October 17, 2020
It’s late in the ninth month of 2020, which shall undoubtedly go down in history as the Worst Year Ever. Laugh at this, dear friends, because the sharpest mental arrow in our anti-Covid quiver is a…
September 29, 2020
Swordfish fishing used to be a game of over-nighting, but during a daytime sword trip last fall... Eleven. We got 11 bites, caught seven swordfish, and killed three legal beasts which barely fit into…
September 17, 2020
You've probably noticed that reading FishTalk cover to cover you'll uncover countless fishing tips, but was also include a couple of direct, specific fishing tips in each and every edition. So we've…
August 24, 2020
The Hot Dog, Hambone, Sausages and Chickenbone — apparently, anglers get hungry when they’re looking at nautical charts, since these lumps off the coast of Ocean City, MD, all have names resembling…
July 18, 2020
Most offshore anglers who go tuna trolling are well aware of the fact that temperature breaks act as offshore structure. Flotsam and bait tend to collect along them, and visible rips may form where…
July 2, 2020
The Penn International’s drag was screaming, the angler’s rod doubled over. His friends were teasing and poking fun about him being out of shape, after 20 minutes into the battle. At the end of the…
June 25, 2020
Mahi-mahi, otherwise known as Dolphinfish, travel in schools and can be found offshore but often wander closer to the shore in the summer—making them a popular inshore fishing target—during the…
June 1, 2020
Lying at the bottom of the ocean in 600 to 800 feet of water, golden tilefish are a worthy target for any offshore angler. But the standard-issue method of dragging a “meat rig” with multiple baited…
May 18, 2020
There was a day and age when mid-summer was considered the best of the tuna trolling action off the Maryland coastline, but those days are long gone. In recent years spring and early summer have…
April 24, 2020
You want to tip the scales of encountering marlin, tuna, mahi-mahi, and other pelagics in your favor, the next time you go offshore trolling? Now’s the time to begin prepping your gear, your boat,…
March 29, 2020
Every angler’s definition of fishing success varies, but I’m inclined to believe that each would include the phrase “catch fish.” When an angler says, “it was a beautiful, relaxing day of fishing,”…
January 21, 2020
In case you missed Top Rigs for Tuna Part I last month, we discussed constructing a bird/green machine tuna rig. That rig utterly destroys the tuna, but even so, the number-one top trolled bait on…
December 28, 2019
Anglers are notorious when it comes to trying to build better fish-catching rigs, including those they drop back behind the boat when setting a mixed spread for offshore fishing. It seems we’re never…
December 10, 2019
You want to find and bait marlin? Set out to fish for bigeye tuna? No one ever hit a 95-mph fastball, shot par on a round of golf, sank three-pointers on the court, or strapped on a pair of skates…
October 15, 2019
As fall kicks in many small boat anglers hang up the spreader bars and gaffs for the season – and that’s a shame. While it’s true that good weather windows are smaller and harder to come by, the…
October 9, 2019
“In the entire circle of the year there are no days so delightful as those of a fine October,” said author Alexander Smith, and although it may not have been his intention that pretty much sums up…
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 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…