Cheeky Schoolie Tournament Big Win for Conservation

The 12th annual Cheeky Schoolie Tournament presented by Simms raised $30,756 for conservation. Courtesy Cheeky Fishing On Saturday, May 21, the 12th annual Cheeky Schoolie Tournament presented by Simms, took place on Cape Cod. A pair of anglers combined to catch, photograph, and release 119.5 inches of striped bass to clinch the title, but the […]

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Sailing the Seas of Excitement: A Comprehensive Guide for Saltwater Fishing

Comprehensive Guide for Saltwater Fishing Saltwater fishing is a thrilling sport that challenges anglers to showcase their skills against formidable and elusive creatures in expansive, unobstructed waters. It provides enthusiasts with a distinct and gratifying experience, ranging from casting lines along sandy shorelines to venturing offshore in pursuit of colossal fish. This thorough guide will […]

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Five Ways to Rig Live Baits for Better Hookups

Rigging live bait the right way will pay off. George Poveromo Special delivery: Sign up for the free Salt Water Sportsman email newsletter. Subscribe to Salt Water Sportsman magazine for $19 for 1 year and receive 4 bonus digital issues. Anglers fish in so many different conditions: prime ocean with features for specific pelagics; bottom structure where currents influence […]

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New Fishing Gear for May: Summer Kick Off Edition

Though the solstice takes place in June, May is the unofficial start of summer in much of the coastal United States. And in the northern reaches, many fishing seasons are just kicking off. Whether you chase inshore favorites like striped bass or snook, prefer bottomfish like flounder, or pursue pelagics, odds are good that you’re […]

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Emergency Striped Bass Regulations Enacted

The new regulations set up a slot limit of 28 to 31 inches for striped bass along the Atlantic coastline. Joe Albanese States have until July 2, 2023 to implement tighter striped bass bag limits. At the May 2, 2023 Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission meeting an emergency measure that would prohibit the harvest of […]

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Is New Jersey the New Striped Bass Mecca

Striped bass like this one can be caught nearly year-round off New Jersey. Nick Honachefsky Montauk has long been known as “Mecca” for striped bass fishing, but I think that’s about to change. New York’s famed location is going to have to give up the title to its little brother, New Jersey. Though I am […]

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Jetty Fishing Tips

Bait stacks up in the pocket where a jetty meets the land. Gamefish are sure to follow. Tim Reagan Special delivery: Sign up for the free Salt Water Sportsman email newsletter. Subscribe to Salt Water Sportsman magazine for $19 for 1 year and receive 4 bonus digital issues. There are few pieces of structure as iconic as jetties. These […]

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Top Tips for Bridge Fishing

There’s a technique to placing bait without getting caught. Jason Stemple Special delivery: Sign up for the free Salt Water Sportsman email newsletter. Subscribe to Salt Water Sportsman magazine for $19 for 1 year and receive 4 bonus digital issues. Wherever you go, the basic equation is ­structure plus current equals fish. An easy solution is fishing a bridge. […]

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New Jersey Bans Gaffs

Anglers in New Jersey are no longer permitted to gaff striped bass with the passage of a new law in January 2023. Joe Albanese It had been a long time since I’d seen it, but this past November I watched a gaff sink solidly into the side of a hefty striped bass on a nearby […]

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Complicated Fishing Regulations

Black sea bass have some of the most hotly contested regulations in the Northeast. Courtesy NOAA For the average angler, keeping track of regulations covering fish size limits, possession limits and seasons is not an easy process, although there are some apps such as Fish Rules or FishVerify that can help. Add into the mix […]

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Using Large Baits to Land Trophy Fish

An in-season, legal-size lobster is a fantastic bait for cubera snapper at night. Use a two-hook rig when rigging the tasty marine crustacean. George Poveromo The worn adage “elephants eat peanuts” acknowledges that big fish sometimes consume small baits. But is that an exception that proves the rule? Big fish have insatiable appetites, hence their […]

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Striped Bass State of the Union

This hefty striper, taken by Lawrence Seaman on Hugh Chancey’s boat on June 30, 2022 weighed 54 pounds before it was released. Hugh Chancey This fall’s fantastic fishing makes it easy to be optimistic about the state of the striped bass fishery. But the results of 2022’s young of the year, or YOY, surveys give […]

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Z-Man ‘Immortal’ HerculeZ: Toughest Swimbait Ever?

Z-Man ‘immortal’ HerculeZ exhibits astonishing action and toughness Ladson, SC (January 26, 2023) – Admittedly, bite force is a concept best understood by anglers whose fingers accidently slip into the mandibles of powerful gamefish. With an audible snap—not unlike an angry alligator maw—aquatic predators like snook, tarpon and striped bass can all crush baitfish (or […]

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How To Assess a Captain

Always Question the “Experts”: Ill Prepared Fishing Trip in the Bahamas Nearly Leads to Disaster. Illustrations by Brett Affrunti Question the “Experts” Thinking for yourself on the water might make all the difference. Donald was itching to get out on the water. He and a group of friends had flown down to the Bahamas to […]

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Right Whale, Wrong Tack

The right whale named “Snow Cone” and calf sighted off Fernandina Beach, Florida in 2022. Snow Cone has been entangled in rope since March 2021. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, taken under NOAA permit 20556-01 If you know me, you likely know that in addition to owning a charter fishing business, I’ve dedicated a […]

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Massive Blackfish Smashes Record

Jennifer Zuppe’s soon-to-be record blackfish ate a white crab fished in 110 feet of water. Jennifer Zuppe It seems if you want to catch a big tautog—as in world-record big—you need to be on the Fish Bound IV with Capt. Kane Bounds out of Ocean City, Maryland. In 2015, Kenneth Westerfeld caught the world record […]

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