I had to sell my boat a couple years ago because of health problems, so I have been charting fishing trips with local guides, but I sure miss my boat as I was the Captain and could go fishing whenever I felt like it and anywhere on the Chesapeake Bay Tributaries. Please vote for my photo and support me in my endeavor to win this contest. Thank you for your support!

Please vote for me! Thank you for your support!

The contest voting started on January 12 and continues thru February 21 and I have a photo of a big rockfish (Striped Bass) that was selected to be one of sixty four out of over 1200 fish photo entries. In order to win this contest I need your support by voting multiple times over that time period at https://www.sportfishingmag.com/noaa-bracket-three and by voting you agree to receive communications from Sport Fishing. A valid email address is required. Thank you for your support.

Hawks Cay is a beautiful resort to stay at. Clean and top notch service! Great fishing, both inshore and offshore. Tarpon are difficult to catch because they are great fighters and they don't care for hooks in their mouths. I have caught bonefish, permit, blacktip sharks, mutton snapper, spinner sharks there and hooked up on a tarpon for a couple of minutes before it wrapped around a mangrove tree root. Love that area!

Check Lenny Rudow's 'FishTalk' Magazine for all the information that you will need on fishing in that area. Google it! Eric Packard, one of his contributors lives down there and fishes in St. Marys County a lot. Also check with the Southern Maryland Fishing Group. Great place to fish.

Rockfish can be caught year round in Maryland, but the season is closed thru May 1st. If you do catch one, they must be released. They should not be targeted! Please abide by the state laws concerning fishing for them.

Dirty water and terrible fishing in the rivers. The Ocean and Inlets are OK! Try ocean charter head boats! Good Luck!

Jerry,
Getting old is a bit__! I had to sell my boat a couple years ago because I was having a hard time trying to keep it clean and working well, plus I was having a hard time getting on and off of it due to problems with my knees, and I need a walker to get around with, but I have been going out on charter boats on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland where the Captain and the first mate and the other fishermen have been able to help me out. I have fallen a few times, but I really need to get out on the water to fish and enjoy life. I think that trying to get in and out of a kayak as we age would be too much to try to do. What about launching and getting the boat out of the water? Think about going out on a charter. The cost is a lot less than owning! Good Luck and Stay Well!

I bought a 18' CC Sea Pro in 2004 with a 90HP 4 Stroke Yamaha Outboard and it was a perfect Bay Boat plus I could take into shallow waters around the islands, bay tributary's, and rivers. It had a cloth top that I could fold up or down with to keep the sun or rain off of me. It could seat up to 6 smaller folks. I caught many of different fish spices from it in the Chesapeake Bay and won the 2008 Fishing in Maryland Challenge with a 40" Striped Bass caught trolling in the Middle Channel. It was easy to use as a crabbing boat for children to hand line off of and to trailer to different locations and launch. I was able to keep it in my driveway, where I could keep it safe and clean. If the winds were blowing at 10mph with small craft warnings, I could still fish, crab or just play in the rivers and have a great day. Good luck!

The Potomac River above Chain Bridge has small mouth bass and catfish, but there is fast water there with lots of rocks and rapids, so kayaking can be dangerous in the fast waters. Below the bridge, there are several spices available, striped bass, large mouth bass, white perch, herring and shad, Blue, Channel & Flathead Catfish and snake heads. You may rent rowboats at Fletcher's Boathouse (D. C.) and fish from shore on most of the river from Virginia, Maryland or the District of Columbia, but you will need a fishing license from each juriorstriction. Good Luck and be safe on this river, ware a life vest while on the water!

Water is where fish live and eat. Some fish (Sharks, Cudas, etc) have very sharp and big teeth in their mouths. Keep your pants zipped up!

You can catch rockfish (Striped Bass) year round in the Chesapeake Bay, but there are closed seasons and circle hook restrictions in both Maryland and Virginia waters. Check the DNR sites on the web for size restrictions. Last year the season was closed between mid December and June 1st, also in August. Spring Trophy Season was closed completely and size restrictions were in place in both jurisdictions. A salt water fishing license is required in both states and quantity of fish restrictions apply. For you guys from out of state, you should contact a charter boat captain to fish (No license will be required)

Trolling Bucktails and parachute lures work very well in the river systems of Maryland waters both on the eastern and western shores of the Chesapeake Bay. Most of the local reservoirs do not allow gasoline motors that are used for trolling but if you have enough battery power available I assume that electric motors would work well. Striped bass will strike any kind of artificial lure!

As the earth warms up, the fish are venturing further north each year. We have caught more warm water species in the Chesapeake Bay Maryland waters as time goes on. Red Drum, Spanish Mackerel, Dolphin, Porpoise, Cow-nose Rays and Cobia are more plentiful then ever before in Maryland waters lately. Global warming is for real!

South Florida! You can fish there year round and lots of different types of fish are available. Inshore bank, surf and lake fishing. You don't really need a boat, but small skiff or kayak will help you catch more. Good Luck!