This time of year brings conflict for me. The Trophy Rockfish Season beckons with the promise of big fish on big water, a temptation that is almost impossible to resist. Yet there is another of nature’s sirens murmuring in my ear. This one promises even more luscious treats to be had as the sweetwater bite blossoms. Fish Are Biting ...   The white perch run continues to please a lot of anglers on Chesapeake tributaries. But most are poised for Saturday, April 16, when the Trophy...

Sending out a chartreuse shad dart tipped with a grass shrimp toward the dark water of the far bank, I let it sink for a brief three-count before tightening up my line. Almost immediately there came a sharp tap, and I set the hook. My rod bowed as I leaned into yet another lively white perch. Fish Are Biting ...     The yellow perch run is still happening but only in dribs and drabs as the majority of these fish are spent and have left the headwaters. The white perch run is...

Illegal commercial gill netting (and consequently, some arrests) continues despite all the attention net-fishing has been drawing on the water and in the news. Now the Coastal Conservation Association (ccamd.com) has asked Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary John Griffin to re-evaluate both commercial gill net operations and pound net fisheries.     Gill netting, currently and historically, is an easily and often abused activity, the nationwide marine resources...

One simple thing an angler can do to help catch more big fish is learn to tie the right knot correctly. In a life of fishing and after working in a sports store for a good number of years and listening to countless tales of big fish broken off, I’ve learned many anglers aren’t sure which knot to tie or how to tie it.     The weakest link in the connection between fish and fisherman is the knot. Common household and sailing knots such as the square knot, granny knot,...