“There they are. Get ’em!”

There’s nothing more exciting than drifting over an underwater hump and seeing the fishfinder light up with returns from big fish. I was a twinkle in my father’s eye in 1959 when Carl Lowrance and his sons revolutionized fishing with their Little Green Box. Things have changed a lot since then. There’s no doubt that a good fishfinder is an essential tool for successful fishing.

Just like with all fishing equipment there are many options to consider when it comes to choosing the right electronics for your angling arsenal. There’s been a lot written about the best units for off-shore fishing, and even more about fresh-water fishfinders, but I haven’t seen too much about the electronics that work best for light tackle fishing in the shallow, brackish waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Nothing beats experience in figuring out the essential bells and whistles of a good sonar unit. You can’t go wrong by hiring a guide and watching the way he or she uses her electronics. Since we’re in the business of shortening learning curves, here are ten tips to help you select the best light-tackle fishfinder for the Chesapeake Bay. Read More!

Hey, it’s summer and let’s face it, fishing is kind of mediocre. So, let’s have some fun! A very successful promotional campaign for a Mexican beer features a character called, “The Most Interesting Man In The World.” My choice for most interesting man in the world would have to be my regular fishing partner, Rich Jenkins. You’ve read some of my stories about his super-human exploits, and I can tell you a lot more over a cold drink or two. Surely, we all have someone we consider the most interesting man in the world, so I thought it would be interesting to jot down a few characteristics of the most interesting fisherMAN in the world. I thought of 30. Can you think of more?

UPDATE:  You can now follow The World’s Most Interesting Fisherman on Twitter.  It’s @worldsfisherman or search #worldsmostinterestingfisherman. No, it’s not Rich Jenkins there, but it’s pretty darn funny!

1. Sharks have a week named after him.

2. Tidal currents stop and start moving again merely because he asks them to. Read More!

To share time-sensitive fishing information and relay real-time conditions on the water, I’ll be more active on Twitter. Last night at about 4:00 PM, I mentioned via Facebook that I would live-tweet a fishing trip starting at 5:30 PM. I’ll do this more often. Be assured that I won’t mention too many locations, but I’ll be specific about the patterns and techniques we encounter. I’ll also tweet pictures of the fish we’re catching, provide sonar shots, and share thoughts and details about hot lures and techniques.  If you missed last night’s feed, you can read it on my Twitter page – @shawnkimbro. You can also follow me there to get the info live as it happens. I can’t do this all the time, but I’ll re-post last nights feed here, with some additional details and commentary inserted in italics. I’ve also cleaned up spelling and grammar since I use Google Voice instead of trying to type on my android touch-screen with wet hands. All the pictures (click the Twitter links) including the one to the left were tweeted live from the water.

Shawn Kimbro ‏@ShawnKimbro 19h
Tweeting details of tonight’s fishing trip beginning 5:30 pm. #stormdodging

*I actually started a little earlier with a few preliminary details.

Read More!

Hack [hak] (n) – A clever trick, skill, or shortcut to increase productivity and efficiency.

1.  Find the bait first, then look nearby for the fish.

2.  All things being equal, go with chartreuse.

3.  Fish in areas where you can see the current moving.

4.  The sneakier the angler, the bigger the fish.

5.  Use dark colored lures in low light situations and rainy days.

6.  Color contrasts attract fish. Read More!

I’ve been lying low over the past couple of weeks waiting out the craziness. Most of my fishing has been in out-of-the-way places far from the madding crowds. Radios blaring, airplanes buzzing, stereos thumping, outboards droning, helicopters whirring, sirens wailing – Wow! Boat shows, trolling tournaments, and sailing regattas make the main stem of the Chesapeake very noisy. The Bay is fully awake from her winter slumber and the crowds are back in force. While we each enjoy the water in our preferred ways, to my thinking fishing should include elements of solitude and stealth. I’ve mentioned before that I’d rather pick up aluminum cans at rush hour along I-95 than try to pick off rockfish in the main channel on a busy trolling weekend. I prefer to look off the beaten path for places where I can tune-in to something a little more pleasing than the clamorous dissonance of the masses.

Since the striped bass spawn is winding down on the Chesapeake Bay, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at some post-spawn patterns.  When stripers come off the spawning grounds, they’re usually hungry. If you can find them, they’re pretty easy to catch.  Ah, but finding them, there’s the rub.  Where should you look?  Read More!

It’s January on the Chesapeake Bay. It’s freezing. It’s windy. It’s snowy-sleety-foggy-and-rainy-miserable. It’s a fine time to stay home in front of a comfortable fire and dream of warmer seasons. On the other hand, these are perfect conditions to catch & release trophy striped bass in Maryland. To get ’em, you gotta want ’em.  And I mean, really want ’em.

When it comes to winter fishing, you have to be motivated enough to put up with some misery. One of the definitions for dedication in Webster’s Online Dictionary is, a solemn commitment of your life or your time to some cherished purpose or goal. Everyone I know who is good at anything got that way because of their dedication. Simply put, the key to success in any endeavor is an extreme level of commitment. Now, let’s talk rockfish.

It’s miserable out there. It’s striped bass weather. If catching and releasing big fish is your cherished goal, why aren’t you fishing? 

Read More!