Here we are 2 weeks into spring, people have already begun to wear shorts in New England, and today I woke up to 4 inches of snow in my yard—it looks like April Fool’s Day was delayed and/or extended by a few hours this year. That’s ok as the short-term weather forecast, at least where I live, has predicted highs around 60 in two days. That’s New England for you; shorts to shoveling snow and back to wearing shorts again within the span of 72 hours. But talking about the weather is not my primary subject today, I have other motives on this fine, snowy April day.
This week marks the first weekly issue of The Fisherman Magazine for the 2018 print schedule. This means that from now through Thanksgiving, subscribers to The Fisherman will receive a magazine in their email and/or mailbox every single week, not just once a month like some of those other guys. And while you’re not going to see a random-generated digital chart of where you can expect to find the stripers each week based on the date on the calendar—which is about as effective at tracking migrations as having a preschooler sketch out the striper run in a coloring book—what you will get is the most accurate and up-to-date LOCAL fishing reports for your area topped off with a selection of timely fishing articles and news items each and every week for the next 34 weeks. Just remember, this is only available for subscribers. (Sign up for a subscription, here.) If you’re used to picking up The Fisherman Magazine at your local news stand then you’re missing out on 26 of the 38 total issues that we print each year.
With each of those weekly issues you will see some recent local catches by subscribers to The Fisherman adorning the cover, and this is where I have a request of you. My stockpile of fishy local pictures has been somewhat depleted this of season thanks to poor cod fishing and a rollercoaster of an ice fishing season. Where I usually receive a steady influx of catch photos throughout the winter, the last few months were slim pickings. So going forward, with a need for cover photos, I am asking and reminding you to send me your fishing pictures! There will surely be no shortage of fishing being done over the next few weeks, so why not document your catch and make the cover of The Fisherman while you’re at it?
WHAT’S BITING?
We’ve got trout fishing already well under way in Massachusetts, followed by Opening Day of trout season in Rhode Island and Connecticut on April 14. Blackfish and winter flounder seasons just opened this Sunday, April 1 in Connecticut and I issued a challenge to local anglers in my report video last week in regards to those species, check it out.
What about striped bass? Well, this week’s reports include catches of fish to 30-plus pounds in some select tidal rivers already, and we should begin seeing fresh fish along the oceanfront in the next few days. All that we need to kick start that bite is a few days of warm, sunny weather with a bit of southwest wind to push it along.
So going forward the next few weeks, and continuing thorough out the season, be sure to send me those fishing pictures at [email protected]. Be sure to include a brief description of the catch including angler’s name, species of fish, general location where the fish was landed (you don’t need to be super-specific), and any other pertinent details which you would like to share. Please do your best to be mindful of the scene as well as the condition of the fish and be sure to shoot in a vertical format whenever possible. I will sort through the images received and put the most applicable ones on an upcoming weekly issue of The Fisherman Magazine.
Assuming I receive a major influx of pictures, the surplus will make their way to the printed reports section of the weekly and monthly editions of the magazine. I also have the weekly report video which is another great spot to feature your photo, and we will also have several “Photo Galleries” appearing in the weekly issues this year, so maybe a couple will end up there as well. Special consideration will be given to action shots, photos including happy, smiling children and scenes which convey the overall enjoyment of fishing.
So regardless of whether you target trout, tog or tuna, that next cast just might land your smiling face on the cover of an upcoming copy of The Fisherman Magazine. Good luck!
NEW ENGLAND EDITION: [email protected]
LONG ISLAND EDITION: [email protected]
NEW JERSEY/DELAWARE BAY EDITION: [email protected]
