Tuesday, December 30, 2014

How To Make A Wooden Fishing Lure From A Paint Brush Handle





I don't have the patience for this, but it's pretty damn cool.

DIY Fishing Tackle Lure Holder for Boats





This is a great idea to both organize and save some space.

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Elvis has left the building!

It had to happen.  After the entire month of October up through last weekend slammin' stripers every trip out, today we drew a blank.  A launch temp of 48 degrees at the mouth of the CT River foreshadowed things to come, but the abundance of bunker game us hope of one more day to play in the salt. This was it for me either way, as the next few weeks will be steelhead and pike trips.  Rich from Madkey Lures (http://madkeylures.com) filled the baitwell with one cast of the net and we were off to fish. We hit up spots that had been producing like clockwork without a whiff of a fish.  The temps have really been plummeting, and the fish that have been hanging around look to have finally packed it in. There may be some sporadic stuff here and there, but after fishing the incoming tide, we called it EARLY.The RI coast will likely provide some late season action, as the last of the cows follow the sea herring south. The early week looks favorable with mild SW winds forecasted, so if you're lucky enough to have the time and the means, head south to Montauk.

Fall Blues at the Mouth of the CT River

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Big Day in Derby

It's a big event in the restoration of the Naugy River.

http://www.nhregister.com/general-news/20141030/63m-fish-bypass-channel-in-derby-opens-first-of-its-kind-in-northeast


Thursday, October 23, 2014

Fishing Factory 3 Report

There are a lot of albies still around!

 http://fishinfactory3.com/fishing-reports/116/on-the-waters-connecticut-fishing-report

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Fall Striper Run on the CT River







A look at last Sunday. Forecast chased a lot of folks off the water, but there was plenty of action in fishable areas. The fall run is full on, and fish are very accessible. Fast topwater action has been a blast. Some bigger fish are down there as well, but the little guys are chewing so ferociously that you can literally catch dozens an hour.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Encouraging C&R through tagging.

Looking to perhaps work with a few local fishing groups and the DEEP to tag bass to encourage catch and release. Hope to have an update soon. http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/tagging-bass.html

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Thinking about a charter? Here are a few tips.

For those looking to book a charter, especially for the first time, keep in mind a few things. I've fished far too many charters to count, from Mexico to Mass and everywhere in between. Most have been excellent, some OK, and one or two downright diabolical. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions and check them out. 1) First and foremost you Captain should be a licensed captain, not just a guy who calls himself that, and he/she should be running a licensed charter service in the state or waters you are fishing. I get asked all the time if I'll take folks out for a cash "charter," and the answer is no. I don't want to lose my boat, house and everything else I own if something should go wrong. Licensed captains pay a lot of expenses to run their businesses, and under the table operations screw them. You captain/guide should have liability insurance. ASK these things. They are simple questions and the answers should be the same. THEY SHOULD HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION ON THEIR BOATS. 2) CHEAPEST ISN"T NECESSARILY THE BEST. Avoid the weekend warrior captains. Ask for references or research online. Nothing equals time on the water. 3) You captain should be knowledgeable and listen to what you are interested in and work to put together a plan. I look to learn from these guys every time I go out. There are some out there who could care less about tides, whats biting when, etc. They want to leave at x, drift the Race, and get back at y regardless. I can go on a party boat for that. 4) He should like being out there and get pumped when clients catch big fish. Some of the best guys I've gone out with share knowledge, tell great stories, and will tell you that the biggest rush for them is hooking people up with the target species. I went out for ten hours in the Keys with a guy who did nothing but bitch about the weather. 4-10 hours on a boat with a guy that acts like he's having about as much fun as working a production line makes for a long trip. 5) Thinks "out of the box" and will change up the game plan on a slow day. Sometimes the fish don't seem to bite but a good captain will at least try a bit of everything. There are days when everyone gets skunked, but you know when a guy has busted his ass trying to get you on the fish, and that's a guy I will fish with again. 6) Big for me - wants to preserve the sport. Is ethical in methods and works to preserve the stocks. Believe it or not, I hate to eat fish, so I catch and release unless I want a few fillets for friends. Perhaps my coolest fishing moment was at the end of landing my one and only marlin, brought it to the side of the boat to snap a few pics, revived it and then cut it loose. The fish and I were spent, and that thing just glided back down into deep water. Hope this helps someone looking to charter. Feel free to ask for suggestions or recommendations.

http://www.sportfishingmag.com/techniques/mid-atlantic-striped-bass-and-weakfish-fishing?page=0,2&cmpid=sony

http://www.sportfishingmag.com/techniques/mid-atlantic-striped-bass-and-weakfish-fishing?page=0,2&cmpid=sony

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Bucket List Pike Trip

Great article from OTW. http://www.onthewater.com/canadian-dream-trip-fly-in-pike-fishing/

Monday, February 3, 2014

Why?

Friends and family often ask me why the heck I drive 5 hours to upstate NY in the dead of winter to stand all day in waist deep water in sub-freezing temperatures. Even the guys I drag up there, like my brother, are pretty skeptical when I assure them that it will be into the double digits and quite balmy by lunchtime. My friend and guide Scott Glazier sent me a photo two days before my last trip showing a morning low of 22 BELOW! It's cold enough that waders can stand on their own.



If you had proposed this to me when I lived in Virginia, I would have thought it nuts as well. After all, in well less than five hours I could be standing in the surf at Hatteras. What it boiled down to was my cabin fever reached a point where I would give just about anything (other than staring at a 6" hole in the ice) a go. What upstate NY holds is a truly wonderful winter fishery, full of big, angry steelhead who will strip your reels and get your adrenaline pumping. The meek have called it quits for the winter, leaving the hardy to enjoy a lot of space in this productive fishery.

Want to know why I do it? Here's why!











Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Another Article on the Striper Kill

http://www.reel-time.com/articles/conservation/ct-river-striped-bass-die-bigger-picture/

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Be sure to check out the upcoming season of OTW!

Look for the Oak Orchard episode with friend and guide Scott Glazier of Tinker Tavern Lodge.