Fly Interview: John Bartlett of Carp on the Fly

For those of you who missed last years interview, check it out here. This year we decided to update, reflect, and talk about whats what in the carp industry right now with John "Montana" Bartlett, author of Carp on the Fly and creator of one of the most successful carp patterns, the Soft Hackle Hybrid.

What is a Carp?

Via Wikipedia:

Carp are various species of oily^[1] freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia.

The cypriniformes (family Cyprinidae) are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain common features, such as being found predominantly in fresh water and that they possess Weberian ossicles (an anatomical structure originally made up of small pieces of bone formed from four or five of the first vertebrae); the most anterior bony pair is in contact with the extension of the labyrinth and the posterior with the swimbladder. The function is poorly understood, but this structure is presumed to take part in the transmission of vibrations from the swimbladder to the labyrinth and in the perception of sound, which would explain why the Ostariophysi have such a great capacity for hearing.^[2]

Most cypriniformes have scales and teeth on the inferior pharyngeal bones which may be modified in relation to the diet. Tribolodon is the only cyprinid genus which tolerates salt water, although there are several species which move into brackish water, but return to fresh water to spawn. All of the other cypriniformes live in continental waters and have a wide geographical range.^[2]

Some consider all cyprinid fishes carp, and the family Cyprinidae itself is often known as the carp family. In colloquial use, however, carp usually refers only to several larger cyprinid species such as Cyprinus carpio (common carp), Carassius carassius (Crucian carp), Ctenopharyngodon idella (grass carp), Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (silver carp), and Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (bighead carp). Carp have long been an important food fish to humans, as well as popular ornamental fishes such as the various goldfish breeds and the domesticated common carp variety known as koi. As a result, carp have been introduced to various locations, though with mixed results. Several species of carp are listed as invasive species by the U.S. Department of Agriculture,^[3] and worldwide large sums of money are spent on carp control.

If you would like me to send you my powerpoint from the Orvis Store presentation I did a few months ago down in VA, email me at tltffcarpweek@gmail.com.

Boom...Morgan

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | August 24, 2013

Via MD DNR:

Via Keith Lockwood:

As we move into the last two weeks of August it would appear by the traffic that families are trying to get in a vacation before the month is over and school begins. It's coming, drive by any high school and you will see the next season's budding gridiron football team on the practice field and discount department stores are flooded with school supplies. It always does my heart good to see fishing rods and crab nets lashed to the roof of the family vehicle with all the other vacation gear. Make fishing part of your vacation plans.

Fishermen are reporting some exciting fishing opportunities this week in the lower Susquehanna River and the channels in and around the Susquehanna Flats for Striped Bass. It is reported that a good portion of the fish are sub-legal in size but there has been plenty of fun topwater action and fishermen are able to catch Striped Bass greater than 18". Fishermen have been picking away at Smallmouth Bass and Walleye in the lower Susquehanna River and Largemouth Bass on the flats for a while now so this is a welcomed addition to the action. Rick Drummond reported in an angler's log that he not only caught this beautiful 20" Smallmouth Bass in the lower Susquehanna but also had some exciting Striped Bass fishing as well.

Courtesy of Rick Drummond

3rd Semi-Annual TLTFF Instagram Fly Swap

A big thanks goes out to Dean Wormell of Gin Clear for this awesome write-up!

- Instagram Fly Swap III -

Finally finding time to put up this post about the 3rd Semi-Annual Instagram Fly Swap hosted again by Morgan Kupfer of Tight Line Tales of a Fly Fisherman. Also check out the 1st and 2nd Instagram Fly Swaps.

The call from Moran went out on the @tltff Instagram feed back in March this year and flies were mailed to the 10 tiers the first week of May.

The popularity of this swap is way up from the first time. It took about 5 minutes to fill up after Morgan's initial post!

As with the previous two swaps, we had a great, well rounded group of excellent tiers including some celebrities. The theme of the swap was streamers - one salt and one fresh pattern.

For each set of flies below, there is a link to the tier's Instagram profile, pics of the flies and names/recipes if they were provided (for those who didn't send in names/recipes - it's never too late. Comment below and I'll add it to the post).

All the flies are "Bad Ass" and those with no names have that name for now. On to the flies...

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | July 11, 2013

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

Now that we have all made it through the Fourth of July Holiday most folks are settling into what might be called the middle of summer. It is time for family vacations, spending more time with the kids or relatives and folks always seem to be on the move headed for some vacation destination. Wherever you are headed try to make fishing or crabbing part of your family vacation.

The fishing scene in the lower Susquehanna is reported to have drifted into a summer pattern of fishing crankbaits and soft plastics for Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass with good White Perch and Channel Catfish fishing also available. Fishing for Striped Bass is described as a daybreak proposition of casting swim shads and crankbaits near the dam pool and to a lesser degree late in the day during power generation water releases.

There is plenty of White Perch fishing action in the upper bay and the tidal rivers for fishermen using bottom rigs out in the bay on traditional knolls and reefs. Poking around wharfs and piers is also a good bet with simple bottom rigs baited with grass shrimp or bloodworms. Casting spinners, Beetle-Spins and small tubes and curly tail jigs around shoreline structure in the early morning and evening hours is also a good way to catch perch. Fishing for Channel Catfish is good down to approximately the Hart-Miller Island area. Larry Anderson was fishing in the upper bay for White Perch with light tackle and a bottom rig baited with bloodworms when he got quite a surprise on the end of his line. Somehow he managed to wrestle this large Black Drum to the boat and released it back into the bay.

Photo Courtesy of Larry Anderson

Fish Art...The Woodworking of SBixel

I started following Shawn Bichsel on Twitter and Instagram about a year ago, following his work and inspirations. It all started with a term I believe he coined, "Fish Art" with a hashtag (#fishart) and Twitter conversation with other anglers. Shawn is an amazing woodworker and has an eye for turning routine parts of the sport we love into amazing pieces of art. Recently Shawn aka @SBixel posted a picture on his Instagram feed of an awesome business card holder he had made that replicates the tail of a Redfish...

Through a little swap we worked out involving some of my flies, I had my first piece of functional SBixel art. Shawn has been coming up with amazing ideas over the time I have been following him and everytime he posts something on his Instagram feed, its a guaranteed like from me as well as around 100 of his other followers.

Here's a little bit about Shawn via his website/blog www.sbixel.com...

About Me: My current passions are Fly Fishing and the art that its beauty, simplicity and sheer frustration inspires. I’m a self prescribed “Nonconformist / Geospatial Practitioner / Fly Fisher” (not necessarily in that order) … And these things too – I’m a husband to a wonderful wife that allows me to pursue whatever interest I may venture into. A 3 dog dad. I’m a non-traditionalist fly fisher, I get outside and wet a fly whenever possible, in places you would never think to look, using flies you would never think to fish. Drawing fish and flies is my outlet, when fly fishing isn’t an option. I also like to bike, hike, travel, drink Shiner Beer and Dr Pepper, eat fine Texas BBQ and Tex-Mex food and go ramble out “yonder” whenever possible.

About the Site: This site is a vessel for me to share my art work and any thing else I might draw inspiration from. Sometimes I let loose and write a lengthy post about “farmers” I like farmers as much as I like fly fishing…But mostly, look for Art, Fly Fishing Related Art, Pictures, Ramblings, Rants and don’t worry… the dogs don’t bite!

All artwork on this site was drawn or created by me unless otherwise stated. All the photography on the site is mine and was taken by me unless otherwise stated. All views and opinions expressed within are mine and do not represent anybody else’s opinion, but mine. Please take some time to look around and share with your friends!

Never be afraid to put yourself out there! Get out in it…

Shawn has an Etsy account that he sells his work through and he is constantly posting new work on his blog. You can follow him by clicking the links in this post to go directly to his pages. I'll close with a few other pieces of his work...amazing.

Boom...Morgan

TLTFF Crew Vacation/Getaways

As I was boarding a plane on this fine Friday morning around 5am to head up to the "Grey Lady" aka Nantucket Island I realized I wanted you all to enjoy the trip along with me. I wanted to throw up the Instagram slideshow again so you could see my trip as well as follow Luis as he heads back down to Jane's Island again for some camping and fishing. Keep an eye on our Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for updates and pictures throughout the day. Here's a little preview slideshow for ya!

See ya Tuesday, have an amazing weekend y'all!

Boom...Morgan

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | June 05, 2013

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

As we enter the first week of June Chesapeake Bay fishermen are seeing all areas of the bay and its tributaries open to Striped Bass fishing entering the traditional summer season. Freshwater fishermen find almost ideal water temperatures for a wide variety of fishing opportunities and warming water temperatures in the coastal areas are bringing in summer species to the region.

Fishermen are enjoying new fishing opportunities in the lower Susquehanna River this week now that the entire river is open to Striped Bass fishing all the way up to the dam pool. There are plenty of Striped Bass around and fishermen are catching them by casting swim shads, jigs, crankbaits as well as live lining eels and White Perch. The White Perch fishing in the lower river continues to be excellent and most fishermen are casting shad darts, small spinnerbaits or extra heavy spinners. Flathead Catfish are ready to give anyone a tussle near the dam pool on fresh bait or heavy swim shads and Channel Catfish are plentiful throughout the entire upper bay region. White Perch are also plentiful in the other tidal rivers of the upper bay region and can provide excellent fishing opportunities since water temperatures are nearly ideal for shallower areas close to shore. Structure such as old piers, channel edges and hard bottom are all great places to jig, cast spinners or use bottom rigs with bait. The Baltimore Harbor area, Hart-Miller Island and similar areas offer good fishing opportunities this time of the year while water temperatures are still in the low 70's.

There is some Striped Bass action being reported at traditional upper bay chumming locations such as Swan, Love and Podickory Points with some of the better success being found with fresh baits being allowed to sink to the bottom far back in a chum slick. Trolling along channel edges and similar structure is being described as a slow pick for fish in the 18" to 26" size range. The Bay Bridge piers is a good place to start fishing if you're launching a boat near by and the piers, rock piles and the sewer pipe are producing fish for fishermen jigging, chunking or live lining Spot. The inside of Hackett's Bar, which is just below the bridge on the western shore, has been a good place to put together a supply of live Spot this week plus a mix of croaker and White Perch. The outside edge of Hackett's is providing a good place to also live line those Spot for Striped Bass.

Other fishing opportunities below the Bay Bridge include traditionally popular places to live line or jig such as Thomas Point, the Hill and channel edges on both sides of the bay. Eastern Bay continues to hold a lot of bait and jigging over suspended fish or under breaking fish continues to be a good option. The rocks near Poplar Island have also been a good place to cast a variety of lures during morning and evening low light conditions. Trolling along both sides of the bay and Eastern Bay has been good despite the recent May Worm swarms and small to medium sized bucktails and swim shads behind umbrella rigs or in tandem have been effective. Herb Floyd holds up a nice 26" fish caught while trolling this past weekend.

Photo Courtesy of Herb Floyd

MD DNR: $10,000 Diamond Jim on the Loose

Via MD DNR:

More than $50,000 in prizes up for grabs during this year’s fishing challenge.

The hunt is on! The Diamond Jim component of the 2013 Maryland Fishing Challenge kicked off when Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) biologists and teams of young anglers caught, tagged and released 200 striped bass into the Chesapeake Bay. One of the tagged fish is the official Diamond Jim worth $10,000 to the angler who catches him before midnight on June 30. The other tagged "imposter" rockfish are worth at least $500 each if caught and registered before midnight on Labor Day, September 2, 2013.

"The Diamond Jim component of the Maryland Fishing Challenge signifies the beginning of a summer filled with top-notch, diverse fishing, located right here in our great State," said Governor O'Malley. "This contest is an open invitation to everyone - young and old, seasoned pros and first timers - to not only cast a line, but spend time outdoors and create memories with friends and loved ones."

Over the summer, hundreds of imposters and one genuine Diamond Jim will be pursued by anglers. Each month he goes uncaught the bounty increases - from $10,000 in June, to $20,000 in July, and $25,000 in August. The contest features a guaranteed $25,000 payout, so if Diamond Jim is not caught by Labor Day, the cash prize will be split equally among those who catch imposters.

The first angler to catch Diamond Jim will also receive a set of one-carat total-weight, round, brilliant diamond stud earrings from Zachary's Jewelers in Annapolis, and a stack of $1,000 gift cards from participating Maryland tackle shops such as Anglers, AllTackle, Fishbones, Clyde's, and Marty's and Herb's Tackle Shop. These prizes bring the total potential value of Diamond Jim to more than $35,000.

Now in its ninth year, the challenge showcases Maryland as a premier sport fishing destination with accessible, affordable, diverse and high-quality opportunities for anglers of all ages. Anyone who catches and registers a Maryland Angler Award-eligible sport fish will receive a certificate of achievement and free passes to the Maryland Fishing Challenge Finale - to be held in conjunction with the Maryland Seafood Festival at Sandy Point State Park on September 7, 2013. Here, these anglers will have the chance to win great door prizes, including a boat, trailer and motor package from Tracker Marine; a tropical vacation package from the World Fishing Network; tackle packages from Bill's Outdoor Center and Bass Pro Shops; collectable event t-shirts from Under Armour; and fishing gear from a number of local tackle shops.

Combined with the prizes for the Angler Award component of the contest, this brings the total potential prize value of the year-long contest to more than $50,000.

"I want to thank our sponsors and our recreational fishery stakeholders for making this tournament possible," said DNR Secretary Joe Gill. "The steadfast support of these businesses and the Maryland Seafood Festival have helped develop the Maryland Fishing Challenge into more than a contest, it has become a highly anticipated and appreciated summer-long experience."

The Maryland Fishing Challenge is a free year-round tournament sponsored by DNR. To be eligible for the contest, all fish must be caught recreationally by rod and reel. To see the Angler Award species list and the official contest rules, visitdnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/challenge.

Catch a fish is included in the Maryland Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights, issued by Governor Martin O'Malley in April 2009. The Bill is part of the Maryland Partnership for Children in Nature, an initiative to ensure all Maryland young people have the opportunity to connect with their natural world and grow to become informed and responsible stewards.

DNR encourages everyone to take advantage of Maryland’s Free Fishing Days, the first two Saturdays in June and July 4.

Follow Diamond Jim on Facebook at facebook.com/diamondjim.md, and DNR Fisheries at facebook.com/MDDNRFisheriesService, Twitter @mddnrfish.

Boom...Morgan

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | May 01, 2013

Via MD DNR:

The time to make time to go fishing could never be better for Maryland fishermen this week. The weather looks like it will cooperate so make plans with family or friends to enjoy the first week of May, whether you choose to go freshwater, bay or ocean fishing. The Trophy Striped Bass season really hit high gear yesterday as many charter boats were seen returning to the docks early in the morning with limits for their clients. Award Centers for the Maryland Fishing Challenge are reporting scores of anglers coming into their shops to register their 40"plus Striped Bass into this year's Maryland Fishing Challenge. There was a substantial Striped Bass spawn last Thursday and Friday on several of the spawning rivers so the good fishing out in the bay shows promise for the next week or so. Fishermen are also reporting a lot of large menhaden in the stomachs of the fish they are catching so maybe this food source will encourage the post-spawn fish to hang around a little longer. Three generations of Millers got to go fishing together recently and Craig Miller is of course all smiles as he poses with his trophy Striped Bass with his grandfather.

Photo courtesy of Clinton Miller

Lefty's Tie Fest 2013

Back in March we attended the CCA's Lefty Kreh's Tie Fest, formerly known as the Kent Island Tie Fest, an awesome event known for its ridiculously low prices on tying materials and great show of fly tying celebs. This year we not only had the privilege of meeting up with a good bit of you all, our followers, but some great tiers and fisherman including Lefty Kreh, Brad Bohen, Brad Buzzi, and Blane Chocklett.

Lefty Kreh's Tie Fest - Tomorrow...Who's Going?

For more info, click here, we would love to see some of our followers show up!

As with all of our events, hit us up tomorrow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or via email (tightlinedtalesofaflyfisherman@gmail.com) to meet up or let us know what you think!

Boom...Morgan

Our Live Instagram Feed from The Fly Fishing Show

Check it...

Hit us up on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or via email (tightlinedtalesofaflyfisherman@gmail.com) to meet up or let us know what you think!

Boom...Morgan

Your Instagram Feed on the Web

Via Instagram:

Today, I’m very excited to announce the launch of a product we’ve been wanting to build for quite some time now. Since our launch in October of 2010, we’ve focused on building a simple app that has inspired creativity while capturing everyday moments through the lens of your mobile phone. In fact, our focus on building out a mobile-only experience is a unique path that we’ve chosen for many reasons, the most important of which is that Instagram, at its core, is about seeing and taking photos on-the-go. However, to make Instagram even more accessible to our growing community, at the end of last year we started to expand to the desktop web, giving you the ability to see profiles from instagram.com. To continue that path, as of today, you can now browse your Instagram feed on the web – just like you do on your mobile device. Go to instagram.com and log in to your account to give it a try.

Your Instagram Feed on the web functions much like it does on your mobile phone. You can browse through the latest photos of people whom you follow with updates as people post new photos. Like photos by double clicking on them or pressing the like button. Or, engage in a conversation around a photo with inline commenting. Browse through pages of the most recent images to keep up on what’s happening with the people you follow in realtime. And shrink your browser down to a single column for your feed to look more like your mobile feed. Simply put, we’ve brought a simple, powerful, and beautiful Instagram browsing experience to the web.

We believe that you should be able to access Instagram on a variety of different devices, any of which may be convenient to you at a given moment – including your desktop computer or tablet. We do not offer the ability to upload from the web as Instagram is about producing photos on the go, in the real world, in realtime. On the other hand, Instagram for the web is focused on making the browsing experience a fast, simple and enjoyable one.

This product was made possible by a small, talented group of engineers and designers on the Instagram team whose goal it was to make Instagram for the web be the most simple, straightforward, and beautiful web experience for the Instagram community. We look forward to hearing your feedback, and thank you as always for your support as we build this product and community together.

Kevin Systrom

co-founder, Instagram

Boom...Morgan

Somerset, NJ + Allen Fly Fishing = Alpha III Reel Series

For those of you who weren't at The Fly Fishing Show in Somerset, NJ...Allen Fly Fishing was. And with them as their newest addition to the family...the Alpha III Reel. Here's a sneak peek...post on the release to follow.

Via Allen Fly Fishing's Instagram (@allenflyfishing)

Boom...Morgan

Snowman Custom Rod Works

Over the past few months, we've become friends with Zeb, owner of Snowman Custom Rod Works, via Instagram. Zeb displays some of the most amazing works of custom rod art we personally have ever seen. Some examples can be seen below.

With Instagram and word of mouth primarily being his source of advertising and getting work, it was time to get a site. After months of working on his site, it has finally gone live as of yesterday. Here's what Zeb has to say about the launch, who and what Snowman Custom Rod Works is, and what he's currently working on via his site...

"We are custom rod builders out of the southwestern Pennsylvania area. We fish what we build, everything from modern glass offerings, to two handed creations, and  the modern high modulus line bombers.

I will update this soon to include the build styles and our areas of concentration."

"Thank you for visiting Snowman Custom Rod Works. We are updating the site daily and will be fully loaded with content in the next couple weeks. In the meantime please feel free to check us out on Instagram and our Facebook Fan Page. We are currently hard at work getting ready for F3T in Columbus, and will be listing a few open builds for sale after the March 7th show in Columbus, OH."

For some absolutely breath taking custom rod art and to express interest in your very own Snowman Custom Rod, roll on over to the brand spankin' new www.snowmancustomrodworks.com and give it a looksy. Its not much right now since the launch just happened but definitely bookmark SCRW since updates will occur daily. Make sure you give Zeb some feedback as he perfects the site and definitely let him know the TLTFF Crew sent you. 

Boom...Morgan

New Year's Resolutions: Fly-Fishing Guide Edition

Via Orvis News:

Simon Perkins helps out a new angler. photo courtesy Simon Perkins

[Editor's Note: With New Year's Eve just around the corner, I'm reminded of Simon Perkins's great post from the early days of OrvisNews.com. Since many of you were not around back then, I'm reposting it. Although Simon now sits next to me every day at the home office, rather than guiding on the Missouri, every word of this continues to be true.]

Fly-fishing guides come in all shapes, sizes, colors, personalities, and temperaments. Some of us are commanding and aggressive, others more passive. Some of us are articulate, some of us mumble. Some of us are patient, some of us get tense with enthusiasm and anticipation (in other words: “impatient”). But we are human, and what do humans do this time of year? We make New Year's resolutions.

I reached out to a handful of freshwater guides around the country and asked them what they would change in the upcoming year. So without further ado, I present to you the following collaborative list: “2011 Resolutions: Fly-Fishing Guide Edition”

• I will actually commit myself this off-season to tying dozens upon dozens of flies, rather than continuously procrastinating (which consequently leads to late nights in June where I curse myself mercilessly as I scramble to crank out a dozen golden stoneflies in time for my guide day the next morning).

• I will do my best to treat the older, I mean “more experienced,” guides with respect, and try to patiently listen as they retell (again and again) all of their stories about “back in the day when guides carried their drift boats to the put-in on their shoulders and rowed upstream all day with one hand tied behind their back.”

• I will continually dedicate myself to discouraging any religious or political conversation at the lodge after dinner, especially when mixed groups are present. (For whatever reason, numerous glasses of wine and vehement opinions don’t mix well together, and it makes for a very awkward breakfast the next morning!).

• I will resist the urge to take an existing fly pattern, change the leg color, and then attempt to rename it and claim it as my own creation.

• If I stop at the local watering hole for a beer after a long day on the river, I will not let the beer turn into four vodka tonics (and then spend the next hour trying to find someone to give me a ride home).

• I will try my best to never tell another client, “You should have been here last week!”

Simon Perkins (l) and two friends, Jake and Peter Whitted. photo courtesy Simon Perkins

To steal a line from a friend, these resolutions will most likely end up with those from years past: on a dusty shelf next to my Bowflex and Ab Roller. But there is one resolution that should be a priority for every guide and angler this year: to introduce new people to the sport of fly-fishing.

Why is this important? Well first off, we want to preserve the future of fly-fishing, whether it serves us as a livelihood, a hobby, or an obsession. Some may argue that increasing the overall number of anglers threatens our fisheries with added pressure. I disagree. An increase in passionate anglers means a wider social connection to our natural resources. It translates to more people wanting to fight for conservation; more people willing to spend money to protect these special places and species; and more motivation for agencies and organizations to prioritize the longevity of these limited assets.

And fly fishing’s place in society also resonates on a personal level. Fly fishing fills so many potential voids in our lives. It’s an excuse to spend more time outside. It brings us to incredible places around the globe. It gives those of us who are crappy at golf an activity we can pursue long after we retire. And let’s face it, is there really a better place to spend time with a friend or family member than on a river with a rod in your hand?

One of the best parts of being a guide is introducing people to the sport. photo courtesy SImon Perkins

Boom...Morgan

Pickerel in the Severn

So the Chain Pickerel move into the rivers of the Bay every year at some point in between Thanksgiving and Christmas, becoming most active around the first or second week of December. I had the privilege of fishing with one of my good buddies Matt, author of The Hobie Life, on the back of his Hobie Pro Angler last week.

Not only was the wind strong (too strong to attempt to toss a fly), but the bite was too. After the last three fishing trips ending in a big old skunk, I was pretty discouraged and really wasn't ready to cast a line again. Fortunately, Matt got to talking about the Pickerel and got me pretty stoked.

With the air temp sitting around 45F, the water temp around 48F, and the wind gusts up to 35 mph, I threw on my neoprene waders and met Matt at one of the local boat ramps on Weems Creek where he had his beautiful and fully rigged Pro Angler in the water, ready to go. I had stopped at Angler's and picked up a pint of minnows and I brought along a few fly rods but decided to leave them in the car when the gusts became continuous. I grabbed my 6' Daiwa bass pole (fortunately the wind blew all the dust off it for me), and Matt supplied the 1/8 Jig Heads to hook the minnows on.

I hopped on the back of the 14' 'yak and we were off, minnows in the water right away. At the first shoreline, I rigged up and tossed my line and within the first 5 casts had hooked up on a fish. Unfortunately, the first 3 hookups turned into lost fish. I've caught many-a-pickerel in my day but never understood why they are so easily lost. The way Matt explained it to me, is that, due to their softer jaws, they need to be able to run a bit so the hook set is solid enough to allow you to bring the fish to hand. After working the shoreline for a bit and me losing about half a dozen of Matts jig heads on snags, we finally started to bring in fish. I was able to catch some footage on the GoPro before it broke (its being sent back this week for an exchange) and for those of you who follow us on Instagram and Facebook, you were able to see the photos I snapped of a few fish.

The largest of the day was about 21" and the smallest measured out at around 17.5". The Maryland citation size is 24" and one of the fish Matt lost by the boat was definitely going to be close to that two foot mark. With over a dozen fish brought in between the two of us, it made for an awesome outing and a great break of the huge skunk run I had going for me.

If you don't already follow Matt over at The Hobie Life, you should be, even if your not a 'yak kinda person, the man catches fish, there's no doubt about that.

Boom...Morgan

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | December 05, 2012

A little late, sorry...

Via MD DNR:

By:  Keith Lockwood

Maryland fishermen received an early Christmas present of warmer weather this week and Chesapeake Bay fishermen also received a gift of a pulse of large striped bass that arrived over the weekend. Those fishermen hardy and lucky enough to get out lately have been enjoying catching some whopper sized striped bass such as this beauty held up by Mark Nadler this past Sunday.

Photo courtesy of Mark Nadler

The lower Susquehanna River up to the Conowingo Dam Pool continues to provide some striped bass action for fishermen casting from shore or fishing in small boats. Most fishermen are jigging soft plastics along channel edges with good results and also finding a bonus of large walleye, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishermen are also finding striped bass holding to structure such as steep channel edges and deep bars at the mouths of the upper bays tidal rivers such as the Elk, Sassafras, Chester and Baltimore Harbor. Most fishermen are reporting that it may take some snooping around and a good depth finder to find fish holding close to the bottom. Jigging with soft plastics tends to be the favorite method of fishing although slow trolling with umbrella rigs or small crankbaits also works well at times.

The beautiful weather brought fishermen out onto the bay's waters earlier this week and boats could be seen underneath the Bay Bridge working the bridge piers and rock piles for a mix striped bass and large white perch. Jigging down deep, often 50' or more with heavy weight is the ticket to get to these fish. Surface water temperatures in the bay now are below 50-degrees on the surface and as warm as 65-degrees on the bottom. These warmer bottom temperatures also mean a lot to the large fall migrant striped bass that are moving into the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake; the bait that they are looking for is holding in the warmer water.

Boats are trolling an array of large and medium sized baits along the shipping channel from the Bay Bridge south to the Virginia Line. The best fishing tends to start around Bloody Point and most everyone is reporting to "go deep". Lines run off of planer boards have been catching the lion's share of the fish being caught, lots of inline weight is being used and many are reporting allowing the "way way back" line to be trailing into the next county to be effective. Umbrella rigs have been a favorite as are tandem rigged bucktails, parachutes and swim shads.

Fishermen and boat captains are reporting that a surge of large striped bass moved into the Maryland portion of the bay over the weekend and catches went up to three or four large fish per boat. Maryland captains are going as far south as Buoy 60 and Buoy 68, but most are working the western edge of the shipping channel from Breezy Point to the Power Plant, the eastern edge around Buoy 72, Tangier Sound, the mouth of the Potomac and from the mouth of the Choptank to Bloody Point. Getting lures down to the 40' to 50' depth has been very important. James Lewis Jr. hoists up a nice striped bass he caught recently in Tangier Sound while trolling with friends.

Photo courtesy of James Lewis Jr.

There are still plenty of striped bass less than 28" to be caught along channel edges near the mouths of many of the tidal rivers in the middle and lower bay regions. The fish can often be found holding deep near oyster bars and steep channel edges. Jigging has been the most popular to fish for them and the lower Potomac and Patuxent Rivers have been holding a lot of fish lately.

White perch can also be found deep in the lower sections of the regions tidal rivers often in 50' of water or more. It will take plenty of lead to get down depending on the tide but fishermen can put together a nice mess of perch in short order with a bottom rig and some bloodworms. Fishermen looking for some action farther up the tidal rivers should not forget about the channel catfish that reside there. Fishing for channel catfish is usually good this time of the year and can offer a pleasurable shoreline fishing or small boat fishing experience.

Freshwater fishermen in the western region are enjoying good fishing for a mix of smallmouth bass and walleye in Deep Creek Lake and the upper Potomac River. Small jigs and swim shads worked close to the bottom are usually a typical method to fish this time of the year. Trout fishing remains good in the trout management areas and crowds are definitely not a problem this time of the year.

Colder water temperatures are pushing largemouth bass to find warmth and refuge in deeper waters now and fishermen who know the drill have been using blade baits such as Silver Buddies and grub jigs to entice them to strike. Channel edges, deep sunken wood and rocks are always good places to look for some big largemouth bass hunkered down in deep water. Colder water is just to the liking of chain pickerel and most lakes, reservoirs and tidal rivers in Maryland have good populations of these toothy characters who love a good fight. Ken Kopro sent in this picture of a chain pickerel he caught and released at Loch Raven Reservoir.

Photo courtesy of Ken Kopro

Many freshwater fishermen are switching their focus to crappie fishing this time of the year as the fish congregate and school up near deep structure such as marina docks and bridge piers. Many of the Baltimore County Reservoirs have good populations of crappie and the tidal Potomac is famous for large numbers of crappie. 1/16th to 1/8th oz jigs under a bobber or just cast and retrieved slowly are good ways to target crappie. Minnows under a bobber are of course a good bet also.

Ocean City surf fishermen continue to struggle with beach structure and sand bar conditions after Sandy did a bit of rearranging. There are some puppy drum being caught and a few striped bass along the Ocean City and Assateague beaches. Tautog and sea bass fishing remain closed. Outside the inlet tends to be where the most exciting fishing action is occurring in the Ocean City area. Fishermen are catching large striped bass within 3-miles of the beaches by trolling Stretch lures and umbrella rigs or tandem rigged parachutes, bucktails or swim shads. Some fishermen are also drifting live eels and jigging when concentrations of fish can be found. The shoal areas such as the Bass Grounds, Gull Shoals and Isle of Wight Shoals are traditional places to begin to fish.

Fly Product: Blue Halo Fly Lines

Via Blue Halo:

Blue Halo just released new fly lines last week that we've only seen glimpses of in photos on the site. With radical colors offered that match their great glass blanks, you cant go wrong with pairing this line up with one of their rods. And at only $29.95, you can go wrong just buying this anyway.

So far, two two-toned lines are offered, Blue/Teal and Red/White. Both lines are Weight Forward Floating fly lines with welded loops and are offered in 4wt-6wt.

I havent had the privilege of trying the lines out yet but cannot wait to get my hands on some! Head on over to Blue Halo and show the boys some love, they a moving in a great direction!

 Boom...Morgan