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A Sea Bass Population Boom
Recreational anglers have long blamed commercial fishermen for many fisheries ills. Commercial fishers look at vastly inflated MRIP catch numbers and point the finger squarely at recreational anglers. Well, mercy… I think management, however well intentioned, is way off with sea bass. Certainly not on purpose. Indeed, bad recreational catch…
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Ask an Expert Angler: Captain Tim Blanchard of Fish the Potomac
June 21, 2026
This month we check in with Captain Tim Blanchard of Fish the Potomac. The Fish the Potomac fleet casts into the waters in and around the nation’s capital year-round, targeting multiple species but…
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Paddler's Edge: Don't Make These 5 Mistakes While Kayak Fishing!
June 19, 2026
Mistakes? We all make them now and then. But picking the wrong movie on a Saturday night or making a mistake while out kayak fishing are two very different things. Picking the wrong movie may get you…
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Striped Bass and Temperature Mortality
June 17, 2026
In 2024 I was invited to jump on a boat to catch striped bass — out of season! After learning it was to participate in a George Mason University Fisheries Ecology Lab study on the catch-and-release…
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Pursuit S 248: Hot Pursuit
August 22, 2023
Some center console fishing boats are well engineered but poorly built, some are poorly engineered but well built, and some boats just plain take your breath away. You think you can find a single…
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Return of the Weakfish…?
August 20, 2023
Weakfish, also known as yellow fin sea trout and gray trout, have not been a big part of Chesapeake Bay fishing in recent decades. In the past few seasons, however, growing numbers have popped up in…
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How to Catch BIG Flounder: Doormat Delivery
August 18, 2023
Every serious flounder angler dreams of catching doormats — you know, those big trophy fish that make everyone say “wow.” And even though the occasional trophy flounder may be caught mixed in with…
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Fishing Quiz for Beginners
August 15, 2023
You say you picked up angling a few years ago and you’re not sure if you’re still considered a fishing beginner, or if you’ve made it to the intermediate phase? Part of knowing what you’re talking…
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Spanish Mackerel Refresher
August 15, 2023
We’ve covered standard-issue Spanish mackerel trolling tactics more than once in FishTalk, but it’s been a while and now that August is here most of the Chesapeake should be riddled with these…
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Fluke Lures for Bass Fishing
August 13, 2023
Flukes are a great choice for fooling predators into pouncing, especially when you need a weedless option that sinks slowly and can be used in shallow water and/or thick cover. And yes, largemouth…
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