Many moons before the Internet, nautical charts were hand drawn by artists based on explorations by brave mariners. The cost of these charts was so high, that only a select few could afford them. Today, we have exceptionally accurate nautical charts for minimal cost from the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA).

The NOAA nautical charts, which cover “95,000 miles of shoreline and 3.4 million square nautical miles of waters within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone”, are available as a free download in PDF format. You can download an entire region as a single page PDF file or a multi-page PDF file (“BookletChart”) that is formatted for standard printing. The NOAA charts are also available in printed form, for a fee, from NOAA-certified agents. I personally find the free multi-page PDF download particularly useful. 😉

The NOAA nautical are useful for boat, kayak, and surf anglers. They are an indefensible tool for navigation and identification of fish holding structures and depth transitions. If you are motoring, paddling, or walking along the coast, you can save your self a lot of fuel, time, and energy by doing some recon via NOAA Nautical charts.

Montauk, NY is the Surfcasting capital of the world. Anglers from near and far travel to fish from its rock studded shores. Montauk Rocks captures the essence of Surfcasting on this remote spot on the Atlantic sea board.

The documentary starts off with a short history of Mountauk from an angler’s point of view. I found the history informative. But, the interviews of the fixtures on the Montauk surf was entertaining.

• Paul Melnyk
• Arden Gardell
• Gary “Toad” Stephens
• Capt. Craig Cantelmo
• Mike Copoola
• Fred “Eelman” Kalkstein
• Paul Apostolides
• Chuck Hollis
• Jack Yee

The shoreline of Montauk is not increasing. But, the number of angers are increasing exponentially. This makes Surfcasting on public land challenging. So why fish Montauk?

Surfcasters travel to Montauk because of large predatory striped bass with carnivorousness appetites travel to Montauk each spring and fall. To understand the passion that fuels die hard surfcasters to fish under extreme conditions with wet suits and high tech gear, watch Montauk Rocks.

When I decided to target trophy fish, I started keeping a fishing journal. I kept a traditional paper journal for three straight years. In the first year, I reached a new personal best. In the second year, I reached another personal best. And in the third year, I reached yet another personal best. But, my new success soon became limited by the limitations of a traditional paper journal. So, I formed a software company and started building an Internet based fishing journal.

I am proud to announce that several years of research and extensive beta testing (on two different platforms!), the Fish360 Journal Angler Edition is now available! In this free version, you can create trips and fish— similar to the way you would in a traditional paper fishing journal. You can easily add spots, rods, reels, lines, presentations, and pictures—- which you cannot do in a traditional paper fishing journal. And you can search all your data in your fishing journal. I literally mean your data. Your journal is private and secure. The Pro Angler edition, which will give you unlimited storage, will be available soon. 😉

I am also proud to say that I am using the Fish360 Journal Angler Edition for all my fishing. As you know, fishing is my passion. I fish for multiple species in fresh and salt water via multiple methods. I am pushing the Fish360 Journal the extreme of extreme. When it starts fails me, we will extend it! If it fails you, drop me a line, and we will improve it.

The Fish360 Journal Angler Edition is a WebApp that can be accessible via web or mobile device. To create your free account using your mobile device, go to: http://f360-fish360.rhcloud.com. Save the link to your mobile device’s desktop (iPhone | Android | Windows). It’s FREE. Private and secure. The only thing you have to lose is the fish you will not be catching without it. ;-).

I plan my trips to the surf by selecting spots based on the migratory patterns of striped bass, the time of year, the moon phase, and tide. I tend select a spectrum of presentations (plugs, soft plastics, eels, jigs, and tins) that will fish the entire water column.

When I arrive at a spot (e.g. “Death Rock”), I start fishing my top water presentations. Then I move to my sub-subsurface and down low offerings. When conditions are right, I fish fly teasers on all my presentations (except poppers). I match the color of my teasers to my presentation.

The height of the water column is constantly changing as the tide floods or ebbs. Fish swim up and down this dynamic water column. There is no algorithm to predict where in the water column a fish will be at any given time. And so, I take a systematic approach. I fan cast each spot and fish the water entire column until I hook up.

The Massachusetts Striped Bass Association (MSBA) is hosting their annual Sport Fishing Expo on 28-MAR-215 (10 am – 5 pm) and 29-MAR-2015 (9 am – 4 pm).  This year’s show is being held at the brand new University Sports Complex.  I will be attending this show for the first time.  I am looking forward to the fishy seminars and the trolling through the isles of the 100+ booths.  I have spoken with Mike Jones, the President of the club, about the club and where it’s going.  Bottom line, I am joining the club at this show!  Admission is only $10 for adults and $5 for children.  Parking is FREE!  I hope to see you at the show.  It’s going to be a wicked fishy!

I am doing a workshop on knots, leaders, and rigs at the Plum Island Surfcasters on 17-MAR-2015 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM.

My workshop will focus on the fundamentals. In summary:

• Knots
• Palmor Knot (for braid)
• Improved Clich Knot (for mono)
• Leaders
• Plug Leaders
• Teaser Leasers
• Rigs
  • HX
  • FF

This workshop is for members. If you are not a member, then you can join at the seminar. You can also attend this workshop and the following club meeting seminars with a $5.00 donation.

The Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association is hosting the New England Saltwater Fishing Show at the end of this month at the Rhode Island Convention Center. This is the LARGEST saltwater fishing show in New England. A must attend show for saltwater anglers and professionals.

There are 246 exhibitors! You will not run out of booths to visit. 😉 I personally am planning to visit:

• AquaSkinz ~ 903 – 904
• ZeeBaaS ~ 409
• RH Custom Rods ~ 931 – 935
• On The Water ~ 102 – 105
• Striper Maine-iac ~ 427
• BioEdge ~ 429

I will also be exhibiting in booth: 323. Stop by to see Fish360 Journal Beta 3! 😉

This year’s show has 86 seminars by top anglers. I will be in the front row in the following seminars:

• “The Basics of Shark Fishing” ~ Matthew Kriedel
• “Rigging A Kayak For Saltwater Fishing” ~ Jeff Hall & Mona Rodriguez
• “Fishing Away From Home” ~ Ron McKee
• “Fly Casting The Salt” ~ Sheila Hassan”Hands On: How to Tie a Haywire Twist” ~ Capt. Mike Vitagliano

I will be presenting “Skishing: eXtreme Surfcasting” on 27-FEB-2015 at 6:30 PM. So stop in and learn about Skishing. You may just be inspired to try it! 😉

Do you fish saltwater? Then you simply must go to this show. So, mark your calendar. Print the admission coupon. And stop by and say hello at the show! 😉

The two most widely exploited chunking rigs by surfcasters are fish finder rigs and high-low rigs. Both rigs are effective when fish correctly. But, my personal go-to chunking rig is a variation of the high-low rig. I call it the “HX” rig. The HX rig is a high-low rig without the “low” dropper loop.

The technical advantage of the HX rig versus fish finder rigs and high-low rigs is casting distance. Having the weight at the bottom of the rig, as apposed to at the top of the rig like fish finder rigs, “pulls” the rig through the air. A single dropper loop provides less wind resistance than the two dropper loops on a high-low rig.

The HX rig is also very versatile. I have caught fish with it from 2 feet of water to 30 feet of water. I always carry a spectrum of bank and pyramid sinkers from 1 1/2 oz to 6 oz. I use circle hooks with bleeding sharp points like the Owner SSW inline circle hook (9/0). Circle hooks hang a chunk better and once they penetrate, they do not come out.

Chunking is a very productive method to land keeper and trophy fish. But, casting a piece of meat into the ocean is no guarantee that you will catch fish. The superior castability of the HX rig will help you to place your tasty chunk in the strike zone.