Tactical Angler: Fishing Tactics

Fishing tactics and techniques used on the Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean, and surrounding freshwater fishing areas are covered in depth.

October 30, 2019
Yes, water temps are falling, but no, that doesn’t mean your snakehead adventures are over for the season – you just need to alter the tactics a bit. As things cool off the standard topwater bite on…
October 19, 2019
You want to catch some mega-monster fall slab crappie? Of course you do! And casting artificials is a great way to put ‘em in the cooler. When you set out to target these fish, remember these three…
September 11, 2019
Let's say you’re out jigging with six-inch plastics like BKDs this fall and you see tons of marks just over a shell bottom, but get only short strikes. Finally, you hook a small striper and reel it…
September 9, 2019
Many sharpies like to bounce jigs or Gulp! while fishing for flounder in the Chesapeake and nearby coastal DelMarVa bays, but this type of fishing does take a certain amount of expertise. Beginners…
September 7, 2019
Everyone knows that tides and currents have an effect on fishing, including and especially Chesapeake Bay fishing, but few anglers ever master the art of utilizing tides and currents to their fullest…
September 1, 2019
Fish like bigeye tuna and marlin might steal the spotlight all summer long, but as fall sets in making the time for those long offshore runs gets tougher and tougher. The kids have gone back to…
August 1, 2019
Despite their aerial antic, awesome colors, and willingness to eat when many other offshore species seem lock-jawed, truth be told, for many offshore trollers mahi-mahi (properly called dolphinfish)…
July 18, 2019
Okay, just because you own a fishing boat don’t click out just yet - let’s talk about wade fishing and why you shouldn’t limit yourself to casting against the shoreline or zipping across the lake to…
July 4, 2019
Nah, no one really chunks for billfish, do they? Not around here – but if you spend enough time chunking for tuna in the Mid-Atlantic region, sooner or later you’ll look over the transom to see a…
June 30, 2019
Whether you’re a dozen miles from the inlet, 30 miles out, or 60-plus miles at the Baltimore Canyon, any time you see the floats of commercial fishing pots you’re in luck. All too often people run…
June 26, 2019
Since I was a child growing up one of my favorite ways to fish was hopping into a local stream in quest for swift-water smallmouth bass, and years later I would own a car, and rivers such as the…
June 18, 2019
While bottom fishing isn’t exactly the most artful form of Chesapeake Bay fishing, it has one advantage over just about any other technique: the best chance for red-hot fast action. Anyone who has…
May 17, 2019
Stocked trout have caught your attention? Or, maybe some big bluegills are swimming around in that pond? Then we sure hope you’re familiar with Float-N-Fly tactics, because especially on breezy days…
May 8, 2019
You want to get into some walleye? They can be found in many of our region’s rivers, from the Susquehanna in both Maryland and Pennsylvania down to the New River in Virginia. And a great way to…
March 18, 2019
Anyone who plans to learn about Chesapeake Bay fishing needs to know about bucktail jigs, and how to fish with them. But before we get to tactics and techniques, here's a quick video that will help…
February 13, 2019
If you want to catch chain pickerel, few offerings will ever top a big, fat mummichog minnow in both fresh and brackish waters. The key to using them effectively, however, lies in the presentation.…
January 24, 2019
Striped bass are the number-one target when it comes to Chesapeake Bay fishing, and it’s no wonder why striper fishing is so amazingly popular: stripers bite willingly, fight hard, and taste great.…
January 16, 2019
If you want to score on true doormat flounder next summer, the best places to head are often the wrecks and reefs between 15 and 25 miles out off the coast. But fishing these deepwater spots for…