and areas where there are bridges can be great on falling tides during bright afternoons as sun-warmed shallows drain off. Warm water discharges are prime territory, too, especially where they intersect with relatively deep structure.
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
F I s HIN g Fo REC as T
Predicted after review of past reports gathered by Dillon Waters
Editor’s Note: 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
It may be cold out there but December can be a fabulous month along the coast. With a little luck, by the time this forecast gets printed we’ll have trophy-sized stripers inshore, at the inlets, and/or at the mouth of the Bay. With a little more luck big bluefin tunas will be cruising along the inshore shoals and shadowing schools of bunker. We should also note that the last few seasons wreck fishing along the coast has remained hot well into December, with sea bass and tautog the main fare but flounder and bluefish in the mix.
Freshwater
On the freshwater front December might be one of the most underrated months of the year. Trout will still be biting (though water conditions will dictate just how fiercely) and bass will be blasting baits fished along relatively deep structure like channel edges and submerged timber. One of the most active species at this time of year, however, is crappie. They’ll be schooled tightly, often suspending relative to structure, and thoroughly willing to hit small bladebaits, jigs, and minnow. Remember that in large reservoirs they’ll often flock to bridge pilings right about now.
Way North
It’s catfish time, people. Again. Expect the holes and channels to be loaded with ‘em and any deep water within sight of the 95 bridge clear out to the Flats should prove productive. Up in the river walleye and a few smallmouth should be chewing, and in nearby tribs like the Northeast now’s a great time to target crappie. On top of all that, yellow perch should begin showing up in solid numbers this month, ready to hit micro-jigs and minnow.
Upper Bay
We have until the 10th of the month to take home a fresh rockfish dinner, and past that point enjoy some catch-and-release action. If the trends we’ve seen in recent years continue expect the Patapsco to be a red zone and if we get uber-lucky, by mid-month when the season closes those trophies will be within cruising distance.
Middle Bay
The first third of December rock remain open and beyond that… well, let’s just say every striper aficionado within 100 miles of the Middle Bay will be watching the reports for signs of a repeat of last December. If it happens, we’ll be enjoying an epic bite on 40-plus-inch fish as they blast bunker from Bloody Point down to the Lower Bay zone. This was indeed epic last year, folks, but that body of fish is the last big pool of
breeding-sized fish so be sure to study “Trophy Spring Rockfish Catch and Release” at FishTalkMag.com, which is all about how to handle these fish while doing minimal harm.
Lower Bay
As we transition from targeting rockfish for dinner to catching and releasing, there’s no telling if or when the megarock will pass through, if they’ll continue up to the Middle Bay, fail to show up at all, or decide to set up shop in the Lower Bay zone. It happened in a big way in decades past, so keep your fingers crossed. Meanwhile, southern portions of this chunk of the Bay may well continue to enjoy action on specks for a little while longer. And up the tributaries in fresher zones trophy-sized blue cats should be feeding hard at this time of year.
# Will those mega-rock return to our waters? Our intrepid Reports Editor Dillon Waters certainly votes for YES!
Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore
Once December 11 arrives and rockfish go out of season it will get a bit tougher to take home a fish for dinner, but recall that southern portions of the ESVA enjoyed speck and redfish action well into December last year. In fact, anglers who shifted their attention from the shallows to slightly deeper structure reported some banner days until late in the month.
Way South and VA
We’ll be holding our breath to see if those big cow stripers decide to hang out near the CBBT this December, but even if they don’t, a good push of fish should be passing through at some point. We’ll be just as interested in seeing if the reds and specks set up shop in areas like the Elizabeth and the inlets, as they did last year. Either way it’s a safe bet that tog fishing at the CBBT, HRBT, and nearby structure will be in prime form this month.
# William made it out last December and confirmed that the crappie love chewing at this time of year.
Holiday giving for the kayak angler you love.
By Eric Packard
It’s December and it’s that time of year where the weather may have anglers sitting indoors, wrapped in a blanket next to the fire dreaming of warmer days, early sunrises, and beams of warm light casting an orange glow across the water’s surface. You may envision that trophy rising out of the shadows and eating your bait but for the moment it’s not to be. Right now, a cold wind is blowing in from the north, skim ice covers the water, and the sun hangs low in the west—but all is not lost. Your day can be brightened with a holiday gift to yourself. Or, you could brighten the day of a loved one as they sit there staring out the window. And whether it’s for yourself, that someone special, or a friend, these cool new goodies will bring a smile to any kayak angler’s face.
Let’s start with ICAST’s Best of Category 2024 award winner from Connect-Ease. The product is YAK-EASE Power Pack Pro. It is a self-contained, plug-and-play portable power system. It provides multiple connection points for your kayak’s lighting system and fish finder. It accommodates any 12V Lithium Battery with a maximum battery dimension of 8” x7.5” x5.5” in a premium Pelican Waterproof Case. Price: $699; visit connect-ease.com
Have you lit up for the holidays yet? Lighting up a kayak is a must if it’s powered with anything other than manual power. Guardian Angel now has a new remote controlled kayak lighting kit. This rechargeable kit comes with a red/green light for the bow, a 360-white light for the stern, two magnetic mounts, two wearable mounts, two tether attachments, and a remote control. These lights provide over two miles of visibility on the water with a single button push of the remote. The remote allows you to control your lights without having to reach the bow or stern of your kayak, taking precious moments away from your casts or the risk of falling overboard as you take that long reach. Price: TBA. Visit guardianangeldevices.com
LOkay: so you’re out fishing and you’ve landed a keeper red drum. You promised to bring home dinner, but you don’t want to stringer up your catch. Obsession Fishing has a solution and a gift for the season, the Pro-Series Fish Bag. This floating bag has mesh openings on each end to allow fish to remain alive and well while you continue your day of fishing, whether you’re shoreline, wade, or kayak fishing. The zipper ends allow you to easily dump your catch on the cleaning table once back at the dock. The floating bag comes with a leash of your choice and has an easy to open magnetic closure at the top to load in your catch. It comes with a ruler on the top, too. Price: $120;Visit obsessionfishingtx.com
Stocking Stuffers for 2024
ooking for some affordable items that will bring some holiday cheer to any ice-locked kayak angler? Check out these must-haves for the upcoming fishing season.
Gerber Magnipliers are a must have while out on the water. Freshwater or saltwater models are available. Price: $100; gerbergear.com
Who loves topwater strikes? Everyone! The Game On Lures X-Walker Topwater (available in 4.5” and 6” versions in a wide range of color patterns) will have the kayak angler you love looking forward to blow-ups and bent rods. Price: $14.99/$15.99; visit gameonlures.com
Goodsmann 4PK Kayak Light will give you a simple, inexpensive, but necessary safety light for your fleet of kayaks, or to share with your fellow kayak anglers. Price: $63.95; goodsmanngroup.com
Have you ever dropped a cell phone overboard? The Yakattack Rotogrip Phone Holder secures your phone so you can take the next cast without worry. Price: $70; yakattack.us
BROKERAGE & CLASSiFiED SECTiONS
DONATIONS
POWER
2022 Bayliner VR4 Bowrider OB 115 4S Mercury Outboard, Hydraulic Steering, Hours - 20. Karavan Galvanized Single Axle Trailer w/ Brakes and Winch, Gray Hull w/ White Bottom, Bimini Top, Bow and Cockpit Cover, Stereo w/ Speakers, Bolster Seat, Helm Bucket Seat, Aft Jump Seats, 12V Adapter, Digital Depthfinder, Swim Step, Bottom Paint, and more! $29,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20818
2023 Bayliner Trophy T20 CC 115 Pro XS Mercury Outboard, Karavan Galvanized Trailer w/ Brakes, Blue Hull Sides w/ White Bottom, T-Top w/ Rail Mount Rod Holders (4), Stainless Steel Upgrade Package, Trophy Logo Decal Upgrade, Ski-Tow Pylon, Center Console and Helm Seat cover, Cockpit Flooring - Gray Mat, Graphite interior, Center Console Package - Flip-up Transom Seats, Simrad GPS w/ Engine Data, and more! $49,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20999
2007 Yamaha SX210 Great fishing boat! Dual Yamaha 110Hp 1052CC engines w/ jet drives, and much more! $21,900 Beacon Light Marina, 410.335.6200, www.beaconlightmarina.com
2023 Sportsman Open 212 CC 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, Slideout Track, Mooring Cover, Underwater Lighting, Garmin DF/FF/GPS, compass, Hour Meter, Trim Tabs/ Gauge, and more! $69,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20744
2022 Ranger Tugs R-23 $134,987 Grasonville, MD - Call Josh Miller at 810.531.9191 or jmiller@pocket-yacht.com www.pocketyachtco.com
2023 Bayliner Trophy T23 Pilothouse 225 V6 DTS Mercury Outboard Upgrade, Hours - 10, Solid White Hull and Deck, Hardtop w/ Roof Hatch, Explorer Rails - Black w/ Fender Holders, Port and Starboard Extended Platforms, ShipsDek Custom Flooring Package, Bow Roller, Sink w/ Fresh Water System and Cockpit Shower, and more! END OF SEASON SALE $89,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20604
2004 Sea Ray 240 Sundancer **Priced aggressively for quick saleengine has good compression, outdrive is good, risers/manifolds are newer - upholstery, canvas, & cabin have “fair” cosmetics - items not working: water heater, fresh water pump, VHF & trim gauge is erraticeverything else functions as it shouldboat is in a slip and ready for sea-trial & immediate delivery.** $15,000 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #21061
2015 Yamaha Marine 242 Limited S Pinnacle of performance and luxury, watersports edition! Twin 1.8L High Output engines w/ jet drives. Price just reduced! $45,000 Beacon Light Marina, 410.335.6200, www.beaconlightmarina.com
2020 Cobia 240 Center Console Yamaha 300 w/ 200 hours, AmeraTrail trailer, well-maintained. Owner has moved and needs boat sold. $99,999 Contact Brett Kyle, 757.342.7056, Legasea Marine, www.legaseamarine.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
1999 Parker 2510 WA Very well-kept w/ fresh bottom paint and deck paint. Repowered in 2020 with a 250Hp Suzuki 4-stroke w/ only 405 hours. $49,999 Beacon Light Marina, 410.335.6200, www.beaconlightmarina.com
2004 Grady White 258 Journey Beautiful single-owner boatvery well kept and maintained. Powered by Yamaha F225Hp outboard engine. Price reduced! $44,900 Beacon Light Marina, 410.335.6200, www.beaconlightmarina.com
2006 Wellcraft 252 Coastal F250TUR Yamaha Outboard, 2008 Load Rite Roller Trailer, White Hull and Bottom, Windlass Anchor, VHF Radio, Garmin GPSMap 540S, Hours - 385, Sink, Raw Water Washdown, Bow Railing, Gunwale Molding, Trim Tabs, Volt Gauge, Clock, Engine Sync, Stereo / Speakers, Compass, and more! $34,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20826
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
(Reel Blessed) 28’ North Coast ‘21 $225,000 Jack Kelly 609.517.2822 jack@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net
(Gemini) 2018 Albemarle 32 Express Offshore ready and powered by twin Caterpillar C7s. Full cabin, tower, and Garmin electronics package are a few of the notable features equipped. Major price reduction$449,000 Contact Tyler Sinclair, 757.903.7690, Legasea Marine, www.legaseamarine.com
2023 Cutwater C-32 Sedan
$339,987 - Grasonville, MD - Call John Osborne at 410.236.9930 or john@pocket-yacht.com www.pocketyachtco.com
2021 Regulator 34 CC Twin Yamaha 425’s. Lift kept since new, just over 100 hours, new Yamaha warranties, as custom as they get. Price reduced $469,900 Contact Chris Hall, 757.509.0742, Legasea Marine, www.legaseamarine.com
2020 Sportsman 352 Open Triple Yamaha F300XCA outboards, custom painted white, Engine Warranty until 6/6/25, Engine Hours154, 2020 Venture VATB-18025, (2) Garmin GPSMAP 8622 displays, Garmin GMR 424 xHD2 Open Array, Garmin Reactor 40 autopilot, 12v Air Conditioning System, cabin & helm vents, Optimus 360 joystick, w/ SeaStain upgrade, Taco Grandslam 380s. Sold and serviced by Riverside Marine. This is a consignment listing but trades will be considered. $328,000 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20996
(Bill Night) 2020 Tideline 365
Offshore Best priced Tideline 365 on the market w/ a full tower, extensive Garmin package, FLiR, SeaDek throughout and more. Powered by twin Suzuki 350’s w/ warranties. Major price reduction $449,000 Contact Tyler Sinclair, 757.903.7690, Legasea Marine, www.legaseamarine.com
(Hit-N-Run) 2003 Contender 36
Open Long list of upgrades including new fuel tanks, tower, curtains, upholstery, electronics, and more. Repowered w/ triple Suzuki 300’s w/ 220 hours each. $197,900 Contact Tyler Sinclair, 757.903.7690, Legasea Marine, www.legaseamarine.com
2002 Rampage 38 Express Twin Yanmar 465’s w/ less than 1,000 hours. Well-maintained. Only 2 boat owners. Price reduced $159,000 Contact Chris Hall, 757.509.0742, Legasea Marine, www.legaseamarine.com
For all the latest listings, visit fishtalkmag.com
(Double Eagle) 42’ Hatteras ‘78 $69,000 Jack Kelly 609.517.2822 jack@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net
(Martini & Me) 42’ Post ‘81 $30,000 Andy Stratton 908.265.7670 andy@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net 2005 Meridian 490 Pilothouse $184,987 - Grasonville, MD - Call Capt. Lee Cook at 410.703.9911 or leecook@pocket-yacht.com www.pocketyachtco.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
Innovation Award
The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) announced the winners of the 2024 IBEX Innovation Awards Program. The program is managed by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and judged by Boating Writers International (BWI). The judges selected 13 Innovation Award winners and five honorable mentions from over 80 entries submitted by exhibiting marine industry companies. In the Outboard Engines Category, the award was given to Honda Marine for its Honda BF350 V8 outboard motor. Judge Brady Kay said: “With Honda’s first production V8 engine, their high-power outboard integrates innovative highlights including a fully balanced 60-degree offset crankshaft that eliminates the need for a harmonic balancer along with key exclusive features found in Honda’s DNA. The development of the BF350 enhances its existing lineup and takes Honda power to the next level.” Find the full list of innovation award winners at ibexshow.com. marine.honda.com
New Model
Mag Bay Yachts unveiled its all-new 38 center console at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Continuing the brand’s commitment to craftsmanship and quality, this sleek, versatile model is designed to offer tournament anglers, family boaters, and yachtsmen an unparalleled experience on the water. Built for avid offshore anglers and casual boaters alike, the Mag Bay 38 CC showcases a host of advanced features designed for optimal handling, comfort, and fishing capabilities. This newest model bridges the gap between the company’s existing models of 33- and 43-foot center consoles. Key features include a cross-step hull design, premium finishes, twin or triple outboard options, a state-of-the-art helm, spacious layout, and more. “The 38’ center console is the embodiment of Mag Bay’s dedication to performance, style, and craftsmanship,” said Michael Howarth, president of Mag Bay Yachts. “We listened to our customers and combined the best in cutting-edge technology with the classic craftsmanship that Mag Bay is known for in a size that bridges the gap between our existing lineup of center consoles.” magbayyachts.com
Digital Innovations
Following the successful launch of the Awlgrip 3D Color Visualizer, AkzoNobel has added two further digital capabilities to its technical service offer. The new innovations include RealWear, a camera headset that will change the way applicators worldwide can access support, and Virtual Reality (VR) Spray Gun technology. Both RealWear and the VR Spray Gun are compatible with the Awlgrip, Interlux, International, and Sea Hawk brands and will help train and upskill both the current and future generations to deliver superior yacht finishes, globally. The RealWear camera headset is a safe and hands free visual assistant tool that connects applicators directly to the AkzoNobel team for real-time technical support. Users wearing the RealWear glasses can stream video and take pictures, allowing the AkzoNobel technical team to observe issues and offer support in real time from anywhere in the world. The software can be used via mobile and is compatible with both Apple and Google operating systems.
Additionally, new VR Spray Gun equipment will now be available to teach and refine painting techniques, without the use of any liquid paint. Applicators are taken through the whole process of ‘virtually’ spraying an entire Awlgrip, Interlux, International, or Sea Hawk system on either the top or bottom of the boat and can learn the difference between primers, topcoats and fouling controls without the need to wait for the paint to dry between coats. The process allows users to see the way they virtually painted the part, how much paint was used, the application time and the cost associated in both time and product. These two advancements follow the launch of the interactive Awlgrip 3D Visualization earlier in the year, which simplifies selecting and customizing boat colors from an extensive database, allowing boaters and professionals to view their designs on various boat types. For more information, visit awlgrip.com
Milestone
Argo Navigation announces a major milestone for the company, as the app has surpassed 500,000 downloads. Since 2019, Argo’s mission has been to become the leading marine navigation and social boating app on the market. With today’s announcement, the company is well on the way to achieving this goal. “We have to thank all of our users for supporting Argo and spreading the word to their friends,” said Jeff Foulk, founder of Argo. “Our users are loyal, and we can’t thank them enough. I’m proud of the Argo team and the work we have done to reach this milestone. We will continue to innovate and improve as we work towards becoming the top marine navigation app on the market.” Since its release in 2019, the app has become a trusted navigation source on waterways across the United States and Canada. Argo is free to download and includes a premium subscription option for $4.99/month or $19.99/year. With features such as fast and accurate autorouting, Captain’s Log, real-time reporting, a desktop version, and social connectivity, Argo boaters have it all for their adventures on the water. Boaters love the app’s user-friendly interface and easy-to-use navigation tools. argonav.io
Appointed
Rightboat, the online boat sales marketplace, has appointed Josie Tucci as vice president of marketing and general manager of its expanding North American operation. Josie brings a wealth of experience, having previously led international sales and marketing teams in the marine industry for over 20 years. She joins Rightboat as the company experiences double-digit growth and her experience with digital marketing and business development will underpin Rightboat’s expansion strategy. Tucci comments; “I am excited to join the Rightboat team of industry experts to provide the best online experience for both boat buyers and sellers. Having led the marketing and build of award-winning websites for some of the world’s premier yacht charter and yacht sales brands, I look forward to contributing to the Rightboat leadership team’s ambitious plans for the future.” Started by brokers for brokers, the Rightboat team is now led by CEO Ian Atkins, a founder of Yachtworld.com. Atkins said, “Having partnered with Josie in her prior roles, I know she will deliver business growth and a first-class experience for our site visitors, B2B clients, and industry partners alike.” Drop her a line at josie.tucci@rightboat.com rightboat.com
s end your c hesapeake b ay business news and high-resolution photos to kaylie@fishtalkmag.com
