Sandpiper Marine | 757-787-7783 21530 Taylor Rd, Accomac, VA 23301 sandpipermarine.net
Centerville Waterway Marina | 757.547.4498 100 N Centerville Turnpike, Chesapeake, VA centervillemarina.com
Jett’s Marine, Inc. | 804-453-3611 18477 Northumberland Hwy, Reedville, VA jettsmarine.com
Friday’s Marine | 804-758-4131
(Malise Marine Sales & Service) 14879 GW Memorial Hwy, Saluda, VA facebook.com/fridaysmarine
Legasea Marine | 757-898-3000 821 Railway Rd, Yorktown, VA legaseamarine.com
Seaworthy Marine | 757-442-3666
4200 Main Street, Exmore, VA seaworthymarineservices.com
ve things you should know about boat insurance
Are you ready to embark on your next on-water adventure? Before you set sail, here are ve things to know about boat insurance.
1. Boat insurance isn’t just for accidents
With comprehensive coverage, you’ll also be protected nancially for theft, vandalism, and unexpected events like storms if you need repairs or replacements due to damage.
2. Accidents can happen to anyone
When accidents happen, boat insurance offers liability coverage for damages or injuries you cause while boating, up to speci ed limits. It can also cover lawsuit costs if you’re sued.
3. Boat insurance can cover medical payments
Boat insurance offers a range of optional medical payments coverage limits, helping to cover medical expenses if you’re in an accident or someone is hurt on your boat, regardless of fault.
4. Most lenders require boat insurance
If you nanced your boat, you’ll likely need boat insurance since most lenders require boat insurance to protect their investment. Additionally, some marinas or municipalities require proof of insurance for docking.
5. Progressive offers specialized boat coverages
Ever worry about getting stuck on the water?
Progressive’s Sign & Glide® On-Water Towing coverage** can help. It’s an additional coverage that steps in if your boat is disabled or breaks down on the water, paying for on-water towing, jump starts, soft ungroundings, and fuel delivery. Fuel cost isn’t included.
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Progressive Casualty Ins. Co. and af liates. Product features are subject to policy terms and conditions and may not be available in all states or for all vehicles and coverage selections.
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At 629 pounds, Yamaha’s new V6 Offshore F350 is a featherweight knockout. Stealing all the best design cues and advanced features from its V6 and V8 siblings, the new F350 is the dawn of a new power platform. It’s also the lightest F350 in its class—by more than 65 pounds. Pair it with Helm Master® EX and Siren 3 Pro for exhilarating boating and incredible control in a powerfully light design.
Uncharted adventure is on the horizon—and the Yamaha 450 hp XTO Offshore® is ready to
5.6 liters of V8 displacement, a Phase Angle Control charging system, and integrated electric steering combine to change the way you offshore. And with Helm Master® EX, it
platform that takes outboard engineering to the edge—and back. Learn more at YamahaOutboards.com/XTO.
YAMAHA DEALER
DELAWARE
DELAWARE
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Rudy Marine | 302.945.2254 32606 DuPont Blvd, Dagsboro, DE rudymarine.com
Anchor Boats, Inc. | 410.287.8280 448 N Mauldin Ave, North East, MD anchorboat.com
Campbell’s Boatyards - Jack’s Point | 410.226.5105 106 Richardson St, PO Box 410, Oxford, MD campbellsboatyards.com
Jett’s Marine, Inc. | 804.453.3611
legaseamarine.com
18477 Northumberland Hwy, Reedville, VA jettsmarine.com
Legasea Marine | 757.898.3000
821 Railway Rd, Yorktown, VA legaseamarine.com
Idle Time
November is a great time to set the throttle at idle and putt-putt your way to the fish. By Staff 37 Getting Real about Blue Catfish
The truth about bringing balance back to our waterways. By John Page Williams 39 Fly Fishing for Beginners
Add a little art to your fishing repertoire. By Staff
41 Getting Connected
Choosing and tying line-to-leader connections. By Staff
44 Powell Creek
Enjoy a tidal bass bonanza. By Wayne Young
46
What Kind of Sunfish Is It?
We collectively call them sunfish, but there’s a wide range of very different fish that go by the name.
By Jim Gronaw
This beautiful beast was caught and released last year near Franklin Manor. Let’s hope she comes back this year!
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Lenny Rudow, lenny@fishtalkmag.com
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COASTAL CORRESPONDENT
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
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DISTRIBUTION
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Rudow’s FishTalk Recycles
Notes from the Cockpit
By Lenny Rudow
Finally, something we can all agree on: the Chesapeake Bay Agreement. With its roots dating all the way back to 1983, the governors of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, along with the mayor of Washington, DC, and the EPA administrator, all signed on to clean up the Bay. Since then the Agreement has evolved and undergone several updates; the states of Delaware, New York, and West Virginia became involved; and multiple federal agencies have begun playing a role. Most recently the Chesapeake Bay Program partners have been working on the “Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement Beyond 2025.”
The “Beyond 2025” version reassesses and redirects the principals and goals of the Agreement, and in truth, after reading through it I find little to argue with. IMHO the people who have been working on it are on the right path. (Though it should be noted that the Chesapeake Bay Foundation has pointed out some room for improvement, like a lack of accountability and a need for more specifics and details).
But, will it help? Will anything change? I certainly hope so. As we’ve often stated before, however, while there have been signs of progress in the Bay’s health there have also been signs of trouble. The Bay watershed’s population has boomed and there’s a lot more asphalt now than there was in 1983, so more or less holding the line on issues like water quality, habitat, and land use is in some ways a positive development. Still, the endless algae blooms, high bacterial count spikes, and dwindling fisheries we’re seeing in recent years can hardly be termed a victory.
One of the most interesting things to come of the effort to recalibrate the Agreement isn’t in Beyond 2025 itself, but is the Comprehensive Evaluation of System Response (CESR) report created for it. This is a summary of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee evaluation of why
progress has been slower than we had hoped for to date.
The science-types spent four years putting CESR together and some major findings came to light including:
• Despite isolated mishaps that continue to this day, we’ve done a pretty good job at snagging the low-hanging fruit of easily identified points of pollution like wastewater treatment plants. However, tackling nonpoint source pollution has proved far more difficult and the current programs addressing it aren’t reducing pollution enough to meet our goals.
• Nutrient loads have not been reduced enough to slow the growth of water-clouding algae, so we haven’t yet reached a tipping point where water clarity has improved enough for grasses and organisms to significantly remove nutrients on their own. In a few specific areas where water clarity has improved significantly, rebounding grasses and their water-cleansing effects have provided something of a positive feedback loop. We need to see this on a larger scale and in more places.
• Water temperatures, precipitation, land use, and other factors are constantly changing, and historical precedent does not necessarily indicate what efforts will or will not be successful. It’s important to learn, adapt, and utilize more experimentation and innovation as we try to clean up the Bay.
• The slow rate of water quality improvement suggests that attaining the clean water we want remains in the distant future.
There’s a whole lot more to learn from CESR, and I’d encourage every concerned Bay-dweller to Google “CESR Report” (it will pop right up) and check it out. But here’s the bottom line as I see it after studying both Beyond 2025 and CESR: In the Way North and Way South zones we’ve seen some progress. In the Middle Bay zone on the west side things have pretty much held steady. But on the east side things have actually deteriorated. On the whole, with a concerted effort from countless people, dozens of organizations, and both national and state governments, when it comes to the Bay we’ve been working for over four decades to hold the line, at best.
That’s just not good enough
# CESR Report: Science and Technical Advisory Committee cover photos by Carlin Stiehl (top), Will Parson (bottom left), and Caitlin Finnerty (bottom right)/Chesapeake Bay Program.
Lounge Lizard
Dear FishTalk,
This summer I caught more lizardfish than in all the years I’ve been fishing combined. They just seemed to be everywhere, what gives?
-Pat B., via email
Dear Pat, We noticed the same thing in multiple areas ranging from Eastern Bay all the way down to the CBBT, but we have no idea as to why. If any of you science-types out there reading this think you know what’s up with the Great Lizardfish Invasion of 2025 please clue us in!
Unhappy Discovery
Dear FishTalk, Iwatched the Live with Lenny episode on access issues for anglers, and while I think you did a pretty good job of outlining the challenges of places being closed to fishing and boat ramps being few and far between, you missed one important point when it comes to the Discovery Village boat ramp debacle: taking that ramp away from us is basically stealing our tax dollars. I live in southern Pennsylvania, but I pay taxes on my boat and fishing gear like everyone else, and those taxes go into the Waterway Improvement Fund. As I understand it Anne Arundel County used this tax money to build that ramp and then basically give it away. The landowner now owns the benefit of a half-million-dollar improvement that I helped pay for, and I now have to launch my boat over 10 miles farther to the north if I want to fish in the Middle Bay. It may be a small example of corruption but that sure is what this seems like to me. I want my tax money back!
-Aaron P., via email
Dear Aaron, Good news – the county reversed course! After an outcry from residents and concerned groups, Anne Arundel County announced the reopening of the Discovery Village ramp, effective immediately. A new agreement keeps it open through July of 2027 and includes repaving the parking lot. While this isn’t a permanent fix to our access difficulties it certainly is a step in the right direction.
A Different Kind of Perch
Dear FishTalk, I love fish so much that I used to believe I was one in a previous lifetime. Then I realized I was wrong, I was just living in the Nile.
-Anonymous
Send your fish photos, questions, and comments to lenny@fishtalkmag.com
Log your catch of northern snakehead, blue catfish, and flathead catfish in the Chesapeake Watershed for a chance to win great monthly prizes! Register for FREE today! ccamd.org/count
FISH NEWS
By Lenny Rudow
Survey Says
Apoll jointly conducted by Republican research firm New Bridge Strategy and Democratic research firm FM3 found an overwhelming 92 percent of Virginia voters believe the state should leave more menhaden in the Bay. Every policy tested for stricter management was supported.
“We can’t continue to stick our heads in the sand and ignore the storm brewing,” said Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia executive director Chris Moore. “The Bay’s lack of menhaden is already hurting small businesses, commercial and recreational fisheries, and the predators that depend on menhaden for food. It is clear Virginians want definitive action to leave more menhaden in the Bay. The safest approach is to pause menhaden reduction fishing inside the Chesapeake Bay until science can show whether this industrial fishery is sustainable.”
Rockfish Under Review
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission recently conducted its Striped Bass Stock Assessment Data Workshop, with additional workshops expected in the winter and summer of 2026 to assess the condition of the striped bass stock. The final assessment is expected to be ready for peer review in the spring of 2027. Meanwhile, Addendum III proposes a 12-percent reduction in the striped bass take for 2026, equally split between recreational and commercial sectors. Regulations have yet to be set for the 2026 Chesapeake Bay season but change in some form is likely.
Catfish Changes Coming?
The Virginia DWR announced possible changes in blue catfish regulations, considering limits on blue catfish in tidal rivers of the Chesapeake to be a barrier to reducing abundance. The proposed regs remove limits on the Rappahannock and York Rivers as well as portions of the James, while retaining a daily limit of one blue catfish per day over 32 inches. As we go to press, the public comment period has closed but the DWR has not yet announced the results of the board meeting, so stay tuned for updates.
# Changes in striper regs should be expected for the 2026 season.
TOURNAMENT NEWS
F4AC, ASAP!
If you haven’t already signed up for the Fish For a Cure Tournament, hurry up! This year’s event is Saturday, November 1, with fishing from 6 a.m. through 4 p.m. This is a C-P-R tournament with the largest stringer of three fish taking the prize, but there are several other ways to win.
The Grand Slam will be awarded to the longest stringer of three different species, a Perch Division will be won by the team with the longest stringer of five perch, and an Invasive Species prize goes to the team with the longest stringer of three invasive catfish and/or snakeheads.
The fishing, however, plays second fiddle to the fundraising. Each team also participates in the Paul C. Dettor Captain’s Challenge to see who can raise the most to benefit the Cancer Survivorship Program at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Geaton and JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Center. Yes, the cash you raise in your angling endeavors will be helping cancer patients, and last year for the first time Fish For a Cure surpassed the million-dollar mark. All of us either know someone who’s been impacted by cancer or have been impacted ourselves, and all of us want to go fishing. So, the combined goals of Fish For a Cure make joining in a no-brainer. If you haven’t registered yet, do so ASAP. Get cracking on that fundraising and help make sure that patients have the critical support this tournament funds when they’re in their greatest time of need. And then go fishing—visit fishforacure.org, the very next moment you’re within reach of a digital device.
You say you can’t fish on November 1, or can’t join in the tournament for one reason or another? That doesn’t mean you can’t pitch in and help. Team FishTalk/PropTalk is all-in for this event, and we’re pulling out all the stops to amp up our fundraising. So here’s a direct ask: please go to the Fish For a Cure website right now, click on Tournament Standings, then click on Team FishTalk/PropTalk and make a donation. Any amount is appreciated, and every dollar helps. Thank you, anglers!
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.
Night Moves
Whether you’re running your boat through an inlet or trekking home through the woods after a night fishing adventure in the wilderness, having a thermal imaging scope lets you see as though the sun was up. Or, in the case of the FLIR Ocean Scout Pro, maybe even better. This is a professional-level model, with a 32-degree field of view (the largest on the market), an XGA 1024 x 768 display, 6 GB of onboard storage, and real-time video streaming capability. It’s IP67 rated for withstanding water or dust intrusion and drops to the deck, and runs for up to six hours on a charge. This scope is so potent it allows you to spot the human heat signature at up to 500 meters in absolute darkness. While testing it we were shocked to find that it’s so sensitive, you can even make out crab pots in complete darkness. If you want the same kind of thermal night vision the pros use the Ocean Scout Pro is what you’re looking for. Price: $2395. Visit flir.com to see it all after the sun goes down.
Feeling Elite?
Bull Bay rods took one of their top offerings and made it even better: behold, the Sniper Elite. These are 100-percent 36-ton carbon blanks, with a midsection layering that reduces weight by 20 percent. Weight is further reduced by shifting to a Seaguide Air-K carbon reel seat, along with Ti-forged 316-grade stainless-steel guides with Nanolite ceramic inserts. Sizes include a pair of sevenfooters in medium and medium heavy power, and seven-foot, six-inch models with the same ratings. All boast fast-action tips. Price: $299. Visit bullbayrods.com when you want to cast with no BS.
Overinflated Ego
When it comes to tackle transport bigger isn’t always better, but with the right amount of size and some smart organization you can fit all the gear you need and then some. Ego’s latest attempt to make the most out of every available inch is the Tackel Box Sling Pack, which has both a handle on top and a wide, padded sling so you can throw it over a shoulder. It’s made of 1000D nylon with PVC backing, wide-tooth zippers with fabric overlays, and has magnetic strips inside for quickly hanging lures and gear. Inside it houses three (included) 3700 tackeboxes. Outside it has three zipper compartments plus two zipper mesh compartments, MOLLIE straps, a water bottle pouch, and a strap for securing a rod. Price: $129.99. Visit egofishing.com and call yourself a winner.
A Better Buck
By Eric Packard
I’m wade-fishing a local pond and slowly approach a shallow stump field, cast a Buck Tail Buzz Bait against the shoreline, and move it a few yards. There’s a large wake, then the water opens in an explosion—the fight is on! Buck Tail Johnny’s Lures are hand-tied baits using a traditional silicone skirt but with a slight twist: they include bucktail, feather, and a bit of flash. This gives a bit more buoyancy and natural appearance to the lures. Whether you’re throwing a spinner bait, buzz bait, chatter bait, or a flippin jig look at what Buck Tail Johnny’s has to offer, because you’re likely to get hooked just as much as the bass are. Price: $8 to $13.25. Visit bucktailjohnnys.com to check ‘em out.
Bite This
You have a huge range of baits to choose from when it comes to catfish, but just about all of them share one unfortunate trait: they’re incredibly messy and smelly. Enter: Fishbites Catfish Bait. Fishbites now produces marshmallow-like balls of mess-free, stink-free baits that slide easily on the hook and stay put for multiple fish. Choice offerings include white, pink, yellow, and blood-red colors, in shrimp, shad, liver, and crawfish flavors. FishTalk Contributor David Rudow said the white shad flavor was the standout winner during a recent trip to the Nanticoke, where he found that threading the Fishbites baits on a sweeper jig then lowering them down next to bridge pilings worked like a charm. Price: $7.29. Visit fishbites.com when you’re ready to give the mess a rest.
YA Sight for Surf Eyes
ou say you don’t care if your surf rod is so visually vile that everyone calls it ugly? Well, that’s how you’d feel if you come across the new Ugly Stik Carbon Inshore Surf Rods. These uber-rugged rods may be unsightly, but they feature the legendary Ugly Stik Ugly Teck 24-ton graphite construction with a solid graphite tip, one-piece stainless-steel guides with no inserts that can fall out, and a durable EVA handle. They also come with a 10-year warranty. Four models are available in nine to 12’ lengths. Price: $129 to $149. Visit uglystik.com and don’t worry, you won’t go blind.
Fine Line
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s got the thinnest fishing line of them all? That title may now go to PowerPro Max 8, a new braid that took the Best New Fishing Line award at the 2025 ICAST fishing tackle trade show. Eight-carrier Spectra HT construction and what PowerPro calls “Enhanced Body Technology” infuses the fibers with resin for a rounder line that has better durability and abrasion resistance. They say it also delivers 25-percent thinner diameter, so it cuts through the current better than existing braids; 50-pound test is a mere 0.012”. Be warned, however, this stuff does not come cheap… Price: $99 to $129/330 yard spool. Visit powerpro.com to get the skinny.
Catattack
You’re making a battle plan to pursue blue catfish, and it includes night maneuvers? Take a peek at Piscifun’s Lumicat II Catfish Rod. Available in 7’6” and 8’0” lengths, these rods are built with top-shelf parts including a two-piece IM7 blank in fluorescent paint, Fuji guides and reel seats, and EVA grips. We found it had the backbone to take on those river monsters, and it matched up nicely with a Chaos XS round baitcaster spooled with 40-pound braid. What really sets the Lumicat II apart from the crowd, however, is the lighted LED tip. There’s a tiny battery (it’s good for 60 hours of use and five are included so you won’t need to rearm for quite some time) in the base of the top half, and when you spin it in place the top foot or so of the rod lights up so you won’t miss seeing the slightest nibbles. Price: $99, but plug in the discount code FT18 when you order and you’ll get a special FishTalk reader discount. Visit piscifun.com to light up your night.
Clap Trap
What could be better than a hard bait with a plopper tail or a spinner? How about one with both?
That’s what Rapala must have been thinking when they dreamed up the Claptail 110, winner of the Best New Hard Bait award at this year’s ICAST show. The metal tail and back blade “high five” each other as they spin, creating a fish-calling collision that Rapala says will attract predators from afar. Hooks are VMC hybrid 1X trebles, there are eight color patterns available, and the Claptail 110 is just over four inches long and weighs in at 7/8 of an ounce. Price: $21.99. Visit Rapala.com to hear the roar of applause.
Delaware
Virginia
Capt. Walleye Pete of Four Seasons Guide Service
This month we get into light tackle fishing tips with Captain Pete Dahlberg, better known as Walleye Pete, of Four Seasons Guide Service.
Q: An angler steps aboard your boat and says, “I love light tackle fishing and want to learn more about it.” What are the top three tips you’d give him or her?
A: Number one, never allow slack in the line while jigging, because slack line means missed hits. Number two, think about where the fish are in the water column and how to get your bait to them. You can’t catch fish if your lure isn’t near them. And number three, whatever bait you’re using always make it move in an erratic manner. Fish are attracted to movement, that lure has got to move.
Q: What are your three favorite lures?
A: BKDs, if one lure is going to be on the boat it’s a BKD because I can target any fish in the Bay at any depth with them. The Knock’in Paddletail is another one; along with swimming real nice they have a rattle built into the tail which draws attention… unless bluefish are around, and then it’s got to be a Z-man. I also like the Rapala X-Rap 10 and 12. These are very reliable when fish aren’t deeper than about eight feet.
Q: How do you know when to fish plastics, versus plugs, versus spoons?
A: I like to fish plastics when I’ve got experienced anglers slinging the lures, or if many fish are present and it’s relatively easy to get them biting. Also during catch and release times, because of the single hooks and the fact that they do less damage to fish. When fishing deep in cold water, plastics are by far the best to present a lure to schooled fish or migratory giants.
I like to fish plugs when fish are shallow or may be in deep water but are holding shallow in the water column. Plugs are also great over submerged shallow structure, or when working points with current and a deeper trough.
Spoons are the choice mainly in water over 20’ when fish are schooled up under the boat, or if I see fish glued to bottom and plastics won’t entice a strike. A vertically jigged spoon makes it easy to detect bottom, and that means it’s easy to get that lure right in front of fish that are hugging bottom. Also, spoons are great for throwing to schooled bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and redfish that are near the surface.
Q: Lots of anglers like scented lures, or they add a scent to their lure. Give us your thoughts—does it help? A lot, or a little?
A: Scents… well this question comes up quite often. One thing almost for sure, it can’t hurt. Does it help? I’ve seen it seem to work at times with folks on my boat. I think if you’re more confident, you tend to catch fish better with or without scent. I will say though I’ve seen guys do better on black sea bass with scent on a vertical jig. I’ll stick with: it can’t hurt and it could possibly help.
Q: We hear that wind can stack bait on a shoreline, but we also know the windward shoreline can be churned up and choppy. How do you decide when to head for a leeward shoreline versus those hit by the wind?
A: I HATE wind! Let’s say clear water is a 10, zero visibility is a 0. When I see a lot of mud in the water, let’s say a 4, I may look at that water but almost all the time I catch nothing and see nothing on my Humminbird side imaging. If it’s blowing 15 to 20 into a shoreline it’s making mud fast and I’ll waste very little time in muddy water. If it’s blowing up into a shoreline it’s also more dangerous if you have an issue. I’m quick on the trigger to find protected water. With 25 years under the gun to catch, I don’t catch in windblown shore areas hardly ever.
Q: Open mic: what would you like to say to all the anglers out there?
A: Every year, month, day, and hour can be different on the water. Yesterday ain’t today and today ain’t tomorrow. Fish what mother nature gives you, not so much where you heard they were yesterday.
Veteran’s Day Special
In recognition of Veteran’s Day, this month we talk with Captain Jon DeHart of Fish Redeemer, a wheelchair-accessible charter operation that often takes disabled veterans fishing on the Bay.
Q: Let’s focus on the veterans, first – how large a portion of Fish Redeemer’s clients are they, and what’s the experience usually like for them?
A: We are thankful to share that veterans actually make up 30 to 40 percent of our customer base. They are some of our favorite customers and we love to support them. In fact, if the wheelchair bound person is a veteran, we will reduce the total price to $200 a day versus $350 for the entire group. And no tips will be accepted. This experience is designed to be both affordable and unique.
Q: Redeemer is unique in that it’s a wheelchair-accessible boat, but is there other gear that needs modification or adjustment at times which people should be aware of?
A: Other than the boat itself, not really. In order to be eligible to book the boat, one member of the party must be wheelchair bound. Our goal is for the party to have an authentic charter fishing experience once they arrive. The boat itself was custom designed and built for stability, comfort, and ease of entering and exiting for wheelchair-bound people. The rods and reels are all top of the line, and we use the latest and greatest in tackle to maximize the odds of a great day of catching.
Q: Other than the ramps, large transom door, and extra grab rails, is there anything about the Redeemer that you’d consider critical for taking disabled people fishing?
A: Before the trip begins, you’ll find that the grounds and dock at our home
port of Taylors Cove in Ridge, MD, have been specifically designed for the needs and concerns of a wheelchairbound person. Also, the Redeemer was uniquely constructed to have a very large cockpit that’s uncluttered, which allows for easy maneuverability for a wheelchair. There is also a chair lift provided to allow for a wheelchair to easily access a private handicappedfriendly bathroom. But what really makes this unique is the team that you will be greeted by. Typical charter operations have a captain and a mate. On the Redeemer, you will have an amazing captain and mate, plus two or three other volunteers who are there to ensure that you are well taken care of and that you enjoy the experience. The crew has a heart to serve and will be there to support you and your party.
Q: Do any particular fishing techniques work any better or worse when disabled folks are aboard?
A: It all depends on the season we’re fishing in. Our boat typically departs from the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay around the lower Potomac River. In the spring we’re focusing on bottom fishing for catfish, so we’re using light tackle fishing rods where you get to feel the actual bite. In the summer, we’re typically trolling for bluefish, Spanish mackerel, cobia, and reds. And in the fall we’re trolling for rockfish. All of these techniques work for our customers and they get to decide what fishery they want to experience based on the time of year.
Q; Tell us what your favorite fishery is, and give FishTalk readers three simple fishing tips that will help them catch more fish when they give it a shot.
A: Man, that’s a really tough question! One tip would be to build the right team around you. Very few anglers succeed alone and it’s a team effort. Second, make sure the boat is in tip-top shape and condition. Safety is of the upmost importance. Third, fish where the fish live. If you find fish or bait and life, stick with it. It’s easier said than done.
Q: Open mic – what would you like to tell all the anglers out there?
A: First, the glory be to God. We are so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to provide this experience to those who are less fortunate, and to enjoy God’s creation while we are doing it. Being able to get out on the water is such a gift and we often forget that, so enjoy it! The joy is in the journey, not just the destination. Let’s get out there and make memories together.
CHESAPEAKE CALENDAR
1 19th Annual Fish For a Cure
F4AC is a fishing tournament and fundraising challenge. All funds raised directly benefit the Cancer Survivorship Program at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Geaton and JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Institute. Shore Party 5 to 9 p.m. at Safe Harbor Annapolis.
1
FSFF Club Fly Tying
10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Free State Fly Fishers Clubhouse at the Davidsonville Family Rec. Center (behind Ford Hall). Join FSFF as one of its members instructs on how to tie a couple of fly patterns and demonstrates proper tying techniques. Patterns to be determined. All materials will be provided. Please bring your vise and tying tools if you have them.
1 The Mariners’ Park Fall Festival
1 to 5 p.m. at Harvey Field, The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News, VA. Family friendly activities, pumpkin decorating, live music, beer and cider tastings, food trucks. Entrance to the festival is $2 per person, children 3 and under are free (tasting tickets sold separately).
5 FSFF Monthly Meeting
7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Free State Fly Fishers Clubhouse at the Davidsonville Family Rec. Center (behind Ford Hall). Bob Dietz, fellow fly fisher from Potomac Patuxent Trout Unlimited Chapter, will present on the “History of Fly Fishing.”
6
LIVE with Lenny
New episodes air on the first Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. on FishTalk’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
7-8
68th Annual Urbanna Oyster Festival
Virginia’s official celebration of oysters and one of the world’s oldest festivals dedicated to these prized shellfish. Entry is free; “payas-you-go” festival.
8
FSFF Monthly Hands-On Session 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Free State Fly Fishers Clubhouse at the Davidsonville Family Rec. Center (behind Ford Hall). Joe Bruce will present “Tying tips and how to resolve tying issues.” This will be an open forum so bring your tools and materials you’re having issues with and receive help in resolving tying issues.
8 Yorktown Market Days - Maritime Festival
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Riverwalk Landing in Yorktown, VA. Sample some of the best seafood in the area, artisans will be selling nautical-inspired jewelry and art, and pirates will invade the area to talk to kids about seafaring life. Enjoy deck tours, kids’ crafts, live music, and educational information for mariners of all ages.
12
CAPCA Members-Only Tour
10 to 11:30 a.m. at Tradepoint Atlantic Marine Terminal, Baltimore. $50 (pre-registration required, CAPCA members only). Join us for an inside look at Tradepoint Atlantic (TPA), the 3300-acre global logistics center located on the former site of Bethlehem Steel at Sparrows Point in Baltimore County. This once-historic steelmaking facility has been transformed into one of the East Coast’s most strategic multimodal trade hubs, featuring deepwater port access, rail connections, and direct highway links.
12 Frederick Saltwater Anglers
Monthly Meeting Meets the 2nd Wednesday of each month at the Frederick Elks Lodge #682. Optional food starts at 6 and meeting begins at 7. We have a speaker and vendor along with raffle prizes and a 50/50.
13
CCA Angler’s Night Out 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at West End Grill in Annapolis. Speaker and topic TBD. Free and open to the public.
13
Reelin’ & Rockin’ Rockfish Bash Benefit
Lucky and Blessed Fishing invites you to our first annual Reelin’ and Rockin’ Rockfish BASH Benefit - a celebration filled with great food with Mission Barbecue, live rock and roll band, silent auction, raffles, and the chance to support programs that make a difference for people of all ages and abilities: rockfishbash.com
14
USS Monitor Legacy Program
12 to 1 p.m. in-person at The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News, VA, and virtual. Topic: Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry, Father of the Steam Navy. Advance registration required ($1 in person, or free to watch online).
14-16 Easton Waterfowl Festival
Join family and friends to celebrate the traditions, music, art, and food that make this area of the world so special. For over 50 years, the Waterfowl Festival, Inc. has staged an annual event that has raised $6 million for wildlife and habitat conservation, education, scholarships, and research.
14-16 Waterfowl Festival
Youth Fishing Derby
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Bay Street Ponds at the Easton Waterfowl Festival. An Easton Elks Club, Waterfowl Festival, CCA Maryland and DNR sponsored fishing derby. Open to the public; bait, tackle, and rods provided or bring your own. Youth who do not own a fishing rod will go home with one for FREE (while supplies last).
19 Annapolis Anglers Club Monthly Meeting
Speaker, food and drink, table raffle, and 50/50. Food starts at 6 p.m. followed by meeting at 7 p.m. at the American Legion Post 7, Crownsville Road, Annapolis, MD.
20 MSFC Monthly Meeting
7 to 8 p.m. at Elks Lodge #1272 in Cambridge, MD. Mid-Shore Fishing Club of Maryland.
27 Thanksgiving Happy Turkey day!
28 Blue Friday
Held the Friday after Thanksgiving, Blue Friday is a day to spend time on or near the water celebrating the Chesapeake Bay. Take a walk, pick up trash, go for a boat ride, spend time with family and friends.
29 Middle River Lighted Boat Parade
The Mid-Atlantic’s largest lighted boat parade, and almost the largest in the USA! In Middle River, MD. To enter text name, address, boat type and size to (410) 4632686. Stay tuned for updates on Facebook.
29 Colonial Beach Annual Lighted Boat Parade
5 to 7 p.m. on the Potomac River, Marker #2, just off the Colonial Beach Point, MD. Presented by Colonial Yacht Club. Registration required.
DECEMBER
through Dec 7
St. John’s Lost at Sea (Ulysses) Exhibition
The sea can be a merciless foe. It is also a poignant metaphor for the human psyche. This exhibition tells the story of a subject set adrift in more ways than one. Features sculpture, painting, and prints by nine artists from North America and Europe. Free. Open Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays, 2 to 7:30 p.m. at St. John’s College in Annapolis.
1 CAPCA Members Fall Business Meeting and Dinner
5 p.m. at the Annapolis Elks Lodge in Edgewater, MD. Enjoy an evening of connection and engagement with fellow members for just $15 per person. Meeting also available on zoom. CAPCA members only.
6
25th Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights Parade starts at 5:30 p.m., dockside festivities 2 to 8 p.m. at the Old Town Alexandria Waterfront in Virginia.
6 Bohemia River Boaters Lighted Boat Parade
5 to 7 p.m. in Chesapeake City, MD. View From Pell Gardens, Chesapeake Inn, or either side of the canal. The boats will leave from the basin by Chesapeake Inn at roughly 5 p.m.
6
Holiday Boat Parade and Party at The Wharf
5 to 8 p.m. activities throughout The Wharf in Washington, DC, including a beer garden, s’mores, ornament decorating, karaoke, live music, visits with Santa, and more. 7 p.m. boats arrive in the Washington Channel. Fireworks finale at 8 p.m.
For links to the websites for these events and more, visit proptalk.com/calendar
6
Chesapeake Calendar
DECEMBER
(continued)
Yorktown Lighted Boat Parade
Pre-parade festivities start at 6 p.m. at the Yorktown, VA, waterfront and include caroling around illuminated braziers, a musical performance by the Fifes and Drums of York Town, and complimentary hot cider from the Boy Scouts of America. At 7 p.m. the boats will finish out the evening as they make their way down the river in a dazzling display of lights.
6 FSFF Club Fly Tying
5 FSFF Club Fly Tying 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Free State Fly Fishers Clubhouse at the Davidsonville Family Rec. Center (behind Ford Hall). Join FSFF as one of its members instructs on how to tie a couple of fly patterns and demonstrates proper tying techniques. Patterns to be determined. All materials will be provided. Please bring your vise and tying tools if you have them.
10 Frederick Saltwater Anglers Monthly Meeting
Meets the 2nd Wednesday of each month at the Frederick Elks Lodge #682. Optional food starts at 6 and meeting begins at 7. We have a speaker and vendor along with raffle prizes and a 50/50.
12-14
Christmas in St. Michaels
The event’s mission is to provide resources to help local nonprofit groups enhance the quality of life for the residents of the Bay Hundred community. Gingerbread house competition and display, marketplace, breakfast with Santa, Talbot Street Parade (Saturday at 10:30 a.m.), Lighted Boat Parade (Saturday at 6 p.m.) and more.
13 43rd Annual Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade
Dozens of boats in all shapes and sizes covered in thousands of colored lights parade through the Annapolis Harbor for two magical hours. This year’s parade will feature new prize categories designed to welcome first-time and emerging skippers while still celebrating creativity at all levels. Skipper application is now live! Proceeds from the event benefit the Eastport Yacht Club Foundation.
13 FSFF Monthly Hands-On Session
10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Free State Fly Fishers Clubhouse at the Davidsonville Family Rec. Center (behind Ford Hall). Speaker/Topic: Rich Batiuk, Finding Places to Fish in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
14 Deale Parade of Lights
Organizers are encouraging everyone to get to the parade viewing location by 5 p.m. due to high traffic; parade will start at 5:30 p.m. on Rockhold Creek in Deale, MD. Stay tuned for updates on Facebook.
18 MSFC Monthly Meeting 7 to 8 p.m. at Elks Lodge #1272 in Cambridge, MD. MidShore Fishing Club of Maryland.
For links to the websites for these events and more, visit proptalk.com/calendar
Cover Contest
• Visit fishtalkmag.com/cover-contest and follow the instructions to enter your favorite fishing photo by october 31 One photo per person please.
• Your photo submission must include anglers having fun while fishing on the Chesapeake Bay or in the Mid-Atlantic region.
• Vertical high-resolution photos work best, with room for our logo header and cover lines.
• If the angler is a child is on a boat, make sure he or she is wearing a lifejacket (properly) in accordance with state boating regulations, or we won’t consider it for the cover.
• Once the submission period has ended, our graphic design team will disqualify any photos that do not meet our printing requirements (any images that are too low of a resolution, are blurry or too dark, if a child was pictured without a lifejacket, and if there was not enough room in the image for our FishTalk header, footer, and cover lines). We will then let you vote for the winning cover for the December issue of FishTalk Magazine!
more details and to enter,
Reader Photos
# Jackson caught a rare and very interesting looking pugnose striped bass, while fishing near Stevensville.
# Pierce reeled in a surf speck—WTG, Pierce!
# Phil was minding his own business just trolling around catching little bluefish, when… WHAM!
# Jake caught a perfectly perfect slot rock for dinner.
# Olivia caught a bluegill! Olivia caught a bluegill!
# The
had an awesome day of reeling ‘em up on the Bay, and
the
# Lee and Emory cast into the Upper Bay, and came up with catfish and perch. WTG, guys!
# Krissy and Tommy had a great afternoon fishing at Winter Quarter shoal.
# Capt. Denny from Botangles Fly Fishing put down the long rod long enough to win the Red Drum category in the Onancock Bay Challenge.
Parkers
Brendon definitely did NOT out-fish
Angler in Chief. No way! Well, okay... yeah he did!!!
# Vince caught a nice rock!
# Hope caught some beautiful perch in the South River.
# Jeffrey caught an absolute bucket-mouth of a bass while fishing in Rehoboth, DE.
# Dakota used a Super Spook to spoof this striper.
# Christian caught his first white perch while fishing in Breton Bay. Awesome way to get started, Christian!
# Abby tossed a plug at Bloody Point Light, and came home with her first keeper rockfish. Nice!
# Charlie reeled up a perfect eating-size blue cat.
# Tim pulled up a nice one while casting in the dark in Lynnhaven.
# Sean found the mackerel.
# Bryanna was a happy crabber thanks to this seven-incher.
# Tommy caught some nice spot in St. Jerome’s Creek.
# Luke, Jace, Brennan, and Ryan caught their slots in the Choptank.
# James caught a jumbo Jimmy on Middle River.
# Brian and Julia caught their first spadefish at the Chesapeake Light Tower.
# Austin and his uncle Ben caught a couple nice rockfish off Luce creek.
# Justin ran into this whiskered fella while fishing in the South River.
# Brian enjoyed catching a sunrise striper.
# Brian and Jayler hit Sharps Island Light with catching rockfish on the agenda.
# John enjoyed a summer of flounder fishing on the Assateague coast.
# Sam caught his PB bass in Bel Air.
# Cathy caught this beaut of a flounder at the end of an outgoing tide.
By Lenny Rudow
Sportsman Heritage 321: Family Matters
You say you want to cast for rockfish one day, pull the kids around on tow-toys the next, and then run down to the beach for some tuna fishing the day after that? Well, who wouldn’t want a boat big enough and versatile enough to do all those things and then some? Nobody, that’s who—at least, nobody who’s come across the Sportsman Heritage 321.
For several years Sportsman has offered the Open 322, which is designed for the harder core anglers among us. The Heritage lineup, which gets a boost in the family and seating departments, didn’t get quite this big up until now. The biggest difference you’ll notice between the Open and the Heritage is in the stern, where there’s a wide, full-beam aft seat running along the transom. And that’s a big beam, checking in at 10’10”, so there’s actually room for four or five people to kick back and enjoy the ride. A nifty touch: the backrests on each side slide up and out so you can walk through to the swim platform, and you can reverse those backrests and slide them back into place to create a pair of aft-facing seats.
More perks the family will enjoy when it’s time for a dip include the dual sideentry gunwale doors, the bow dinette with removable backrests (which is electrically actuated and converts into either a sunpad or a casting deck at the press of a button),
the forward console lounger with arm rests, the Garmin Fusion Apollo RA770 stereo system, and the roomy console head compartment with pull-out shower. But it’s the water-toy action that the kids are really going to groove on. Not only is the hard top equipped with rocket launchers, there’s also an elevated integrated ski tow pylon— and this boat even has a Scanstrut Atmos air station inflation system built right in, so no huffing and puffing will ever be required when you want to inflate those tubes and towables.
The kids will also get a kick out of the twin 16-gallon livewells built into the transom seating, because they’re aquariumstyle with large front viewing ports. Fill ‘em with live spot, catch your rockfish, and make good use of the twin in-deck macerated fishboxes. And don’t worry about getting fish slime and blood all over the place, because Sportsman also outfits the boat with fresh and raw water washdowns on 20’ long retractable hose reels.
The Heritage 321 can be set up for multiple forms of fishing depending on how you’d like to have it outfitted. Taco outriggers, onboard battery chargers and electric trolling motor wiring, and even a half-tower with an upper station are all available. Or, maybe you’ll opt to have Sportsman drop in a Seakeeper 2 gyroscopic stabilizer. Note that the boat will already come with the Seakeeper Ride vessel attitude control
system, included as standard equipment, to help smooth out the ride on breezy days.
So what will it be, a day of fishing or a cruise to the beach for a swim? A morning of striper fishing or an afternoon chasing mahi-mahi? With a Sportsman Heritage 321 all of those options are on the table, and then some.
Max Power
Rig the boat with a pair of Yamaha F450s, and the Sportsman Heritage 321 will easily break the 60-mph barrier. With a pair of 300s top-end is in the low- to mid-50s.
QUICK FACTS
LOA: 32’2”
Beam: 10’10”
Displacement: 9100 lbs.
Draft (min.): 2’0”
Transom Deadrise: 23 degrees
Fuel Capacity: 330 gal.
Water Capacity: 30 gal.
Max. Power: 900 hp
For more information visit the Sportsman Boats website, or FishTalk supporter Riverside Marine, Essex, MD, (410) 686-1500 or riversideboats.com
A Sportsman 402 Center Console Is on the Way!
Sportsman fans, get ready to hit a new high. Sportsman has announced that they will have a 40-footer for the 2026 model year. This boat is looking to be one big, bodacious beauty, with up to 1600 raging horses on the transom; standard Seakeeper Ride VACS; twin pressurized aquarium livewells; twin Garmin GPSMAP 9227s at the helm; and a full cabin inside the console including a queen berth, enclosed head and shower, and a full galley. Stay tuned!
Nautical and Noteworthy
As we come to a close on the model year of 2025 and new 2026 fishing boats, outboards, and electronics hit the water, there have been a number of improvements and/or developments to existing lineups that anglers will want to be aware of:
Furuno TZ MAPS
Grady-White Canyon 386
Grady-White said their customers requested more seating options for the Canyon 386, and as usual, Grady-White obliged. There’s now an option to have an aft-facing mezzanine-style seat for three behind the leaning post. It also adds four large stowage drawers for your gear and tackle, a wastebasket, and a knife/pliers/lure holder. Comfort boosters include lumbar-support backrests, angled seat bottoms, fold-down arm rests, cup holders, grab rails, fold-down footrests, and two rod holders.
Furuno TZ MAPS on NavNet TZtouchXL delivers a serious boost to the chartplotter, with new features like AI Routing, AI Avoidance Route, and BathyVision. An “intelligent” routing engine and the inclusion of real-time radar returns not only creates safe routes but can even steer around hazardous targets and calculate potential collision risks. Meanwhile, 3D bathymetric views and satellite photos allow customization of charts and provide spectacular detail of the views both above and under the water.
Apex Update
The Humminbird Apex and Solix G3 software update 5.340 introduced this summer brings with it a new power menu, home screen, and favorites screen; improved MEGA Live 2 zoom; chart proximity search ability; and multiple general updates. Note: we’ve used and we love the quick-access power menu, especially for easy dimming at dusk and the standby mode.
G3 Bay Boats
G3’s bay boats now feature quick-release hardware on the windshields and folding grab rails, for easier garage storage. The leaning post has changed, too, with two additional rocket launchers and a lower, more comfortable profile.
Yamaha F150/200
You love tiller steering, but hate fighting the tiller? Yamaha now offers a power-assisted tiller steering system for their F200R and F150R in-line-four tiller-steer outboards. Available in standard and eight-inch tiller lengths, a hydraulic-assisted system makes handling these 16-valve, DOHC, multipoint EFI outboards easy to handle.
Mercury Delivers More Horses
Mercury Marine has added 25 horses to its top V10 offering, now the 425 Verado, while also enhancing the 350 Verado’s performance. Mercury says their testing showed the 425 Verado to be three seconds faster going from zero to 30 mph when compared to a 450-hp competitor. The 350 Verado is said to be four seconds faster as well as having a 2.7-mph faster top-end, and being 15-percent faster from zero to 50, as compared to the old 350 thanks to enhanced midrange torque.
Raymarine/Suzuki Integration
A new collaboration between Raymarine and Suzuki allows boaters to bring digital gauge interfaces to the helm on Axiom chartplotters. The 4.10 LightHouse operating system can offer a full suite of monitoring including details like oil pressure, trim/tilt position, average fuel economy, and more. The Axiom can support up to four engines and is compatible with Suzukis of 40 hp and above.
Presented by
Catching the Tide(line)
Tideline Boats has announced a new model: the Tideline 280 Bluewater. The first hulls should hit the water in 2026, and Tideline says the boat will be more similar to the 365 than to their 235. The 280 Bluewater has a wide 10’ beam and the base boat sports twin 300s, multiple livewells, integrated tackle stowage, and a custom sea chest. Estimated top-end is expected to be in the neighborhood of 60 mph.
Parker Boats: Fathom This
Parker is adding Seakeeper Ride systems as standard features on many new boats in the lineup, including Fathom models. Fathom? Yes, Fathom. Parker has instituted a name change to go with the new and improved lineup. Stay tuned—you know we’ll be back with more on these boats.
Happening at Honda
Honda has restyled seven of its large outboards for a modern look more closely reflecting the design concept behind their flagship BF350. They’ve also added a new remote-control and seven-inch multifunction display, which offers a trim support function that automatically controls trim based on engine rpm and speed to maintain a pre-set running attitude. The BF200, 225, and 250 enjoy the addition of a new oxygen sensor to boost fuel economy, plus an oil leak preventing mechanism in the engine cowl to reduce messes during filter changes.
Idle Time
November is a great time to set the throttle at idle and putt-putt your way to the fish.
By Staff
Ah, November—rockfish are feeding hard to fatten up for winter, bite-windows are extended well past dawn and dusk, and bird shows are a distinct possibility. Much as we hate to think of the season soon drawing to a close, we love the often-epic action that cranks up before winter hits and the inevitable shutdown arrives. This is the time of year when rockfish push out into open water and school up to chase bunker as they exit the tributaries. And this is also a time of year when trolling in the open Bay is a top tactic for filling the cooler.
Speed Kills
Slow and steady wins this race; as a general rule of thumb most of the time two to 3.5 or maybe four mph is all you’ll want to be doing. For some boats that will mean trolling at idle speed and for others, putting just a slight tap on the throttle. Either way, while your speed should usually fall in this range don’t set your pace by staring at the GPS and picking a number.
Remember, your speed over ground and speed through the water will differ depending on the currents. While the GPS may confirm that your boat is traveling at three knots, if you’re headed into the current your lures may be swimming at four knots or more. Or if the current’s running the other way, they could be swimming at less than two. A more effective method of judging speed is simply to look at your lures. Lower them down next to the boat, keep
your rod tip low, and give them a hairy eyeball. If those spoons are spinning wildly pull the throttle back. If they’re barely wiggling kick it up a notch. Then check your speed to make sure it falls within reasonable parameters and match it whenever you’re going in the same direction. When you make a signifi-
cant change in direction remember that you may need to make a change in speed to keep the lures swimming at the same pace, and also bear in mind that as time goes on and the tide changes, the currents your lures are swimming with or against will change, too. Also note that in most areas of the Bay you can mitigate the
# Dress warm and get out there, the fat fall fish are waiting for you!
Idle Time
effects of current to a large degree by trolling in an east-west pattern, rather than going north-south.
Pick of the Litter
The vast majority of the lures being towed through the Bay at this time of year will be parachutes and Mojos tied into tandems, and umbrellas trimmed with six-inch shad usually in white or chartreuse, weighted down with six to 14 ounces of lead. There’s no denying the effectiveness of these offerings, and they certainly do belong in every troller’s arsenal. In fact, they should make up the bulk of the spread the bulk of the time. Some anglers pull nothing but these two offerings, but there are a few other choice picks that can trigger bites when the old standbys don’t do the trick.
Surgical hoses should always be kept on hand (red and green are often the ticket). Some seasons they won’t produce much but for
whatever reason, other seasons the fish seem to prefer them. They can be run behind a planer or with an inline cigar weight from eight to 14 ounces. Try setting one out at a time or two and if it gets hits add another to the spread. If not, pack it away.
Spoonbrellas are another offering that often produces, and there will be days when a spoonbrella out-catches the umbrellas. And if some larger fish have been around and you want to have a shot at catching and releasing a big over-slot fish add a #19 or #21 Tony Acetta Pet (now branded a Luhr-Jensen Pet) or a large Crippled Alewife run behind a cigar weight into the mix. (Note: don’t try rigging these large wobbling spoons behind a planer, because they have so much action they’ll trip it).
Location, Location, Location
Naturally, a critical element to success is that you troll where there are some fish.
Unless you can go fishing four or five times a week the very best way to keep in tune with where those fish have been is to check out the FishTalk Fishing Reports. Every season is different, but some areas that are regular late fall producers you’ll want to keep an eye out for include the Love Point and Belvidere Shoals zones in the Upper Bay; the mouth of Eastern Bay and the Choptank, the edges off North and Chesapeake Beach, and off Taylor’s Island in the Middle Bay; and in the mouth of the Potomac and the Rappahannock in the Lower Bay.
Use channel edges and dropoffs as a starting point and be sure to keep an eye on the fishfinder for bait. Areas where those big schools of bunker have gathered up are often where the rockfish will be, and unless fish are thrashing on the surface there’s no better indication that you’re in the hot zone.
# A six-inch shad umbrella in chartreuse is one of the stock-and-trade trolling lures for November rockfish.
Getting Real about
By John Page Williams
The truth about bringing balance back to our waterways.
Like ‘em or not, blue catfish are here to stay in the Chesapeake. Long adapted to our country’s big Midwestern rivers, they have adjusted easily to Virginia’s large tidal rivers over the past 50 years, and to the Potomac for nearly as long.
The initial understanding was that as freshwater fish, they would stay in the upper “tidal fresh” portions of those rivers. But that assumption proved incorrect. Heavy rains in 2018-19 let them escape into the Chesapeake’s mainstem and colonize rivers to the north; the Nanticoke, Choptank, Chester, and the Upper Bay, which is, after all, the tidal Susquehanna. At this point, there’s not much chance of eradicating these invaders. So what’s to do about them?
First, like so many other Bay issues, this one is complicated. The fish pose both significant problems and genuine opportunities. The challenge is minimizing the damages while maximizing the advantages. Though scientists have been studying them carefully since they were first introduced, they defy simple answers, even from one river to another.
Getting into the Weeds:
Blue Catfish Basics
Multiple diet studies show these fish to be hungry and opportunistic, ready to eat whatever is available wherever they are, including vegetation and shellfish as well as any finfish they can fit into their mouths. For example, in the brackish water of the lower James River, they cheerfully eat blue crabs. But up the river between Hopewell and Richmond, the primary forage is the ever-abundant gizzard (mud) shad. The same goes for a Maryland river like the Nanticoke.
The age and size structure of the stocks, however, vary from river to river, depending on how long the cats have been established there and how much food is
available to them. Invasive species tend to explode when introduced into a favorable environment, as fishery scientists have documented in the James, Rappahannock, and Potomac, but population studies show that increasing harvest over time reduces the number of large fish and increases the biomass of smaller ones. It also depresses the population.
The James River offers a good example. In the 1990s Virginia issued citations for fish over 20 pounds to trophy anglers every week year-round, with fish over 70 pounds not uncommon and some breaking 80. Since then, the number of big fish has dropped considerably even though catfish anglers carefully release most of their trophies after weighing and measuring them. A review of Angler of the Month awards from the state’s Department of Wildlife Resources shows only a handful of fish over 50 pounds over the past 10 years (though it does list a 112-pound blue cat from the Rappahannock in late January of 2020).
Maryland’s State Record is an 84-pound fish from the Potomac, caught back in 2012. The big fish are still there, but not as many of them. Remember, though, that blue catfish have had access to the Patuxent, Nanticoke, Choptank, Chester, and Upper Bay for less than a decade. Still to
be determined is how—and how big—they will grow in those waterways in the coming years.
Blue Cat Problems
As noted, blue catfish cheerfully and aggressively eat whatever is available wherever they are. They have turned out to be tolerant of more salinity than expected, and they multiply rapidly, especially when they first arrive in new waters. In springtime, they threaten valuable rockfish, white perch, yellow (ring) perch, American and hickory shad, and river herring (alewives and bluebacks) spawning in those waters, as well as their young as they grow through the summer and fall. Further downriver, they prey on blue crabs and small members of the drum family (spot, croakers, sea trout, and puppy drum). State agency biologists and university scientists have built a large body of blue cat diet studies for specific rivers, and those studies continue to document the ways those diets evolve over time. Remember that there are not many simple answers in a big, complex estuary like the Chesapeake.
A footnote: Fortunately, a huge portion of their diet throughout the tidal fresh and low brackish waters is gizzard (mud) shad. These abundant “debris feeders” convert
# Blue catfish get big enough to rival any trophy in the Chesapeake.
the rivers’ vast quantities of formerly alive plant and animal material—much of it accumulated in the bottom sediment—into high-calorie flesh. Savvy readers will also note how important those particular forage fish are to the diets of tidal largemouth bass. Even though largely unnoticed, mud shad play as valuable a role in upriver ecosystems as menhaden, silversides, and bay anchovies do in saltier waters.
Another problem with blue catfish, as well as many other species that grow to such epic proportions, is the collection of toxins in large fish. As they grow, they eat increasing quantities of forage like mud shad whose diets include minute quantities of PCBs and mercury from the sediment. The toxins collect (bioaccumulate) in the cats’ body chemistry to levels that can become dangerous to humans who eat the fish. Thus, Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission all issue health advisories that warn about eating blue catfish larger than 30” long. They also strongly recommend not only filleting and skinning the fish but also cutting out the dark meat along their lateral lines and their belly flaps, where toxins tend to accumulate in fatty tissue.
The Opportunities
Finally, there is some resistance to eating blue catfish in parts of the Chesapeake region, despite their popularity in other parts of the United States. Oddly enough, it’s easier to find blue catfish tacos on menus in the Washington-Baltimore-Annapolis area than it is in Virginia, possibly because some people still think (erroneously) that the fish are bottom feeders that come from polluted rivers.
To the contrary, blue catfish are tasty, versatile, and nutritious. According to NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Office, a four-ounce serving of blue catfish includes 19 grams of protein, with only 90 calories and 1.5 grams of fat, plus healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. At a time when other finfish stocks, especially rockfish, sit at low levels with tight restrictions, blue cats are local, fresh, abundant, and inexpensive. They provide economic opportunities and jobs for an increasing number of watermen and workers in processing facilities.
In addition, smaller blue cats are fun to catch with bait and simple tackle. They are readily accessible from riverbanks and piers as well as boats. Fish of intermediate size (15” to 28”) will strike lures cast with the sort of tackle anglers use for largemouth bass, redfish, and speckled trout, including spoons, spinners, and chatterbaits whose vibrations
speak to the fishes’ lateral lines. Where bass anglers largely release their catch, blue cats offer a delicious take-home-forsupper bonus.
Finally, larger blue catfish are powerful fighters, readily accessible trophies that drive tackle, bait, guide, boat, tournament, and tourism businesses worth tens of millions of dollars to the region each year. Like bass anglers, trophy cat fishers carefully release their big fish, believing they are too valuable to be caught only once.
Like other Chesapeake Bay issues, blue catfish defy simple answers. Even from one river to another the problems are real and varied. So are the opportunities. Seizing on simple solutions is a cop-out. The responsible approach is hard but necessary: commitment to an interstate partnership that listens carefully to the science and the people, weighs management alternatives, and continues to adjust as the fish adapt to the Chesapeake’s waters.
Crispy Blue Catfish
Ready to put these surprisingly tasty catfish to the test? Try this recipe, courtesy of visitmaryland.org.
Ingredients
1 pound blue catfish fillets
¼ cup flour
½ cup milk
Canola oil
1 cup ground yellow cornmeal
2 eggs
2 – 3 teaspoons Old Bay or J.O. Crab Season
Lemon Wedges
Salt Tartar sauce
Directions
• Whip the eggs and milk together and add Old Bay or J.O. Crab Seasoning.
• Mix the cornmeal and flour together and place on a plate.
• Dip fillets in the seasoned egg mixture and place on the cornmeal/flour mixture, sprinkling the top of the filet with the dry mixture and pressing it in with your hand.
• Place prepared fillets on a baking sheet and let stand for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oil to 350 degrees on medium heat in a heavy cast iron skillet and carefully place fillets in oil when it is hot (to avoid crowding you may have to cook fish in batches). Fry until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per side. Fish is done when it can be easily flaked with a fork. Place cooked fish on a plate lined with a paper towel and season with salt and a squirt of lemon juice. Serve with tartar sauce and enjoy!
# The arrival of this species in different tributaries is problematic, for sure, but does offer opportunity as well.
# Fish in the 20-something range are excellent eating, with firm, white meat. Photo courtesy of Eric Packard
FLY FISHING for Beginners
By Staff
Add a little art to your fishing repertoire.
Some people are entranced by twirling ballerinas or leaping gymnasts, but watching someone fling a lure under a low tree branch into a saucer-sized pool of water from 100 feet… well, that is art in motion to we anglers. And while those of us using spinning or conventional gear might cast dozens or even hundreds of times a day, fly fishermen cast, and cast, and cast ad infinitum. You may have watched someone fly fishing from a distance, and thought “wow, that’s cool. Art-like, even.” And you might have wondered how tough it would be, how long it would take, to master the art of fly fishing. The bad news: it will take a while. Like, years. The good news: the whole time you’re practicing, you’ll be fishing.
What Is Fly Fishing?
The biggest difference between fly fishing and other forms of fishing is that you’ll be casting the weight of the line, as opposed to the weight of the lure. Repeated casts can be used to send the line out farther and farther, until you “shoot” the lure to the target zone. The upsides to this form of angling are that you can cast a lure that’s essentially weightless, like a dry fly; you don’t have to reel up every foot of line and re-cock in order to re-cast but can instead quickly get the offering right back to the hot zone after a presentation; you can present an offering very delicately and slowly; and in many cases you can better match the hatch, especially if fish are feeding on tiny critters like insects or scuds.
The biggest downside to fly fishing is that it takes longer to master. Much longer. Most people will be able to get the basics in a matter of days or weeks, but honing fly casting skills to the point that you can weave a popper through those branches and hit that saucer will take decades for most people. Another downside is that the deeper the fish are, the tougher it will be to reach them. Sinking lines can help, but casting these is especially difficult and getting down past 20’ or so will still be tough.
Fly Fishing Gear Basics
Like other types of fishing, fly fishing depends on a rod, reel, and line. We’ll deal with the reel first, because this is an easy one—traditionally most fly reels were “single action,” meaning they didn’t have a drag and were used merely for storing the line between bouts of casting. Today more fly reels have drag systems, but most fly anglers still fight the fish retrieving the line by hand, applying more or less tension with their fingers to act as the drag. The Bottom Line for Beginners: Generally speaking beginners don’t need to worry about getting expensive reels with drags unless and until they plan to target very large fish that make long, powerful runs.
Rods are a bit more complex; they vary by length, weight, and construction material. The length should be determined by the areas you’ll be fishing. Long rods allow for longer casts but if there are a bunch of trees or overhead power lines around, they become slightly problematic. Most of us will want a sixto eight-foot rod for fishing streams or
ponds with cramped shorelines; an eight to 10’ rod for fishing open areas in lakes, rivers, and bays; and a 10’ or longer rod for casting in large bodies of water where longer casts may be necessary. The Bottom Line for Beginners: An eight-footer is a good all-around starting point for most beginners.
A fly rod’s weight rating tells you its overall strength and size and what size line it’s intended to match up with. A weight of one to three is for small panfish or micro-trout. A four- to six-weight rod puts you into gamefish territory for species like largemouth bass, bigger trout, and pickerel. Going to a seven weight or heavier moves into saltwater capability and gives you a shot at fish like stripers and redfish. The Bottom Line for Beginners: In the Mid-Atlantic area a six weight is a good starting point for freshwater, but if you hope to go after fish on the Bay you should probably up the ante to a seven weight.
Fly line can get shockingly complex. It’s also rated by weight, and as we said, is generally meant to match the rod’s weight rating. But there are also different kinds of lines including floating, sinking, and sink-tip. Sinking lines have different sinking rates, and sink-tip lines have a section at the end 10’ or 15’ long which sinks but the rest of the line floats. Then there’s
# Consider where you’ll be casting and what you’ll be targeting when choosing rod length and size.
taper, which includes weight-forward, double-taper, level, and shooting lines. Weight-forward lines are heaviest near the front and are usually easier to cast farther and help fight the wind. Double-tapers are better for more delicate, accurate presentations. Level line has the same diameter and weight from end to end, and is considered by most to be one of the hardest to cast. Shooting lines are very heavily weighted at the end and are also tough to cast, but in the hands of a master can produce the longest casts possible. The Bottom Line for Beginners: Match up the line weight with the rod’s weight, and get a floating line with a weight-forward taper. It will have some limitations but will also be the easiest to learn how to cast with and allows you to try a variety of different fisheries.
Getting Started Fly Casting
Okay, you’ve got your gear and you’re rarin’ to go fishing, right? Hold on a sec, partner—head for the lake without practicing first and you’ll likely be disappointed. The best thing you can do for yourself at this point is to go into an open yard or field and begin practice-casting.
We’re not going to describe the motions of practice-casting because you’ll get a much better idea of the mechanics by watching a YouTube video or two, and you’ve probably seen someone fly casting before anyway. However, we do have some tips that will help you abbreviate the learning process.
• Fly casting is about timing, not power. Swinging the rod harder will have less effect than improving the timing of your stops and transitions at 10 o’clock and two o’clock.
• Start short with just 20’ or so of line, and once you have it traveling back and forth as intended increase the length.
• Never take your eyes off the target. To hit it you need to learn to use peripheral vision to gauge the line. Try to eyeball the line itself as it’s flying and you’ll never hit the target.
• Don’t make squishy stops at the end of each forward/back motion—make hard stops. Think of it like trying to flick paint off a paintbrush. If you bring the brush to a slow stop that paint will do more dripping than flying. But if you bring it to a hard stop plenty of paint will go airborne. Your line is that paint. If you’ve never cast a fly rod before, we’d recommend practice-casting for a half hour or so at a clip, three or four times, before you give it a shot
for real. And once you do, it’s a good idea to pick an easy target, like bluegills and small bass in a pond (try tiny poppers) or white perch in a creek (try a small Clouser minnow), so you can enjoy some success. Taking a class or otherwise engaging some help from a professional will help a lot. Then work your way up to bigger challenges as you get the knack of things. It’s sort of like doing ballet—start with the plie, before you try the pirouettes. Before you know it, you’ll be performing art.
# A competent fly angler can take on just about any Chesapeake Bay fish, as Steve proved without any doubt.
Getting Connected
Choosing and tying line-to-leader connections.
By Staff
These days a huge number of anglers fish with braid mainlines and fluoro or mono leaders, which means we need to tie line-to-leader connections. You have lots of choices in this regard, but which is best? What knots do you need to learn and practice if you want a reliable connection that’s easy to tie? The three most popular options include:
• The Albright
• The FG
• The Uni-to-Uni
Before we dive into any details, there are a couple of important facts to note. First and most important, although many different anglers will have many different opinions about which of these has the best breaking strength, bench testing has shown that different knots display different breaking strengths depending on two details: the size of the braid and leader, and who tied the knot. Comparing measured breaking strength of 15-pound braid/30-pound leader versus 30-pound braid/50-pound leader, different knots will come out on top. And how an angler winds and cinches that knot changes the results, too. So, it’s not entirely accurate to ever say that knot X is “stronger” than knot Y, or vice versa.
Also remember that there are a million and one variations among these knots. Some people always use five twists, and some others always use six. Neither is necessarily going to be stronger or result in a thinner knot that passes through the rod guides more smoothly. Again, it varies by the line used and by the tier. Which knot makes the “best” connection is open to change and interpretation.
Wrap 10-20x
The Albright Knot
There’s the stock Albright and the “improved” Albright, which some anglers say is really an Alberto knot. There’s enough controversy over what’s what that Alberto Knie was quoted in Saltwater Sportsman magazine as saying that Jimmy Albright “wrote me, saying I copied his improved Albright knot.” We don’t know who’s right and we’ll leave the arguing to others. For our purposes, what counts is how to tie the knot and why you might or might not want to use it. On the plus side, this connection passes through guides easily and most anglers feel it’s fairly easy to master. On the negative side, breaking strength varies quite a bit depending on who’s doing the tying.
Wrap 20x
Wrap 10x
The FG Knot
The best thing about the FG is that it’s uber-skinny compared to most other connections and it flies through rod guides without hesitation. On the flip side of the coin, some people find this a tough one to master. And you do really want to have it down pat, because if it isn’t cinched down tightly this one can come apart. We should also note that the FG knot shows a bit more variability in breaking strength depending on the lines it’s being tied with.
The Uni-to-Uni
The Uni-to-Uni, sometimes called a Double-Uni, may be the most popular of all line-to-leader connections simply because it’s an easy one to learn. Tie one 10 or 12 times and you should be good to go. The downside, however, is that this one can snag the rod guides if you leave too much of a tag end on the mono side of the equation.
Some may argue that the Bristol is better, or that a Surgeon’s Knot can’t be beat. There are as many opinions as there are knots, and for most of us the “best” line to leader connection is simply the one we have down pat and can tie the fastest. But chances are you use one of the three we’ve shown here, and truth be told, any of these will get the job done just fine.
Wrap 5-6x
Wrap 5-6x
Pull Pull
POWELL CREEK
Enjoy a tidal bass bonanza.
By Wayne Young
When thinking about the Chesapeake and its tributaries as fishing destinations, saltwater fishing flashes across our internal scroll. But that’s only part of the Chesapeake region’s fishing story. Much of the Upper Bay and middle to upper portions of the Bay tributaries are more or less freshwater fisheries. So, those of us who fish in their freshwater reaches think about bass and crappie in addition to rockfish and blues. One of the better bass fishing tributaries around is the James River’s Powell Creek. The creek is accessible by powerboat from the james river and is a great kayak and canoe fishing destination as well.
A hundred years ago, Powell Creek had several wood landings where products were loaded and shipped on small commercial vessels. Back then, the creek had depths to as much as 18’. When heading up Powell Creek, much of the left ascending side
of the creek is part of the James River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), owned and operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Two miles up the creek, the NWR has a recreational landing where kayaks can be launched.
The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) reports that Powell Creek is one of the best bass fishing bodies of water in the tidal James River system, but without elaborating why. The answer is high quality aquatic habitat, plus structure. The vegetated shoreline has trees along the water’s edge with deadfall, extensive fringe marshes, and numerous small feeder creeks. At high tide the water is in the tree line. And there’s artificial structure which adds to the creek’s fishery habitat. Duck blind and duck blind ruins provide shade and cover, plus there are barge wreck clusters.
Site 1 marks the James River entrance to Powell Creek. A small obstruction is on the east side of the entrance at Site 2. This
unidentified feature is about 20’ long and 15’ wide with a vertical rise of about three feet. The entrance opens to a small cove on the southeast side. There’s a duck blind adjacent to the shoreline deep in the cove at Site 3. Just after the creek narrows inside the entrance, there’s a duck blind ruin at Site 4 in an eastside feeder creek outlet.
Scoured trenches and holes are deep in the bends; check each at low water, as this is often where fish retreat. About 800 yards upstream from Site 3 is a sharp bend around Eelbank Point marked as Site 5.
BEWARE THE BANG
With the presence of duck blinds, fishers must make themselves aware of duck hunting season. During the season stay as far as possible from blinds which appear to have ducks around them, as there’s a good chance the blind is occupied and those are decoys you’re looking at.
# Location of Powell Creek structural features.
Site 6 marks another scoured trench deep in the bend. Site 7 marks a duck blind, and another scour is at Site 8.
Back in the day obsolete vessels were abandoned on flats, in played out sand and gravel pits, and up inside creeks. In this regard Powells Creek doesn’t disappoint. There are three clusters of wrecks up the creek. The shoreline in the next bend starting at Site 9-1 and ending at Site 9-2 is lined with wrecks which by appearance were barges (Image 1). The wrecks are all highly deteriorated, broken up, and consist of frames and timbers. Some have trees growing out of them. Several are canal boat style, measuring 200’ long and 20’ wide. Northwest across Powell Creek is the outlet of a small creek loop. Directly west of the wrecks at Site 10 is a breach in the loop neck with a duck blind in the opening deep in another sharp bend. There’s a
scoured trench in front of the breach for the fish to retreat to at low water. Immediately up-creek from the bend is another cluster of wrecks at Site 11. There are three wrecks here, two of which have a lot of timbers (Image 1, bottom left insert). The wreck on the down-creek end sticks out and has a little water at low tide. Site 12 marks the outlet of a small feeder creek. There’s a duck blind along the shoreline at Site 13. Inside the creek, look for a row of pilings at Site 14. There’s an opening where the creek channel passes through and leads to a wooden boardwalk on pilings at Site 15, which obstructs further access. The pilings look inviting at high tide but fall bare except for the shallow creek channel at low water.
Heading up the creek there are a few charted obstructions along the western side. There’s an obstruction at Site 16
which is a possible duck blind ruin. Site 17 marks a duck blind in the center of the creek. At the outlet of a feeder creek there’s a duck blind ruin at Site 18. It barely uncovers at very low water. When the water is up there’s a lot of marsh edge to cast to, and at very high levels the edge of the tree lines, but don’t get caught in here on a falling tide.
There’s also a lot of marsh edge from Site 18 up-creek to Site 19, the NWR launch. The creek narrows beyond the landing. Further upstream just before the creek narrows even further, there are obstructions along 150 yards of the southeastern shoreline starting at Site 20-1 and ending at Site 20-2 (Image 1, bottom right insert). By appearance they’re vessel remnants and appear like long longitudinal frames or timbers which are at the mudline and barely uncover at very low water.
As well as being a regular contributor to FishTalk, Wayne Young is the author of multiple books detailing wrecks and fishing reefs in the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, and beyond. All are available at Amazon.com, and you can find his Facebook page at “Chesapeake Bay Fishing Reefs.”
# Image 1: Barge wreck clusters in Powell Creek. Satellite pictures courtesy of Google Earth
What Kind of Sunfish Is It?
We collectively call them sunfish, but there's a wide range of very different fish that go by the name.
By Jim Gronaw
Ahh, life as a kid growing up in central Maryland: farmland and farm ponds, bass, bluegills, and other sunfish species. I didn’t take much notice as to what those “other” species were back in the day because all I wanted to do was just get out and fish. But I sure noticed that some were more colorful than others, some pulled harder at the end of a line, and some seemed to taste better than other ones. And, above all, some were bigger. All were lumped together and thrown on the stringer and subsequently in the frying pan. It wasn’t until about 25 years ago that I started paying attention to differences among the multitude of sunfish species that were available in our region.
The Natives
We have several sunfish species that are considered native or at least naturalized from implantations long ago. The common bluegill, pumpkinseed, red breast sunfish, green sunfish, and long-eared sunfish are recognized as natives.
Long-ears are actually more of a streamdwelling sunfish that seldom exceed seven inches in length but are stunning in their appearance. They have a wide operculum (gill or ear tab) with a yellow/white or
orange edging and they are speckled with blue iridescent spots and reddish tinged fins. They have wavy blue cheek markings and males possess a darker red breast during the early summer spawning stages. One of the most exciting times in my angling career was in a small Monocacy tributary several years ago while fishing with my son pursuing smallmouth bass. We had been doing well on bass, when I caught an absolutely gorgeous long-ear of about six inches and just flipped out over its beauty
and relatively large size. Yup, that’s right, a grown man freaking out over a six-inch fish. Couldn’t help myself as it was indeed a stunner.
Pumpkinseeds are gorgeous and grow larger than the long ears. They have an operculum that has a red spot in the middle of a white crescent edge and have blue lines running below the cheeks of the fish. Orange spots dominate the sides. Pumpkins can grow over one pound in some waters and are powerful, robust fighters.
# The author with a Monocacy red breast sunfish.
The green sunfish is also common to many of our regional creeks and lakes. They have a proportionately larger mouth than other sunfish and possess orange or yellow fin edging and have dorsal spines also tipped with those colors, as well as wavey blue cheek markings. Their aggressive nature makes up for their relatively small size and they are great fun on ultralight gear.
Perhaps the most common sunfish found in Mid-Atlantic streams would be the red breast sunfish. These sunfish are stunning during the early summer spawning period as adult males, seven to nine inches long, and exhibit a bright red breast and long ear tabs with a blueish background. Often, they will hybridize with other sunfish species making positive ID difficult.
The Hybrids
Many of us have heard of the “hybrid bluegill” that consists of a green sunfish and bluegill cross. Stocked throughout the country as “Georgia Giants” or simply hybrid sunfish, these fish grow very quickly, seldom reproduce, and are very aggressive. Many fish farms and hatcheries produce them and they can get quite large, even 12” or more under ideal conditions.
Naturally occurring hybrids are found in many of our local lakes and ponds. One is the pumpkinseed/bluegill cross, a fish I affectionately call the “pumpkingill.” As with all hybrid sunfish, this occurs when spawning habitat has to be shared, or battled for, by the dominant adult fish of each species in a particular body of water. An adult fish in one lake may be but six inches long while in another water they could be 10” jumbos. Hook them up and the offspring is an aggressive, fast-growing group that exhibits colors and physical traits of both parents. Almost all offspring are males and subsequent spawns often see a backcross with one of the other species.
Another cool and somewhat common hybrid in our waters is the bluegill/red ear sunfish cross or the “gill-cracker.” This name is derived from the gill and the “shellcracker” nickname for the red ear. Red ears are not a native species to Maryland but have been introduced into many of our public lakes and ponds and some exceed the 12” mark. They routinely do not reproduce the volume of offspring that other species do, and are popular throughout the southeast United States. Red ears sport a bright red or orange edging on their ear-tab and have somewhat duller coloration compared to other sunfish species. The shellcracker nickname is apt because they prefer crayfish, snails, and freshwater clams as their dietary staple.
Another recent hybrid I have encountered is the red breast/ bluegill cross, or the “robin-gill.” They possess a long ear-tab with no edging and spotted sides with larger than normal mouths. Known as “robins” in the south due to their deep red spawning hues, red breast sunfish are primarily stream dwellers but adjust well to lakes and ponds and can hybridize successfully. Like other hybrids they are fast growers and powerful fighters on light tackle. Robin-gills can easily surpass 10” under ideal conditions and make for great table fare. Again, the crossbreeding occurs when the adults of both species have to share or overlap spawning areas. And as with other hybrid sunfish species, males dominate the initial first generation of offspring.
I’m sure that most of us just want to enjoy our panfishing and have our kids and grandkids do likewise. But the next time you catch a sunfish and can’t quite nail the ID, take a photo and see if you haven’t caught one of our regional native or hybrid species.
Bluegill Long-eared Sunfish
Green Sunfish
Pumpkinseed
Red Breast Sunfish
CHESAPEAKE AND MID-ATLANTIC
FISHING FORECAST
Gathered over the past month by Dillon Waters
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
Our freezers will have to do without those bluefin steaks, denying a repeat of the feast from last fall and early winter due to the changes in regulations. However, there should still be plenty of action to enjoy: swordfish offshore, tautog and flounder inshore, and a wide variety of species in the surf. Flounder sharpies: remember that last year the run of doormats at the inshore wreck and reef sites was rather awesome for those dropping Gulp! Swimming Mullet on big tandem bucktails or Fluke Killers.
Freshwater
You can bet that this will be an excellent month for freshwater anglers around the dial, with every sweetwater species feeding hard to fatten up for winter. Look for bass to be uber-active up on the banks and crappie to be swarming beaver dams and deadfall. And in the rivers smallmouth action should be rockin’ it right about now just as long as no storms muck things up. Added bonus: the cooling weather is sure to get the pickerel snapping, too.
Way North
If this year is like last year we can bet that the blue cats will be on a rampage this month. Rockfish were a bit disappointing in 2024, however, so it remains a question mark as to how that action will be. Luckily, the smallmouth and walleye bite in the river should pick up steam in November, adding to your options.
Upper Bay
All eyes will be on the rockfish this month, and hopefully Upper Bay anglers will get treated to some better bird shows than they saw last November. Considering the results of recent years hotspots are likely to include the Patapsco and the Bridge, and hopefully Pooles will see some improved bites as well. Also remember that as the water chills and white perch shift out to open water bars and knolls they usually feed with abandon.
Middle Bay
Will we see flocks of working birds and surface-busting rockfish? One can only hope. Eastern Bay, the mouth of the Choptank, Chesapeake Beach, and the Patuxent zone should all hold some promise, and as the month progresses the bite window should continue to expand well beyond dawn and dusk. Note that in 2024 the action for perch (in the Bay) and pickerel (in the tribs) picked up in late fall so hopefully those fish will kick into gear, too.
# Reports Editor Dillon Waters out-fished the rest of Team FishTalk on a very s-l-o-w trip this summer, and is hoping for a far more active bite this November.
Lower Bay
Rockfish are in for all Lower Bay waters this month, so you can bet they’ll be the main target. The mouths of the Potomac and the Rap are likely to be good bets going by last year’s action, but don’t forget that plenty of other species are still likely to be available. Last year blues, reds, specks, and even cutlassfish were still hanging around into November. That said, the reds and specks certainly didn’t push north in 2025 the same way they did in 2024, so when targeting those fish the farther down the Bay you go the better the action is likely to be.
Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore
We’re entering the final phase of shallow water fishing in the Sounds this month, but before that action ends it usually provides quite a bang. Expect rockfish action to peak as the more southerly species thin out. Also remember that the tribs usually spring to life at this time of year, with yellow perch, crappie, and pickerel bites all picking up momentum.
Way South
If past is prelude speckled trout action should peak this month and the puppy drum bite should remain strong as well. Last year the west side often beat out the east side for speck action, but it was the opposite for reds. Which will be where this year? We shall see… And while many of the summer visitors swimming around the CBBT will depart this month, we can also look for the tautog action to pick up at the very same time.
# Kelsey enjoyed an excellent November surprise a few years back, while casting in the Patapsco.
Quit Drifting
By Eric Packard
Don’t get weighed down worrying about anchors, there are plenty of options on the market to hold you in place. I don’t usually carry an anchor onboard because it adds weight and takes up space, but that doesn’t mean I won’t use one when needed. For example, when blue catfish fishing on the upper Patuxent River with cut bait, I don’t want to move with the current. I want to remain in place and cast down river, usually into a deeper hole that is holding fish, so I’ll deploy an anchor to hold my kayak in place. But there are different anchors that work best for different purposes when kayak fishing.
Many anchors that are on the market for kayakers are of the grapnel style. They store away closed but when deployed they are opened to grip mud or sand bottoms. But in a fishery with a snaggy bottom, a grapnel style can be next to impossible to retrieve. Mushroom style anchors are easier to retrieve, and you can use a Bruce/claw style of anchor in these scenarios too. In low current and light winds simply dropping a length of chain works well, and it costs a lot
less than what you might spend on an anchor, which can range up to $100.
Some kayakers will use a trolley system with their anchor. This allows for deployment and adjustment of the anchor without leaving your seat. They are mounted on the gunwales with a cord and pulley system so you can adjust your anchor’s position anywhere from bow to stern. A trolley system will cost you from $30 up to $130 and installation is not included.
In shallow water situations you may want to use a stake out pole rather than an anchor. They are typically used in water less than six feet deep. One advantage of a stake out pole is that once deployed there is no drift, unlike an anchor that may not grab immediately and allow you to drift into the area you intended to fish. Another advantage of a stake out pole is that it can be used as a push pole to move quietly along while hunting tailing reds or stalking speckled trout along a grass line. Simply turn the pole around and use the T-handle to push along the bottom. They typically come in a seven- or eight-foot length, some longer too. Stake out poles can also be used as a shore stake anchor. A stake
out pole will cost you from $70 up to $160.
A more advanced stake out pole of sorts is a Micro Power Pole, which is normally mounted on the stern of the kayak and operated with a wireless remote. You simply activate the system and the spike deploys and holds you in place. To move on, raise the stake with your remote and you are off and running. These may be hassle-free, but they certainly aren’t cost free with a price tag of $599 to $799. This does not include the spike or the power supply.
Brush grippers are another option that works well in some situations. They work by using a cord which is attached to the kayak and a grip that can be affixed to items such as tree branches, docks, or stumps. The cord applies additional gripping action as your kayak pulls against it. Brush grippers cost from $13 to $20.
If you are an avid kayak angler you may already know what anchor system suits your needs, but if you’re new to the sport you may want to take a few outings before picking an anchoring system. Thay way, you’ll have a good understanding of what you need and make the right choice from the start.
# Left to right: a Bruce/claw anchor, a mushroom anchor, and a grapnel anchor.
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.
2021 Sportsman Heritage 211 Yamaha F150XB 4-Stroke Outboard, Aluminum Trailer, Twin Garmin 943XSV, Hardtop, Dual Battery w/ Switch, Underwater Lights, Raw Water Washdown, Seakeeper Rideprofessionally installed by Riverside, Bow Filler Cushion, Cooler Slide, JL Audio Stereo, Premium Dual Chair Leaning Post, Bow Cushions w/ Backrests, Transom Full Bench Seat, Outrigger Bases, Prewire for Trolling Motor and Bracket. $64,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com , www.riversideboats.com #21279
2006 Parker 2320 Sport Cabin In great condition and well-maintained. New batteries. Has Garmin navigation and sonar. Yamaha 225. Lift kept. $42,500 Call 410.980.9487 or chriszarba@yahoo.com. For more photos, visit: www.tinyurl.com/2006Parker
2017 TideWater 230 XLF Yamaha F250 Vmax (253 Hours), 300hr Service was completed 2 years ago and a 100hr Service was completed this spring. Aluminum Tandem Axle Trailer, Garmin GPSMap, Standard Horizon Eclipse VHF, Gull Wings, Sprayshield, Dual Battery and Switch, Underwater Lights, White Bottom Paint, Trim Tabs, Outriggers, JVC Stereo KD-MR1BT, Missing 2 Cushions in Bow and 1 in the Transom, and more! $64,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com , www.riversideboats.com #21230
2024 Steiger Craft 23 Miami Yamaha F250 Digital Controls (108 Hours), Warranty until 7/20/29, Venture Trailer, Garmin 1243xsv, 2nd Garmin 1243xsv (Exterior of Cockpit), Garmin Fantom Radar, Garmin GT56 Side Scan, Sionyx, Horizon VHF, Bracket, Wiring, and Set-up for future Trolling motor and Humminbird Transducer, Humminbird Solix 10” Screen w/ 2 dedicated transducers, Sea Dek Flooring, Drop Canvas, Helm Tackle Cabinet, Battery Charger, Cabin Hatch, and more! $124,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com , www.riversideboats.com #21256
New 2025 Sportsman Open 232 F250XB Yamaha Outboard, (Trailer Available), Storm Cloud Hull w/ White Bottom, Polar White Upholstery, White Powder Coating, Premium Dual Chair LP w/ Flip-up Bolsters & Armrests, and more! $99,475 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com , www.riversideboats.com #20966
2019 Key West Boats 244CC Yamaha F300UCA Outboard (473 Hours), Load Rite Aluminum Trailer, Garmin 7616 GPS, Uniden VHF Radio, Hardtop, Dual Battery, Portable Head, Raw Water Washdown, Windlass, Trim Tabs, Bottom Paint, and more! $79,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com , www.riversideboats.com #21162
2019 Yamaha 242 Limited S Low Hours and in very good shape! Twin Yamaha 1.8s. Trailer included. $53,500 Beacon Light Marina, 410.335.6200, www.beaconlightmarina.com
2011 Parker 2510 XL Walkaround Huge Cockpit for fishing! Great Ride and powered w/ a F300. Yamaha Trailer included. $59,900 Beacon Light Marina, 410.335.6200, www.beaconlightmarina.com
2011 Grady White 275 Freedom Great layout to Fish or Cruise, Solid Boat w/ good amenities throughout! Yamaha F350. Trailer included. $84,900 Beacon Light Marina, 410.335.6200, www.beaconlightmarina.com
MARKETPLACE & CLASSIFIED SECTIONS
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MARINE SERVICES
MARINE SERVICES
TACKLE SHOPS
Alltackle.com 2062 Somerville Road, Annapolis, MD 21401, 410.571.1111, and 12826 Ocean Gateway #9548, Ocean City, MD 21842, 410.213.2840, alltackle.com
Anglers Sport Center 1456 Whitehall Road, Annapolis, MD 21409, 410.757.3442, anglerssportcenter.com
Legasea Marine has been appointed as an authorized dealer for Monterey Boats, a leading manufacturer of premium sport boats. This new partnership brings Monterey’s awardwinning lineup to customers throughout Legasea Marine’s sales and service territory in Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. In over 40 years of boat building, Monterey Boats has established themselves as leaders in the marketplace, focusing on cutting edge design, craftsmanship, and technology. Matched with high-quality construction techniques, a high-capacity facility, and a committed team of experts, Monterey has achieved an unparalleled level of customer satisfaction in the marine industry. “We’re proud to add Monterey Boats to our portfolio of premium brands,” said Legasea president Chris Hall. “This partnership allows us to offer our customers even more choices in high-quality performance boats, backed by the personalized service and support they expect from us.” As an authorized dealer, Legasea Marine will offer the full range of Monterey sport boats featuring Mercury Marine’s industry leading power options and supported by the company’s experienced sales staff and factory-trained service team at their waterfront facility in Yorktown, VA. Two of the first Monterey models slated to arrive at Legasea this fall will be the Elite 27 and Elite 30 bowriders. legaseamarine.com
Product Debut
Tenero Tenders, LLC announced the debut of its new 12-foot tender at the fall Annapolis Boat Shows. Designed by the internationally acclaimed Farr Yacht Design, this vessel sets a new benchmark in performance, customization, and engineering excellence. The hulls are manufactured from fiberglass or carbon/glass hybrid laminates with foam cores and infused with epoxy resins by Ghostworks Marine of Holland, MI. The tender weighs just 218 pounds empty and supports a payload of over 500 pounds. The hull features a flat pad keel and low deadrise stern for efficient planing and stowage, while the forward sections and rocker distribution ensure smooth handling in short chop. Operational ease was a key priority. A flat, fendered bow surface allows for straightforward boarding, and the recessed outboard motor mount adds stern protection and buoyancy in turns. Wide side decks and a deep cockpit provide secure footing and easy trim adjustment for crew. The prototype on display was powered by a 30-hp four-stroke outboard, reaching speeds up to 22 knots with two passengers aboard. The hull is designed to accommodate up to 40-hp outboards, offering flexibility for heavier loads or longer-range cruising. Tenero has also engineered the tender for electric propulsion, including compatibility with ZeroJet’s electric jet drive system. With next-generation batteries, the electric configuration delivers up to 40 hp and operates in less than a foot of water—quietly and cleanly. tenerotenders.com
Service Center
Annapolis Boat Sales shares that a brand-new, state-of-the-art marine service center will be opening in early 2026. This expansion is a big step forward in how the company plans to serve the Chesapeake Bay boating community—faster, better, and with even more care. The new facility will include climate-controlled bays designed for service in every season, extralarge 19-foot doors to bring in larger vessels, more designated service space for quicker turnaround times, and an employee break room and upgraded work areas to support its team. “This expansion is about more than just servicing boats,” said owner Walter George. “It’s about continuing to grow with our boating community. Whether you purchased your boat from us or not, our certified team is here to keep you out on the water, doing what you love.” Annapolis Boat Sales extends a heartfelt thank you to its loyal customers for trusting them with your boats, and to its incredible staff that also helped make this possible. annapolisboatsales.com
New Platform
Current Yachts announced its official launch with a mission to transform the yacht brokerage industry by eliminating excessive commissions and putting consumers first. The company’s innovative model is a service-based patent-pending approach where traditional eight to 10 percent commission structures are replaced with transparent, flat-rate pricing while maintaining the highest professional standards. Current Yachts also launched the beta version of a new seller platform designed to shorten the time to list, boost listing quality, and elevate the overall customer experience. Current Yachts is co-founded by industry experts Amanda Haley of Fort Lauderdale, FL, and Maryline Bossar of Annapolis, MD, together with their technical co-founders
Jeff Dorso and Sean Walsh, seasoned startup founders and developers with the deep know-how, technical expertise, and robust track record in scaling solutions to solve complex problems.
The firm’s consumer-centric approach delivers significant cost savings to sellers, facilitates faster transactions, and promotes unprecedented transparency throughout the buying and selling process. Another important differentiator of the Current Yachts model is the collaboration of two skill sets with every transaction: a yacht broker and a transaction manager. “This approach will allow the broker to focus on the customer and their vessel sale or yacht search, while the support team will oversee the entire transaction,” explained Maryline Bossar, co-founder of Current Yachts and the marketing lead behind the project. “We’ve surveyed hundreds of boaters and learned that the lack of urgency is a real concern to them. With our team approach, we expedite every step of the sale or purchase from qualification and showings, to trial runs and surveys, all the way to the settlement table.” currentyachts.com
New Places To Pick Up FishTalk
Let’s give a warm welcome to this new FishTalk distribution stop!
• Realistic Holistic in Hampton, VA
• James T. Wilson Fishing Pier in Hampton, VA
• Captain Groovy’s Grill and Raw Bar in Hampton, VA
• Surf Rider Bay Point in Hampton, VA
Businesses or organizations wishing to distribute Rudow’s FishTalk should contact the Rudow’s FishTalk office, (410) 216-9309 or beatrice@fishtalkmag.com
*Add a 1” photo to your boat listing for $25 Marketplace Ads Call For
Five Tips for November Crabbing
Wait a sec – November crabbing? You bet, people, most seasons you can catch ‘em right up to Thanksgiving!
By Staff
Most people think of crabbing as a summer activity, and few keep running the trot line or pulling the traps past October. That’s a shame, because like many other critters in this part of the country their “warm weather” activities have expanded in recent years as water temps have gone up. In fact, in many areas of the Bay you can now get a final batch of sensational steamable shellfish right up until Thanksgiving. If, that is, you alter your tactics a bit.
1. Head up a trib. Though it seems counter intuitive, late in the season crabs often push up the rivers before they head deep for the winter and going upriver a mile or two can make a huge difference in the catch.
2. When you’re getting a lot of females, pull up stakes and make a move. Yeah, we know this is a pain in the keister. But the male-to-female ratio isn’t likely to change if you stick it out because late in the season, birds of a feather flock together.
3. When trot-lining, set your line depending on the wind as much as the spot. At this time of year there’s likely to be a breeze (or a big breeze), and
it’s critical to set up so you can run the line with the wind at your back. Otherwise the rolling or pitching of the boat is likely to shake your crabs off.
4. Shift to deeper waters. Often after a cold snap the crabs will move deeper and sometimes will be in 15’ or even more water. This is when traps come into their own, since it’s hard to run a trot line in water this deep.
5. Don’t worry so much about being out there in the predawn hours. You won’t have to compete for a spot, and the crabs’ activity levels aren’t nearly as dependent. In fact, once it gets chilly out there afternoon crabbing is often better than it is in the early a.m. hours.
CRITICAL BONUS TIP
If you like using chicken necks for bait, load your freezer up right now. The toughest thing about November crabbing is actually finding the bait. Since most people have quit crabbing by now, most bait shops have run through their supply and they won’t be re-ordering until next spring. Sometimes you can find necks at the grocery store and sometimes you can find a few frost-encrusted one-pound packets in the freezers of convenience stores. But the later in the season it gets the more difficult it becomes to find chicken necks, so be sure to purchase a few pounds asap.
