Maryland Weekly Fishing Report - October 12, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Erik Zlokovitz

This is Erik Zlokovitz again, filling in for Keith Lockwood while he continues his hunting adventure out west. Keith will be back from his trip next week and I'm sure he will have plenty of great stories! The remains of Hurricane Matthew hit the Chesapeake Bay and Ocean City area over the weekend with moderate to heavy rains and gusty winds which kept most boat fisherman at the dock. Some wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour were reported in the Ocean City area. We were fortunate to avoid the damage and flooding which was experienced in the Carolinas and Southeastern Virginia. The rain and colder air temperatures have caused water temperatures in the Bay to drop down to the mid-60's. A few bluefish, red drum, speckled trout and stray flounder have been reported from the middle and lower portion of the Bay, but the Spanish mackerel seem to be gone due to the cooling water temperatures. The big ocean run migratory striped bass have not arrived yet, but small to medium sized fish are very active and have been spotted surface feeding in the upper and middle Bay. Recreational crabbing is also very good, but will not last long, so make sure you get on the water soon to take advantage of the fall harvest! John McMullen had a great "combo trip" on the upper bay, catching crabs and striped bass with friends Mike Yants and Chris Keithley. 

Photo by: John T. McMullen

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report - October 07, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Erik Zlokovitz

This is Erik Zlokovitz, filling in for Keith Lockwood for the next two weeks while he is on a hunting trip in New Mexico. A major weather system with easterly winds and rain moved through the area on Wednesday through Saturday, which caused water temperatures in the Bay to drop further in Bay Waters. A combination of cooling water temperatures and lower salinity from the rain and freshwater input should start to push the summer visitors such as bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and red drum south towards their overwintering areas. The falling temperatures will also create new angling opportunities for resident fish in Maryland as they feed and prepare to fatten up for the upcoming winter months. For example, striped bass tend to bite well on topwater baits under overcast skies as the waters cool down.

Photo courtesy of Steven Snyder

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report - September 29, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

A very exciting month approaches for all who fish in Maryland. October will see falling water temperatures and fish will be very active as they sense the change and prepare to fatten up for the winter months ahead. I will be absent from the fishing reports for the next two weeks as I spend some time chasing elk in the Rocky Mountains of New Mexico. Erik Zlokovitz has stepped up to the plate and I'm sure he will bring you the latest in fishing opportunities as we step into October. At the very top of the Chesapeake Bay from Pooles Island north to the mouth of the Susquehanna and Elk Rivers an influx of legal-sized striped bass are moving into the area. Water temperatures have dropped to the 76° mark and there is developing early morning and evening topwater action in the shallower areas on the Susquehanna Flats and surrounding areas. The Conowingo Dam has been releasing very little water for the last few weeks so water clarity is very good. Much of the striped bass fishing effort in the upper bay has switched to jigging, trolling and live lining spot. Schools of striped bass which tend to be sub-legal in size mixed with a few bluefish are chasing bait to the surface throughout the region so casting to the surface action or jigging deeper has been very popular. Legal-sized sea trout have recently been a welcomed surprise for those jigging in the upper bay. Those choosing to troll are pulling small Drone spoons, bucktails and surge tube lures ("hoses") behind planers and inline weights near channel edges or near concentrations of breaking fish. Live liners have been able to obtain a good supply of spot and are working the channel edges wherever suspended fish can be spotted on depth finders. The channel edge from Sandy Point Light north to above the mouth of the Magothy River, Brewerton Channel and the Bay Bridge piers have been good places to check for fish lately. In the middle bay region, breaking fish composed of a mix of sub-legal and legal-sized striped bass, bluefish and the last of the Spanish mackerel are working over schools of bay anchovies throughout the region. The channel edges on both sides of the bay, Eastern Bay and the mouths of the region's tidal rivers have been providing a lot of action. Many of the striped bass are sub-legal but there are legal fish being caught, especially by jigging along with sea trout. Trolling has been popular and live lining spot is a very good way to target a better grade of striped bass wherever they can be found suspended along channel edges. The shallow water striped bass fishery is quickly improving with cooler water temperatures. Brad Foxwell holds up a nice striped bass he caught off of Chesapeake Beach. Courtesy of Bill Dickerson

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | August 07, 2014

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

Your fishing report author is once again back on Maryland soil and last night I took the opportunity to go cruising out in the middle bay region to get a sense of what is going on out there. The first thing that hit me was, "yep it is August in Maryland" the heat and humidity has returned and the distant shorelines were enveloped in haze. The bay was slick, doublers stirred the surface, cow-nosed rays seemed to be everywhere and the sight of breaking fish can't help but stir a bit of promise. Bait was plentiful, ospreys were working on schools of menhaden and even brown pelicans were getting into the fray. It's good to be back home again.

Fisheries biologists and members of the Maryland Youth Fishing Club were out on July 31st catching and tagging Striped Bass for the August round of the Diamond Jim contest. Click here to find out how to join the Maryland Youth Fishing Club. This last round of Diamond Jim may have a payout of $25,000 and this Striped Bass about to be released by our young angler could be that fish, good luck to all.

Courtsey of Maryland DNR

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | July 11, 2014

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

More than a few folks that enjoy swimming this summer in the Chesapeake Bay have noticed that the summer scourge of the Chesapeake, the stinging Sea Nettle seem to be absent. Salinities are depressed due to rainfall and mid-bay salinities right now are 6.6 PPT for example. The NOAA forecast for the possibility of Sea Nettle encounters in the mid-bay area is only 4.7% and 37% at Point Lookout.

Round two of the Diamond Jim component of the Maryland Fishing Challenge is underway and there have been several recent tag returns from the Hill area off of Poplar Island. The winning Diamond Jim Striped Bass for July is worth a cool $20,000, so good luck to everyone dunking Spot at the Hill and fishing in other locations around the bay. Mark Anders who is a member of the Maryland Youth Fishing Club got to catch and release this Diamond Jim Striped Bass that was tagged by a fisheries biologist on June 26th for the July round of Diamond Jim.

Photo Courtesy of Mark Anders

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | August 28, 2013

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

Subtle signs like a faint scent on a wafting wind are telling those who observe closely that summer is beginning to wane ever so slowly. Water temperatures are beginning to fall slightly and all fish whether they are freshwater or saltwater, will begin to become more active in the upcoming weeks.

Plans are coming together for the Maryland Fishing Challenge award ceremony on September 7th at Sandy Point State Park and a good crowd is expected. Under Amour has once again provided T-shirts for all registered anglers who show up at the ceremony for the drawing of the big prizes. Among some of the top prizes are a boat, motor and trailer donated by Bass Pro Shops/ Tracker Marine and a world destination fishing adventure to the Bahamas by the World Fishing Network so make sure you have a 2" trailer hitch and a good suit case ready. There will be other large prizes also, including tackle packages from Bill's Outdoor Center and Bass Pro Shops; Heat Gear from Under Armour and fishing gear from many tackle shops on September 7th.

Fishermen in the lower Susquehanna River and surrounding areas in the upper most areas of the bay are enjoying fishing for Striped Bass that have recently moved into the area. The throwback ratio is about 50/50 but there is plenty of good fun for fishermen casting topwater lures. Fishermen also report that Largemouth Bass and Channel Catfish can be part of the mix and even Smallmouth Bass and Walleye in the river. Don Goff holds up a lower Susquehanna Striped Bass for the camera that was caught on a topwater lure.

Courtesy of Don Goff

Daily Reel...'Blastin and Castin Round 2'

Check out the newest edit from The Backwoods Crew!

Boom...Morgan

MD DNR Weekly Fishing Report - September 5th, 2012

Via MD DNR:

By Keith Lockwood:

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | September 05, 2012 

Somehow we all made it through a steamy Labor Day weekend and this coming weekend on September 8th is the awards ceremony for the Maryland Fishing Challenge to see who leaves Sandy Point State Park with a new boat, motor and trailer, a dream fishing vacation or a pile of other large prizes. Our Diamond Jim lucky fishermen will see if one of them walks off with the big payoff or they all share in the $25,000 cash prize so come by and see who wins the awards and after the ceremony is over there will be plenty of good eats at the Seafood Festival. Stop by the fishing tent exhibits and say hello to the fisheries staff. Below is a partial shot of last year's crowd waiting to see who gets drawn.

Fishermen at the top of the bay have been focusing mostly on catching channel catfish and white perch in the lower sections of the tidal rivers. There is some striped bass action at the base of the Conowingo Dam for fishermen casting swim shads and crankbaits. Largemouth bass fishermen also continue to find largemouth bass in the grass of the Susquehanna Flats. Farther down the bay fishermen are finding good fishing for white perch on many of the reefs and knolls between Rock Hall and Baltimore Harbor; bottom fishing with bait has been the preferred method of fishing. Fishermen are reporting schools of small striped bass chasing bait in the area and every once in a while they are able to catch a legal fish. Legal sized striped bass become a little more common as one approaches the Love Point area but local fishermen still report a very high throwback ratio when it comes to striped bass. Fishermen have been trolling spoons and surge tube lures along the channel edges and also chumming or live lining spot when fish can be spotted on a depth finder. Most fishermen that are chumming and live lining on some of the tradition grounds such as Love Point, Swann Point and Podickory Point report slim pickings at times.

Fishing fortunes pick up at the Bay Bridge and south as fishermen find a mix of striped bass, bluefish and Spanish mackerel spread throughout the region. Trolling along the western edge of the shipping channel from Thomas Point south to the power plant has been very productive for a mix of bluefish, Spanish mackerel and striped bass. Small chartreuse flash Drone spoons and Clark spoons behind planers and inline weights have been the most productive lures. Live lining spot has been good at traditional locations such as Sharps Island, the Diamonds, Gooses, False Channel and the Hill off Poplar Island. The bluefish have been pretty pesky so often chunking with fresh spot can be a little less frustrating. Of note is also the prospect that large red drum have been caught and released in the area by live liners. At times a mix of bluefish, striped bass and Spanish mackerel can be spotted chasing bay anchovies and casting to the surface fish or jigging underneath has been providing plenty of action.

Larger striped bass are beginning to move into the lower sections of the region's tidal rivers and fishermen are finally starting to catch some legal sized fish. Most fishermen have been enjoying the excellent fishing for white perch either by casting small lures along shorelines or fishing bait under deep water docks or oyster bottom in some of the deeper areas of the rivers. Perhaps some of the most impressive white perch are now coming from deeper water on large baits such as peeler crab. The occasional striped bass, croaker, small red drum and speckled trout are also adding to the mix.

Fishermen in the lower bay region are finding striped bass here and there at traditional locations such as steep channel edges. The channel edge out in front of the Gas Docks continues to be absent of the good striped bass fishing opportunities local fishermen are used to. Most fishermen have been checking out favorite spots looking for marks and then setting up on suspended fish. Bluefish continue to chew up anything that looks like an easy meal and what could be more tempting than a nice delectable live spot all by his lonesome in deep water. Chumming has been productive for a mix of bluefish and striped bass and the mouth of the Potomac and the Middle Grounds have been good places to go lately.

Trolling small spoons with chartreuse flash behind planers and inline weights has been a good way to catch a mix of bluefish, Spanish mackerel and striped bass. The edges of the shipping channel and areas around the Middle Grounds, above the Target Ship, Tangier Sound and the lower Potomac River have been very good places to troll. Large red drum are in the area and are being caught and released by fishermen; if they don't straighten the hooks out on small spoons first. Rob Wilhelm sent in this picture of his nephew Jeff with a Spanish mackerel they caught together in the lower Potomac River.

Photo Courtesy of Rob Wilhelm

Fishermen have been finding plenty of bottom fishing action in the tidal rivers in the southern region and Tangier Sound as well. Fishing for white perch has been excellent and good for spot and a mix of croaker and speckled trout. Fishermen are also seeing a lot of small red drum and other fish such as small sea bass, southern kingfish and small black drum. Flounder fishing continues to be good along the channel edges in Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds and to a lesser extent around Point Lookout.

Recreational crabbing remains steady in most areas of the bay. The larger male crabs continue to still be far up the tidal rivers despite some of the recent rains. Recreational crabbers are reporting larger crabs in the upper sections of the tidal rivers with fewer throwbacks. Crabbers in the lower sections of the tidal rivers are catching good crabs also but report a large number of small crabs and sooks chewing up baits. Keep in mind if you venture up the tidal rivers collapsible crab traps can be swept off channel edges in a good current often to be lost in deep water and strong currents.

Freshwater fishermen continue to see most of the fish they pursue in a summer mode of behavior feeding in the shallows from dusk till dawn and lounging around in cool shade during the day when the sun is high in the sky. Fishermen in the western region have been enjoying good fishing for smallmouth bass in the upper Potomac and Deep Creek Lake during the early morning and evening hours. Trout fishing in the western region streams is good in many of the fly fishing and catch and release areas. When waters cool down to acceptable temperatures in October the fisheries service will once again begin their fall stocking of trout in trout management waters. Devin Angleberger sent in this picture of a nice brown trout before he released it back into Beaver Creek.

Photo Courtesy of Devin Angleberger

Largemouth bass are still holding to grass as they look for small baitfish and crawfish. Targeting shallow grass at dawn and evenings is always a good tactic with topwater lures such as poppers, frogs, and buzzbaits. Lipless crankbaits and spinnerbaits as well as weightless soft plastics are also a good bet around grass bed edges. In the tidal waters the edges of grass beds and spatterdock beds are good places to target on a falling tide. Dropping soft plastics through deeper grass and targeting sunken wood in deeper water with crawfish imitations are good options for later on in the morning or late afternoon. Grub jigs and crawfish imitations are also good choices along steep edges to deep water and creek mouths.

Ocean City area fishermen are reporting some fun fishing in the surf for a summer mix of kingfish, croaker, spot, small bluefish and even a couple of large red drum. Typically sometime around 3rd or 4th week of September the area will see a run of large red drum pass by the beaches. Fishermen who can't wait for that big pull have been having some catch and release fun with inshore sharks and sting rays.

In and around the Ocean City Inlet fishermen are finding good fishing for flounder in the channel approaches to the inlet. Croakers, small red drum and small sea bass continue to go after squid baits. More than a few fishermen have been drifting live spot along the channels looking for that big old doormat that is residing down there somewhere.

Fishermen headed out to the reef and wreck sites are finding some dandy sized flounder and a nice mix of sea bass to bring back to the docks. Farther offshore the trolling at the 30-fathom line out to the canyons is producing small dolphin, white marlin and the occasional yellowfin tuna, blue marlin and wahoo.

Boom...Morgan

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview - August 22, 2012

Via MD DNR:

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | August 22, 2012

   By Keith Lockwood 

It took a lot of patience and of course sweat, but it seems that the back of the drought and heat has finally been broken and cooler temperatures are beginning to appear. We all know there will be a couple of swings back to hot temperatures in the near future but we can all hang on to the hope that cooler and more comfortable temperatures are ahead for fishermen and fish alike. Water temperatures have cooled slightly and the NOAA Buoy at the Gooses actually shows a warmer temperature at the bottom of the bay at 81-degrees and a cooler 80-degrees at the surface. Both saltwater and freshwater fish will begin to slowly drift out of a summer pattern of behavior in the month of September.

As we approach the last week of August with Labor Day in sight; the 2011/2012 Maryland Fishing Challenge is coming to an end on September 3rd. A wonderful awards event is planned for September 8th with some fabulous prizes and contestants in attendance will get a free Under Armour T-shirt. So check the minimum sizes listed in the Fishing Guide or Fishing Challenge website and hopefully you can catch a qualifying fish to be entered in this year's event.

Upper bay fishermen are finding a mix of white perch and channel catfish in most of the tidal rivers in the upper part of the bay, The Susquehanna also holds the promise of striped bass near the Conowingo Dam. Farther down the bay fishermen are finding white perch and a few spot on some of the reefs and knolls out in the bay such as Man O War Shoal and the 7" and 9" knolls on bloodworms and bottom rigs this week. A little farther down the bay, in the Rock Hall to Bay Bridge area, fishermen are finding schools of small striped bass and bluefish chasing bait over a wide area. Often fishermen are finding a larger grade of striped bass by jigging under the breaking fish or finding the larger fish holding to structure. Live lining spot and chumming is a good option in the areas around the bridge piers and Love Point but small striped bass and toothy bluefish are a big part of the action. Joe Hurley sent in this picture of a striped bass he caught recently in the upper bay.

Photo Courtesy of Joe Hurley

In the middle bay region fishermen are finding good striped bass fishing around the mouth of the Choptank River this week at the Diamonds and False Channel. The northwest edge of the Hill off Poplar Island and similar steep channel edges such as Thomas Point are also holding striped bass. Live lining spot is the most popular and effective method of catching striped bass this time of the year but hungry bluefish are extracting a heavy toll on baits. Many fishermen are finding that if striped bass and bluefish are under the boat using fresh chunks of cut up spot work just as well for both species. It is often a game of who can get to it first and the aggressive bluefish often win out. For those who are uninitiated to smoked bluefish it makes a great snack as is or mixed with cream cheese and chives to make a wonderful cracker spread.

Fishermen in the middle bay region are also finding a mix of striped bass, bluefish and Spanish mackerel chasing bait throughout the region. Bay anchovies tend to be what is on the dinner table, so small spoons and metal jigs have been good choices for lures when casting to breaking fish or jigging. Trolling small spoons such as Clarks or Drones is very effective for the bluefish and Spanish mackerel with inline weights of planers. Nick Marcinowski holds up a pair of Spanish he caught while trolling spoons with friends recently.

Photo Courtesy of Nick Marcinowski

White perch fishing has been very good this week along the shorelines of the tidal rivers in the middle bay and lower bay regions and providing plenty of light tackle fun. Casting small spinnerbait type lures or spinners is an effective way to catch a mess of white perch. Fishing off of docks with bait such as grass shrimp or bloodworms is a wonderful way to introduce young anglers to fishing. Often a deep water dock or pier will provide the action kids need to keep them interested.

Fishermen in the lower bay region are finding some of the better fishing for striped bass in the lower Potomac River this week around Piney Point out to the mouth of the river. Live lining spot and chumming have been two of the most popular methods of fishing. Fishermen are also finding a mix of striped bass, bluefish and Spanish mackerel chasing bait throughout the region. Trolling small spoons behind inline weights and planers has been a very effective way to catch them. Casting small spoons and metal jigs to breaking fish or underneath them has also been providing a lot of action for area fishermen.

Fishermen are also finding good fishing for a mix of croakers, spot, speckled trout and white perch while bottom fishing in the lower tidal rivers and the Tangier Sound area. Flounder fishing has been good on the edges of the channels in the Tangier Sound area and also the Cornfield Harbor area near Point Lookout.

Recreational crabbers continue to enjoy good crabbing opportunities this week in most of the tidal rivers in the upper, middle and lower bay regions. The larger male crabs have moved far up the tidal rivers to areas often thought of as more freshwater habitats because of low freshwater flows and saltwater intrusion.

Fishermen in the western region of the state are beginning to see cooler water temperatures cause more activity in fish species such as smallmouth bass, trout and largemouth bass. Smallmouth bass fishing in the upper Potomac River and Deep Creek Lake has improved recently with fish taking topwater lures during early morning and late evening hours and deeper presentations during the day.

Freshwater fishing in the other regions of the state is also improving with cooler water temperatures for a wide range of species from channel catfish to bluegills. Largemouth bass are often at the top of the list for many freshwater fishermen and although the fish are still in a summer mode of behavior there has been a slight increase in activity. The mantra continues to be topwater lures over or near shallow grass during the early morning and late evening hours and deeper presentations of crankbaits and soft plastics during the day around structure or under thick grass. Jim Gronaw holds up a really nice largemouth bass for a picture before releasing it back into a central region farm pond.

Photo Courtesy of Jim Gronaw

This week coastal fishermen in the Ocean City area continue to find a nice summer mix of small species in the surf, made up of kingfish, spot, trout small bluefish and the welcomed addition of croaker. In and around the inlet fishermen are catching bluefish and a few striped bass at night and sheepshead around the rocks during the day. A mix of flounder, small sea bass and croaker are being caught from the inlet to the back bay areas with most of the croaker action occurring close to the inlet in deeper water.

Offshore at the wreck sites fishermen are catching limits of flounder and picking away at sea bass. Even farther offshore the boats trolling the canyons are finding some yellowfin tuna, good numbers of gaffer sized dolphin, multiple releases on white marlin and a few blue marlin and wahoo. Brothers Daniel and Andrew Podlesny teamed up on this nice wahoo they caught while trolling a Clark spoon near the Jackspot; dad, Rick Podlesny helped by gaffing the fish; a real nice family fishing experience to remember.

Photo Courtesy of Rick Podlesny
Boom...Morgan

Fly Product: TLTFF Review of Blue Coast Company Apparel

We've recently started doing product reviews on the blog and have had some great stuff show up at our doorsteps lately. With my wife and I buying our new house and moving in this past weekend/week, things have been cray. Z and I finally got out a few times in the past 2 weeks to try out these products and are really excited to share our opinions with you guys to not only help promote some AWESOME gear, but tell you how it is. If something sucks, we'll let you know. If its rad, we'll let you know, ya dig?

Our first product comes from Blue Coast Company. Blue Coast is an apparel company focused on living "Life...On the Edge". Kent, an Annapolis native, is an awesome guy. I've had the privilege of talking to him via email and telephone and he's been totally cool with keeping us in the loop about what the next step is. Here's a little message from owner/founder Kent Krebeck via their "About" section.

For our business this means delivering apparel with “the edge” of quality and great design.

To us the phrase “Life... on the Edge” relates to both our business and personal lives. 

Personally “the edge” represents the incredible experiences found where water meets the land. Some of our favorite times in life have been fishing, surfing, sailing, boating, wind surfing, scuba diving and exploring towns along coasts throughout the world.

For me it is also a phrase specific to fishing. Whether it is catching sailfish on the edge of the reef, waiting for a tarpon to roll on the edge of a channel, luring a snook out of a shady mangrove or enticing a largemouth bass along the side of a quiet lake, “the edge” has always proved to be a hot spot to hook up!

Coastal living is in our blood and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Our family has lived on the East Coast for five generations. Creative artist Wesley Carter has worked extensively with conservation organizations such as The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Water Fowl Festival. She has developed complete collections of wildlife paintings to help raise public interest and awareness on preserving wildlife and their habitats.

Along with this fine art history, our team has years of experience working on graphic design, and product manufacturing for many of the top corporations in the world such as AT&T, Lockheed Martin, and Pfizer. This unique combination of expertise and experience is the creative difference you will find in our products and the excellence we strive for as a company.

Thank you for your business.

Founder, Kent Krebeck

The coolest part about Blue Coast and Kent is that he keeps it in the family. His mom designs the shirts and does some AMAZING art.

Product-wise Blue Coast has a decent variety. There are four different products for Men: The performance shirt in both short sleeve and long sleeve, standard short and long sleeve t-shirts, and hoodies. For Women they have: The standard short sleeve and long sleeve, hoodies, long sleeve fitted t-shits, Razorback Burnout Tanks, and cotton shorts. Z and I tried the performance shirts and we were more than impressed. We really had no idea what to expect except what we had read on the website:

"No matter what day of the week it is, whenever you wear this tee, you'll be reminded of the weekend. Blue Coast’s Pro-techt performance tees are super soft, cool, dry and comfortable. Dri-Balance™ lifestyle moisture transport technology provides moisture wicking, superior breathability & UV protection. Offering a classic fit, ultra soft fabric, moisture wicking and solar shell technology, this shirt will keep you on top of your game both on the boat and around town. Shoulder seams are covered and stitched flat for comfort. Shoulder-to-shoulder taping. Single-stitch finish on collar. 5.6 oz. 70% Combed Cotton/30% Microfiber."

Z got the Graphic Sailfish Long Sleeve Performance shirt and I got the Sailfish Short Sleeve Performance shirt...

The price is great for their stuff: 

• Men's short sleeve performance t's - $29.95
• Men's long sleeve performance t's - $34.95
• Men's short sleeve standard shirt - $22.00
• Men's long sleeve standard shirt - $29.95
• Men's hoodie - $49.95
• Women's short sleeve shirt - $22.95
• Women's long sleeve shirt - $29.95
• Women's hoodie's - $49.95
• Women's cotton shorts - $22.00
• Women's Razorback Burnout Tanks - $24.95

We threw out shirts on right away and put them to the test. First impression was that it was similar to an Under Armour or Nike feel in that it was lightweight, comfortable, and had that perspiration-evaporating microfiber feel. We wore them first out with friends to get that "social" feel and ask what people thought of both the designs and texture. Positive feedback came from 100% of our friends. Then we wore them the next day to the Patapsco under our waders/jackets to see how they held heat and sweat. Crushed it, they were comfortable, lightweight, and did an excellent job of keeping us warm. The following day, we wore them to help me move (which it happened to be a beautiful 60 degrees outside) and it wicked away moisture like a champ. The performance shirts use Dri-Balance technology to wick away the moisture to keep it from soaking you in your own sweat or giving that sweat the opportunity to cool down and give your pneumonia or something gnarly (in the bad sense of the word).

Overall, Blue Coast gets 4.5 Stars ( I would give them 5 Stars but the selection of clothing right now is minimal for men). This is based off the fact that they survived our tests with amazing performance, sit at a perfect price point, and just look awesome. If you compare Blue Coast to Nike, Under Armour price and comfort-wise in a blind study, you wouldn't be able to tell a difference. Blue Coast clothing features some of the most amazing artwork and the best part is, you get to wear it! We at TLTFF believe that if you look good, you'll feel good, and if you feel good, you'll fish good. If your wearing Blue Coast, you look pretty darn good...just sayin'.

I wore my shirt to Boatyard Bar & Grill here in Annapolis, its really where all the fishermen and boaters in the area meet for beer, great food, and a place to tell some stories and I must say, I got more compliments on my shirt than I could imagine. Blue Coast has some awesome stuff going on right now and its only going to get better. Kent and his crew are working on some mondo stuff right now so expect some more awesomeness soon. Keep your eyes on TLTFF for updates.

Kent is in a sailfishing tournament down in Ft. Lauderdale this week/weekend, keep your eyes peeled also for a trip report from the founder himself.

A big thanks goes out to Blue Coast Company and Kent, keep it up man, great stuff!

Now go out you little minions and buy some Blue Coast!

Boom...Morgan