Chesapeake on the Fly End of Season Newsletter

Greetings fellow anglers! I have recently been thinking back on how excellent the 2019 fishing season was. We had a fantastic run of fish with the highlight of the year being the speckled trout fishing. We caught large numbers of specks consistently in June and the bite lasted into the early fall. Fish sizes in the upper teens to mid-twenties, and angler catch rates in the double digits, were the norm. The speckled trout will readily take a fly and is by far my favorite fish in the bay. If there are no cold stun events down south this winter, I anticipate an exceptional speckled trout season beginning in the Spring of 2020 with numerous fish in the 4 to 6 lb range. I will begin guiding in May and anticipate fishing to peak in June. With our clean, salty, well-oxygenated water, we can safely catch and release fish through the Summer months. Given our close location to the Virginia line, we spend the majority of our time in the Virginia shallows, catching multiple species of fish. It is never too early to book your spring/summer charter so you can fish on the best tides.

This winter, I will be working at the following shows on behalf of Sage Fly Rods and my guide service, Chesapeake on the Fly:

The Virginia Fly Fishing and Wine Festival (http://www.vaflyfishingfestival.com/)

Dates: Sat, Jan 11, 2020 – Sun, Jan 12, 2020

The New Jersey Fly Fishing Show (https://flyfishingshow.com/edison-nj/)

Dates: Fri, Jan 24, 2020 – Sun, Jan 26, 2020

Lefty Kreh’s Tie Fest (https://tiefest.com/)

Dates: February 22-23, 2020

These are fantastic events that have something for everyone. As the dates near, I will announce the times when I will be doing talks on fly fishing the Chesapeake Bay back country flats. I will share tips, tactics, and tackle recommendations for chasing the much sought after speckled trout as well as striped bass.

Thanks again for another great season. I look forward to seeing you all at the shows and fishing with you this spring.

My best,

Chris