What Menhaden Mean to Maryland

What Menhaden Mean to Maryland

When people think of Maryland, they imagine idyllic lighthouses, striped bass boiling on the surface, blue crabs smothered in Old Bay seasoning, and oysters cooked every way imaginable. All of that is very accurate and part of what makes this such a special place. If you ask local fishermen what they think about when it […]

Who REALLY Catches The Fish?

Who REALLY Catches The Fish?

Photo by John McMurray Anyone who pays attention to salt water fisheries matters knows that a coalition of anglers’ rights groups and fishing tackle and boatbuilding trade associations are trying to weaken the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens). The effort is rooted in their assertion that Magnuson-Stevens, with its prohibitions on overfishing, its […]

On The Disdain For Abundant Fish Stocks

On The Disdain For Abundant Fish Stocks

Editor mocks fly fishermen, light-tackle anglers, and everyone else who benefits from “abundance.” Last week I stumbled across what seemed like a somewhat useful piece from The Fisherman Magazine titled “ALPHABET SOUP: TOP 25 FISHY ACRONYMS.” The intent at first seemed to be to bring some clarity to the mess of words/acronyms regularly used in […]

When Salmon Fishing is Slow

When Salmon Fishing is Slow

Photo: Mike’s big lingcod A group of guys from California has been fishing with me for about seven years now. These veteran sportanglers pursue many of the same species we do up here, and more. Steelhead, salmon, lingcod, sea bass and albacore are all options for these Cali kids just like they are for us […]

(Mis)Managing West Coast Salmon

(Mis)Managing West Coast Salmon

By now, most fishermen have heard the most recent fish tale out of Puget Sound, the escapement of who knows how many Atlantic salmon into the “wild” waters in our own backyard. Of course this isn’t the first time such a mishap has happened, and it won’t be the last time either. Frankly, I’m a […]