FishTalk Magazine June 2023

See Your Local Suzuki Marine Dealer For All the Details

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

Powersports of Crofton | 410-697-5965

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

1237 Greenbackville Rd, Stockton, MD

Tradewinds Marina | 410-335-7000

412 Armstrong Rd, Middle River, MD

33

Putting the (Fish) Meat in Meteorology

Weather’s effect on fishing can be dramatic — and also dangerous.

By Lenny Rudow

presented by siriusXM Marine

37

Inside the Yeocomico

This small Northern Neck tributary holds big angling opportunity.

By Wayne Young

40

Five Critical Fishing Boat

Maintenance Tips

Tips you need to know as we begin another fishing season.

By Staff

42

Crabbing Conundrums

How to fill the bushel basket against all odds.

By Staff

44

Fishing for Sharks, for Beginners

Catching sharks is as exciting as it gets, especially for kids and beginners. By

Staff

46

Free State on the Fly

Maryland’s mountain rivers are trout central.

By Lenny Rudow

presented by Fish & hunt Maryland

Abby and Kate rocked it — and are about to enjoy family all-you-can-eat crab night.

612 Third Street, Suite 3C, Annapolis, MD 21403 (410) 216-9309 FishTalkMag.com

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SENIoR EDIToRS

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CoPY EDIToR

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FISHING REPoRTS EDIToR

Dillon Waters

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ART DIRECToR / PRoDUCTIoN MANAGER

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TACTICIAN

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CoASTAL CoRRESPoNDENT

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CoNTRIBUTING WRITERS

Alan Battista, Jim Gronaw, Chuck Harrison, Capt. Monty Hawkins, Eric Packard, David Rudow, Wayne Young

DISTRIBUTIoN

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Rudow’s FishTalk is a monthly magazine for and about Chesapeake and Mid-Atlantic anglers. Reproduction of any part of this publication is strictly prohibited without prior consent of the officers of Rudow’s FishTalk LLC. Rudow’s FishTalk LLC accepts no responsibility for discrepancies in advertisements.

Rudow’s FishTalk is available by first class subscription for $45 a year, and back issues are available for $4 each. Mail payment to Rudow’s FishTalk Subscriptions, 612 Third Street, Suite 3C, Annapolis, MD, 21403.

Rudow’s FishTalk is distributed free of charge at more than 850 establishments along the shores of the Chesapeake and the DelMarVa Peninsula. Businesses or organizations wishing to distribute Rudow’s FishTalk should contact the Rudow’s FishTalk office, (410) 216-9309 or beatrice@fishtalkmag.com.

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© 2023 Rudow’s FishTalk LLC

We. Have. Proof.

By Lenny Rudow

After years of bemoaning wildly impossible numbers presented by the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) to no avail, there’s now solid evidence that at least some of their numbers are wildly wrong.

A quick refresher for those who aren’t up to speed on MRIP: it’s the program used by our fishery managers to count how many fish we take out of the sea. It’s the bean-counting process used to estimate that 600,000 rockfish were caught in March and April on the Bay in Maryland waters alone; that’s 10,000 fish per day, or 16 per minute of daylight. It’s how we “know” that anglers fishing from shore in Maryland caught 178,000 keeper sized sea bass weighing an average of 1.4 pounds each in a single season. And MRIP also tells us that in the state of Delaware, shoreline anglers caught 2.4 times more keeper flounder casting from dry land than all the flounder caught by party and charter boats combined. Yes, this is the same program responsible for the Gulf Coast’s red snapper fishery debacle that we’ve been hearing about for years.

Many MRIP assertions, like those above, are utterly ridiculous. Yet these are the numbers being used to develop the regulations you and I fish by. We’ve known for years that many MRIP numbers were absurd, but since no one can really get an exact, verifiable count on how many fish are reeled up out of the water, there hasn’t been any solid evidence to point to. The best we can do is say “that’s nuts,” to which the regulators generally shrug and say, “the law requires us to use these numbers.”

We. Have. Proof.

On March 31 of this year a memo was circulated regarding a pilot program in Ocean City, MD, where a video camera was used to record the number of fishing boats going through the inlet. Since it’s the only inlet in Maryland, the entire state’s boat-fishing “effort” (the number of anglers engaged in fishing) passes through it, and can thus be counted in a relatively accurate fashion.

There are still plenty of variables to account for (how many anglers are on a boat, for example), which the study addresses in different ways, and you can check it all out for yourself at the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (mafmc.org) website. But to avoid over-complexifying the results let’s stick with one data point here: the number of Maryland recreational anglers that are actually fishing in the ocean.

The above graphic shows the MRIP estimate range versus the video-count estimate range for the number of anglers participating in “Wave 4,” which is July and August. As you can see, MRIP’s range is quite huge (from under 50K to over 300K). The video count’s range is much tighter, and the very highest possible number just barely overlaps with the lowest of MRIP’s estimate range. If you look at the middle of each range you’re comparing around 190,000 anglers versus around 38,000 anglers.

In other words, MRIP has been asserting that five times as many people go fishing out of Ocean City, MD, during peak season, than actual video counting showed. MRIP’s recreational harvest numbers — used to tighten sea bass regs in recent years even as NOAA claims stocks have grown dramatically — are thus vastly inflated.

There’s your proof. Yet the memo circulated on this video boat-count states in its summary conclusions: “The range of effort suggested by this project overlapped with the confidence intervals from the relevant MRIP effort estimates, so this project did not indicate there is necessarily any inherent methodological problem with MRIP in this location.”

Well… If I cast my lure at a target five times and hit it once, and you cast at it five times and hit it all five times, I suppose I could argue that there’s not necessarily any inherent methodological problem with my casting. But my accuracy still sucks compared to yours. Sure, there’s “overlap.” There’s also overlap between a $5 balsawood glider and a $143 million F-22 Raptor.

Admittedly, there’s more to the story. Budget, equipment challenges, and manpower also come into play, and the memo was quick to point out that a number of variables (periods of fog, differentiating between fishing boats and non-fishing boats, etc.) make exact counts impossible. But here’s the bottom line: it’s obvious that the methodology MRIP is using to judge recreational angling effort sucks. We. Have. Proof.

Set for Spring

Dear FishTalk, Was the April issue an April Fools prank? I pick up FishTalk and PropTalk every time I see them. I generally read the ink off the pages. The April issue was incredible. It was packed to overflowing with more pertinent and actionable information than any issue I have read over the years. A job more than well done. If I were in charge I would give you the rest of the year off. You set the bar pretty high with this issue and I don’t know how you beat the mark.

MIC DROP and Lenny and crew exit stage right.

Bernie B., Davis Warf, VA

Dear Bernie: Thanks for the kind words and we’re glad you enjoyed the April issue so much! And OMG, how do we take you up on that year off thing??? Exiting, stage... oh darn it we’d better get back to work.

Reeling in Reedville

Dear FishTalk, I

’m a longtime reader and thought you should have this information. Gill netters in the shallows around Fleeton Point in Reedville, VA., are detrimentally affecting the striper population. In the last few weeks (of April) four large striped bass and two sturgeon washed up on my beach. I reported this to the marine police and they were certain these fish were killed in gill nets. The officer stated that the netters are not allowed to keep sturgeon or striped bass larger than 36” so they just wash up on the shore for scavengers. The stripers that washed up on my shoreline were 37- to 44-inches. The sturgeon were approximately 24- and 30-inches. My shoreline is only 200 feet. This is why other states have outlawed the use of these small gill nets.

John T., via email

Dear John, We’re saddened, but not shocked, by your observation. As long as the state allows harmful practices like this such waste will occur; thanks for taking photos and reporting it, and we hope that anyone spotting something similar will do the same.

Falling Flatfish

Dear FishTalk,

Q: What did the osprey get for his mom on Mother’s day?

A: A bouquet of flounders. - Anonymous

minnkotamotors.com/RiptideTerrova

BIGGER BOATS GET A BIGGER MINN KOTA® MOTOR –WITH SPOT-LOCK™ AND MORE.

The new 87" Riptide Terrova® puts the power of Minn Kota® on a bigger boat. That means you can use Spot-Lock™ to hold your 28 footer within a couple feet of a fish, automatically. And that’s just one of the tricks a trolling motor can teach a big boat. Get more control, more precision – and fewer fish that are out of reach.

Fis H News

By Lenny Rudow

Casting With Kids

Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has released its “Take a Kid Fishing!” program dates, with five events scheduled for June and six more in July. Anglers aged six to 15 are invited to come with a parent or guardian and learn how to fish, with bait and equipment provided. These events are free but advance registration is required at de.gov/takf to ensure enough gear is on hand.

Similarly, the Maryland DNR has announced an ambitious Youth Fishing Rodeo schedule for the summer of 2023, with nearly 50 events spread out across the state in 14 different counties. All these rodeos are free and open to the public (though space is limited at some venues and pre-registering is requested), for kids three to 15 years old. Most provide gear and/or bait and are staffed with volunteers who can assist first-timers. Visit the Youth Fishing Rodeos page at dnr.maryland.gov to find a listing of events by county.

Going for the Gold

Moore News From Maryland

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has asked the federal government to declare a federal fishery disaster over the expanding populations of invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act. Of the most concern are blue catfish, flathead catfish, and snakehead. “In recent years, the state has become increasingly concerned about the explosion in the abundance of invasive fish species in the Chesapeake Bay, including blue catfish, flathead catfish, and snakehead,” said Governor Moore. “It is critical to act now to mitigate the effects of the invasive species and to provide assistance to the commercial fishing industry.” While the declaration would apply to commercial fishing, obviously, recreational anglers share the same fisheries and suffer the same impacts. Particularly alarming is the blue catfish, which is known to multiply rapidly, eat a wide variety of prey, and compete with native species for space and food. The Maryland DNR is urging recreational anglers to target them to help control populations, and notes that there are no limits or size restrictions on invasive species at any time of year.

Angler Jacob Moore made an unusual catch in the James River near Chippokes State Park early this year—a 16.5-inch golden bass. An extremely rare genetic mutation causes the yellow color, the result of an altered skin pigmentation called xanthism, according to Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources aquatic education coordinator Alex McCrickard. Moore released the fish, so be on the lookout for gold as you cast into the waters of the James.

Blue in Baltimore

Blue Water Baltimore recently filed suit under the federal Clean Water Act against Fleischmann’s Vinegar Company (and parent company Kerry Group) for discharging unpermitted pollutant discharges into the Jones Falls, a Patapsco River tributary. “We are alleging multiple permit violations from Fleischmann’s Vinegar Co. Those include illegal discharges from various points from around the building, but also the fact that the building itself is seeping or leaching acidic discharge directly into the Jones Falls,” said Blue Water Baltimore’s Alice Volpitta.

# This guy is causing a lot of problems with our fisheries. (The blue catfish, not Eric!)

Tournamen T n ews

Kent Island Kickoff

The 20th annual CCA Kent Narrows Fly and Light Tackle Tournament takes place on June 3 this year, and in addition to fly and light tackle categories also has awards for kayak, lady angler, and the top three-fish stringer. This is a no-trolling, Catch-Photo-Release tournament held via the iAngler app with lines-in beginning at a bleary-eyed 5:30 a.m., and picture submission ending at 2p.m. You’ll earn some serious bragging rights in addition to a pile of prizes if you hit it big in this one, considering that a whopping 118 anglers entered last year. Visit ccamd.org for more information.

Don’t Duck It

June 2 through 4 the Blues for DU bluefish tournament takes place out of Bahia Marina in Ocean City, MD. The tournament benefits Ducks Unlimited, and prizes will be awarded for the first, second, and third place heaviest bluefish, plus for the top junior angler under the age of 16. Entry is $200 per boat for up to four anglers, with additional anglers at $50 per up to six total. Visit bahiamarina.com to learn more.

Get on Guard

June 10 and 11 it’s time for the Guardians of the Pearl second annual rockfish tournament, held by the Rock Hall Volunteer Fire Company (with a captain’s meeting on June 9). The tournament has both regular and youth (16 and under) divisions, and the youth division alone carries $4000 in prize money. The total take depends on the number of entries, but in 2022 over $25,000 was paid out to anglers—so this is one you don’t want to miss! Visit the RHVFC Rock Hall Fishing tournament on Facebook to learn more.

Aerial Alert Signals

Long distance aerial flares (ALERT SIGNALS) and short distance (3 miles or less) handheld flares (LOCATE SIGNALS) are the brightest most dynamic signals when rescuers have been sighted.

For passive, long duration signaling (when you aren’t sure who is out there), consider the Orion Electronic SOS

Experienced

It’s TUNA Time!

The Virginia Beach Tuna Tournament kicks off the tuna competitions for this year, starting June 21 and running through June 24. This one’s a biggie, with 100-plus boats in contention last year and six different Calcutta levels. Total weight of your three biggest tunas (any combination of species) will take the prize, with additional categories for dolphin and wahoo. Visit vbtuna.com for all the details.

Marlin Club Mayhem

The OC Marlin Club has two tournaments in June. The first is the Small Boat Tournament June 24 and 25, for boats under 34 feet in length (as listed by manufacturer specifications). This one includes both inshore (flounder, sea bass, tautog, bluefish, and rockfish) and offshore (tuna, dolphin, and billfish release) divisions. Weigh-ins are at Sunset, and boats are allowed to fish in both divisions (so you can fish inshore on one day, and offshore on the other). Next up is the Canyon Kick Off, beginning June 30 and running to July 2, with weigh-ins also at Sunset. Visit ocmarlinclub.com for the details.

Paddle Harder!

June 24 and 25 the paddlers and peddlers among us will be churning the waters of Ocean City in the Fish N Paddle Slam. This kayaks-only tournament has a guaranteed $7K payout plus $8700 in prizes, and last year attracted a whopping 72 anglers to the competition. There are also Junior categories plus optional entry levels. Combined multispecies weight for your top three fish over the two days of fishing makes the win. Visit fishnpaddle.com for more information.

# Tuna competition gets underway starting June 21, with the Virginia Beach Tuna Tournament.

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.

An App for That

If your fishing boat is rigged out with Humminbird and the One-Boat Network, you’re about to love your system even more than you already do.

The One-Boat Network App is now out, and it turns your phone into a control hub for the entire boat — including when you’re not on it. The app has charting capabilities which allow you to preplan waypoints and routes from the comfort of your couch, then automatically share them to the boat’s brain via Bluetooth when you step aboard. It also includes product manuals, tutorials, and even FAQs. We’ve been playing with the app for several months now, and love the ability to whip out the phone and pull up uber-detailed charts anywhere, any time. It’s also very cool to be able to use the phone on the boat as a remote for the trolling motor. Plus, if your unit’s ready for a software update you can download it to your phone at home where you have a solid WiFi connection, then upload it to the system the next time you’re on the boat. Price: free; $29.99 annual subscription for mapping.

Heavy Metal

Bay anglers who like to jig deep carry metal jigging spoons, and a new one you need to know about is the G-Eye Jigs Custom Bunker Spoon. For 2023 an allnew design has been introduced in a three-ounce Custom Bunker Spoon, with one- and 1.5-ounce models coming soon. They’re available in a wide range of colors, feature G-Eye’s signature big, beautiful eyes, and come rigged with a 5/0 hook with tinsel added for some flash. They also have a few unique features. An unusually deep scale pattern is cut into the sides, so you can goop them up with your favorite scent or attractor and it’ll have a place to get a grip. The spoons are also designed with additional weight forward and a slight curvature so they flutter as they fall, and have a swimming action when cast and retrieved. When we tried ‘em out we noticed that the fluttering sink rate makes it easier to keep control and feel it fall as you drop your rod tip. Oh yeah: and rockfish love ‘em! Visit geyejigs.com or look for them in your local tackle shop.

Bigger IS Better

Just how much space does your helm have? If there’s enough to upsize your MFD, you’ll enjoy better fish-finding, better navigation, and better boating if you go bigger. And those anglers who have enough room at the helm will be interested to learn that Furuno now has a pair of bigger, better TZTouch3 units: the TZT22X and TZT24X. These units have 22-inch and 24inch full HD 1920 x 1080 in-plane switching LCD screens, and will seamlessly integrate with existing Furuno TZTouch3 systems. Computing power comes via a quad-core processor, and the units have USB, NMEA2000, LAN, video, aux, and microSD card ports. Tactile controls are also available to match up with the system.

Having one of these monster screens at the helm provides a number of benefits. With so much size screen-splits to six different windows become possible and edge-swipe access to custom-made quick pages is instant. Plus, the newest Furuno features like Fish It and Drift It (which activates range rings around a hotspot and tells you where to position the boat for a drift over it in a specified amount of time), Follow It (choose a contour line on the PBG bathymetric chart and it turns into a route the boat will follow), and compatibility with SiriusXM Fish Mapping services are all part of the package. As we go to press price is still TBD. Visit navnet.com to learn more.

Spinning New Tales

Anglers ISO the ideal spinning reel for the Bay will want to check out Shimano’s Miravel, the newest addition to the company’s MagnumLite series of spinners. Available in 1000 to 5000 (10- to 40-pound braid) sizes, the Miravel boasts the CI4+ carbon-infused body, MagnumLite rotor, cold-forged Hagane gear, SilentDrive, and X-Ship with the pinion gear supported on both ends by bearings. These are also CoreProtect reels, so they’ll survive the briny Bay with no problem. We got crankin’ on a 3000, which holds 200 yards of 10-pound braid and can put out an eyebrow-raising 20 pounds of drag, but weighs a mere 7.2-ounces. In our hands it felt perfect for slinging jigs and tugging on rockfish. Price: $129.99 to $139.99. Visit fish.shimano.com to learn more.

Check out our video on the Miravel from its initial introduction at last summer’s iCAST show at youtube.com/fishtalkmagazine

Popping Off

WOOHOO!! We have found a new fishing firearm of sorts, with the Multifunction Shooter Gun now on the market. This combination rifle/bow/ sling-shot/fishing rod utilizes kinetic energy (read: a rubber band) to blast a fish dart to a range of over 130 feet (unverified and unbelieved), and after piercing the Pisces with said dart you can reel it in with the “high quality metal” fishing reel. For some strange reason the manufacturer saw fit to include a pair of sunglasses in the Multifunction Shooter Gun kit. Hum. Note: the buyer is responsible for applicable import duties; please verify with customs before deciding not to purchase. Price: $16.80. Visit eBay for a more detailed explanation of why you should not buy this.

Retrieving for Ribbons

As the summer sets in and waters warm up, an interesting returning visitor to our Bay in recent seasons has been the long, skinny, indisputably weird cutlassfish (also known as ribbonfish). Many are taken by trollers but casting and retrieving lure on light tackle for these crazy critters is a ball.

• Choose a lure that you can run fairly deep (10-plus feet) because these fish are often found down towards bottom in the Bay and its tribs.

• Choose a lure that’s bite-proof. Cutlassfish have a gnarly set of chompers, and will slice most soft plastic in half with ease. Metal spoons, hard plastic plugs, and biteproof plastics will all do the trick.

• Cast towards structure like deepwater docks, and work channel edges or drop-offs. When you’re in an area with moored sailboats be sure to cast near them, too, because sometimes these fish seem to like hiding under their deep keels.

• Make your retrieve fairly slow and steady. Lots of erratic action doesn’t draw more strikes in most cases, and can make it harder to feel their sometimes-subtle bites.

• If a fish hits and the hook pulls free after a few moments, reel like crazy. Ribbons are so long and skinny that if they stop fighting for a moment you’ll feel zero resistance, which can fool you into thinking the hook has pulled. But if you maintain tension you’ll likely discover that the fish is still on the line.

Chatter Mod

By Eric Packard

Chatterbaits work great in a lot of situations, but many aren’t ideal for adding hollow-body trailers because they may have a hard time staying put and get pulled down off the shank easily. Here’s a quick and easy mod that works great for adding a tube jig trailer to any chatterbait head.

1. Cut an inch-long chunk off an old plastic worm.

2. Thread the tube jig onto the chatterbait hook and slide it all the way up the shank. Then grab the tentacles and pull them forward towards the head of the chatterbait to turn the tube partially inside-out.

3. Thread on the chunk of plastic worm and push it all the way to the head. Then unroll the inside-out tube jig back over the segment of plastic worm, which will give the jig a solid grip on the hook shank.

# Unroll the tube back over it, and you’re ready to fish. Photo courtesy of Eric Packard.

# Watch those teeth! Photo courtesy of Eric Packard.

# Slide the chunk of worm up the hook and into the tube. Photo courtesy of Eric Packard.

C HESAPEAKE C ALENDAR

June 1

Yorktown sounds of summer concert series

Thursday nights from 6:30 to 9 p.m. through August 10 at Riverwalk Landing in Yorktown, VA. Free. Live music by The Uptown Band. Guests are permitted to bring their own blankets, chairs, and small coolers. There will be a dance floor, friendly games of cornhole, and food trucks.

2 casey cares 6th annual Rockfish tournament

At Chesapeake Bay Beach Club in Stevensville, MD. Get ready for a day and evening of fishing, fundraising, and celebrating. Tickets to the captain’s party cost $175. Boat registration: $1200. Compete against other boats in the fundraising Captain’s Challenge supporting critically ill children and their families. Register: caseycares.org

3

1st annual Janes island state Park Paddlefest

Guided paddle tours, poker run paddle, campfire on the beach, vendors, music, children’s activities, and sunset paddle. Family-friendly event. Event is free, however registration is requested at dnr.maryland.gov. Participants are responsible for supplying vessels. Boat rental reservations can be made in advance with local vendors.

3 glamped up

A ladies-only online fishing tournament presented by Amped Up Outdoors. This is a multi-species event with a point scale based on length.

3 herrington harbour north marina Resort Boater Yard sale

8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Herrington Harbour North in Tracys Landing, MD. Come find great deals on all things boatingrelated including boats, boating gear, outboards, rigging, sails, and more! Do you have boating gear to sell? Reserve a spot by contacting David at david@ herringtonharbour.com or (410) 867-4343. There is no fee to sell, but registration is required.

3 mmhf classic Boat and car festival

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Wilmer Park in Chestertown, MD. Presente by the Maryland Maritime Heritage Foundation. Free admission for spectators.

3 st. clement’s island heritage Day

Celebrate the history and heritage of St. Clement’s Island with tons of fun and free activities. Games, lighthouse tours, traditional music, vendors, and much more. Visitors will be able to take free water taxi rides out to the island for all the festivities. The reconstructed Blackistone Lighthouse will be open and available for tours.

9-11 47th annual norfolk harborfest

At Town Point Park, Downtown Norfolk waterfront, VA. Free and open to the public. Parade of Sail, fireworks show, interactive family games and activities, Navy exhibits and demonstrations, artisan foods and beverages, national and regional live entertainment, and much more.

10

Bands in the sand

Each summer 1600 guests gather on the beach, dance the night away, and raise a drink to a saved Bay. 5:30 to 10 p.m. at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Philip Merrill Environmental Center in Annapolis. Benefits CBF. Tickets cost $200: cbf.org

10-11 2nd annual RhVfc guardians of the Pearl Rockfish tournament

Presented by the Rock Hall Volunteer Fire Company. Captain’s meeting June 9. This tournament promotes heritage, tourism, and fishing for the town of Rock Hall, while also raising funds for the RHVFC. $500 per boat of six anglers (additional anglers can be added at $100 each). Register: rockhallvfc.org

10-11 smBc Rumble on the River

Exhibition-only event with vintage race boats. At Piney Point Landing in Piney Point, MD. Southern Maryland Boat Club.

11 colonial Yacht club annual Boat Parade

1 to 5 p.m. on the Colonial Beach waterfront, VA.

11 free kids fishing tournament

Hosted by North Bay Fishing Club from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registration at 8:30 a.m. at North East Community Park, 250 West Walnut St., North East, MD. For age groups 5-8, 9-12, and 13-16. Loaner fishing rods and bait available or bring your own. Free picnic lunch for all with hot dogs, water, and snacks. RSVP to John P. at poepoe090900@gmail.com or Daniel R. at dano5191@aol.com

14 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.

Do you have an upcoming event? Send the details to: kaylie@FishTalkMag.com

Chesapeake Calendar

June (continued)

15 a chesapeake Perspective

This new series moderated by FishTalk Angler-in-Chief, Lenny Rudow, will feature industry leaders from the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic region with whom viewers will be able to engage with by asking questions during the live stream via Facebook on YouTube. 7 to 8:30 p.m. “Expanding Angler Access.” fishtalkmag. com/chesapeake-perspective

15

amm tides and tunes summer concert series

Live music by Timmie Metz featuring Tambo. 7 p.m. at the Annapolis Maritime Museum’s waterfront Mcnasby campus. Concerts are free; however, donations are gratefully accepted. Food and spirits are available for purchase. Beverage sales support the Museum’s education program. No outside alcohol is permitted. Bring a chair or blanket.

15 Yorktown sounds of summer concert series

Thursday nights from 6:30 to 9 p.m. through August 10 (no concert on July 6) at Riverwalk Landing in Yorktown, VA. Free. Live music by Blackout. Guests are permitted to bring their own blankets, chairs, and small coolers. There will be a dance floor, friendly games of cornhole, and food trucks.

16-17 ocmD tuna & tiaras Ladies tuna tournament in Ocean City, MD. A portion of all registration fees benefits Women Supporting Women.

16-18 antique and classic Boat festival Wooden classics and vintage race boats come to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD, along with artisans and craftspeople.

Do you have an upcoming event? Send the details to: kaylie@proptalk.com

24-25 fish n Paddle saltwater slam

The ultimate Ocean City kayak fishing tournament. fishnpaddle.com

29 amm tides and tunes summer concert series

Live music by Grilled Lincolns. 7 p.m. at the Annapolis Maritime Museum’s waterfront Mcnasby campus. Concerts are free; however, donations are gratefully accepted. Food and spirits are available for purchase. Beverage sales support the Museum’s education program. No outside alcohol is permitted. Bring a chair or blanket.

29 Yorktown sounds of summer concert series

Thursday nights from 6:30 to 9 p.m. through August 10 (no concert on July 6) at Riverwalk Landing in Yorktown, VA. Free. Live music by Band of Oz. Guests are permitted to bring their own blankets, chairs, and small coolers. There will be a dance floor, friendly games of cornhole, and food trucks.

OVER$25,000 IN PRIZES WERE AWARDED in 2022*

OVER $25,000 IN PRIZES WERE AWARDED in 2022*

SAVE THE DATE!

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2023

Fish For A Cure (F4AC) is a fishing and fundraising competition that benefits cancer patients and their families in our community. Over the last 16 years, F4AC has raised more than $4.5 million to support the Cancer Survivorship program at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Geaton and JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Institute. The 17th Annual Fish For A Cure Tournament, Paul C. Dettor Captain’s Challenge, and Shore Party will be taking place on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at the South Annapolis Yacht Centre. Registration for the 2023 tournament will open in late spring 2023.

For more information, visit us at www.fishforacure.org. Join us in 2023 as we celebrate continued commitment to making a splash in cancer care for our community.

4

July

solomons fourth of July Boat Parade

12 p.m. start in Mill Creek (coordinates: 38.331264 by 76.450065) in Solomons, MD. Dress up your boat and passengers; patriotic music is a plus. Anyone can join! No need to register. Please obey all rules of the road and organizers ask that slower boats (less than 6 mph) stay at the end of the parade. Questions: email Melissa McCormick at pickncrabs@yahoo.com with subject line ’Boat Parade.’

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amm tides and tunes

summer concert series

Live music by Weird Science. 7 p.m. at the Annapolis Maritime Museum’s waterfront Mcnasby campus. Concerts are free; however, donations are gratefully accepted.

7-9 Potomac Jazz and seafood festival

Held along the shores of the Potomac River in the charming Town of Leonardtown in St. Mary’s County, MD, the festival will feature fantastic jazz artists during the three-day weekend. Proceeds from this event go towards funding the nonprofit Friends of St. Clement’s Island and Piney Point Museums.

12

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.

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amm tides and tunes

summer concert series

Live music by One Night Only (ONO). 7 p.m. at the Annapolis Maritime Museum’s waterfront Mcnasby campus. Concerts are free; however, donations are gratefully accepted.

20 Yorktown sounds of summer concert series

Thursday nights from 6:30 to 9 p.m. through August 10 (no concert on July 6) at Riverwalk Landing in Yorktown, VA. Free. Live music by The Deloreans. Guests are permitted to bring their own blankets, chairs, and small coolers. There will be a dance floor, friendly games of cornhole, and food trucks.

29-30 smBc leonardtown Bash on the Bay Exhibition-only event with vintage race boats. In Leonardtown, MD. Southern Maryland Boat Club.

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

# Morgan hit the run just right and landed several black drum while fishing fleas in the Assateague surf this spring.

# Nick caught this chunky yellow perch in the Magothy, off Pea Patch Point.

# Doug tied into some true upper Potomac trophy bronzebacks this spring.

# Robert pulled this 30-inch dragon out of Middle River, while casting a Mepps spinner.

# FishTalk’s own Brooke King scored this mackerel on a recent trip south.

# Lucy took a trip to Florida, and caught these crazy critters while on spring break.

# David caught this fat bass while visiting his aunt for Easter. Now that’s what we call the right way to celebrate a holiday!

# Karl Brimmer was fishing the Tuckahoe when this monster crappie jumped on his spinner.

# Brayden took top honors at the fishing derby at Waterworks Park with a 10.5-inch yellow perch. Ty scored for most fish landed, reeling in a total of 14. WTg, guys, nice catching.

# Mark picked up a 29-inch, 8.5-pound snakehead this spring. y UM!

# Shawn, Lewis, Jeff, and Mike dropped catfish baits into the Potomac, and this beast decided it was to her liking!

# Jack tied into this 28-inch red while casting in the waters near Crystal River.

# Sarah caught this beautiful 15-inch brown trout in the Catskills this spring. That’s a fish that would make ANy angler smile, WTg Sarah!!

# Ronan and his buddy had a great day on the Pax chasing the snakeheads.

# Dave Moore dragged some drum up the beach this spring – nice!

# William looks quite pleased with catching that bass — as we all would!

# Richard gray tied into this 39-inch monster cat fishing with white perch near Port Deposit.

# Herb celebrated his victory in the CCA Winter Pickerel Championship by… going crappie fishing!

# glenn enjoyed some great blue cat action in the Potomac.

# Lucy got a shad! Lucy got a shad!

# Charlie caught this snakehead (with a little help from his human) on the gunpowder.

# Layla welcomes the shad into town on the Octoraro this spring.

# Talk about a beautiful fish – WTg, Dale.

# Brady tugged this beast up onto the banks of the middle Patuxent.

# Brooks landed this Pennsylvania pickerel while fishing in the Poconos.

Hot New Fishboats

By Lenny Rudow

Defiance 22 Admiral: All season Angler

By Lenny Rudow

If you want a fishing boat with a cabin protecting the helm your choices are pretty limited in this day and age. And if you also want a boat small enough to be easily trailered or run single-handed, your choices are extremely limited. One model we saw at the Chesapeake Bay Boat Show this winter, however, caught our eyes: the Defiance 220 Admiral.

Defiance boats are built on the west coast, in Bremerton, WA. So it shouldn’t come as any surprise that they’re designed for all sorts of conditions, including cold-weather fishing. The protection at the helm is

Q UICK F ACTS

LoA: 22’0”

Beam: 8’6”

Displacement: 3350 lbs

Transom Deadrise: 21 deg

Fuel Capacity: 100 gal.

Max HP: 200 hp

AREA D EALER

Beacon Light Marina, Middle River, MD, (410) 335-6200 or beaconlightmarina.com.

complete, with a full pilothouse cabin enclosed 360-degrees and a small V-berth (with a spot for a portable MSD underneath) forward of the helm. What will come as a surprise, however, is how Defiance manages to fit in seating for four people. There are helm and passenger’s seats, each with a center-facing seat behind it. Stowage compartments are built into the seat bases, and the boat we saw at the show was decked out with a set of Shockwave impact-absorbing suspension systems on the helm and passengers chairs.

Outside of the cabin, the boat’s all about open cockpit space. Forward against the cabin bulkhead there are stowage/drink boxes (cushioned so they can also serve as seats) and there’s a folding transom bench seat. The deck houses a pair of fishboxes, plus bilge access. Otherwise, it’s wide-open casting territory. Other fishing features on the model we saw included four flushmount rodholders in the gunwales, and a brace of six rocket launchers across the back of the cabin top. A raw water washdown is one option we’d call a must-have for serious anglers.

The 220 Admiral comes in two flavors, the NT and the EX. NT versions have the outboard sitting on the transom, while EX models have a bracketmounted outboard. Power choices range from 150 to 200 horses, and going the bracket-mounted option adds two and a half feet to the boat’s 22-foot LOA.

One natural downside to any cabin boat is that it can be tough to fish from the bow, but we like how Defiance keeps it easily accessible. The bowrail starts all the way back at the step up to the sidedecks and is unusually high, plus there are grabrails along the cabin top on both sides.

You say you want to be able to go fishing and neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow will stop you? And you need a boat that’s small enough to prove affordable, easy to handle, and easy to trailer? The truth of the matter is that you won’t be boat shopping for very long, because you’ll survey the current market and discover that there aren’t many boats that fit the bill to choose from in the first place. But one that checks all of these boxes is the Defiance 220 Admiral — and it’ll surely end up on your list of models to check out.

LFG 22 CC: Center stage

Let’s face it, boaters: 22-foot center consoles with white hullsides, a leaning post, and a transom livewell are a dime a dozen. Except that in this scenario the dime actually costs as much as a house in some parts of the country. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a boat that you could semi-customize for the way you enjoy going out on the water? One that had all the fishing features you want, and was also affordable? It would take something completely new. Hence, the LFG 22 CC.

If you want those white hullsides on the 22 CC you can have ‘em. Or, you can order the boat in Ice Blue, Seafoam, Whisper Gray, and you’ll be able to get the hull wrapped with multiple designs or even upload your own. You can have the aluminum pipework in an anodized finish, or powder-coated in white or black. You can add underwater LED lighting in white, blue, or green. Long story short? You can make the LFG 22 CC look the way you want it.

Beauty is, of course, more than skin deep. And the customization options aren’t all about looks alone. You can also choose to have (or not have) things

like a sun shade, kingfish rocket launchers on the T-top, a freshwater system, different electronics packages, different cushion packages, and a wide range of outboards from 140- to 200-hp. Many manufacturers give you a choice between this or that, but few let you choose it all — or not.

As far as the basics go, the LFG 22 CC has the “must have” items to head out and catch fish whether you’re planning to hit the wercks for sea bass or troll for stripers on Chesapeake Bay. There are rodholders in the gunwales plus four across the transom, the T-top sports four rocket launchers, and the leaning post has two more. There’s a 26-gallon livewell lives in the starboard corner of the transom fed by an 800-gph pump, and rodracks are under the gunwales. Fishboxes live under the foredeck with a total of 190 quarts of capacity plus there’s a 135-quart in-deck box with a molded in recess for securely stowing a five-gallon bucket. Cockpit space is maximized by recessing the fold-out transom bench seat, and the bowdeck is elevated for casting.

More about that bow: while the deck does rise to boost your angling ability, it sits relatively low in this boat compared to some others. This makes for a very deep bow cockpit, a design feature that helps make the LFG ideal for families with young children and/or those who are new to boating, and may be intimidated if they don’t have tall, protective

Q UICK F ACTS

LoA: 22’0”

Beam: 8’6”

Draft: TBD

Displacement: TBD

Transom Deadrise: TBD

Fuel Capacity: 90 gal.

Water Capacity: 6 gal.

Max HP: 200 hp

AREA D EALER

This brand’s so new, we’re still waiting to hear. Visit lfgmarine.com for more information.

Hot New Fishboats

gunwales ringing them. Other familyfriendly features include a console head compartment (the MSD is optional, of course), courtesy lighting, a molded-in 36-quart console cooler, and a recessed aluminum bow grabrail.

Does the 22 CC have goodies like lighted LED cupholders, USB ports at every seat, or electric-actuated sliding chairs? Nah, that’s the kind of glitz that drives boat prices through the roof, and this is intended to be an affordable boat. But it has the quality where it counts. Swing up a hatch and check out the tension hinges, for example, which hold the hatch in place while you access a compartment. Examine the cleats, and you’ll find that they’re stainlesssteel pull-ups. Flip a switch, and realize that the rocker switch panel is backlighted. Get up close and personal with the bilge pump, and you’ll notice that it’s a 2000-gph model. Most importantly, the stringer grid is all-composite and the hull and components are infused fiberglass.

Have you looked at a million and one 22-foot center consoles, and walked away thinking they were pretty much all the same? Have you wondered why there isn’t a builder who delivers what you choose, when you choose it? LFG did, too. In fact, the people behind the boat have 30-

plus years of experience in the industry building other brands (LFG is owned by Twin Vee Powercats), so they had a pretty good idea of what people wanted, what the current market delivered, and what it did not deliver. The net result? The LFG 22 CC. Problem solved.

Sea-Doo Ride: Rise to the Occasion

Wade fishing can be fun, but you still need a watercraft to get you to the area you want to fish. A new way to transport yourself from the access point to the angling area is the Sea-Doo Ride. This electric-powered surfboard has a hydrofoil that lets you “fly” to the fishes. Specifications are thin (as we go to press the Ride isn’t yet available but Sea-Doo says it will be this summer) so we can’t tell you the range and speed. But we do know that it can be controlled with either the handlebar or a handheld remote, leaving your other hand free to grasp your fishing rod. Alas, it doesn’t come with rodholders nor a cooler, though it looks to us like mounting a couple rocket launchers would be a piece of cake. Plus, if you take your Ride for a ride but don’t catch any fish, you’ll be able to come home and claim you were foiled, again. Visit sea-doo.com for more information.

For more fishboat reviews, visit: FishTalkMag.com/fishboat-reviews

# The deep bow will be a big plus for families with young children.

Weather’s effect on fishing can be dramatic — and also dangerous

By Lenny Rudow

We all love beating up on the weatherman. He’s incessantly inaccurate, speaks with asinine assuredness, and lucky for him he’s never around when the predicted sunny day turns into gusty downpours and we lay into a tirade. The weather, meanwhile, has a dramatic effect on how well the fish do or do not bite, on how comfortable we are or are not in the natural elements, and in some cases, can even turn a calm afternoon of fishing into a lifethreatening situation.

Yet while we berate the meteorologist’s blunders, we must also realize that it was always difficult to predict the weather and in recent years the patterns have become less predictable, not more. Last season our reliable western winds somehow shifted southward. Standard-issue summer thunderstorm patterns have evolved to cast off all normality. In recent times months have gone by with hardly a day between small craft warnings. So, how the heck is an angler supposed to adjust?

Weather and Safety

Obviously, we’ve got to start with safety. Boat anglers and small boat anglers in particular are subject to discomfort and some level of hazard, most commonly in the form of wind-driven waves and lightening. The first and most important way to avoid such hazards is simple: be prudent in checking weather forecasts, and choose your days and locations wisely. No, we don’t trust the weatherman’s forecasts, but when there’s a small craft warning posted, it’s a fair bet that conditions will range from uncomfortable to dangerous. While you may be able to safely sneak out into the

river for a few casts along a nearby leeward shore, pointing the bow for the canyons and running 50 miles is probably not the best decision.

In addition to checking the forecast prior to every trip and making sound decisions, you should have a basic knowledge of on-the-fly weather forecasting you can do yourself. Tips to remember include:

• The old saying “red sky in morning sailors take warning” has value even in the modern age. You see red because the sun is beaming through cirrus clouds, which are likely to be followed by low frontal clouds and a lowpressure system moving eastward.

• When it comes to wind NE might mean northeast, but it also means “Never Ever.” As in, don’t head out into the ocean on a strong northeast wind. Of all the directions a breeze can come from, NE tends to make for the sloppiest conditions along the Mid-Atlantic seaboard.

• When you see the dreaded anvilshaped cloud growing on the horizon, there’s a thunderstorm forming. The direction it appears to lean in is the (approximate) direction in travel, visible due to high-altitude winds pushing the top of the cloud.

• “Mackerel” skies (low clumps of clouds in a ripple pattern that look something like fish scales) indicate changing weather in the next six to 12 hours. When the mackerel sky turns into lower, thicker clouds, rain is probably less than six hours away. Along with looking at the weather with your own eyes, in this day and age it’s possible to check the weather for changes in the forecast in near real time no matter where you may be. Where you have reliable cell coverage a weather app does the trick, and most of us already have our own favorite. If you’re heading out more than a

# This is most definitely the sort of weather you’ll want to avoid, especially in open waters.

Offshore Fishing

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few miles into the ocean or fishing along some of the sparsely populated areas of the Bay (particularly along the ESVA), however, you can’t depend on a cell phone. SiriusXM weather is the best option for anglers working these waters, because the satellites can beam weather data right to the chartplotter at your helm. In fact, you can overlay weather data on the charts to see if a thunderstorm on the horizon threatens your position, and which direction to run to get out of the way.

Full disclosure: SiriusXM is a FishTalk supporter and sponsors this series. That said, long before FishTalk even existed I subscribed to SiriusXM weather as a matter of safety, specifically because I often ran my 22’ Glacier Bay into the open ocean with my kids aboard.

True story: one day we zipped out to the African Queen wreck site to target spadefish, with a forecast for good conditions but a 30-percent chance of thunderstorms developing. As a matter of course, any time we went through the inlet I had on the SiriusXM overlay on the chartplotter and made sure to zoom out the view and look for red flags every few hours. The first time I did so on this day, at around 10 o’clock, I saw green clouds indicating light precipitation developing over Virginia’s western shore of the Bay about 90 miles away. Checking NOAA’s forecast again, I found it had changed the chances for thunderstorms to 50 percent. An hour later SiriusXM showed the first yellow lightning bolt icons popping up, and pink arrows told me the cells were headed in our general direction. Zooming in, I knew they were moving at 15 mph. That meant that if the storms maintained their track and speed we had five hours to fish, allowing an hour to make the 12mile run back and load the boat on the trailer before they hit.

I began checking the screen every half-hour and watched how the storms developed. I knew when they were strengthening as the green changed to yellow and then red, and the lightning bolts multiplied. I knew when they picked up speed and began moving at

20 mph. Meanwhile, the kids were having a ball tugging on one fish after the next: we caught spadefish, dropped bottom rigs and caught sea bass, and enjoyed the mayhem of a marauding school of chopper blues that passed through. At around 1:30 p.m. I could see that the storms had grown substantially; the leading edges were about 30 miles from the coast, and they were headed directly for us. I told the guys to crank everything up and start prepping for the run home.

Moments after coming off of plane inside the inlet we saw the first bolt of lightning in the distance.

Had such precise monitoring of the thunderstorms not been possible I likely would have turned us around in the morning when I saw that NOAA raised the chances of thunderstorms, rather than risk having my nine-yearold boys in the open Atlantic for a 5050 shot. So having SiriusXM weather not only got us home safe, it allowed us to enjoy a partial day of fishing rather than having to turn around and abort the trip early on.

Although the risk level is certainly lower, land-based anglers also need to remember that they are not immune from weather-related danger. In most areas an app will do the trick for monitoring conditions (make sure you choose one that shows the location of lightning strikes), but checking the weather is also critical when it comes to choosing where you’ll fish in the first place. If there’s a chance of storms you may want to opt for a spot where you can fish close to the parking lot so you can duck back into the car if necessary. And when it’s gusty, choosing a spot where the wind will be at your back rather than in your face will extend your casts and prevent the wind from driving your offering back to the shoreline.

Weather’s Effect on the Fish

Wait — the fish are wet already so they don’t care if it’s raining, right? Maybe so, but weather changes ranging from barometric pressure to wind to temperature all have a huge impact on how those finned critters bite.

# Nine-year-old Max circa 2009, just before running home early from the African Queen wreck site to beat the thunderstorms.

When I added SiriusXM... BINGO!

Earl Bentz, CEO, Caymas Boats

Boater receives complimentary service.

“I was making long runs and in essence fishing blind and hoping for a miracle. The day after I added SiriusXM with sea temperatures to my Garmins, BINGO! The birds, bait and fish were all concentrated on the temperature break line. Amazing — I will have SiriusXM Marine on all my boats in the future.”

Earl Bentz, CEO, Caymas Boats

Learn more at siriusxm.com/MarineOffers

Trial Offer Details: Activate a new monthly subscription to either: (i) SiriusXM Marine Fish Mapping or (ii) SiriusXM Marine Fish Mapping and the SiriusXM Platinum audio entertainment plan on the same device, and receive your first (1) month free for each activated service (a savings of $109.99 on Fish Mapping and $23.99 on Platinum service), plus get free device activation (an additional savings of $25). A credit card is required on this offer. Service will automatically renew every month thereafter and, at the beginning of your second month, you will be charged at then-current rates (currently, $109.99/mo. for Fish Mapping and $23.99/mo. for Platinum service). Fees and taxes apply. You must cancel your subscriptions during your promotional period(s) to avoid future charges. Please see our Customer Agreement at www.siriusxm.com for complete terms and how to cancel, which includes calling us at 1-800-985-9200. All fees, content and features are subject to change. This offer may be modified, suspended or canceled at any time. Subscription and hardware sold separately. Your Platinum subscription plan may be eligible for a multi-radio discounted rate if maintained on the same account as an activate full-price SiriusXM Marine Weather or Fish Mapping subscription package. $100 Rebate Offer on new hardware with subscription purchase.

NOTE: SiriusXM services may include weather, other content and emergency alert information which is not for “safety for life,” but is merely supplemental and advisory in nature, and therefore cannot be relied upon as safety critical in connection with any seacraft or any other usage. SiriusXM is not responsible for any errors or inaccuracies in the services or their use.

© 2023 Sirius XM Radio Inc. SiriusXM and all related logos are trademarks of Sirius XM Radio Inc. and its respective subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Photo credit: George Gozdz.

Offshore Fishing

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Barometric Pressure

Barometric pressure is probably the most impactful and least understood weather phenomenon that changes fish behavior. There are a million and one theories as to why, but none of them have been proven or can be stated as “fact.” And while some may have heard different, if you already pay attention to barometric pressure when you fish, ask yourself: Have you ever gone when the barometer showed the fish should be feeding like crazy, yet there were zero bite? Have you ever gone when the barometer showed the fish should be shut down, yet enjoyed off-the-hook action? I know that I certainly have, and I’ll bet dollars to doughnuts that you have, too. So, before we make our generalities, remember that there are no hard rules. This is fishing, people, and while you should take barometric pressure into consideration, nothing should be thought of as a sure thing. That said, as general rules of thumb:

• Falling barometric pressure tends to increase the fish’s feeding activity and can sometimes trigger an utter frenzy in the action.

• Spiking barometric pressure tends to depress the fish’s feeding activity and can sometimes shut it down cold.

• The more sudden and dramatic the change, the better the chances of the above being true.

• After a big spike in pressure followed by several days of steady pressure, the fishing tends to get better day by day until it stabilizes.

• Some species of fish are affected by barometric pressure changes more or less than others.

You’ll read that fish are affected by barometric pressure because changes make them uncomfortable. You’ll read that it’s not the pressure itself but the accompanying temperature changes, cloud cover, or lack thereof that actually causes shifts in behavior. You’ll read that changes cause some insects to have a harder time flying, they end up in the water, and a chainreaction feeding frenzy is triggered through the food web. And you’ll read that pressure changes can cause plankton to rise or fall in the water column, triggering a chain-reaction feeding frenzy. The bottom line? Lots of theories make sense to one degree or another and surely some may be true at some times in some places. But we really don’t know exactly what’s going on. What we do know for sure is that barometric pressure can have a huge impact on the bite.

Wind

Wind is the next weather factor to consider. Strong winds make it difficult to fish and they stir the water. In some cases this can pin baitfish to a shoreline, oxygenate the water, or cool off the temperature, any of which could increase fish activity. In others it can stir up sediments, reduce visibility, and shut down a bite. Just what the effect will be will vary from

water body to water body and fishery to fishery, and you have to consider each individually — if you’re fishing in a bass pond a strong breeze can prove helpful, but if you’re casting the shallows of the Bay for specks it’ll probably be problematic.

Temperature

Temperature is another factor, though in most cases its effect is more gradual than these other phenomena. Still, over the course of a day a strong sun and the warmth it brings can cause some fish, like snakeheads, to go from dormant to demented. Two or three chilly days in October can turn a placid Chesapeake into waters churned by breaking stripers. And while rain in and of itself may not affect those already-wet fish, the temperature drop that accompanies it most certainly can.

Again, we get to a bottom line: while its effects are difficult to predict, the weather will have a huge impact on how successful you are when fishing, and will also impact your safety level. You’ll have to take all of these factors (plus many others) into account if you want to be both safe and successful. You’ll want to check the weather before and while you fish. Often. #

# Apps work great where you have cell coverage, but to get a satellite’s eye view where there’s no coverage you’ll need SiriusXM weather service.

Ins I de the Yeocom I co

This small Northern Neck tributary holds

By Wayne Young

Among the Northern Neck tributaries which have extensive oyster farming operations is the Yeocomico River, a small tributary to the Potomac near its junction with the Bay. This practice has been controversial, notably to those owners of shorefront properties who prefer not to have commercial oyster leased grounds immediately offshore of their waterfronts. On the other hand, water filtering by farmed oysters makes a local contribution to water quality in addition to the economic benefits associated with successful farming operations.

Boating, crabbing, and fishing are allowed over these leased areas, a number of which are highlighted for general awareness and for such fishing opportunities as each might afford. Recreational fishermen should extend a courtesy to holders of leased grounds by not operating or fishing over the leases while watermen are present working the gear. With respect to bottom structure, cages must rise no more than a foot off the bottom. Floats are often attached to each cage and cages are typically in close proximity to each other. So, fishing over or casting into locations with cages has a high risk of snagging gear. Fishing around the edge of leased grounds or using topwater lures are options that can reduce snags.

About 1000 yards northwest of Lynch Point, generally marked as Site 1 on Chart 1, is an Electronic Navigation Chart (ENC) wreck. The

feature is charted as “PA”, or position approximate, at coordinates 38’03.125 x 76’31.471. There’s also an uncharted elongated feature about 1500 yards from the point at coordinates 38’03.373 x 76’31.661. Maybe it’s natural and maybe not. A second anomaly is an elongated dark shadow at coordinates 38’03.034 x 76’31.303. It could be natural, a wreck, or some other obstruction. And a third anomaly is by appearance

a massive dump of concrete slabs and rubble. The main pile is at coordinates 38’02.921 x 76’31.349. The shapes of individual objects are clearly visible just below the surface in a 2015 Google Earth satellite image (Top right Image 1). Several large slabs or blocks are also visible in the image at 38’02.930 x 76’31.353. The entire feature appears to extend farther offshore based on underwater shadows, the outer extent of which is at coordinates

big angling opportunity.

# Annotated satellite views of various awash and subsurface structures in the yeocomico River taken from google Earth 2015 historic images. images courtesy of google Earth.

38’02.930 x 76’31.342. The main pile is just off the beach. Given the location and configuration, best guess is that this was a homemade shoreline protection (or fish attracting?) project, the professionally installed rock armor along the shoreline notwithstanding. Although whatever material is at these spots is uncertain, they all are obstructions that certainly should attract sportfish.

About 400 yards northwest of Lynch Point is another anomaly about 50 to 60 yards off the beach at coordinates 38’02.700 x 76’32.256. Two adjacent somewhat oval objects that by appearance resemble ballast piles are just below the surface. Lynch Point to the south, Site 2, is protected by multiple rock structures. At the northwest end of the point, shoreline armor extends out to form a groin. Then, a series of five segmented breakwaters have stabilized a long, narrow spit that extends into and marks the upriver side of the entrance into the Yeocomico River. The two at the southeastern end wrap around the spit and are connected by a wooden bulkhead.

Inside the Yeocomico River, look for a variety of natural and artificial structures.

Site 3 on Chart 2 is a general marker for natural and possibly manmade features off the southeast face of Sandy Point Neck and also in the West Wicomico River off Allen Point. The most prominent feature is a narrow, elongated submerged mound where there is a charted dashed black line. The Digital Elevation Models (DEM) Color Shaded Relief image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA)

Bathymetric Data Viewer (BDV) shows this feature measures about 200 yards long and runs southeast from the shoreline. There’s a line of three small anomalies shown on the chart which may be part of the same feature.

The earliest historic image accessible using Goggle Earth dates to 1994 in which the feature looks about the same as in 2015. By appearance and orientation, this feature suggests an old submerged unimproved road out to the oyster grounds, but it could certainly be of natural origin since there is an underwater shelf or point about 200 yards long southeast. This point is outlined by a charted 10-foot contour line.

The feature off Allen Point is charted as a breakwater. It’s shaped like the letter “V” pointing towards the northeast along the edge of the underwater spit (2 on the charts, center right on Image 1). There’s decent water on the channel side. The structure is massive and just below the surface. Each arm is about 50 yards long. Composition is not given, but it has the physical form of a rock breakwater, and yet another example of failed shoreline protection. It is a definite casting destination.

Site 4 on Chart 2 is a general marker for constructed oyster bars and multiple active oyster ground leases using a 2015 satellite image. The constructed oyster bar in the South Yeocomico River is huge, about 150 yards long by 40 yards wide. It’s charted and highlighted by a dashedline box. Icons in the form of a cluster of small circles in the illustration show the approximate locations of the oyster ground leases.

Receding shorelines formerly protected by rock armor but since compromised, such as found off Allen Point, are a type of feature that is high

# Chart 1: Left - geographic references for the Virginia shoreline from Ragged to Smith Point. Right – Features in yeocomico River and surroundings.

on my armchair scouting list. Many of these older structures weren’t anchored at the ends to prevent flanking as waves eroded adjacent unprotected shorelines. Other structures were too low or were subjected to episodic storm events and were overtopped, resulting in erosion of sediments that supported the armor, causing it to collapse. In some cases, foundation sediments weren’t strong enough and the structures simply settled lower in the water resulting in their submergence. Or, the structures were composed of unsuitable materials. A relative rise in sea level, that is, the combined effects of rising water level and subsidence, exacerbates weaknesses in design and construction.

When these factors are not effectively addressed, thanks for the fishing spot!

Site 5 in the Yeocomico at the northwest corner of Mondays Neck marks a long intertidal breakwater that appears to align with an earlier shoreline. With the existing shoreline armored with a modern rock structure, the older feature helps dissipate wave energy. Across the water to the northeast is Barn Point. The north side is well protected by stone armor which wraps around the southwest end of the point where Site 6 marks old wooden jetties. Based on how sand is trapped by the jetties, the flood current rolls along the northwest tip and a less strong ebb flows along the southeast side. The casting target zone is on both sides of the tip when current is running. There is a charted obstruction off the end of the point, but the feature isn’t recorded in AWOIS. Several satellite images show an object that could be a snag. Approximate coordinates are 38’01.605 x 76’32.206. Whether or not this object is fixed in position or temporarily

grounded can’t be determined from the images.

Thicket Point (Site 7) marks the northeast side of the Yeocomico River entrance. The point is shaped like an arrowhead, heavily armored with rock, and points towards the northwest. The Yeocomico side between Barn Point and Thicket Point forms Thicket Point Bay which has a natural shoreline as it approaches the point. Checking satellite images, strong, very turbid tidal rips trailing off to the southwest from the point were visible. This suggests that sediment is picked up from the unprotected shoreline in the bay during ebbs. Dirty water doesn’t favor fishing,

however, a tidal rip creates a temporary boundary that channels the flow of current and bait and predators may forage along the clear side. So, it’s worth a few casts when the flood current is running and clearer water is moving upriver.

The shoreline on the Potomac side of the point runs towards the east-southeast past waterfront homes protected by stone armor and bulkheads, and then becomes a natural shoreline all the way to Hog Island on the north side of Judith Sound — where massive shoreline changes have occurred. But, that’s a story for another day. #

Wayne Young is the author of many books detailing bay and ocean structure, including “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 2: Fishing structures in the yeocomico River and surroundings.

Five Critical Fishing Boat Maintenance Tips

Tips you need to know as we begin another fishing season.

Whether it’s a brand-spankingnew triple-engine Glitzcraft 1000 or a chalky waterstained wreck of a fishing machine, your boat is your fishing freedom. It gets you access to endless angling adventures, allows you to target the fresh fried fish dinner of your choice, and lets you vote with the throttle when the bite is slow. But only if it runs. And boats are notoriously famous for not running.

Never fear, dear angler. We can take measures to keep that boat running reliably, season after season. Will they ensure 100-percent reliability? Heck no. But, will proper maintenance vastly reduce the number of issues you’ll have? Heck yes. Thus, consider these five critical fishing boat maintenance measures.

Flush, Flush, Flush Your Motors – If you’ve been reading FishTalk for years, you’ve already heard us expound on this issue and know that flushing your outboard after use in saltwater is mandatory. But few boat owners flush properly, and on a regular — nay, religious! — basis. The flushing

should occur asap after use to prevent salt from crystallizing and becoming tougher to rinse away. Five minutes of flowing freshwater is the minimum amount of time required to wash away all the salt deposits, and if you’re flushing after an hours-long ride home and know crystalized salt will need to be dissolved, double the flush-time. Freshwater flushing will keep your engine’s interior water passages clear and corrosion-free. It will also prevent salt deposits from forming in the water pump, where they’ll grind on the impeller the next time you start up. It’s the single most critical maintenance task for any raw-water cooled fishing boat engine, period, so forgive us for harping on it over and over. And for gosh sakes anglers, if you’ve heard this time and again yet still don’t flush, it’s high time you changed your ways.

Corrosive Care – While keeping the engine running is a concern second only to keeping the boat floating, the motor isn’t the only item aboard that needs protection from corrosion. Most

people don’t wax metal pipework, but they should, because it provides a layer of protection that will delay pitting and corrosion. Remember, aluminum does have tiny pores and cracks in its surface, and this is where salt crystallizes and can eventually do damage. But wax fills in the gaps, so the salt rinses away.

Any sort of wax will be helpful in this regard, but most boat maintenance sharpies agree that an excellent product for this specific task is Woody Wax (editor’s note: this is the one I use and can vouch for its effectiveness). Another option you’ll hear some talk about is Collinite Metal Wax. Whichever you may favor, one thing is for sure: some level of protection is a heck of a lot better than none.

Corrosive Care, Take II – Another place where corrosion can do serious damage is in your boat’s wiring. In fact, in some situations wiring issues can end a fishing trip just as fast as motor problems. And boats have lots and lots of wiring. Everything from livewells

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2.

3.

# if you want your boat to reliably take you to the fish, you need to treat it with TLC.

to running lights need juice, and that means positive and negative connections at both ends.

In truth, an electrical system that was carelessly made in the first place will probably have issues no matter what you do. But assuming your boat was wired right from the start with connections made via crimp connectors protected by heat-shrink tubing, you can help extend its lifespan and keep corrosion at bay by spritzing a corrosion-inhibitor like CorrosionX or Boeshield T-9 on every exposed terminal and end.

Be careful with this stuff because it’s easy to overuse, which causes drips and sticky splatters that can discolor some surfaces. Use multiple short blasts instead of extended spraying, and keep paper towels handy for quick cleanup and/or removing over-spray.

Can You See Me Now? – Isinglass and clear vinyl curtains rarely get treated as they should, and as a result, they commonly become cloudy and difficult to see through after a few seasons of use. This may not seem like something that can shut you down, but after you run over that crab pot you didn’t see through the haze you might have a different attitude. Plus, it will certainly make running the boat more difficult and may force you to back off on the throttles when visibility is hindered by low light or fog.

The problem is that this stuff gets scratched rather easily, and a heap of micro-scratches results in that hazy gaze. “Cleaning” Isinglass and clear curtains with a dirty rag or (yikes!) a scrub brush is usually the cause. Another big offender is stowing them in a console or compartment where they rub fiberglass every time vibrations run through the boat. Stowing them flat in a garage or basement is problematic, too, because dust and grime settle on the surface and can cause damage when you wipe them off.

To care for them properly, always rinse away salt and contaminants with freshwater before wiping them down, and only use a clean microfiber cloth to do the wiping. Treating them with a dedicated protectant like Plexus will go a long way in extending their lifespan, too. When not in use take the curtains down, roll them up like a tube, and stow them on dry land where nothing will compress or flatten the material.

Dose the Supply – Treating your fuel with a high-quality additive is another thing we’ve harped on for years, but we’ll do it again right now because it’s too darn important to ignore. Ethanol is the bane of boaters, and since its introduction to our fuel supply it’s brought countless engines to a screeching halt. With each and every fill-up, bar none, dose that fuel.

No, not all fuel additives are equal. There are a ton of them on the market and some, including name brands that have been around for years, literally do more harm than good. We certainly haven’t tested them all extensively but we can point to a few winners we’ve had good luck with through the years. Techron Marine (editor’s note: this is what I’ve been using consistently for about four years and currently use today) does well on all fronts. Star Tron also provides excellent protection, and

if you give it a week or so to percolate, even seems to rehabilitate fuel that’s causing problems to some degree. Formula X2 is the one to reach for when there’s existing water in your fuel, as it “eats” the water and removes it from the system.

If you take all these measures and treat your fishboat like a gem, might it break down and leave you sitting at the dock anyway? Well, sure. No matter how well you maintain a boat it’s still a mixing platform for saltwater, metal, electricity, dirt and grime, sunshine, and hopefully a bit of fish slime. All that stuff takes a toll and our fishing machines live hard lives. But take these five critical maintenance chores to heart, and your boat will serve you more reliably for longer than it would otherwise. It will thank you for it. It will love you. And it will give you the freedom you need to catch more, bigger fish. #

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# if your wiring looks this shabby, it may be time to have the whole boat rewired. Short of that, you can extend the lifespan of a boat’s wiring system by hitting all exposed pieces and parts with a corrosion inhibitor.

Crabbing Conundrums

How to fill the bushel basket against all odds.

By Staff

You have a passel of family and friends due in 12 hours, they all know you enjoy trot-lining for crabs almost as much as you enjoy fishing, and everyone’s depending on you to fill that bushel basket to the brim — but the deck is stacked against you. Sometimes it’s tough to catch crabs, and there are a slew of problems that can make it even tougher. You say there’s no way you’ll eat your pride and head for the seafood store? Start defrosting those chicken necks, and watch out for these potential pitfalls.

Bubba Dumped Ya

You wake up at 4 a.m., roll out of bed, and see that there’s a text waiting to be read on your phone. It’s from your brother-in-law Bubba, who’s supposed to meet you at the boat ramp in 45 minutes. Uh-oh… he can’t make it, and that means you’ll have to do all the setting and scooping single-handed.

Don’t worry, this is totally doable. Thing is, it does take some preparation. For starters you’ll need the right net because swinging a standard wood-handled net with a large, heavy hoop is impossible to do with one arm. Hopefully you have a lightweight aluminum net on standby in the garage. The telescopic type is best, since you can’t scoop from the usual spot in the bow and instead must stay at the helm to drive.

Speaking of staying at the helm: you may need to adjust the position and/ or height of your stick to allow for scooping from afar. Try to rejigger it so the line breaks out of the water three or four feet behind the new scooping position. If that’s not possible, when you set the line leave it looser than normal so it droops a bit.

Thar She Blows

You wake up at 4 a.m., roll out of bed, and hear the wind whistling in the trees. A check of the weather shows that the forecast was as accurate as ever and the five-mph winds they were predicting when you went to bed have evolved into neargale conditions. Whatcha going to do?

Look at the wind direction, look at a chart, and head for the spots that are in the lee. Sure, the north side of the river might be holding more crabs, but if the wind’s out of the south you’d bounce around so much you wouldn’t be able to catch them anyway. So choose your location based on the conditions — not your wishes.

# Abby and Kate rocked it — and are about to enjoy family all-you-can-eat crab night.

When you arrive at the spot don’t start setting out the line willy-nilly. Instead, sit there and drift for a moment or two until you have a good read on exactly where the wind’s blowing and how it’s funneling through the river or creek that you’re on. Then go upwind to your starting point and set your line out as close to parallel with the wind as you possibly can. Run the line with the wind on your stern, which will help keep you going in a more or less straight line and will be a lot easier than trying to fight it with the bow.

Flotilla of Frustration

You wake up at 4 a.m., roll out of bed, and… everything goes smoothly! A little over an hour later you lay out your trot line, and soon start dipping Jimmies. Unfortunately, it’s a sunny Saturday and by the time you have the bushel basket half-full a steady procession of boats running down the river has you rocking so hard that all the crabs start dropping off.

Speeding up will help sometimes, since you won’t give the crabs as much shake-time to decide to skedaddle. And if you’re running your line towards all the traffic, try changing directions. With the stern being hit by a following sea as opposed to the bow bouncing up and down and smacking waves there’s a good chance you can smooth out the ride significantly. This is also another scenario where loosening up the line so it droops a bit can be helpful, since the slack will help absorb the motion. If none of this works, however, you may need to pull the line and find a calmer spot.

The Great Deflate

You wake up at 4 a.m., roll out of bed, and… everything goes smoothly! At least, it does until you deploy the line and realize one of your orange polyballs has gone flat. Don’t worry, a life jacket can save the day. Lash it onto the line under the polyball and it’ll provide plenty of buoyancy. Just remember that you still need to have enough life jackets remaining in the boat for everyone aboard.

Life’s a Snag

You wake up at 4 a.m., roll out of bed, and… everything goes smoothly! At least, it does until your line snags bottom and you can’t get it free. What you do next is critical. DO NOT lose your patience, cleat the line, and try to power it off. Sometimes this will work but more likely you’ll drag the line through the snag and in doing so, strip off your snoods and/or baits, and/or break the line.

First, pick up the line at the opposite end and see if you can work the snag free going in the other direction. It’s a longshot, but it might do the trick. If not, sigh deeply and cut the line. Tie something that floats like a spare buoy or a life jacket to the free end, then go to the opposite end of the line and run it until you get close to the snag. It’ll usually come

free on its own as you run it (and hey, you might pick up a few more crabs along the way) and if not, should be easy to pull free when you get close to the snag. When you reach the cut section you may have to float it (it depends on how far away your first cut-end float is at this point), retrieve the other cut end of the line, and tie them together. All this will take some time and you’ll have a big knot in the line forever more. But you shouldn’t lose more than one or two baits and will still have an operational trot line.

Remember, you really don’t need to fill that basket all the way to the brim each and every time you go crabbing. But when the big crew is due to arrive and your crustacean reputation is on the line, these common crabbing conundrums will never shut you down again.

# Ahhh, that’s more like it!

# The entire family is in town and they’re ready to crack claws? Ummm, that’s not going to do it.

Fishing for Sharks for Beginners

By Staff

Catching sharks is as exciting as it gets, especially for kids and beginners.

Is there a kid alive who wouldn’t be thrilled to catch a shark?

We think not! Is there a more challenging, interesting species for a beginner angler to reel up to the surface of the water? Heck no!

Plus, while the danger-factor of handling large sharks is very real, most of the sharks caught in the Bay, inshore, or on the beach are 10 pounds or less, which can be easily and safely dealt with as long as you use care — and tangling with even a small specimen is thrilling.

Mid-Atlantic Shark Species

There are a number of different types of sharks you might encounter in our region. Offshore there are blues, thresher, and even the famed mako sharks. We won’t get into detail with these species since they aren’t appropriate for beginners to target. But closer to home the species you’re more likely to encounter include:

Inshore:

• Atlantic Sharpnose

• Dusky

• Sandbar

• Smooth sand sharks

• Spiny sand sharks

• Tiger

In the Surf:

• Sand tigers

• Sandbar

• Smooth sand sharks

• Spiny sand sharks

In southern areas of the Bay:

• Bull

• Sandbar

• Smooth sand sharks

• Spiny sand sharks

Shark for Dinner?

It’s important to remember that sharks play a vital role in the food web, and as a general rule of thumb aren’t great to eat. Among the smaller inshore sharks you’re likely to encounter smooth sand shark and Atlantic sharpnose are considered good eating, but all other species should be released with care.

Smooth sand sharks (also called dogfish) are one of the most common catches made while surf fishing, as they’re quite prolific and will eat just about anything. Most are just a foot or two long. But be careful not to mix them up with spiny sand sharks (which have a prominent spike on their dorsal fin) if you plan to take one home to eat, or you’ll be sorely disappointed when you take the first bite.

Atlantic sharpnose, which commonly range from two to three feet long, are a prime target for many nearshore boat anglers as they’re feisty, fun to catch, good to eat, and quite common in nearshore waters from midsummer into the fall. You’ll find them cruising along in sloughs and depressions anywhere from a few miles off the beach to 20 miles out. The species is easily recognized by the distinctive white splotchy dots

across their bronze back and sides, and they’re an ideal target for recreational anglers using relatively light gear.

Targeting Offshore Sharks

This will be a very short section, because we’re not about to suggest that any beginners target the large, dangerous species of sharks found offshore. If you want to do so you should take out a charter boat that specializes in shark fishing and see how the pros do it. There are also several articles on shark fishing at FishTalkMag.com for more advanced anglers (just plug “shark” into the search box).

Targeting Sharks in the Surf

As mentioned earlier, for sand sharks you can toss out just about any bait and wait for a bite. That said, cut fish is the best bet and any time you’re targeting sharks, even these small ones, it’s best to use a wire leader or at least a long-shank hook.

To target larger sharks, you’ll want to up-size your baits, hooks, and gear. If local rules allow (and in some areas they do not) you can seriously boost your chances of hooking a larger shark by deploying your baits far off the beach via a kayak. In this case, you’ll want a threeto four-foot strand of #10 wire connecting the hook to the mainline, with a 9/0 to 12/0 circle hook on the business end. Use a large slice of mackerel or bluefish for bait, and be sure it’s hooked such that the point of the circle hook is thoroughly

# The mate on the Fish Finder, an Ocean City, MD, charter specializing in sharking adventures, holds an Atlantic Sharpnose for a quick inspection before its release.

Caution!

It goes without saying that sharks are dangerous creatures. When possible, remove the hook using a pair of long-nose pliers with the fish still in the water. Smaller ones can be handled by grabbing around the base of the tail with one hand, and around the back of the head behind the jaws and just in front of the pectoral fins with the other. Don’t try to hold them up vertically by the tail, because they can bend around and snap at your wrist or hand. Removing the hook from mediumsized sharks — and certainly larger sharks — is a two-person operation. If there’s any doubt as to whether you can safely handle a shark simply clip off the line as close to the hook as possible, leave it in place, and let the shark swim off.

exposed. For tips and pointers on the technique see “Shark Fishing with a Kayak” on our website.

Note: with many of the larger species, such as sand tigers, it’s illegal to remove the shark from the water prior to releasing it. Dragging a shark up on the beach can be fatal, as it subjects the creature to stresses and internal injury its body can’t handle. You should remove the hook while the fish is still in the wash, and obviously, care must be taken to keep your fingers clear of the teeth. If you want to get photos, have someone else assigned to the task beforehand. We’d recommend going with a surf fishing guide (there aren’t many but there are a few like Shark Whisperers, who you can find on Facebook) or an experienced angler before thinking about catching large sharks in the surf on your own.

Targeting Sharks Inshore and in the Lower Bay

To target sharks inshore and in the lower Bay, you’ll want to anchor your boat along the edge of a shoal or next to structure on bottom and then set out your lines on bottom with cut fish baits. Mackerel, bluefish, and other oily fish work best. Use 8/0 to 10/0 circle hooks rigged with three- to five-foot wire leaders, attached to your main line with a swivel.

You can attract fish to the area by hanging a weighted chum bucket full of ground fish over the side of the boat, suspended just above the bottom. A modest but steady flow of finely groundup fish streaming from the chum bucket is best.

When a shark first bites don’t do a thing: let the circle hook do its work.

When the rod begins to bend over, it’s time to pick up the rod, reel slowly to apply maximum tension, then fight it up.

Shark fishing isn’t complex, but it can be incredibly exciting. And there’s not a kid on the face of the planet who won’t be thrilled by reeling up a shark. So take the proper precautions, rig up right, and get one of these apex predators on the line. #

Toothy Controversy

Whenever you’re shark fishing from the beach, there’s the potential for “user conflict.” While we here at FishTalk are always supportive of anglers’ fishing rights wherever and however casting a line is legal, we should note that it’s understandable that bathers may become uncomfortable if a shark angler sets up shop a few yards away from their beach umbrellas. Moving away from bather access points and giving other people a wide berth is certainly the right move.

# FishTalk’s own Zach Ditmars uses long-nose pliers to shake a large smooth dogfish off the hook.

# Larger offshore sharks are quite dangerous, and if you want to encounter one, hiring a pro is the only sensible move.

Free State on the Fly

Maryland’s mountain rivers are trout central.

By Lenny Rudow

I’ll be the first to admit it: I’m utterly incompetent with a fly rod in my hands. I tried fly fishing back in my 20s and quickly came to admire the artistic side of this endeavor, but eventually concluded that it wouldn’t be my prime modus operandi. I don’t think this decision had anything to do with the fact that the first time I tried practice-casting my new fly rod, I swung the tip into an overhead powerline and snapped off six inches of graphite. Nor do I blame the time I back-cast a Wooly Bugger into my right ear. Or when I discovered that performing a solid strip-set into a stump while holding a fly rod 90 degrees to the side in a canoe creates enough off-center force to roll it. So, when the Fish & Hunt Maryland guys said they wanted to go fly fishing, I began to sweat…

opportunity knocks Truth be told, we have some fantastic fly fishing opportunities to enjoy in the state of Maryland. You can begin the famed statewide Fly Fishing Trail casting streamers to stripers on the Bay, the very next day use the buggy whip for bass in an Eastern Shore millpond, and the day after that roll-cast for rainbows in a mountain river. You’ll have just begun exploring the options as you follow in the footsteps of fly fishing legends like Lefty Kreh, Joe Brooks, and George Gains, all members of the Southern Fly Fishing Hall of Fame and all native Marylanders.

Our particular adventure would have us heading out to western Maryland to target rainbow trout in the riffles and pools of the Casselman River.

Brookie or Bust

Native brook trout may be minor league in the size department, but they’re just as challenging to catch as the biggest fish in the ocean. Garrett County has the highest density of brook trout in Maryland, and you’ll find plenty of places with good populations that can be publicly accessed via the DNR’s Public Angler Access Map. Should you accept the mission of catching one, remember:

• These fish are uber-spooky. Walk quietly, stay low, and dress in drab clothing. If they see you before you see them, it’s game over.

• Fish in an upstream direction. The trout will be facing the current, so when you approach from a downstream direction there’s less likelihood they’ll see you.

• Stick with light leader (5x is about as heavy as you want) and very small offerings, like #8 to #12 wooly buggers or #14 to #18 nymphs.

# Few forms of fishing can match hunting brookies when it comes to casting in seclusion.

And mercifully for this nymphing neophyte, we’d be fishing with Mike Dreisbach, an owner of Savage River Lodge and a fly fishing guide and teacher with decades of experience. We arrived at the lodge on the early side, chomping at the bit to wet a line. Rather than settle into our yurts (permanent tents with wood frames surrounded by insulated canvas), we opted to grab some rods and head for the headwaters of the Savage River. While the section of river running along the lodge’s property is almost small enough to jump across at points, it’s home to a population of native brook trout. These small but gorgeous fish are known for their wary nature and picky feeding habits — something I learned about firsthand, watching slack-jawed as the only brookie I spotted that afternoon, a six-incher, wildly darted off from under the riverbank at Mach I.

Checkmate

During dinner back at the lodge (the bacon-wrapped wild game meatloaf is insanely good), in my mind’s eye I replayed watching that 12- to 14inch wild fish dart off into another time zone approximately 4632 times. Deep breaths. Tomorrow is a new day, and on the Casselman I WILL prevail. Sure, I’m completely out of my usual angling element. Yes, I’m most comfortable fishing when my brain is around six feet above sea level, not 2506 feet. It’s true, I haven’t caught a rainbow trout in a mountain stream in 20-plus years. But with a little advice from Mike (and a pair of the lodge’s waders and boots) I’m sure I can make it happen.

After a good night’s sleep in the yurt — which, incidentally, is nicer inside than 99 percent of the hotel rooms I’ve slept in — some French-pressed coffee, and a luscious lemony poppy-seed muf-

From the Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay

fin, I’m ready to roll. I link up with FishTalk’s resident kayak fishing guru and production manager Zach Ditmars and the Fish & Hunt Maryland crew (Ben and Paul) and we head for a stretch of the Casselman, where in 1755 a young military aid named George Washington forded the river with Braddock’s army during the French and Indian War. The four of us donned waders and followed Mike to a deep pool in the river where he confidently predicted rainbow trout would be waiting.

I’d rather not relate what happened next. In all fairness I should mention that Paul had the hot hand, landing two trout plus a fallfish. And I should say that Zach caught a rainbow, broke off another, and landed a fallfish as well. But exactly what I personally may or may not have hooked, reeled in, and landed shall remain (ahem) a mystery.

Rallying for Rainbows

As we found and as Mike confirmed, the stages of the rainbow trout bite depend a great deal on insect hatches. When we began fishing temperatures were in the 40s, there was no hatch to speak of, and the fish weren’t in an eating mood. When it warmed into the upper 40s the bugs began doing their thing, and like magic we saw fish suddenly rising to the surface. For the next 45 minutes or so there was constant action. Well, at least for some of us. Matching the hatch became not just a saying but a necessity, and after the first trout was landed we huddled around and inspected the nymph that had done the trick. One smart angler immediately switched to a similar-looking fly and enjoyed success, while one pigheaded, stuck-in-the-mud angler kept casting his favorite because it was his favorite. And hewho-shall-not-be-named was rewarded accordingly. If you go after rainbows in the Casselman or any other of Maryland’s clear-running trout rivers, remember:

• Match the hatch. Look for insects and rising fish, and choose flies accordingly. When you’re unable to get bites where there are fish, switch offerings until you find one that interests them.

• When the bugs are inactive and you don’t see fish rising, look for holes and deep areas and rig up something that gets down in the water column a bit like a nymph rig weighted with a split shot.

• Use current to your advantage. You can try to fight it all day long, but you can also use it to carry your offering into the strike zone. Cast directly at a fish in a strong current and your fly might be five feet past the fish in a second. But if you cast five feet up-current of the fish and let the moving water do the work you can float that fly right by the fish’s nose.

• Practice ahead of time and hit the river with a skill for casting accuracy and setting the hook already established. Spend some time at a local pond or lake fishing for easy targets like sunfish, and work on it until you can drop an ant between two tree branches.

# Zach scores a fly-caught rainbow in the Casselman.

Western Maryland Fly Fishing Hotspots

When prospecting for hotspots following the Fly Fishing Trail is a good bet. The site just below Savage River Dam offers good access and is known for holding plenty of brown trout, thanks to the steady flow of cool water. Hatches are constant, with blue quills, sulphurs, and caddis flies considered must-have offerings. The Savage is consistently ranked among the top 100 trout rivers in the United States, but is also known for having wary, suspicious fish, so stay quiet and move slowly.

The Upper Savage above the reservoir is a prime destination thanks to its healthy brook trout population. You’ll find yourself battling overhanging trees and thick cover, but this is some of the top brookie water on the East Coast. It’s also possible to disappear into the wilderness here and fish all day in peaceful, secluded surroundings where few others tread. Hike away from the access points and the farther you go, the better the chances you’ll cast all day long without crossing paths with another angler.

Running through the state’s westernmost portion, the Youghiogheny is a relatively large river filled with a mix of browns and rainbows. A trail runs along the “special regulation” section making for very easy access, and there are plenty of other access points as well. Note that this river runs through the popular Swallow Falls State Park (including Muddy Creek Falls, the highest freefalling waterfall in Maryland), which is

a sight not to be missed. If you’re going to be in the area, make sure to plan in an afternoon to check it out.

Town Creek, running into the Potomac River just east of Cumberland, is a top bet for stocked rainbows with a big bonus: plenty of voracious smallmouth bass live here, too. The creek is relatively small but thoroughly secluded and with some hiking it’s easy to find peaceful fishing spots all of your own.

Trout Fishing Travel

If you want to get started on the western portion of the Fly Fishing Trail, you can attempt this endeavor on your own or enlist the services of a guide, as we did. Either way can be a ball, though we’ll note that beginners such as myself can expect a much greater chance of success with the help of a pro. Savage River Lodge is a great jumping-off point and everything you could possibly want for stays both short and extended are on-site, ranging from a bar and restaurant to your own personal yurt or cabin. There are also plenty of hotels and restaurants in Cumberland, the largest city in western Maryland. Frostburg, Oakland, and Friendsville have nearby accommodations as well, and there’s a cluster of hotels and restaurants plus a robust selection of vacation rentals around Deep Creek Lake and McHenry, MD.

# What’s in a yurt?

Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis

Brown Trout Salmo trutta

Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

Savage River

Youghiogheny River

Casselman River Town Creek

Savage River Lodge

Fis H i N g F OR e CA s T

Editor’s Note: We all know printed fishing reports are generalized, and weeks have passed before the report gets into your hands. for timely, up-to-date reports, visit our website fishtalkmag.com current reports will be published every friday by noon — just in time for your weekend fishing adventures. in the meantime, here’s our monthly prognostication.

Coastal

Warmer weather means a hotter offshore bite; expect the tuna action to mainly be focused on trolling along temperature breaks and at the canyons, and with a little luck late this month or early next month those fish will set up shop at some of the inshore lumps. At that point chunking may well replace trolling as the main mode of operation but that usually doesn’t happen until July.

Inshore we should have solid action on a mix of sea bass and flounder, and surf fishing will likely remain strong until the summer doldrums set in. Expect blues to increase in number but shrink in average size, while more kingfish and panfish make their presence known.

Freshwater

Enjoy June, because this month makes for a great mix of strong post-spawn bites prior to oppressive heat setting in. You can bet your bottom dollar that there’s an active topwater bite for predators including snakeheads and bass, and crappie should be relatively easy to locate on deadfall, beaver dams, and other nearshore structure. Also remember that while blue catfish will bite just about any time, June is when they tend to feed voraciously. If you want nonstop catfish action, now’s the ideal opportunity.

Way North

As of June 1 all Maryland waters are now open for rockfish fishing — WOOHOO! By this point they should be shifting to drop-offs and ledges and you can look for a topwater bite at daybreak and sunset. Expect the lower river and the Flats to be top prospects.

Upper Bay

Can we get another WOOHOO!? Sure we can, rockfish is wide open! At some point this month the fish will begin schooling up in larger and larger numbers, and by the beginning of June last year we had red-hot rockfish action from Still Pond clear down to the Bay Bridge pilings. Many boats will begin the season by slinging jigs or spooning chum, but spot should be around in numbers large enough to target them for live-lining by mid-month or so. To get to those rockfish with bait, however, you may have to wade through catfish after catfish; we’ll have to see how the salinity levels pan out.

Middle Bay

WOO — well, you know. Rock are in and anglers are happy. If this year mirrors recent seasons June will start off with plenty of action, but later in the month the masses of fish will likely shift northward. The big schools may again spend summer north of the Bridge but remember that there should still be onsies-twosies around to the south and casting to structure in the shallows like riprap and points hit by current should prove productive. Perch sharpies will be happy June has arrived, too, since by now they’ll be moving into their usual summer haunts in the river and creeks.

Lower Bay

By now plenty of specks should have made their way north, and we should begin to see more and more slot reds in the shallows. As of June 15, however, many anglers will have their attention dominated by the possibility of catching cobia. Last year wasn’t as good as the past few in more northern areas of the lower Bay but hopefully, for 2023 we’ll get

Gathered over the past month by Dillon Waters

a good run clear up to the Potomac. Southern portions of the lower Bay should also see some schools of bull reds, so put fresh line on those reels and be prepared for epic battles.

Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore

Now that June has arrived just about anything could show up in these waters, and hopefully, that something will include plenty of speckled trout. Last June we didn’t have amazing numbers of specks but the sounds did have some very nice ones and there were plenty of reports of fish in the 22- to 26-inch range hitting pink, pearl, and salt-and-pepper plastics. There were also solid numbers of rockfish in the mix for those casting to the shallows, so hopefully they’ll be back as well. Note that bait fishing will likely become tough, however, as the rays are sure to invade these waters in huge numbers during the month of June.

# Now’s the time to get the kids out casting — Tenley showed us how it’s done.

Fishing Forecast

Way South

Let’s lay out the welcome mat for our summer guests, because just about everything and anything should be expected to show up in the catch this month: sheepshead, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, you name it. On the 15th, of course, cobia come in and are likely to draw most of the attention. We’ll also note, however, that last June bull reds were schooled up in rather massive numbers all around the CBBT and at the shoals. More than once anglers reported a day of sight fishing for cobia turned into a day of battling monster redfish. If chasing slot reds and specks is more your style, get started early this month because once summer officially begins you can expect the perennial favorites like Rudee and Lynnhaven to become quite crowded, especially on sunny weekends.

# Cobia season opens back up June 15 in both Virginia and Maryland waters. you can set that bait on one of Todd’s ghostDrags!

Kayak Fishing for West ¯ Side Speckled Trout

By Eric Packard

Spotted sea trout, speckled trout, specks, yellow mouths, or whatever you may call them are a fun fish to catch out of a kayak, and you can catch them in relatively shallow water on the central western side of the Bay from May into early October. My favorite bait is a paddletail jig. My second favorite is a popping cork with a paddletail 18 inches below the cork. Favorite color? You can’t beat electric chicken, with a pink bait being a close second. You can find out more about baits and methods for catching speckled trout by typing “speckled trout” into the search box at fishtalkmag.com.

I target specks on small creeks feeding the Patuxent, Potomac, St. Mary’s, and Piankatank rivers, all of which offer good access for kayak anglers. Key features to look for include moving tide across grass beds, over points, riprap, and cuts. Try to fish clean water, as cloudy water will kill a trout bite in a heartbeat, and fish water from two to 10 feet in depth.

Fishing the feeder creeks of the Patuxent River produces specks and in May I will find 20-plus-inch fish on Mill Creek, but with the heat of summer the large fish seem to move out. You can still find them out of Clarks Landing at the mouth of Cuckold Creek, and there’s a nice public launch at this location. Perch and striped bass can be found here, too.

Potomac River specks can be found out of Point Lookout, where there’s a launch facility at the state park. Fishing the incoming tide along the jetties leading to the river will produce fish, but don’t discount Lake Conoy, too. In the river I’ll fish the shoreline up to and including around the lighthouse. A bonus of fishing this location is that you’ll most likely catch your share of striped bass, bluefish, and possibly a few slot red drum as well.

At Piney Point there’s another public launch that gives kayak anglers access to a slightly different portion of the Potomac. Try fishing the channel under the St. George Island bridge. Here I’ll sometimes use a method I find surprisingly successful: cast a four- or five-inch electric chicken colored plastic on a half-ounce

jig head, let the bait settle to the bottom, and simply allow the current to push it along. The current can be swift here at times, so care should be taken when fishing around the bridge pilings or riprap. Also work your way down the St. George Creek side of the island up to Cherryfield Point. A bonus is the big white perch found here. Tie on a Beetle Spin with a white twister tail, and fish the docks and piers. On a calm weather day you can also fish the Potomac River side of the island; be sure to hit the points and around piers.

St. Inigoes has a public launch off Beachville Road providing access for kayaks to the St. Mary’s River. You can find specks here as well as striped bass and white perch. I like to fish the points, grass beds, and piers on a high dropping tide. If the bite is slow you can jump

across the peninsula and pay a small fee to launch out of Buzz’s Marina on St. Jerome Creek. Work your way to where the creek meets the Bay and you’ll find specks as well white perch. On a nice weather day this is also a great location to fish along the shoreline of the Bay.

A great spot in northern Virginia is the Piankatank River. There’s a soft launch you can access off Buckley Hall Rd. Here you will want to fish the grass beds between the docks and piers, points, and drop offs. They all hold fish throughout the summer and a little later into the fall than in Maryland waters. You can also launch at the bridge to Gwynn Island and fish either the Piankatank or Milford Haven. Around the bridge, Narrows point just west of it, and the mouth of Queens Creek and the channel leading into it can all hold specks. #

# What could be more fun than catching specks from a kayak? We’re not sure!!

Tips & Tricks 1

Once summer has arrived and the water is warm, topwater kicks in bigtime for snakehead anglers. Now’s the time to switch to topwater frogs, mice, and of course the epic Whopper Plopper.

Consider employing a quick-clip. yes, this adds hardware, but when you need to probe a wide range of depths through the course of a day, being able to swap out larger or smaller jigheads in a snap can be a big advantage.

When choosing hooks for sheepshead fishing, remember that the thinner the wire the better the chance of finding a spot to penetrate between all those teeth. Also remember that the thinner the wire, the better the chance of bending it straight. Pick your poison and set your drag accordingly.

# Photo by Kaylie Jasinski

Charters, Guides, and Headboats

One of the most difficult ways to learn how to fish the chesapeake Bay and atlantic ocean is trial and error. then there’s the boat issue; we don’t all have one. luckily, the Bay is full of knowledgeable guides and charter captains ready to show you the ropes. Below you will find a directory of professional guides, charter boats, and head boats to get you started on your quest for the perfect fish. Whether you like to fly fish, troll, or bottom fish, there’s likely a local expert who can lend a hand.

# These anglers some enjoyed catch and release striper action while fly fishing with Captain Tom Weaver!

BR ok ERAGE & CLASSiFiED SECTiONS

2017 Tracker Pro Guide V-175 WT 115 4S Mercury Outbourd, Hours141, Trailmaster Single Axle Painted Trailer w/ Winch, Hull Color-Black, Storage Cover, Lowrance DF / FF / gPS, Dual Batteries, Electric Trolling Motor, Helm Bucket Seats, Fishwells, Aerated Baitwell, Rod Storage, and more! $21,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20454

2020 Mako 19 CPX Upgrade to Mercury 150 4-stroke w/ only 175 hours, warranty remaining until 8/25/2023, 2020 EZ Loader bunk trailer, Lowrance Elite 9” gPS/ Fishfinder, garmin EchoMap 74SV gPS/Fishfinder, and more! $39,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com

www.riversideboats.com #20368

2012 Crownline 21 SS 4.3L MPi 220 Mercruiser, Heritage Tandem-Axle Trailer w/ Spare Tire, Bimini Top with Boot, Bow Cover, Cockpit Cover, Carpet Runners, Sport Seats, Digital Depthfinder, Hour Meter - 175, Stereo with (4) Speakers, and more! $29,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com

www.riversideboats.com #20238

BOATs4HEROEs.ORg

PoWER

2019 Sea-Doo Wake Pro 230 IBR Jetski Rotax supercharged engine w/ 230 HP and only 60 hours! Load Rite Trailer included, Storage Cover, bluetooth sound system, ski tow, and more! $15,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20372

2021 Sea-Doo Fish Pro 170 & Sound System Jetski iDF & Sound System, Rotax 170 HP, Karavan Trailer w/ Spare Tire, Storage Cover, Bait Cooler, Bow Storage Hatch, Removable Transom Cooler w/ Rod Holders, Stereo, garmin DF / FF /gPS, Trim Tabs, in-Dash Hour Meter, (5) Rod Holders, and more! $17,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20424

2022 Bayliner VR6 oB 150 EFi 4S Mercury Outboard, Extended Mercury Warranty until 5/14/2025, Hours - 27, Karavan Trailer, impulse Blue Hull w/ White Bottom, Boot Stripe, VR Series graphite Lux interior - gray, VR Sport Package - Blue, Proarc Tower w/ integrated Bimini Top, Windshield w/ Opening Center and Side Wings and more! $54,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20443

2022 Sportsman Heritage 231 CC F200XB yamaha Outboard, yamaha Warranty until 10/28/2024, Hours44.1, Venture Trailer VATB-5225, Solid Storm Cloud, Platinum gray Upholstery, Black Powder Coating, Platinum Package, Premium Dual Chair Leaning Post w/ Flip-up Bolsters, garmin 9” DF / FF / gPS, Slide-Out Track w/ yeti Cooler, On-Board Battery Charging System, Removable Table w/Mount, and more! $84,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20459

2021 Sportsman Heritage 241 CC yamaha F250XB w/ warranty remaining until 5/8/2024, Under 100 hrs, Boat has been lift kept, trailer not included, new trailer available, White Hull sides, Desert Tan Upholstery, and more! $94,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20295

22’ Shamrock ‘96 $17,500 David Robinson 410.310.8855 david@curtisstokes.net

www.curtisstokes.net

(key Gull) 25’ Carolina Classic ‘06 $58,000 Curtis Stokes 410.919.4900 curtis@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

2019 Sportsman open 252 Twin F150XCA w/ Digital Controls and Optimus Power Steering yamaha Outboards, Under 150 Hours, yamaha Extended Engine Warranty until 3/05/2025, Venture Aluminum Tandem Axle Trailer w/ Brakes, Storm Cloud with White Bottom, Platinum gray Upholstery, Black Powder Coating, and more! $119,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20464

2021 Sportsman Heritage 251 CC Twin F150XCA yamaha Outboards, yamaha Extended Warranty until 8/7/2024, 51 hours, new trailer available, Steel Blue w/ White Bottom, Desert Tan Upholstery, White Powder Coating, Hard Top, and more! $135,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20367

For all the latest listings, visit fishtalkmag.com

27’ Glacier Bay 2780 ‘15 $120,000 Bill Sudek 443.463.2583 bsudek@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

27’ Grady White ‘18 $209,000 David Robinson 410.310.8855 david@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

(off Duty) 28’ Bertram ‘83 $35,000 Curtis Stokes 410.919.4900 curtis@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

29’ Tiara ‘00 $44,500 Curtis Stokes 410.919.4900 curtis@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

(Hot Pursuit) 30’ Pursuit 3000 ‘00 $54,500 Curtis Stokes 410.919.4900 curtis@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

(Severn Sunrise) 31’ Tiara 3100 open 1985 Dual Crusader 454, Furuno Radar, Plotter, Sounder, Digital yacht AiT 2500. $24,900 Call Charlie iliff 410.227.1066

(Busted Flush) 32’ Stamas ‘78 $31,900 Bill Sudek 443.463.2583 bsudek@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

(Reef Dawg) 34’ Hydra-Sports ‘14 $254,500 Curtis Stokes 410.919.4900 curtis@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

(Game Hog) 40’ Robbins ‘99 $120,000 David Robinson 410.310.8855 david@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

2020 Sportsman open 312 CC Twin F300XCA yamaha Outboards, Extended Engine Warranty until 5/30/2025, Hours - 209, Custom Painted White Engines, (trailer available), Steel Blue Hull w/ White Bottom, Canyon Tan Upholstery, White Powder Coating, Dark Hull Color, and more! $229,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20446

33’ Bertram ‘80 $45,000 David Robinson 410.310.8855 david@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

For all the latest listings, visit fishtalkmag.com

2015 Crownline 350 SY Twin Mercruiser 8.2L MAg 380Hp each, Bravo Series Drives, Axius Drive System - Joystick and Sky Hook w/ DTS, Aluminum Hardtop, generator, AC / Heat, Electric Cockpit grill, Stainless Steel Refrigerator, galley, Head Compartment - (Shower with Adjustable nozzle, electric flush toilet, teak seat, cabinetry with solid surface countertop), Dealer Maintained, A Must See!! $229,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com www.riversideboats.com #20458

(Martini & Me) 42’ Post ‘81 $65,000 Andy Stratton 908.265.7670 andy@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

1990 Nautique 42’ Sportfish Twin Cats, Onan generator, pulpit, anchor winch, outriggers, aluminum hardtop with enclosure, factory heat air, fresh bottom paint and zincs. $139,000 Michael: 704.425.4108

MAR k ETPLACE & CLASSiFiED SECTiONS

HELP WANTED

P/T Delivery Drivers

Three-day-a-month magazine distribution routes in Maryland. Compensation based upon quantity of stops. Must have a valid driver’s license in good standing, reliable vehicle, and be able to lift up to 25 lbs. Contact Beatrice at 410.216.9309 or beatrice@spf-360.com

Yacht Sales - Curtis Stokes and Associates, Inc. is hiring new salespeople for our Chesapeake area operation. Candidates must be honest, ethical and have boating experience. This is a commission only position. Contact Curtis Stokes at 410.919.4900 or curtis@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

MARINE SERVICES

Award

Argo Navigation LLC, developer of the popular navigation and social boating app Argo, and Salisbury University have been selected to receive a Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) award to fund Argo’s Bathymetric Mapping of Lakes project. Argo will work in partnership with Dr. Arthur Lembo, professor of geography and geosciences at Salisbury University and internationally known expert. Funds are awarded on a competitive basis for projects based on proposals submitted jointly by Maryland companies and researchers from any of the 13 university system institutions. “Currently, the app relies primarily on NOAA and USACE (US Army Corps of Engineers) for its bathymetry data,” said Jeff Foulk, founder of Argo Navigation. “This project will bring large amounts of new bathymetric data into the Argo app from a range of data sources in various formats and will help us process and integrate it into Argo. We are targeting the lakes and inland waterways with the most recreational boaters to serve the widest possible community and supplement what we have from NOAA charts and USACE data. Upon completion, the app will have a proven process and expanded bathymetry on which to grow our navigation service and increase boater safety.” argonav.io

Celebrating 20 Years

Prestige Yacht Management of Annapolis, MD, founded by Kirk Benedict in 2003 alongside his brother, Keith, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in business. Kirk says, “(I’m) originally from Buffalo, NY, and while attending Michigan Law School, I visited the area for a summer break with my parents who lived here at the time. I eventually made the decision to make Annapolis my permanent home. My brother was living in Florida at the time while I worked for a charter company, managing their fleet while picking up other jobs here and there. I soon noticed the need for an organized marine service/detailing company in the area; a onestop shop for boat owners. It all started in a single pick-up truck and took off from there. It wasn’t long before I needed more help. Keith moved to the area where we became the team behind Prestige, and then we hired two employees within our first year. It all started with boat detailing—fast forward, we now have 46 employees, a total of 16 vehicles, a full mechanical staff providing service work, a haul-out yard, in addition to offering teak and gel coat services. Basically, anything and everything that revolves around boating we can provide and facilitate, while consistently maintaining our quality of work and customer service which I believe sets us apart from other companies.”

When asked how the milestone feels, Kirk says, “It feels great! Being in the marine industry has given us the opportunity to meet a lot of different people from different backgrounds including many who have become family friends over time. Not being from here but having been in the area for 20 years now, I feel honored and fortunate with how well known we have become for providing these services. With that being said, we are so grateful for every single one of our customers, I can’t begin to express the amount of gratitude we have for them, so thank you. Both my brother and I have kids; if they choose to follow into the business, I hope they love and enjoy it as much as we do.” Speaking of the younger generation, Prestige is connected with local colleges and trade schools to discover students who may be interested in marine industry careers, and they often have high school students employed with them through summer break. Looking forward, Kirk says, “We’re continuously growing on an annual basis, always adding new employees to our team in every department whether it’s detailing, service techs, or our office staff.” If you are interested in meeting the Prestige Yacht Management team in person, they will be attending the fall Annapolis Boat Shows. prestigeyachtmanagement.com

Boat Maintenance Guide

Yacht coatings provider AkzoNobel has put together the ultimate guide to keep your surfaces ship shape this summer. Step one: start with the right equipment. A summer topcoat maintenance program will ensure that the aesthetic of your boat remains pristine all the way through summer and beyond. Aim to select cleaning products that are PH neutral, as anything too acidic or alkaline can have detrimental effects. Most household cleaners are not PH neutral. Every boat owner considers their environmental impact, so it is vital to ensure the equipment and products chosen are safe. Products containing bleach may leave permanent stains, even from splashes, so take extra care if these are being used anywhere in close proximity. Metal polish will also damage painted surfaces. If a metal polish is used, ensure it is fully rinsed off before proceeding with further cleaning. Brushes should have soft bristles, while natural sponges are best. Avoid abrasion pads at all costs. This might be difficult to avoid in the summer, but higher temperatures can soften paint, leading to damage when routine cleaning takes place. If you can, carry out cleaning and maintenance when the temperatures are a little lower in the early mornings or after dusk.

Once you have the correct equipment and conditions, you’ll need the right products to use on your surfaces. Awlwash is a gentle detergent cleaner. It washes and cleans to prevent dirt and grease build-up. Depending on the job to be done, it can be diluted as required. After cleaning, always rinse thoroughly. Step two after using Awlwash is to apply Awlcare, a protective polymer sealer, that polishes to a gleaming shine while containing no harsh abrasives. It is non-yellowing and its effects will last through multiple washes. For best results, repeated use of Awlcare builds up protection against the harshest conditions. Safety and environmental impact are key for every product in the Awlgrip range, from raw materials to disposal and recycling. Richard Jennings, global technical manager for Yacht Coatings at AkzoNobel, says: “The boat that’s the envy of all the others in the harbour isn’t necessarily the newest or the biggest, it’s the best maintained. Existing coatings can look fantastic for a very long time if maintained and protected carefully. Both Awlwash and Awlcare have been specifically formulated to maximize the lifespan of your topcoat. They are the safest and most effective protection around.” yachtcoatings.com

s end your c hesapeake Bay business news and high-resolution photos to kaylie@fishtalkmag.com