FishTalk Magazine January 2023

All Star Marine Inc | 410-574-8281

2434 Holly Neck Rd, Essex, MD

Bob’s Marine Service, Inc. | 302-539-3711

31888 Roxana Rd, Ocean View, DE

Danny’s Marine LLC | 410-228-0234

3559 Chateau Dr, E. New Market, MD

Fawcett Boat Supplies | 410-267-8681

919 Bay Ridge Rd, Annapolis, MD

Friday’s Marine | 804-758-4131

(Malise Marine Sales & Service)

14879 GW Memorial Hwy, Saluda, VA

Galahad Marine | 410-827-7409

121 Rental Ln, Grasonville, MD

Hidden Harbour Marina | 301-261-9200

600 Cabana Blvd, Deale, MD

Intercoastal Marine | 410-335-0458 2925 Eastern Blvd, Baltimore, MD

Jett’s Marine, Inc. | 804-453-3611 18477 Northumberland Hwy, Reedville, VA

JF Marine Service LLC | 443-432-3121

138 Bugeye Sq, Prince Frederick, MD

Legasea Marine | 757-898-3000 821 Railway Rd, Yorktown, VA

Maryland Boat Sales | 410-574-3988 2426 Holly Neck Rd, Essex, MD

North Bay Marina Inc | 302-436-4211

36543 Lighthouse Rd, Selbyville, DE

Pasadena Boat Works | 443-858-2400

Mountain Rd, Pasadena, MD

Pontoon Express | 302-945-0654

Harbeson Rd, Harbeson, DE

PYY Marine | 410-255-1771 1132 Pasadena Yacht Yard Rd, Pasadena, MD

Sandpiper Marine Inc | 757-787-7783 21530 Taylor Rd, Accomac, VA

Scott’s Cove Marina | 410-251-8047 10551 Eldon Willing Rd, Chance, MD

Thornes Marine | 410-957-4481

Greenbackville Rd, Stockton, MD

Total Marine | 410-604-6000

Wells Cove Rd, Grasonville, MD

Tradewinds Marina | 410-335-7000

Armstrong Rd, Middle River, MD

By Lenny Rudow

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

A SSOCIATE 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

Eric Richardson, eric@fishtalkmag.com

CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER Brooke King, brooke@fishtalkmag.com

DISTRIBUTION /BROKERAGE /CLASSIFIEDS MANAGER Beatrice M. Roderick, beatrice@fishtalkmag.com

ART DIRECTOR / PRODUCTION MANAGER Zach Ditmars, zach@fishtalkmag.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER / PRODUCTION A SSISTANT Royal Snyder, royal@fishtalkmag.com

TACTICIAN

Ligibel

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 beatrice@fishtalkmag.com.

Notes from the Cockpit

Expanding your Angling Horizons

By Lenny Rudow

Ahoy there anglers, welcome to 2023! Some of you may have heard by now that I recently upgraded my fishing boat from a 22’ Glacier Bay to a 26’ Caymas HB. One of the reasons I did so was because the Caymas is twice as fast, and I wanted to be able to make longer runs in less time so I’d be able to cover more varied waters through the course of a day of fishing. And if you want to expand your fishing horizons but don’t have a boat, there’s no better way to do so than buying one.

The downside, of course, is that boats are expensive. But just about anyone can afford one if they prioritize from the proper perspective. Take that car your spouse is driving around in, for example. Might he or she not be happier and healthier if you traded it in for a boat, and they biked to work every day? Or consider the family food budget. Cut it by $200 a month and you have enough for a payment on a small starter boat — soon you’ll also have fresh, nutritious, delicious selfcaught seafood to compliment all those mac ‘n cheese dinners. In the long run it will be a nutritional net gain.

In all seriousness, though, you don’t necessarily need to spend an arm and a leg to expand your fishing horizons with a watercraft. Fishing kayaks are one obvious option. Some are on the expensive side but others are not, and even a low-end yak can open up vast fishing territories that you can’t access while standing on dry land. Small aluminum or polyethylene boats are another great choice. They’re inexpensive, easy to maintain, and can be towed with a Prius.

The big hitch, for many people? They think they need a big fancy boat with all the bells and whistles in order to be happy. In reality, nothing could be farther from the truth. My personal fleet includes a two-seat polyethylene pondhopper and an elderly 16-foot skiff, and I spend just as much time on these as I do on the “big” boat. More importantly, I have just as much fun on them. No, you can’t take a 10’2” Sun Dolphin Pro 102 out into the middle of the Chesapeake. But at a place like Wye Mills Lake, it takes you from a few hundred yards of public access shoreline to over

50 water acres and a few miles of shoreline. And while you can’t take a 16’ skiff with a tiller-steer 25-hp outboard across the open Chesapeake every day of the week, you can fish just about any of the tributaries and poke your nose out into the Bay when the weather is nice.

Boats like these take very little work to maintain, little cost to operate, and can be bought new for less money than the average motorcycle. Since they’re simple in nature there’s not much that can go wrong with them. Since they aren’t a huge investment you don’t have to stress out every time you bump a piling. Plus, spending time on a small boat prepares you for the day when you might get a larger one. And best of all, a small boat or kayak will expand your fishing horizons in a massive way. Sure, I love bigger boats, too. But in truth you don’t need to go big in order to go big on your angling adventures.

# The AIC on his two-seat pond-hopper. The entire boat-motor-trailer package can be had new for under $3500.

Dear Governors

Dear FishTalk, Thank you for the passion and directness of your December Notes from the Cockpit article. I am so tired of hearing “incremental progress” about the Bay while the long-term decline continues. All of us should band together to truly protect and preserve the Bay.

-Bill S., via email Dear FishTalk, Great letter to the Governors.

-Bill W., via email Dear FishTalk, Good message in Notes from the Cockpit this month.

-Jack S., via email (And more).

FishTalk Responds: We seem to have struck a chord with this one. Governors Moore and Youngkin, are you listening?

Send your fish photos, questions, and comments to lenny@fishtalkmag.com

Like a Lead Balloon

-Anonymous

Let’s Get Live

Dear FishTalk, Ilove Live with Lenny, but how do you join live? I never seem to find the link. Thanks!

-Seth D, via email

Dear Seth, The links typically go live around 24 to 48 hours from the livestream and you’ll receive an alert with the link if you follow us on Facebook or subscribe to FishTalk’s channel on YouTube. If you’re not much into social media you can also sign up on our email list (go to the fishing reports at FishTalkMag.com, click on the link to sign up, and check the box for “live videos”). That way you’ll get a heads-up email with the link in it, as well. And, thanks for tuning in!

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Scan QR code using your phone’s camera.

RUDOW’S

Q: Why did Jimmy Page’s boat flip over in the marina?

A: It liked to dock and roll.

Fis H Ne W s

By Lenny Rudow

YOY = Why, Oh Why?

The juvenile striped bass survey results for 2022 are out, and yet again, are a major disappointment. The yearly index for Maryland was a paltry 3.6, well below the long-term average of 11.3. This marks the fourth year in a row of below-average results, and in fact, results that are less than half of the average. Virginia waters showed better results with a 2022 value of 7.95 fish, very close to the state’s 7.77 long-term average. This follows a pattern of more stable results in Virginia, where the past decade has produced near- or above-average results.

Unfortunately, white perch were also way down in Maryland, a trend that’s continued since 2019, and yellow perch saw a decline as well. On a bright note, spot have shown a continuing climb in abundance with the fourth year in a row of increased numbers.

Come See the AIC

Angler in Chief Lenny Rudow will be appearing at two venues this month: at the Chesapeake Bay Boat Show in Timonium, MD, on Friday January 20 at 4 p.m. and again on Saturday the 21st at the same time. The topics will be Fishing for Rockfish in the Shallows on Friday and How to Catch Speckled Trout in the Chesapeake on Saturday. These are just two of the howto/where-to fishing seminars taking place during the show, and the full seminar schedule of speakers can be found at thechesapeakebayboatshow.com.

On Thursday, January 26, come to Bosun’s Marine at 411 Winchester Creek Rd. in Grasonville, MD, at 6 p.m., to hear Rudow deliver Jigging and Trolling Tips for Catching Middle Bay Rockfish. The seminar is free for anyone to attend, and drinks and snacks will be included. Email Amanda at ahaddaway@bosuns. com for more information.

And on Saturday, January 28 Lenny will be speaking at Tri-State Marine 5861 Deale Churchton Rd, in Deale, MD, at 10:00 a.m., during Tri-State’s open house. Other speakers will be in attendance as well and there will be a Garmin expert on hand, so Visit tristatemarine.com for more information.

Here, Doggie Doggie

Maryland has a new state record for smooth dogfish, captured by Fay Ganster back in October. While fishing on the Bottom Bouncer out of Ocean City, MD, near Isle of Weight Shoals, Fay hooked and cranked up the 18-pounder. The shark beat Maryland’s old record by about three pounds, making Ganster’s Ocean City vacation a memorable one. One for the record books, in fact.

A Fresh One in VA

Virginia also recently saw a record set this fall, this one in freshwater: Michael Miller caught a six-pound saugeye, a hybrid between sauger and walleye. This species was just added to the state’s Record and Trophy Fish program in 2020, and Miller’s 26.25-inch fish is the first to qualify for the record. He caught the saugeye fishing in the Staunton River while casting a crankbait.

Philly Is Back

Alas, in 2022 there was no Greater Philadelphia Boat Show, but for 2023 this event is back in a big way. January 27 through 29 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA, you’ll be able to peruse row after row of gleaming fiberglass with dealers in attendance from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware. Added bonus: the Expo Center is easily accessed via the Pennsylvania Turnpike and has free parking. Show hours are 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Visit phillyboatshow.com to learn more.

# Where, oh where, have our little fish gone?

Bunker Bummer

While the 51,000-metric-ton cap on Chesapeake Bay menhaden harvest will remain in place for 2023, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted to raise the coastwide harvest cap to 233,550 metric tons. That’s a 20 percent increase in the quota, equating to 514,889,613 pounds of bunker. Average weight for these fish is about two-thirds of a pound, so we’re talking about 772,411,660 flipping, flopping fish. At a conservative 10-inch average length, this equates to 643,676,383 feet of head-to-tail menhaden. Or to put it another way, 121,908 MILES of fish— enough to circle the globe 4.9 times. Enough to get about halfway to the moon. Enough that if you jumped in your car right now and drove continually at 60 mph it would take around three months before you finally reached the final tail on the trail (with no bathroom breaks). Excessive harvesting? Naaaah.

Tournamen T n ewS

Frigid Competition

As you may surmise, there’s not a whole heck of a lot going on in the way of fishing tournaments in our region this month. Bass anglers may want to give Sturgeon Creek Marina a shout (sturgeoncreekmarina. com) if they’re interested in partaking in the Lake Anna Winter Bass Series (Sundays through the month). And pickerel sharpies will of course be out on the water vying for a win in the CCA Winter Pickerel Championship (ccamd.org), which runs through the end of February. If you’ve been on the fence about this one, now’s the time to act — the largest fish of the tournament are usually caught late in the game, so you still have a great shot at a win. Beyond these two events, you tournament addicts will just have to wait for things to warm up a bit.

Fish For a Cure 2022

Is a Wrap

The Fish For a Cure 2022 tournament went off without a hitch, with 70 teams raising cash for the cause to the tune of over $575,000. Two boats set fundraising records, with the Captain’s Challenge winner, Reel Counsel, hitting $144,208 and second place Laxfish reaching $127,420. In the fishing division PYY Fishing took top honors with a stringer of three rockfish at 91 inches, and Sonar kings and Team Junebug on the Sporting Wood both hit 79.75. Team FishTalk/ PropTalk ended up in 12th with 74 inches, but more importantly, hit 11th place for fundraising with $13,930 added to the Captain’s Challenge tally. The shore party was a smashing success and the South Annapolis Yacht Centre proved to be an ideal venue. Don’t miss this one next year, people. Fish For a Cure is about as much fun as fishing tournaments get, and every penny raised in the event helps cancer patients at LH AAMC.

We’d like to thank all of you who helped out by pitching in for the cause, and especially those of you who helped support Team FishTalk/ PropTalk. Both FishTalk and PropTalk magazines will again be tournament sponsors in 2023, and we look forward to working with the angling community to make next year’s event bigger and better than ever.

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.

Super Surf Stick

Surf rods are a major hassle to travel with. Even broken down into two pieces they’re unwieldy, heavy, and the tips seem to have a magnetic attraction to swinging doors and ceiling fans. Enter: the Daiwa Tournament Ballistic Surf 13HFSG. This rod breaks into not two but three segments, which fit together for a total LOA of 13 feet. When I first got my hands on one I was surprised to discover that it came in a dedicated protective case with a shoulder carry strap and separated sections for each piece of the rod. If there’s a safer way to transport a surf rod short of one of those bulky, heavy bazooka cases, I sure haven’t seen it. Fully assembled, the rod is so light it feels like one of yesteryear’s ultralights — and the sensitivity matches. Daiwa says their super-highvolume fiber Nanoplus construction is what does the trick. Removable weights in the butt cap allow you to customize the balance, and between the heavy, extra heavy, and xx-heavy models you can sling lures from two to 15 ounces into the suds. Guides are Fuji New Concept Alconite, fore and aft grips are shrink wraps, and the reel seat is a Daiwa custom. This one’s going to be a new favorite for serious surf casters who heave big stuff for the big boys. Price: $479.99 to $499.99. Visit daiwa.us for more information.

Take a peek at the Daiwa Tournament Ballistic Surf on video at the FishTalk YouTube channel.

Trolling Thunder

The folks at Imperium Lures were kind enough to donate two packages of lures to our Fish For a Cure fundraiser auction this year, and we have to admit that when we laid our eyes on the rigged Nano Lure 5-Pack, we were tempted to grab it and run for the door. The Nano series lures are 6.5inch trolling lures in two flavors: Super Smokers which create a “smoke trail” of cavitation bubbles as they wiggle, and HexaJet heads, which run straight and leave a straight smoke trail in their wake. Imperium says the Super Smokers are ideal for mahi and ahi while the HexaJet is perfect for wahoo, but either of the above will catch all of the above. Pre-rigs have their floppy rig hookset and come in a five-pocket lure bag. Price: $159.99. Learn more at imperiumoutfitters.com and thanks Imperium for the Fish For a Cure support!

Laser Show

You say you’re sick and tired of having to touch those icky fish in order to get a measurement? The SonicLaser Scale XP has got you covered. This digital scale doubles as a “multifunction ultrasonic fish measuring device” that allows you to measure the fish you just caught “without any human interaction…” As if you can catch fish without any human interaction in the first place? Anyway, you can preprogram the SonicLaser Scale XP to minimum weight and length for tournament requirements, and if the fish you didn’t interact with and don’t want to touch don’t meet the minimum size, a “thumbs-down” indicator will flash. Insert pithy thumbs-down comment here _______ . Price: $79.99. For more information, visit the fish market and have someone else fillet your fish for you.

Fit to a T

By Dillon Waters

Performance fishing gear is something that all anglers should have in their wardrobe to accompany their adventures. Lucky for us, there’s a new company in town you’re going to want to check out: Hawgfin is a local veteranowned company specializing in performance fishing gear for on and off the water. I was able to try out their long sleeve performance shirts and believe I may have found my new go-to fishing shirt. Hawgfin was founded on the three pillars of form, function, and fashion. Trust me when I say these shirts deliver in all three categories. Comfort is the name of the game when it comes to clothing. The combination of polyester and spandex material makes this product very lightweight and highly breathable, which will keep you cool during hot days on the water. The spandex component of the material allows for maximum stretch and improved range of motion. Whether you’re reaching for a net to land a fish or trying to grab the rod that just got hit, you won’t have to worry about being restricted in your movements. Meanwhile, the sleek, loose-fitting design of the shirts maximizes comfort to let you focus on catching that next hawg, and something that really impressed me was how durable the shirt felt compared to other name brand options. Hawgfin Long Sleeve Performance Shirts have you covered from the sun, too, with UPF 50+ protection. This is one of the most comfortable fishing shirts I have worn, and once you try one on chances are you’ll think the same. A variety of colors and patterns are offered. Price: $45. Visit hawgfin.com to learn more.

Rip-Rap Rap

As we prep this edition of FishTalk we don’t even know yet if we’ll have a cold spell deep enough and long enough to enjoy Mid-Atlantic ice fishing in 2023. But if we do, you’ll want to know about the additions Rapala has made to the Rippin Rap hard bait line. Rippin Raps are designed to flutter on the fall and vibrate like nuts on the yank. They come in 2.0-, 2.5-, and 2.75-inch versions, in 25 different color patterns. And what’s new for this year is a selection of different color patterns, including Bad Lipstick (purple-gold), Moldy Fruit (a delish-looking combo of yellow, pink, purple, and white), and Voodoo Haze (we were told not to describe this one or there’d be some sort of curse on our next fishing trip). Whether we get an ice season or not, we now know what those hard-water fanatics do all summer long: sit around and think up wacky names for snazzy color patterns. Price: $7.99. Visit rapala.com for more information.

Special Thanks!

We’re pretty sure we don’t need to introduce you to BKD lures. We’ve talked about their six- and 10-inch plastics about a million times in articles, videos, and fishing reports; suffice it to say that these soft plastics are, in fact, candy to a rockfish. They don’t have any brand-new lures to yap about at the moment (though if you haven’t checked the color selections in a while you should go to bkdlures.com and take a look, because the range has expanded to 12 different options), but we’re making some room in New Gear this month to thank BKD for again generously donating two selections of lures for our Fish For a Cure fundraiser auction. Thank you, BKD!

C HESAPEA k E C ALENDAR

BROUGHT TO YOU

BY

For C H e SAP e A ke B A y B o ATI ng ne WS , v ISIT PROPTALK . COM

January

through Jan 2

lights on the Bay An annual holiday light show featuring a two-mile scenic drive along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay through Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, MD, with more than 70 animated and stationary displays depicting regional and holiday themes. $20 per car, $5 for 3D glasses, $30 for large passenger vans, $50 for buses. Presented by the SPCA of Anne Arundel County.

through Jan 1

annmarie garden in lights - outdoor holiday light show

A family-friendly event to tour the outdoor gardens which have been transformed into an outdoor twinkling wonderland with glowing light sculptures, sparkling trees, holiday scenes, and so much more! In Solomons, MD. Non-members $15, ages 2 and under and members are free.

through Jan 1

retro christmas at Piney Point lighthouse museum

Enjoy tours in a family friendly retro holiday exhibit inside the museum and keeper’s quarters. At the Piney Point Lighthouse Museum in Piney Point, MD.

through Jan 1

st. clement’s island museum christmas Doll & train Exhibit

Enjoy a holiday exhibit of antique and collectible dolls, classic trains, and other retro toys in this festive holiday display inside the St. Clement’s Island Museum in Colton’s Point, MD.

through Feb 28

cca maryland Pickerel championship Target chain pickerel all winter long in this catch, photo, release tournament to compete for great prizes including Panfish, Kayak, Fly, and Youth divisions. Learn more at ccamd.org

4

fsff monthly meeting 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Free State Fly Fishers Clubhouse (behind Ford Hall) at the Davidsonville Family Recreation Center in Davidsonville, MD. Speaker: Rich Batiuk’s “Fly Fishing in Maine—A True Vacationland for Fly Fishers!” Please contact Ryan Harvey at rybeer@gmail.com for any questions.

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 Recreation Center in Davidsonville, MD. Learn how to tie a couple of fly patterns and proper tying techniques. All materials will be provided. Please bring your vise and tying tools if you have them. The clubhouse has some tools available for new fly tyers. Please contact Ryan Harvey at rybeer@ gmail.com for any questions.

11

frederick saltwater anglers club monthly meeting

Frederick Saltwater Anglers meet monthly at 7 p.m. at the Frederick Elks Club, the second Wednesday of every month. Food starts at 6 p.m. and we have speakers, vendors, and raffles with 50/50s. Call Rob at (301) 606-0392 for more information.

12 Deadly gamble: the Wreck of schooner levin j. marvel 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Van Lennep Auditorium at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD. Part sea story, part courtroom drama, in this talk author Kathy Bergen Smith will recount the story of the most-deadly shipwreck on the Chesapeake, as well as the courtroom and legislative fall-out from the event. Cost: $8 per participant. Register: cbmm.org

13-15

48th East coast commercial fisherman’s & aquaculture trade Exposition

At the Roland E. Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, MD. $15 a day, $25 for two days, $30 for three days.

14 north Beach VfD fishing and outdoor Expo and flea market

This inaugural event will feature tackle vendors, charter captains, boating and fishing supplies, door prizes, food and drinks, and more! 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at North Beach Volunteer Fire Department, 8536 Bay side Road, North Beach, MD.

20-22 the

chesapeake Bay Boat show

At the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. Presented by the Marine Trades Association of Baltimore County. Featuring over 30 Maryland boat dealers showcasing new boats and marine equipment, as well as entertainment, food and beverages, free educational seminars, and plenty of free parking. Tickets: thechesapeakebayboatshow.com

fsff monthly hands-on session

10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Free State Fly Fishers Clubhouse (behind Ford Hall) at the Davidsonville Family Recreation Center in Davidsonville, MD. Speaker: Joe Bruce «A Host of Fly Tying Techniques and Tips from a Commercial Fly Tyer.» Please contact Ryan Harvey at rybeer@gmail.com for any questions.

online maryland Boating safety course Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Presented by the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum. This course satisfies the requirements for operating a vessel on Maryland waters and a Certificate of Boating Safety Education is issued upon satisfactory completion. Instructors teach two sessions. Attendance at both online sessions is required, followed by an online test taken at your convenience. Cost: $20 per student donation to support USCG Auxiliary and HDG Maritime Museum Education Programs. Always Free to: first responders, active military, sea scouts and all medical/hospital staff. Questions: (443) 504-3880. Register: hdgmaritimemuseum.org

26

Bosun’s get hooked fishing seminar

6 to 8 p.m. at Bosun’s Marine Maryland. “Jigging and Trolling Tips for Catching Middle Bay Rockfish” with Lenny Rudow. Free. bosuns.com

3-5

Februarythe mid-atlantic sports and Boat show

28

tri-state marine’s annual ‘Early spring’ open house 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Tri-State Marine in Deale, MD. tristatemarine.com

At the Virginia Beach Convention Center in Virginia Beach, VA. Tickets cost $10, children under 12 are free. vbboatshows.com

8

frederick saltwater anglers club monthly meeting

28-29

kent island fisherman›s 12th annual fishing flea market

At the Kent Island American Legion Post #278 in Stevensville, MD. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission: $4 (ages 16 and under are free). Fishing rods, reels, lures and other fishing accessories, fishing charters, crabbing supplies, food, and more.

Frederick Saltwater Anglers meet monthly at 7 p.m. at the Frederick Elks Club, the second Wednesday of every month. Food starts at 6 p.m. and we have speakers, vendors, and raffles with 50/50s. Call Rob at (301) 606-0392 for more information.

17-19

40th annual oc seaside Boat show

At the Ocean City Convention Center in Ocean City, MD. Admission $10, children under 14 cost $1. ocboatshow.com

For links to the websites for these events and more, visit proptalk.com/calendar

17-19 Philadelphia fishing show

At the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA. Free seminars, saltwater, freshwater, fly, trout pond, lodges and guides, charter boats, apparel and gear, boats, RVs, art, marine electronics, and more. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages six to 12, and free for kids five and under. phillyfishingshow.com

18-19

30th annual Pasadena sportfishing Expo

8 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days. at Kurtz’s Beach (2070 Kurtz Ave.) in Pasadena, MD. pasadenasportfishing.com

24-25 77th national outdoor show

At 3485 Golden Hill Road in Church Creek, MD. Admission: $8 adults, $4 children. This show has the goal of preserving Dorchester County’s heritage by recognizing its resources and spotlighting the people who carry out unique talents in their way of life. nationaloutdoorshow.org

25 annapolis saltwater fishing Expo

8 a.m. to 3 p.m.at the Annapolis Elks Lodge. Presented by the Annapolis Anglers Club. saltwaterfishingexpo.com

25 fishing, hunting, and Boating flea market

8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the American Legion Post 91 in Cambridge, MD. $5 entrance fee, children 12 and under are free. Held by the Mid-Shore Fishing Club. mid-shorefishingclub.com

Fishing s hows in March:

11

great Bridge fisherman’s association annual fishing flea market

8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Chesapeake Conference Center in Chesapeake, VA. New and used rods and reels, fresh and saltwater gear, custom lures, boats and trailers, hot food and cold refreshments. Admission: $5, free parking. fishgbfa.org

11-12

Essex middle river fishing club annual flea market

8 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days. at the Rosedale Volunteer Fire Company (8037 Philadelphia Rd. Rosedale, MD, 21237). Food and refreshments. $5 admission, under 13 are free. For more info, call Frank at (410) 686-2348.

18 maryland fly fishing and collectible tackle show at West Village Commons in Towson, MD. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $5 for ages 10-16, and free for children nine and under. marylandflyfishingshow.com

25-26 mD sportsman Expo at the Howard County Fairgrounds in West Friendship, MD. This show offers a one-stop shopping experience, with great values on hunting and fishing gear, clothing, ATVs, boats, RVs, and trucks. mdsportsmanshow.com

Thunderstorms on The Chesapeake Bay

Back by popular demand! An in-depth, threepart webinar with meteorologist and sailor Mark Thornton of LakeErieWX Marine Weather about how to recognize and avoid Chesapeake thunderstorms. The series will examine: • Various types of thunderstorms • Ingredients that lead to their formation • Timing and lifespans of storms • Resources for forecasting and monitoring storms

all registrants will have access to the recordings for future reference

Te ST i M onial S f ro M The S T uden TS

Thanks for the great Chesapeake seminar, I’m sure this will be very useful for our sailing. - Michael

presented By:

This past week I sailed for a week on the Chesapeake and knew how to spot cold fronts, monitor their timing from various data sources and avoided all sorts of bad storms! - laura

Winter Rainbows Via Float ‘n Fly

We’ve detailed using the float ‘n fly technique for rainbow trout in years past and we have a video on the tactic at FishTalk’s YouTube channel, but we haven’t touched upon it in quite a while and it’s time for a refresher — because this is a great way to catch winter rainbow trout.

• Rig up an ultralight leader (four-pound test is about right) with a bead-head nymph-style fly.

• Add a small bobber three or four feet up the line.

• Slide a meal worm on the hook, once right through the middle.

• If it’s breezy cast upwind, and let the bobber dance its way back towards you on the waves. If it’s not breezy, cast out and jiggle your rod tip to make the bobber dance a bit as you give it an uber-slow retrieve.

• If you’re not getting bites try shortening or lengthening the line under the bobber until you locate the best depth.

• The moment the bobber goes under, set the hook.

Winter Puppin’

For the past couple of years relatively mild winters and healthy drum stocks have made targeting winter puppies a possibility in several areas of the southern Bay, particularly from Mobjack down through the Virginia Beach inlets. If the weather stays decent and there’s a shortterm warming trend that has you itching to get out, how will you catch ‘it? It’s as simple as one… two… three.

1. Rig up a medium-light rod in the 12-or-so pound-class with 15-pound fluorocarbon leader (remember, the water can be extremely clear at this time of year and although lighter leaders require finesse, they’ll generate more bites).

2. Tie on a 2/0 to 3/0 thin wire hook, then add a couple of split shot or a small rubber-core sinker about two feet up the line. Bait up with a live lip-hooked bull minnow. During the winter months when the fish

want to expend as little energy as possible to get as large a meal as possible, bigger is better. If you can’t get live minnow, black salties will work, too.

3. Cast it out and let it sit on bottom. Every minute or two slowly raise your rod tip to lift the minnow off bottom and bring it in a few feet. Keep track of its approximate distance as you retrieve, because winter fish are often schooled up tightly; where you get one

strike you’re likely to get more.

Areas to try include around docks hit by current (often the deepest ones will be the best along any particular shoreline), drop-offs of several feet from shallow flats into deeper water, and bends in marsh creeks with deep water. Warming trends lasting several days and late afternoons with a shifting tide are likely to increase the odds of good action.

# Will we have good winter pup fishing this year? That’s tough to predict, but the recent past bodes well.

# The float ‘n fly technique is a great way to target winter trout.

Al got his first Lower Bay bull – and one heck of a bull, at that!

# Tim had a great day casting for drum, and one of his catches – a 25” redfish – took third place in the Tidewater k ayak Anglers Association tournament this fall. Congrats, Tim!

# eddie of Severn river Anglers fame got a nice one!

# Steve caught this beaut of a bull while fishing under blues and birds in eastern Bay.

# Dan Howell caught this uber-cool crab of uniqueness in the Chester river – then let it go. nice.

# r yan and his friend hit the West river for an evening of fall fishing, and went home with a rock and a blue.

# Joe found this 40-inch bull red swimming around in… eastern Bay!

# American Sportfishing Association president glenn Hughes and Pacific policy director Larry Phillips had a great time “working” this fall.

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Authorized d e A ler. Certified t e C hni C i A ns.

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Todd, Fisher, gabe, TJ, Travis, and Bob fished the Tiki Lees last fall and had an excellent time – and placed 12th overall.

# Brooks, Avery, Chase, and Alex had a blast catching rock aboard the Simonizer

Louis tied into this nice 28-incher while trolling from his kayak near rock Hall.

# Zac was south of Poplar, when this nice Spanish mackerel struck the line.

# Cam’s first fish! Cam’s first fish!

# Bob won the battle with a 48-inch red after Capt. Marty helped chase the fish down.

Authorized d e A ler. Certified t e C hni C i A ns.

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# David caught his first fish, at Mariner Point Park. WTg, David!

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Mike found ‘em snapping in the Severn with a chill in the air.

# rich tied into this 34-inch blue cat near Port Deposit.

# Alex Jerasa tied into this big boy on the Heat Wave. Fish of the season! Fish of the season!

# Zach found this beautiful trout hiding in the marshes.

Authorized d e A ler. Certified t e C hni C i A ns.

# Amy showed Scott how it’s done!!

# r yan and Jess trolled up the rockfish on the Prime Time, just north of the Bridge.

# Ashley and Tonya encountered some nice ones north of the Bridge this fall.

# Zachary caught a MonSTer bluegill.

Authorized d e A ler. Certified t e C hni C i A ns.

# v ince and crew caught some nice ones near Thomas Point.

# David tied into his biggest striper yet this fall, kayak trolling in the Bay.

# The Mount Saint Joseph fishing club had a fantastic day aboard the Working Girl, with captain Pickens putting them on the fish big-time.

# Mason and his dad got into ‘em thick on the Potomac late last fall.

Authorized d e A ler. Certified t e C hni C i A ns.

h ot n ew f ishboats

By Lenny Rudow

Solace 30: Moon shot

You wish there was a boat that pulled no punches, broke all barriers, and was so jampacked with tech it would make a NASA engineer drool with envy? That boat now exists: the Solace 30 HCS.

For those who aren’t familiar with Solace, this is the builder that was launched in 2019 by CEO Stephen Dougherty, one of the founders of Edgewater Boats and then Everglades Boats along with his father Bob Dougherty of Boston Whaler fame. Solace entered the market at the very top of the tech curve, building boats out of epoxy-infused carbon fiber and Innegra. The carbon fiber and epoxy produce the most strength for the least weight, while the use of Innegra — a hydrophobic material now being used in ballistic protection gear, Formula-1 race cars, and high-impact sports helmets — reduces brittleness, dampens vibration, and boosts impact resistance.

Even setting construction aside the 30 HCS is a big a departure from the norm, hitting the water as the biggest hybrid bay boat design we’ve seen yet. While some will feel it’s a stretch to call a 30-footer a hybrid bay boat, the 30 HCS does indeed have lower gunwales than usual for Solace, elevated forward casting positions, and the ability to get into water barely a foot and a half deep thanks to an engine-up draft of 19 inches. The hull design is rather radical as well, with twin steps, a 37-degree

deadrise entry at the bow, and a 21-degree transom deadrise.

The net result of this design and build level is impressive prior to exiting the speed zone and nailing the throttles on a pair of 400-hp Verados. After that, it becomes utterly jawdropping. When we hit the juice in the lower Chester River late last fall the 30 HCS settled into an easy cruise in the mid-40s, then peaked at a hatstripping 63 mph. And that was with full fuel, one-third water, and three people aboard, so these are real-world numbers. Responsiveness and handling were off-the-charts amazing, with a mere half-turn of the wheel putting the boat into a graceful arc completely absent of the skittery, loose-han-

Qu IC k F ACTS

LOA: 29’ 10”

Beam: 9’ 10’

Displacement: est. 9000 lbs.

Draft (hull): 1’ 7”

Transom Deadrise: 21 degrees

Fuel Capacity: 187 gal Max Power: 900 hp

Area Dealer: Bosun’s Marine, grasoville, MD 443.347.6314 or bosuns.com

dling feel some stepped hulls produce. Cranking the wheel back the other way the hull responded instantaneously and maintained a firm grip on the water. And when we doubled back on our wakes the aggressive entry chewed right through them without banging or bouncing.

It wasn’t rough during our sea trial, but there was a breeze and a slight chop on the river. And as anyone who’s blasted across the water at 63-mph can tell you, at extreme speeds hitting a one-foot wave can be downright jarring. Not in this case. In fact, there was never a bump nor a bang worth noting and we never felt compelled to grasp the pipework with the usual high-speed

Hot New Fishboats

white-knuckled grip. Try though we may to convey just how effective the tech and the design perform off the dock, this is a case where you’ll have to experience it to believe it — a sea trial will be illuminating, to say the least.

It’s a stretch to find any construction or design downsides, though we will point out that it does make for a very expensive boat. We’ll also note that the painted aluminum pipework doesn’t look or feel quite as slick as powdercoating would, though on the flip side of the coin, it will likely look better a few years down the road since it’s easily touched-up whereas powder-coat never really looks the same once dinged or damaged.

This all sounds great if you’re a pure boat nut, but what about viewing the boat from an angling perspective? In the hybrid world the 30 HCS certainly leans more towards big water than skinny. It has a relatively deep cockpit running all the way back to the transom, where there’s an elevated double-wide seat atop a pair of 30-gallon livewells. The

seat is tricked out with a strut-assisted flip-back backrest that swaps between facing forward for cruising and facing aft for cocktail hour. While some anglers may wish Solace had incorporated an aft casting deck here, others will appreciate the added comfort for the crew. In either case, unlike most aft seat-over-livewell arrangements, accessing the wells is easy and unencumbered.

Up forward the bow is capped with U-shaped seating, and the seat cushions pop off easily to convert into a bow casting platform. When we say “easily,” we mean it. Solace laminates magnets into the seats and weaves them into the cushion bases, so they stay put without needing straps or snaps. But when you want to remove them, they slide right off with a gentle shove-and-lift. There’s also a double-wide lounger in the center of the bow perched atop the cabin.

About that cabin… try as we might, we can’t think of another 30-foot center console that provides as much space inside the console. A double berth runs forward under the lounger, there’s a

head, and there are also stowage compartments, a countertop with a sink, and 6’2” of headroom. Overnighting at the canyons in comfort on a hybrid bay boat just became a realistic option.

Tackle stowage can be found in the inwales and leaning post, a pair of 35-gallon fishboxes evacuated by gulper pumps are integrated into the deck, there’s a rigging station with sink in the back of the leaning post with a Frigid Rigid cooler beneath it, and an upper station is an option for cobia hunting inshore and spotting flotsam-hugging mahi offshore. This boat also comes fully rigged with electronics, including a pair of Garmin 8616 MFDs at the helm, a VHF, and an Airmar 500-watt CHIRP transducer including SideVu and ClearVu functionality. Oh, and you can also control all the boat’s digital switching systems right from those MFDs.

Punches pulled? Zero. Barriers broken? Many. Do we have any NASA engineers out there who are wiping their chin right now? Unconfirmed — but we’re betting the answer is yes.

Twin Vee 240 DC GFX: Dual identity

What’s the worst thing about getting a boat that’s sized for fishing the shallows one day and cruising into the open Atlantic the next? Taking a serious beating when the ocean kicks up. And, what’s the worst thing about getting a dual console fishing boat in the hopes that the entire family loves the layout? Many DCs make a prima facie attempt at providing a decent fishing platform, but fall down flat when you start digging into the details. Twin Vee has the cure for both of these ills: the 240 Dual Console GFX.

First, let’s take a look at the inshore vs. offshore thing. This boat will float in a mere 1’4” of water, so getting into skinny environs is not a problem. Yet when the offshore waters are calling your name you’ll be pointing the bow east and cruising in comfort, because the

Be sure to check out our video review of the Solace 30 at youtube.com/fishtalkmagazine

Qu IC k F ACTS

LOA: 24’ 0”

Beam: 8’ 8’

Displacement: 3,400 lbs.

Draft (hull): 1’ 4”

Transom Deadrise: N/A

Fuel Capacity: 90 gal

Max Power: 180 hp

Area Dealer: Total Marine, grasonville, MD 410.604.600 or totalmarine.com

powercat hull can smooth out the seas in a way monohulls just can’t match on a foot-for-foot basis. Two phenomenon work in the Twin Vee’s favor. First off, a pair of razor-sharp entries slice and dice the waves a heck of a lot better than one fat one. Think of the cat’s bow as a pair of knives, while the monohull’s bow is more like a spoon. Secondly, as the boat accelerates forward it packs air inbetween the hulls. The compressed air then acts as a cushion, softening the impacts as the boat meets waves.

You say we must be biased? Fine — we dare you to take one for a test ride. Or in this case, we suppose it’s a double-dare (snicker, snicker). We’ll be the first to admit that all boat designs have plusses and minuses, but those who attempt to argue that a well-de-

signed powercat doesn’t run smoother than a monohull of an equivalent size are invariably people who haven’t spent time aboard a well-designed powercat. So we don’t say take our word for it, we say take one for a sea trial. Preferably on a breezy, rough day, and see for yourself.

As for the 240’s fishability, a close inspection of this model proves that Twin Vee didn’t just build a family dayboat then sink a pair of rodholders in the gunwales and call it a fishing machine. They thought things through. For starters, you get a full complement of six flush-mount gunwale rodholders, a rack of four more holders across the transom, plus five rocket launchers if you opt for the hard top. There’s a 40-gallon livewell in the transom that’s fed by an 800GPH Shurflow pump. Flip down the doors in the seat bases and you’ll discover tackle stowage compartments. Yank those cushions off the forward lounge and remove the backrests, and you have a forward casting platform larger than those found on most bay boats with two more feet of LOA.

Under-gunwale racks, a raw water washdown, and integrated fishboxes are all in the mix. Capping off the long list of angling accouterments is an ability few 24-footers can offer: 200-plus miles of range at cruise (in the low- to mid-30s), thanks to a hefty 90-gallon fuel capacity.

What about those ever-important comfort features that make a dual console perfect for the entire family? The head inside the passenger’s side console is a critical one, but again, it’s just one among many. That foredeck lounger we mentioned earlier has about twice the padded relaxing space as your average monohull DC bow cockpit, thanks to the fact that cats like the Twin Vee carry their beam all the way forward. There’s an integrated dry box with two USB and a 12V outlet. The swim platform and helm are both foam-padded. A six-gallon freshwater system with a pull-out sprayer is in the transom, where there’s also a 65-inch Birdsall folding bench seat with backrest.

Inshore fishing? Check. Offshore fishing? Check. Smiles all around for the spouse and kids? Check. A ride so smooth it’ll shock the heck out of you? Check for yourself — we double dare you.

# It may be a DC, but the Twin vee’s angling attributes were clearly well thought-out.

Hot New Fishboats

By Lenny Rudow

Mokai ES-kape 2.0: Paddling is for suckers

You like the idea of fishing from a canoe, but you eschew the thought of physical exertion? Or, maybe you just like the idea of blasting across the water in your one-man fishing machine at speeds of 20 mph? The Mokai ES-Kape 2.0 was made just for you. Armed with a 9.5-hp jet drive, the ES-Kape carries four gallons of fuel and has a range of 60 miles. The hull is rotomolded plastic, and it’s a three-piece modular design so you can take it apart, nest the bow and stern in the cockpit, and slide it into the back of your Prius. Nifty! Price: $5395. Visit mokai.com to quit paddling and join the jet-set.

New Year, New Gear

Throw this stuff away!

You tossed Aunt Martha’s crusty fruitcake into the trash, the cranberry sauce got removed from the fridge when green fuzz started growing, and you just poured three gallons of expired eggnog down the drain — so, why don’t you get rid of fishing gear that’s aged poorly, too? There are some things that you should get rid of along with that 2022 calendar, yet most anglers end up trying to re-use this stuff season after season. Instead, make a resolution to get rid of these throwaway items and you’ll end up catching more fish as a result.

FISHING LINE

You think you can make that mono stretch for one more year? You can if you enjoy break-offs. Monofilament can lose up to 20 percent of its strength annually, depending on how it’s stored and how much it’s used. Not only does old line collect nicks, scratches, and kinks that result in a weakened status, it also loses strength due to natural deterioration. Sunlight is the worst offender, robbing monofilament of both strength and flexibility. Anglers who store their reels where they’ll be hit by sunlight should replace all of their mono each and every season. Those who store their gear in closed, sunlight-protected areas can usually get away with two seasons of use. Three seasons is a stretch for anyone, since the line is sure to be in poor shape due to abrasion if you use it often. Conversely, if you only use it on occasion it’ll be kinky and springy from spending so much time wound up tight on the spool. Either way, make it your mission to re-spool those reels with fresh stuff and you’ll end up catching more fish.

By Lenny Rudow

# If you want your line to hold up when you hook into a monster, make sure it’s fresh and at full strength.

What about braid? It doesn’t deteriorate the same way as mono, and can be used for several seasons. Line wear is the limiting factor for this stuff, so you’ll have to make a judgment call as to when your braid has reached the end of its life span depending on how much you use it and how much abrasion it takes.

HOOKS

Rusty old hooks lead to missed bites. That’s why you should throw used hooks away and buy new ones at the end of the season. Wait a sec — why not simply re-sharpen them? Sure, you could run those hooks over a stone or a file and get them back into working shape. But do so and you’ll expose new, unprotected metal to the saltwater environment, ensuring even

quicker decay than the hook already experienced. On top of that, with modern chemical and laser sharpening you don’t have a prayer of getting that old hook half as sharp as a new, high-quality hook is going to be.

DULL PLASTICS

Those bright chartreuse plastic shad went dull, and now they have a washed-out yellowish look to them? But, but, but… they’ll still work, won’t they? Sure. Just not as well a shiny new plastic shad would on those days when the fish want chartreuse. You’ve spent big bucks on a boat, fishing rods and reels, tackle, and more, and now you’re going to accept a drop in bites to save less than it costs to pump a few gallons of fuel into the tank? C’mon, you skinflint!

As we usher in a new year of fishing there’s some stuff that needs to go into the circular file.

New Year, New Gear

Toss out those dull old plastics, and get a new set before the next season arrives.

COPPER RIGGING WIRES

Copper rigging wires get kinks and loops in them after just a few uses. But those wires will still work perfectly fine, you think? Yes, and when you reuse them you can usually pull the kinks through the ‘hoo without splitting the top jaw. Usually. But sometimes, a kinked rigging wire will split that jaw and the ballyhoo will be ruined. You’ll have to start rigging a new one all over again, and worse, you just destroyed a bait that costs over a buck — to save about five cents on a nine-inch piece of copper. Good move. Now, consider the wires that have been cut or broken short. How many times have you strived to re-use these, spent time rigging a ballyhoo, and discovered at the end that the wire just is half an inch too short to complete that final twist? Yeah, that’s what we thought, Mr. Tightwad.

KNOTS

Hold on just one dang second, you can’t throw away knots! Well no, you can’t. But we need to make sure no one’s trying to reuse old knots in monofilament from year to year. You should break ‘em off or clip them away and tie new knots in all of your gear, anywhere you find them. Knots left in mono for extended periods of time grow weak and will break far easier than they should. So pitch them in the metaphorical trash can, and start with fresh knots come spring.

OPEN GULP!

Once the seal has been broken, these packages are prone to leaking and should be considered hazardous material. The last thing in the world you want is GULP! juice dripping out into your tackle box or gear bag. Trust us — the sticky, smelly mess is incredible. And if it spills or leaks out in the wrong place, you’ll be enjoying eau de la minnow slime for months to come.

CHIPPED LEADHEADS

The problem here isn’t that unpainted heads don’t work (they do), but once the paint on a lead jig head chips, tiny flakes and bits of paint continue coming off forever more, soon followed by a flow of lead dust. Put a chipped head back in the tacklebox and the next thing you know paint chips will migrate through all the different compartments, contaminating everything from soft plastics to bucktails. Especially on small boats that take a beating on the bay or ocean, this can become a significant problem. Lure finishes get ruined, color patterns get changed, and everything in that box is at risk. (Not to mention the health hazards of having lead dust all over the things you’ll be handling.)

So: are you ready to go through all of your gear, do some winter cleaning, and get everything in shape for 2023? Get out the garbage can, and prepare to fill it to the brim. Don’t cheap out, don’t risk losing fish, and don’t try to recycle things that are best tossed out — send the above items to the dump along with Aunt Martha’s fruitcake.

# Sharpen all you want, you’ll never put as fine a point on an old hook as modern chemical- and laser-sharpening does.

Make your own ergonomic fish cleaning station

By Daniel J. Felsher as told to John N. Felsher

The idea for a fish cleaning station sprang from pure necessity. Growing up, Dad said that if I wanted to bring home fish and game to eat I needed to learn how to clean it — so he taught me. As we both grew older, cleaning the catch from our many adventures became primarily my job.

I used to dig a hole in the backyard to bury the parts we didn’t eat. I cleaned our catch on a simple cutting board or sometimes used the top of an ice chest, but I still had to squat down or kneel. As I got older, kneeling got rougher on my knees.

I wanted something large, rugged, and mobile that could handle a variety of cleaning jobs that I could do from an ergonomic standing position. Being in the military, I also wanted something that I could move around, place where I wanted, and take with me when I moved. I also wanted access to water so I could wash the meat and not risk dropping it on the way to the kitchen. Now that I’m married, my wife appreciates not messing up her kitchen!

I looked around at various large sporting goods and building supply stores and saw some good ideas, but none really fit all my needs. Therefore, I decided to fabricate exactly what I wanted to fit a guy my size. For the design, I borrowed ideas from several different cleaning tables that I saw in the stores and added my own unique touches to build a customized ergonomic cleaning station — something any angler could do for a useful project this winter.

For the basic construction, I used two-by-fours and bought a cheap plastic sink. The materials probably cost about $250. A person could save a little money by obtaining an old sink that someone throws out when remodeling a house. For a backyard fish cleaning

station, it doesn’t need to be new or fancy.

On one side, I added a big cutting board and attached a clamp to the board to hold fish by the tail as I cut them. For the sink, I built a box out of two-by-fours. The sink free-floats in the table so I can lift it out and clean it or under it as necessary. Then, I built the legs and beefed up the chopping board side. I had to add a couple of two-by-fours to the cutting board side so the board would fit.

The hardest part of building the cleaning station was the plumbing. I couldn’t find anything specific to my needs, so I had to make everything out of PVC pipe and flexible 3/4inch rubber hose. The sink has a connection for a water hose, but it’s not permanently hooked up to running water. When I need water, I connect the garden hose to the sink and rinse everything off.

The sink has an opening at the bottom so water runs directly onto the ground. If you want a more permanent arrangement that doesn’t make a mess, you could easily make a drain for the sink. Or, you could put a bucket or a garbage can lined with a trash bag under the hole to catch all the scraps. For me, it was easier to mount a hook on the cutting board side where I can hang a bucket. I toss anything I don’t want into the bucket for burial later.

It’s a very solid piece of construction that weighs about 200 pounds. I weigh 250 pounds and I can stand on one side of it without it tipping over. With it that heavy, I didn’t want to carry it so I put casters on the four legs. If I build another one, however, I wouldn’t use casters. Casters turn independently, and that becomes inconvenient when trying to maneuver it around. Instead, I’d get a pair of large wheels off a wheelbarrow or the back of a lawnmower. I would put those

# Looking for a good winter project to dive into? A cleaning table will serve you well for years to come.

on one side and two casters on the other side. Then, it could be moved around like an outdoor grill.

From the time I unloaded the materials until I was ready to clean fish, it took about five hours of work. I think anyone could build such a cleaning station for themselves in a similar amount of time. One thing I learned — and it’s an old lesson — definitely measure twice and cut once. Always cut a little less off than necessary and then fine-tune it from there.

If anyone would like me to make a cleaning station or has any questions, email me at dan_felsher@hotmail.com.

List of Building Materials

• 1 sink (plastic is best) with faucet and spout

• 1 large cutting board 1/4-inch thick

• wheels (optional)

• 1 spring-loaded metal clamp

• 12 pressure-treated 2x4x8s

• 5 feet of 1-inch diameter PVC pipe

• 1 PVC adapter for a garden hose

• 1 can PVC glue

• 2 feet of 3/4-inch flexible rubber hose

• 1 tube clear silicone

• 1 threaded adapter for flexible hose

• 1 PVC adapter to flexible hose

• 3 conduit clamps

• 2 hose clamps

(3/4-inch flexible hose)

• 2.5-inch wood screws

• 1-inch wood screws

Step-By-Step Instructions.

1. Build a frame around the base of the sink out of 2x4s. Make sure not to build the frame too tight. The sink should be able to slide in and out of the frame easily.

2. Screw in two 2x4s 60 inches in length to the front and back side of the sink frame. Attach a 2x4 to the sides, making a bigger frame.

3. Attach the legs of the station to each corner of the frame. For stability, attach 2x4s to the inside of each leg, making braces. If desired, attach the casters or wheels.

4. On one side of the frame attach the large cutting board. Use additional 2x4s as needed to ensure the cutting board fits correctly. Using the 1-inch screws to secure each corner of the cutting board. Now, attach the metal clamp to the cutting board on the side closest to the sink to serve as a fish holder.

5. On the side opposite of the cutting board, attach 2x4s running width ways on the inside of the frame. After braces are complete, screw in 2x4s to the top of the frame and braces. This serves as a chopping block.

6. Assemble the PVC fittings starting with the garden hose attachment. Glue the garden hose attachment to the end of the pipe. Measure out distance to under the sink. Cut the pipe, and glue on PVC to flexible hose adapter. It might be necessary to secure pipe to frame or braces. If so, secure with conduit clamps.

7. Bore a hole in backside of the frame under where the water hookup is. Line the threads of the sink with Teflon tape and secure the flexible hose adapter to the sink. Measure out the distance between two adapters and cut flexible hose to size. Line brass fittings with clear silicone, and attach flexible hose to both pipe and sink. Let the silicone and glue dry before running any water through the cleaning station.

Daniel J. Felsher grew up in the sportsman’s paradise of south Louisiana. Being the son of an outdoor writer, he began hunting and fishing at a very early age and frequently accompanied me on many adventures. Always handy with tools, Daniel now serves on active duty with the U.S. Navy as an aircraft engine mechanic based in Virginia. – John N. Felsher

# The author gets to work on the catch of the day.

D ELAWARE O CEA n S TRUCTURE PART III:

By Wayne Young

You might hear that fish are at the “DB” Buoy (commonly referred to as Buoy “B”) off Cape Henlopen. How often has that or a similar report been heard? It does seem that sportfish hang out in the vicinity of certain navigation buoys inside the Delaware-Cape Henlopen Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS). But, why are they there? Do fish like buoys? Nope — as it turns out, there’s a lot of productive structure within this TSS as shown by Chart 1.

This marine highway consists of a charted and buoyed marine pilot boarding area east of Cape Henlopen, a convergence zone charted as a precautionary area, the eastwest Cape Henlopen-Five Fathom Bank TSS and northwest-southeast DelawareCape Henlopen TSS, and separation zones between the inbound and outbound traffic lanes. Ships, as a practical matter, can’t get out of your way because of traffic lane requirements and maneuvering characteristics, and those on the ship’s bridge may not be able to see you even though you can see the ship. Thus, it’s always incumbent on you to stay clear of commercial traffic when fishing.

So, why are fish found in the vicinity of buoys, particularly those marked on Chart 1? Think of these buoys merely as serving as convenient reference points.

Starting in the Precautionary Area, Site 1 is a 56-foot unidentified wreck at coordinates 38’46.402 x 74’58.675. A 1993 hydrographic survey found wooden and metal debris, a concrete block, and a chain. The wreckage was found again with sidescan sonar during a 2000 hydrographic survey. BAG imaging shows an anomaly in a scour with some small objects at the southwestern corner, as shown by the screenshot in the lower left corner of the Chart 2 enlargement. Whatever it is measures about 30 feet across using the BDV distance scale.

Site 2 is a 59-foot unidentified fishing vessel wreck in coordinates 38’44.793 x 78’57.540. A BAG image is shown as the middle bottom insert on Chart 2. When

discovered and investigated by divers during a 1993 hydrographic survey for the National Ocean Service, a single-screw metal wreck with evidence of fiberglass covering on the deck was found rising two to three yards off the bottom. Divers also found a fish net suspended by a buoy. The BAG image derived from a 2013 survey shows the vessel in a scour hole sitting upright. Vessel length is about 50 feet using the BDV distance scale.

At Site 3 there are two features. Buoy “DC” is on the centerline of the Separation Zone for the northern end of the TSS. Immediately west of the buoy is a 53-foot least depth obstruction that consists of a sunken buoy and a buoy anchor which is probably a concrete block. Found during the 1993 survey, it displays as a DEM image “dimple.” The buoy was most likely struck by a ship or tug and barge, cracked or holed, and then sank. Try

There are fishing options galore just off the Delaware shore.

General location of wrecks and obstructions in the Delaware-Cape Henlopen Traffic Lanes.

working the edges which quickly fall off into the old riverbed.

Between Buoy “DC” and “DB,” there are four scattered rocks that were large enough for individual cataloging in AWOIS. They are marked as Sites 4, 5, 6, and 7 and are 50, 65, 66, and 75 feet deep, respectively. Site 4 is a large oblong rock sitting in a shallow scour at coordinates 38’39.501 x 74’57.072. The other three rocks are outside of BAG imaging. Charted positions are 38’39.018 x 74’55.040 x 38’39.446, 74’ x 54.247; and, 38’39.866 x 74’54.029, respectively. All four are at the same general latitude strung out from east to west suggesting possible outcroppings from an ancient ridgeline that intersected with the deep-water riverbed. The old river bed runs southeasterly down the inbound (east side) traffic lane and widens to over a mile towards the southern end.

About two nautical miles southeast at Site 8 is Buoy “DB.” Although the bathymetry is relatively smooth, the bottom

slopes downward into the old river bed. North and south of Buoy “DB,” imaging reveals a narrow trough running southeast which is good flounder ground. At Site 9 east southeast of Buoy “DB” is an unidentified 71-foot wreck at coordinates 38’37.927 x 74’50.744. This wreck dates from 1971 and AWOIS records that it rises about five feet off the bottom. Think: sea bass.

Southeast of Buoy “DB” about 3.5 nautical miles at Site 10 lies a 76-foot-deep wooden wreck in the center of the separation zone. It was found during a hydrographic survey at 38’35.245 x 74’49.652. DEM imaging shows a “dimple” on the bottom. It’s worth a check for sea bass when in the area.

Southeast from the wreck 3.3 nautical miles brings us to Buoy “DA” (Site 11). The area around the buoy and to the north is the well-known “Old Grounds,” a highly productive area for flounder. The bottom is course and rocky, especially west and southwest of Buoy “DA.”

Southwest in the center of the outbound traffic lane at Site 12 is an 85-foot unidentified wreck at coordinates 38’31.444 x 74’47.468. The wreckage was detected by side-scan sonar during a 1999 survey. DEM imaging suggests rugged bottom, but there are no anomalies under the raster chart wreck symbol. If structure remains there, it’s low profile.

Southeast of “DA” along the eastern edge of the Separation Zone, look for what’s known as “Patty’s Pitcher Wreck” at Site 13 on Chart 3. This is a 93-foot-deep wooden wreck at coordinates 38’30.146 x 74’43.779. DEM imaging shows a prominent “dimple” under the raster chart wreck symbol. The wreckage is described by divebuddy.com, a diver’s website as “... mainly a series of ribs with lots of nooks and crannies for bugs and fish to hide. The bow sports a large anchor and pony boiler out in the sand. The stern has a large rudder flat on the sand. Several gudgeons have been brought up in the last few years. She is thought by some to possibly be the Singleton Palmer, sister ship to the Elizabeth Palmer.”

A short distance northeast in the inbound traffic lane at Site 14 is a 79-foot

Chart 2: Top - Structure locations at northern end of Delaware-Cape Henlopen TSS. Bottom left and middle – BAG images.

Bottom right – DEM image of a mass where obstruction is located. Screenshots from NOAA Bathymetric Data Viewer.

wreck, and just above the southern end of the TSS inside the eastern edge of the Separation Zone are 105-foot obstructions marked as Site 15. This is where lies an unidentified shipwreck known as the “Independence Day” wreck and also the “Bimbo Wreck.” BAG imaging shows a large object, but not with any detail. However, recent high-definition sonar scans by Ben Roberts, Eastern Search & Survey, reveal a low-profile distributed wreck that is about 240 feet long and 38 feet wide.

Back in 1921, the five-masted wooden schooner Singleton Palmer sank following

a collision some 10 to 13 nautical miles from Fenwick Shoal Lightship. This wreck is a bit shorter than the Singleton Palmer, although it’s in proximity to where she went down. Located as it is in the bottom of the old riverbed, it’s a fish magnet especially for sea bass and tautog. Don’t pass this one by! And, don’t overlook the Eastern Search & Survey Google Map on the Internet and related posts on the ESS Facebook page. The map catalogs the sites investigated by ESS, including well over 100 sites in 2021, and has links to high-definition side-scan and multibeam sonar images, historical background, and in

some cases, underwater pictures. Search for “Eastern Search & Survey” on Facebook or the Internet.

The southern end of the TSS is marked by Delaware Lighted Buoy “D,” formerly “DL”. This was the location of the Delaware Lightship, and the location is commonly referred to by that name. The bottom here is quite irregular, and is a flounder and sea bass hotspot. There’s a lot of bottom structure to prospect in the TSS. When fishing here, always be on lookout for shipping, keep a close eye on the weather and surface conditions, and wear a personal flotation device. #

Wayne young is the author of “Bridges Under Troubled Waters: Upper Chesapeake and Tidal Potomac Fishing reefs,” “Chesapeake Bay Fishing reefs, voyage of Discovery,” “Phantoms of the Lower Bay,” and “Hook, Line, and Slinker.” All are available at Amazon.com, and you can find his Facebook page at Chesapeake Bay Fishing reefs.

Chart 3: Top – ENC Chart depiction of structure. Bottom – Raster chart basemap under ENC chart at 50% transparency. Screenshots from NOAA ENC Viewer. Top insert – BAG image of wreck. NOAA Bathymetric Data Viewer.

Multi-Species Winter Kayak & Jon Boat Fishing

Fishing from a kayak or small Jon boat is a great way to get out on the water during wintertime.

By Eric Packard

Winter is here and most anglers have hung up their rods and winterized their boats for the season. But a few of my fishing buddies and I are checking our tackle, dusting off our cold weather gear, and making a mental list of places we plan to fish over the next few months. I’ll be fishing lakes, the millponds on the Eastern Shore, and several of the rivers, plus any other open water to catch and target a variety of species of fish — kayak fishing or fishing from a small Jon boat that doesn’t have to be winterized is the perfect way to keep getting out on the water during the winter months.

There are a number of fish species that can be found during the cold months in the region, such as largemouth bass,

pickerel, white perch, and black crappie, just to name a few. But fish react to the water temperature they are in. When it’s sunny out and the water is warm they move faster than when it’s cloudy and the water is cold. So slow your presentations down, and adjust throughout the day as needed. Also remember that many waterways have very clear and clean water during winter as compared to the summer months, so use lighter weight fishing line and leaders to reduce their visibility.

The type of fishery is a player here too. A millpond on the Eastern Shore will need to be approached differently than a reservoir, and some of the millponds will need to be fished differently than others just a few miles away. Keep in mind

that a millpond will normally have water no deeper than eight to 10 feet, and that the deeper water will be near the dam. I look for structure along the shoreline and target it, but there will be times when the middle of the pond will produce more fish than the shoreline. This is because the millponds are basically shaped like a sheet pan, the same depth the entire width of the lake. Fish in these ponds will patrol and hunt bait on a warm day and they will stay put on colder days waiting to ambush prey.

As for reservoirs, fish will move to shallower water, following the bait, if there has been a string of sunny warm days in a row. But they may be sitting in 20 feet of water along an old river channel on very cold days.

# The author holds up a chunky millpond bass.

Living Largemouth

I just love to hunt largemouth bass in the cold because they provide a challenge that most other fish don’t. And I catch my biggest bass during the winter months! So let’s talk about largemouth bass. They can be almost anywhere in a lake or pond, from a shallow bay to the deepest water in the lake. Here is what you need to keep in mind when you head out for a day of winter bass fishing.

• Weather Patterns – If it has been warm and sunny for a few days head for shallow water, throwing inline spinners, spinner baits, jerk baits, and paddletail jigs. As the day progresses and the shallow water warms it draws in baitfish and the bass are on the move to hunt them.

• Types of Fisheries – Eastern Shore millponds have big bass and plenty of them. Look for surface action from bass feeding on baitfish, normally between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. on warm days. This is the time of day when the water has started to warm and the baitfish are on the move.

• Time of Day – I have noticed that I am catching more bass on the millponds between 9 and 11 a.m. but I’ll continue to work the pond throughout the day, shifting areas of focus while checking for fish that have moved to structure or shade as the sun rises, and deeper water along the dams on very sunny calm days.

The Chain Gang

My second favorite fish to hunt during the winter is chain pickerel. As the water cools these fish get very active.

• Weather Patterns – You can catch pickerel on almost any day during the winter. It seems to me that it is harder to catch on a nice sunny day, however, and a cloudy day is best. Effective baits are inline spinners, jerk baits, and — often the best bait for winter pickerel — a minnow on a jig a foot or so under a bobber.

• Types of Fisheries – Again, millponds are excellent for fishing for pickerel. But don’t just concentrate your fishing along shoreline structures. Turn your back to the shoreline, and take your cast towards the middle of the millpond or lake because in the millponds they seem to simply be sitting in wait for an unsuspecting baitfish to pass by along a dead or dying grass bed or fallen tree. In reservoirs the same can hold true. On St Mary’s Lake, for example, I find the biggest winter pickerel on large shallow flats near remaining grass, drop-offs, and other structures. If you are fishing a tidal river such as the Severn or Magothy, look for pickerel around the docks, along riprap, and on shallow flats. When the tide recedes look for them along the channel edges.

• Time of Day – I seem to have my best luck early in the morning but on the rivers, the tide can play a role here. On a moving tide they will be more active, as most other tidal fish will. At the bottom of the tide, find them in the channels, on a high tide look around docks with moving water.

# This hungry pickerel bit on a bull minnow under a bobber.

# Wintertime fishing can bring some big bass to the boat!

Multi-Species Winter Kayak & Jon Boat Fishing

Winter Whites

Let’s talk about winter white perch, but be forewarned, this isn’t always an easy one…

• Weather Patterns – Winter perch are usually found in deep tidal waters, so I try to go out only on low wind and calm water days.

• Types of Fisheries – I’ll be targeting… Okay, I’ll come clean here — I only fish the Patuxent River for them in the winter. I’m familiar with the water, my launch, and the holes I fish. But it’s a sure bet that the same type of water on another river, be it the Potomac, Choptank, or the like, will produce too. I look for holes that are 50 to 70 feet deep. Then I look for the fish to be stacked up, which looks like a massive bait ball on the meter. I will then position my kayak over the marks and drop a very small metal jig straight down into the fish. A slow quick jigging pattern usually produces bites. You may have to change up the pattern now and then too, and use more of a slow-pitch jig method where you drop the bait, give a quick snap, and follow the bait down with the rod tip. Make a quarter or

less turn on the reel’s handle during the drop cycle. Then repeat until you get bit, working your way up through the water column. The bite will come on the drop of the jig. Try various types and colors of small jigs, too; you’ll catch a lot of perch on a blue colored metal jig.

• Time of Day – When the sun is out and it has warmed up some is the best time for this gig. Big water can have some very cold days.

Crappie in the Chill

Winter black crappie? Talk about some good eating, these fish taste great!

• Weather Patterns – As with white perch, try to find a day that is calm and sunny, but the weather doesn’t have to be perfect to hunt for crappie.

• Type of Fisheries – I find winter crappie fishing best in reservoir impoundments. They aren’t all open year-round, but St Mary’s Lake in Southern Maryland and Lake Anna in Virginia are, and they both produce winter black crappie. Use your meter to find schools of fish in water about 15 feet or deeper, then drop a micro-jig into the school. On a windy day micro-jigs will just drift behind the boat, so you’ll have to go heavier or use a split shot above the jig to get it down into the water column. I catch more fish on a chartreuse micro jig than any other color. Once I have dropped my jig into the fish I’ll let it rest for a few seconds.

As the boat drifts with the wind, I will very slightly and slowly jig the bait up and down. When it’s a little windy and there is a slight chop on the lake you can drop two jigs over the edge of the gunnel and simply let the boat do the jigging for you. Minnows will work here as well.

• Time of Day – You can hunt crappie all day long, as mentioned earlier they will sit in suspended schools in deep water. Once you find them on your meter and nail down an effective bait, time of day doesn’t seem too critical.

There are other fish species to target throughout winter, too, but for all of them keep the basics in mind and go slow with your lures. Also remember that live bait such as minnows will commonly produce more fish than artificial baits. Mix it up and experiment with your offerings and your presentation, too.

A final thought: don’t fish on windy days, or after a storm due to the rainfall making rivers and creeks unsafe. Always have a float plan and inform someone of the time that you’ll be on and off the water, then let them know via a phone call or text when you’re back on land. This way if they don’t hear from you they know to call, and if you don’t answer they can seek out help from the authorities. Stay safe out there — winter fishing in kayaks and small boats does have an element of danger to it.

See Paddler’s Edge: Winter Kayak Safety at FishTalkMag.com for more information on cold-weather fishing safety.

# White perch go deep during the winter, but if you can locate one of the holes they stack up in you can catch one after the next.

# Crappie are another good winter target, which bites tiny jigs and minnow year-round.

Wacky Worms for Beginners

By Staff

# This bass couldn’t resist the wiggle of a wacky worm.

Some types of rigging can get complex and thus may seem a bit overwhelming at times, but you can catch just about every sporting species with some very simple, basic rigs. And when it comes to catching largemouth bass, few rigs are as simple — or as effective — as the wacky worm.

# When a fish takes the bait the worm will often slide up the leader. After a few bites, the worm may get ripped or worn out. Fishing with an o-ring can help reduce this worm-wear.

What Is a Wacky Worm?

The term wacky worm refers to the rigging method as opposed to the worm itself, and can be used on just about any plastic worm. It’s uber-easy to set up: simply tie a hook on the end of your line, slide the hook point through the middle of a plastic worm so the worm hangs down in more or less an upsidedown U shape, and… and… and… well, that’s about it.

Seasoned wacky worm users will generally opt for a relatively wide gap hook, sometimes an octopus style and often weedless when fished in heavy cover, in the 1/0 to 2/0 size range. Many will also add a few feet of leader to their mainline when fishing near abrasive structure or thick vegetation. Advanced anglers sometimes opt to place a rubber O-ring over the worm and then slide the hook through the O-ring. The idea is to prevent the hook from tearing through the worm, though you probably won’t notice much of a difference unless the bite is hot and the plastic worms are taking a real beating.

How To Fish a Wacky Worm

With a wacky worm rigged up and ready to roll, cast out to your target zone and allow it to sink naturally under its own weight. The appeal of this rig is the way each side of the worm wiggles and waves as it sinks, and the vast majority of the time the worm will be sinking when the strikes come.

Learn how to fish a wacky worm, and you’ll become a better bass angler.

Wacky Worms for Beginners

If the worm reaches bottom without being attacked, lift your rod tip to bring the lure back up well off the bottom, then drop the rod tip and allow it to sink again. Continue working it this way until the retrieve is complete, or you decide it’s time to reel it up and take a new cast to get that worm back into the target zone. Remember, the strikes will almost always come as the worm sinks.

For most anglers, the toughest part of fishing a wacky worm is detecting the strike and knowing when to set the hook. As the worm falls you may feel nothing more than a slight bump or tick. No matter how subtle this may seem, immediately swing that tip and set the hook. At other times you may not feel a thing, but instead, you’ll see your fishing line unexpectedly speed up or suddenly stop. Again, swing for the stars. Any sudden change in the sink-rate of the worm should be taken as an indication of a bite.

When and Where To Fish a Wacky Worm

This rig isn’t great for prospecting wide areas of open water, because it takes a long time to complete each cast and it covers a limited area. So if you’re searching for fish scattered along a large weedbed, prospecting a broad underwater point, or fishing new waters that don’t have visible cover, it probably won’t be the best choice.

The wacky worm shines, however, when you have very specific spots to target. When you’re looking at a shoreline with some dead trees laying into the water — obvious potential bass abodes — this is an excellent rig to employ.

Speaking of targeting structure: if your initial cast is off the mark or you’ve worked the worm away from the specific spot you believe bass may be located, it’s usually best to just crank it in and try a new cast. Fishing a wacky worm makes for a slow retrieve, and in most cases,

if you make a good cast close to the target, a fish is in the zone, and it’s willing to eat, the bite will come as the worm sinks down from the initial cast.

Choosing the Best Wacky Worm

So, should you use a green worm, or a pink one? Should it be five inches long, or would a seven-incher be better? This is where different anglers will all have their own personal favorites. That said, relatively dull colors like pumpkinseed green or natural worm brown often work better than anything else. As a rule, however, you should experiment a bit with different colors and sizes when you’re hitting spots that look good but you aren’t getting any bites.

Does the wacky worm sound too simple to be true? Maybe so. But rig one up and give it a try, because there’s one truth experienced anglers know for sure: wacky worms work. #

# Contributor eric Packard holds up a bass that went for a wacky with an o -ring.

# For Jon boats and similarly small rigs electric outboards up to three or so horsepower work great. But beyond that…

LiFePO4 Play

By Lenny Rudow

Chances are you depend on lead-acid batteries to crank over your boat’s engine, power your electric trolling motor, and feed juice to everything from fishfinders to radar — and chances are also pretty good that you’ve cursed those infernal juice-boxes more than a few times. They run out of power when you need them most, weigh approximately 16 tons each, and rarely last more than a handful of years before requiring replacement.

Meanwhile, oodles of hip folks are zipping around town on cars powered by… batteries? Wait a sec — what gives? How is it possible for batteries to power a car, when we can barely depend on them to crank over a six-cylinder outboard without fail?

There are a number of reasons, the first being battery tech. As usual, the marine world is a light-year or three behind the rest of the universe, tech-wise. But as for powering boats entirely with batteries versus fossil fuels the bigger problem is the amount of energy it takes to move a boat over water versus a car over land. Boats don’t have wheels, nor do they enjoy the benefits of regenerative braking. So, even if we had the latest and greatest batteries aboard they still wouldn’t be able to match the range and performance we get via good ‘ol internal combustion.

Powerful Computations

Basic chemistry is the culprit. Measuring energy density (gravimetric energy density, for you uber-picky tech-terminology types) in megajoules per kilogram (MJ/kg), gasoline can hold around 46 MJ/kg. A lead-acid battery can only swing a meager 0.14 MJ/kg. In layman’s terms, every pound of gasoline you haul around can produce well over 300 times as much energy as every pound of conventional-tech battery. Yikes.

The reason for this disparity? Organic chemicals such as gasoline, butane, and even carbohydrates, can store a lot more chemical potential energy than we’re able to stuff into a similarly sized manmade power cell. For example, a roast beef sandwich has a battery-beating energy density of about 11 MJ/kg. Unless you’re planning on rowing your boat the viability of sandwich-powered propulsion is questionable at best, but it just goes to show how much potential energy is locked inside organic material versus our attempt to store that energy in a box.

Who would buy a 150-hp electric motor that needed to haul 90,000 pounds of batteries to carry as much power as a 50-gallon fuel tank? No one. Although to be fair, given that electric motors are roughly twice as efficient as internal combustion engines, figuring

on 45,000 or so pounds of batteries would be more realistic. Still, it’s a losing proposition.

But times and tech change, and in the 1990s lithium-ion batteries that could stow more like 0.5 or even 0.7 MJ/kg hit the scene. That still left a huge gap behind gas but the five-fold increase in energy density over lead-acid power packs was obviously a huge leap forward. By the mid-2000s lithium-ions were in widespread use on land and even made their way into a few boats, but there was one slight drawback. You know, that whole issue with them blowing up, which the science geeks helpfully termed “thermal runaway.” While it was problematic enough on land, at sea the danger factor was simply unacceptable.

If you’ve seen that cryptic “LiFePO4” stamped on a newer battery, you already know what happened next. Responding to safety concerns much of the industry turned to lithium iron phosphate batteries, which utilize an iron phosphate cathode as opposed to the lithium magnesium oxide or lithium cobalt dioxide cathode found in other lithium-ions. That causes an energy density drop of around 15 percent, but the cathode doesn’t burn or explode when overcharged or overheated. And if avoiding that whole thermal runaway thing isn’t tempting enough for you,

The latest in battery tech could give your fishing machine a boost.

they also have an advantage in that they last longer. LiFePO4 can live through around four times as many discharges and recharges than the older lithiumions. Plus, did we mention that they don’t blow up?

Better Batteries for Boats

Along with LiFePO4s came a new generation of electric outboards from the likes of Torqeedo and ePropulsion. With dedicated clip-on power packs shaped more or less like the cowl of an outboard and designed for specific motors in the one- to three-hp range, these mini-mites tripled or even quadrupled range while halving weight as compared to traditional electric motors powered by lead-acid batteries. Torqeedo took things a step farther, building motors up to 80-hp designed to run on the 360-volt, 40 watt-hour battery developed for the BMW i3. Still, despite these advances larger boats don’t get in on the game via their main propulsion system — even the monster lithiums can only provide enough juice to cruise at planing speeds for relatively limited distances. But more and more of us enjoy their benefits in the form of bow-mounted electric trolling motors. A single 36volt, 60 amp-hour battery weighs less than half of a bank of lead-acid 12-volt batteries while providing twice as much run-time. You can Spot-Lock a 26foot boat in place in a 10-knot breeze all day long, and come home with well over half of your capacity still contained in that box of magic. Plus, these LiFePO4s will live for a heap of years instead of a handful.

Case in point: on my Caymas 26 HB I opted for a single 36-volt LiFePO4 to power the Minn Kota perched on the bow, and try as I might I simply can’t use the thing up during a day of fishing. I’ve had the boat Spot-Locked in place for hours at a time including in winds of 15 to 20 mph, and used it to power across huge areas of productive bottom. Yet at the end of the day the battery meter has yet to read below 75-percent charge.

Electrical Outlook

So, will battery-powered boats replace our dinosaur-chugging towers of power? Not anytime soon, at least not

Capacity of LiFePO4 vs. Lead Acid at Various Currents of Discharge

Discharge (C)

with motors large enough to power anything beyond a Jon boat. That whole energy density thing remains problematic, and even purpose-built electric boats tend to have cruising speeds in the low 20s and ranges measured in dozens, not hundreds, of miles. Once horsepower reaches into double-digits the power-packs they require become too large and heavy to be portable.

The best-looking fishing boat case study at this point is probably the Epoch Skiff, in 14- and 18- foot models, which cruises on foils to reduce drag, can be powered with 15- to 25-hp motors, and carries a five-kWh battery. Still in the testing phase, Epoch claims a range of around 20 miles when run at its 30 mph top-end. That’s a lot better than most electric rigs we’ve seen in the past, but still far short of what

you could do with a gasoline-burning outboard and a fuel tank.

Note: we haven’t even broached the subject of cost yet. That 36-volt, 60 amp-hour battery that works out so well on boats with electric trolling motors? It’ll cost you over $1700, as compared to $500 or so for lead-acid. That BMW i3 battery? It goes for about as much as an entire Nissan Sentra. The 14-foot Epoch? Figure in the neighborhood of $35K. For a 14-footer.

Still, the tremendous advantages of LiFePO4 batteries over lead-acid are obvious. And huge. And continue to grow, year by year. Or, you could look at all of these factors and decide that kayak fishing is more your speed. From the cost and environmental perspectives, it certainly does make sense. Just remember to pack plenty of 11 MJ/kg roast beef sandwiches.

# With a LiFePo4 battery belowdecks, battery weight is halved as capacity shoots through the roof. you can SpotLock all day long without ever worrying about the power running out.

Keep on Floating

¯

and Fishing.

k ayak tips to maximize your time on the water, not on land.

By David Rudow

Gear failure, temperature, rolling, bugs, and more — there are a lot of different things that can cut a kayak fishing trip short. But if you’re prepared you can minimize risks, deal with them as they arise, and get right on back to fishing.

Protect Your Propulsion

Leash your primary form of propulsion, and always have a competent secondary on board. Leashing your primary will keep it safe in the event of a rollover, keeping you moving and saving yourself from an expensive replacement. A secondary propulsion form that can get you back to fishing and/or to the shoreline is essential if your drive bites the dust on the water, or you lose your main paddle. In many boats, a singlesided paddle won’t do the trick once you get into some current or wind. A full paddle will be necessary to keep

you fishing safely in most conditions. This is imperative, especially when fishing tidal waters alone. You never know what could happen when on the water and the last thing you want is to be stuck in an uncontrolled plastic tub blowing farther and farther from shore.

Prepare for Repair

Preparing a personalized toolkit for your boat is essential and will be a bit different depending on how your kayak is rigged. Having the proper sized wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, etc. on hand will open up a world of repairs that can be done without heading back to the dock. Research common issues that arise on the specific boat you use, and how others fix and prevent them. One thing to focus on, especially for anglers who tend to venture far from the launch, is the steering and propulsion systems. I’ve had my steering cables snap on two separate occasions.

The first time I spent the rest of the day steering with my paddle, zig zagging all over the place while my buddies laughed their butts off and caught a bunch of fish. The second, I was prepared and able to replace the cables in about 15 minutes. Then I got right back to fishing.

If your primary form of propulsion is a pedal drive, bring an extra prop/fins, and tools to replace them. I leave all of my extras inside my dry storage. Also make sure you keep up with maintenance on your drive.

know Your Environment

There’s nowhere to escape and warm up in the winter, nor to get away from the bugs in the summer, when you’re on a kayak. Researching where you’ll be fishing and knowing what to expect is a must. In the winter, I spend a majority of my time on the Eastern Shore millponds fishing for pickerel. I’ve found electronic hand warmers to be extremely helpful. They’ll help warm up frozen fingers, and most can charge a phone battery that’s died from the cold. I also bring a shell layer with me yearround. Bibs will keep you dry, cover your skin from the mosquitos, and trap in heat in the winter. During colder months I prefer a Mustang float coat. I always bring a change of clothes with me, as well as fingerless gloves. If you plan on braving the Bay or any other larger water during the winter months, wear a dry suit.

Being prepared to make on-the-spot repairs to your kayak’s critical systems will allow you to keep fishing when you’d otherwise be shut down. And being properly prepared for the environment will keep you comfortable and let you focus on fishing, stay out longer, and stay safe. As with many things in fishing, proper preparation is key.

# Swapping your prop can be as simple as bringing the right sized hex wrench. And, of course, an extra prop.

Fis H i NG F O re CA s T

# reports editor Dillon Waters proves that those cats will keep on biting all winter long.

We all know printed fishing reports are generalized, and weeks have passed before the report gets into your hands. For timely, up-todate reports, visit our website FishTalkMag.com. Current reports will be published every Friday by noon — just in time for your weekend fishing adventures. In the meantime, here’s our monthly prognostication.

Coastal

The midwinter doldrums may be here, but that doesn’t have to make for dull fishing. Even though the majority of sporting species have departed our waters or are now in a closed season, tautog are always out there and waiting for us to drop down green or white crab baits. Plus there’s a chance those rockfish will decide to hang out within the three-mile limit and provide some bonus action for oceanic anglers. We should also note that at least early in January last year, there were still bluefish to be found at the inshore wrecks and reefs. Will it happen again? Fingers are crossed.

Freshwater

Trying to forecast what options await freshwater aficionados this month is like trying to forecast the weather without the benefits of any form of modern tech — you’re just about guaranteed to be wrong. On the one hand, by the beginning of this month ice fishing in the western lakes could be an option. Or not. On the other hand, the

pickerel will probably be in prime form along with some crappie and bass in the Eastern Shore millponds. Or, there could be a skim of ice over those waterways, making fishing impossible. Can we have a third hand, please? Trout will likely be biting in the rivers, yellow perch should be active in the

# It’s pickerel time, people! David tied into this 25-incher while fishing for crappie the winter before last.

upper tribs, and catfish should be willing to eat just about anywhere (wait — that’s five hands). It all depends on the weather, folks, but no matter how cold or how mild it may be one thing is for sure: one or more of these freshwater bites will almost certainly be a surefire cure for winter cabin fever.

Gathered over the past month by Dillon Waters

Way North

By now yellow perch should be huddling in the depths of the lower Susquehanna, where minnow and/ or tubes fished deep should get them biting. And of course, those winter cats never quit. Anchor up within sight of the 95 bridge and send some chicken liver to the bottom. Boom!

u pper Bay

It’s pickerel time, people. These feisty fish should be on their usual winter rampage right about now, hitting minnow, swimbaits, and inline spinners in the Baltimore creeks and Western Shore tribs. Offer up some smaller baits, and yellow perch could be in store too.

Middle Bay

See above and repeat for the tribs on both sides of the middle zone of the Bay. Note that in the larger rivers like the Choptank or Pax if you locate one of the deep holes yellow perch stage in

over the winter, then drop minnow to bottom on a low or outgoing tide, you can often head home with a full cooler.

Lower Bay

Anglers living along the shores of the lower Bay, count your blessings. Whether you head for the James, the Rap, or the Potomac, you have a shot at winter trophies in the form of mega-monster blue cats. On top of that you could target yellow perch or crappie in the tribs. And it’s not a long ride to the Way South zone, where saltier species could be in store. The rest of us are jealous!

Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore

Winter is a time to shine on the lower Eastern Shore. Well heck, truth be told this zone has pretty awesome fishing no matter the time of year. But the pickerel, perch, crappie, and bass fishing in the tribs on this side

of the Bay just can’t be beat. Expect the Nanticoke and Pocomoke to be wintertime highlights, and if the millponds remain free of ice they’ll be a good bet, too. Added bonus: if the stripers come in close or you feel the urge to tog, the beach is just a hop, skip, and a jump away.

Way South and VA

Will trophy rock catch-and-release be a thing this month? Is the water still warm enough to find tog at the CBBT? At this point all we can say on both counts is maybe. But keep an eye on the NOAA data because last year at this time was when the falling temps started shutting things down (look for the upper 40s at least, or togging will likely be a bust). A bigger question in many angler’s minds will be redfish — in recent years the inlets, lower Elizabeth, and the Poquoson area have all produced some surprising wintertime catches. It may be far from a sure thing, but if you don’t go, you’ll never know!

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BROKERAGE & CLASSIFIeD SeCTIonS

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SeCTIonS

HELP WANTED

Are you on a search for a full-time sales position that requires you to get out and enjoy the water, where all your co-workers are super cool, and where flip-flops and shorts are considered business casual? SpinSheet, PropTalk, FishTalk, Start Sailing now, and PortBook magazines are in growth mode, and we are looking for that special advertising sales rep who understands the marine industry and knows how to work and play hard. If you think you will excel in creating sales and marketing solutions for advertisers, then we would love to chat with you. Send your resume, a description of your boating experience and interests, and a cover letter telling us why you’d be a great fit for our team today! info@spinsheet.com

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M ARINE S ERVICES

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TACKLE SHOPS

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Largest Cutwater Dealer

Pocket Yacht Company was awarded the 2022 Largest Cutwater Boats Dealer in the World. This award was celebrated amongst all four of its locations along the East Coast including Florida, North Carolina, and Maryland. “We are proud to receive this award,” says managing director and owner, Mark Schulstad. “We have a dynamic team that works hard to be the best in the industry and we are proud of this great accomplishment.” The Pocket Yacht Company has also celebrated three other awards this year including Top Dealer for Ranger Tugs, Top 100 Dealer Award from the Marine Retailers Association of America and has become a Marine Industry Certified Dealership. “The Pocket Yacht Company is an exceptional dealership and has an exceptional sales team,” says Jeff Messmer, vice president of Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boats. “We’re proud to celebrate our partnership and their dedication to making Cutwater and Ranger Tug owners the happiest boaters on the water.” The Pocket Yacht Company is proud of its lifelong relationship with boat manufacturer Fluid Motion, builder of Ranger Tugs, Cutwater Boats, and Solara Boats in Kent, WA. pocketyachtco.com

Growth Milestone

Argo Navigation, the free navigation and social boating app, recently surpassed another growth milestone: reaching 100,000 users earlier this fall. Since its initial launch in September 2019, Argo has experienced tremendous growth in popularity, consistently adding new users across the US and Canada. Argo’s founder attributes its rapid growth to ease of use, positive user ratings and reviews, and word of mouth from loyal app users who rely on the easy-to-use app to navigate safely and to connect with other boaters to improve their experience on the water. “We are extremely grateful for all our users,” said Jeff Foulk, founder of Argo Navigation. “We continue to see new and seasoned boaters choosing our app for navigation and improved social connection. Once people discover us, they are excited about all our features and encourage their friends to join as well. After all, boating is better with friends.” Boaters can use the free Argo app to plan and take trips with routing based on a boat’s draft and depth data, making navigation safer and easier. They can also connect with friends on the water and tap into crowdsourced local boating knowledge for navigation advice, destination reviews, and more. The free app includes unlimited NOAA/USACE charts across North America and a Captain’s Log for tracking.

This fall, Argo introduced a Premium version, giving boaters the option to upgrade for advanced features. These include downloadable charts to use while offline if connectivity is lost while on the water and an extended seven-day marine weather forecast with daily and hourly conditions for weather, wind, and tides. Argo Premium is available at an introductory rate of only $19.99/year, making it one of the most affordable boating apps on the market. Additional advanced features such as GPX import/export, AIS traffic, and more will be added to the Premium version in the months ahead. Another factor pointing to the app’s popularity is its frequency of updates. “We are always listening to our users and incorporating their feedback,” Foulk said. “For example, we recently added marina and yacht club affiliations as well as ETA sharing while en route.” argonav.io

New Product

Suzuki announces the DF350A/300B, the newest, biggest, most powerful engine in the Suzuki lineup. Suzuki engineers came up with a symbol to inspire the team in their work. In Japanese it’s called Geki, which translates to “parting seas.” In other words, a force to match the power of nature and the sea. Suzuki started with a V6 engine with 4.4-liter displacement, which would be the largest displacement in the V6 category. Then they had to figure out how to get 80 horsepower per liter and still achieve their other goals. Suzuki’s 350-hp solution was to increase the compression ratio to 12.0:1, the highest compression ratio ever for a production outboard engine. In order to make this work without knocking (a typical problem at this ratio), they developed a dual injector system that mixes highly atomized fuel with cooler air to provide optimal conditions for complete and controlled combustion. The new DF300B was designed for boats with 300/600/900/1200 maximum ratings. The combination of the Suzuki Dual Propeller System and the Suzuki 2-Stage Gear Reduction successfully produced better torque to power larger, heavier boats. Engineered with a 10:5:1 compression ratio, the DF300B can run on 87 octane fuel. Learn more at suzukimarine.com.