The Guide Post

Unprecedented news has been delivered from the primary spawning grounds of our beloved striped bass. 2023 is officially the fifth straight year of failed spawns for striped bass, as the newly released Chesapeake Bay Young of Year Survey reports the second-lowest YOY Index in the recorded history of stripers. The 2012 YOY Index still stands as the lowest on record, with an index of 0.9. Unfortunate...

Charlie Witek stops by the Guide Post to get striped bass followers dialed in on next steps for Addendum II and the upcoming ASMFC meeting where we will get a better look into the future of this fishery.

From building his first store by hand with his father to building the largest Orvis dealer in the country within two years, Brian Flechsig from Mad River Outfitters has delivered on his commitment to angling education and making fly fishing community more inclusive. In this episode, Brian joins host Blane Chocklett to discuss a range of topics including a current campaign to conserve redfish in Lo...

ASGA is joined by the New England Aquarium research team to discuss the latest findings from the Albie Project including telemetry tagging results from the first research season. #TheAlbieProject #BetterBusinessThroughConservation

On July 6th, the Louisiana fishing guide community flooded the LWF Commission Meeting and let the state know that the recommended reductions are not enough to ensure the stability of their businesses. To the surprise of many, the LWF Commission did something amazing: they listened and moved to protect the resource. Capt. Bailey Short was one of the guides in that room, calling for proactive manage...

Today, ASGA announced a partnership with the GotOne app (“GotOne”) to help expand the data collection for the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries’ (“MA DMF”) ongoing study on release mortality of striped bass . This partnership will utilize the capabilities of the GotOne to enable volunteer recreational anglers to track and directly submit data on landings, harvest and potential survival. A...

There's something to be said about a man that follows his dream and earns it the hard way. Capt. Ron Ratliff of Marshdawn Charters is one of those guys. Nothing has been given to him. He's not polished, nor is he politically correct. From working on oil rigs to sacrificing family time to guide in Alaska, Ron knows what it means to work hard and earn your place at the table on your own terms. In hi...

ASMFC Striped Bass Management Board fails to advance Addendum II for public comment. The ASMFC Summer Meeting, which concluded just a few hours ago, was lengthy and convoluted. An enormous amount of time was spent talking about carve-outs for special interests and very little time was spent talking about the health of our striped bass fishery. This will delay any reductions to the commercial secto...

With information gathered over the last couple of days, we’ve come to the realization that a new dance from the mid-Atlantic is in the process of being choreographed. They plan to “kick the can down the road.” Our latest episode provides a breakdown of why a delayed Addendum II process could be a nightmare outcome for striped bass. In this episode, we address a pending historical moment for stripe...

ASGA firmly believes the story of the false albacore is still unwritten. If you’re new to the project and want a better understanding of the baseline from year one, head to our Albie Project Hub by clicking here . If you’ve been following along and supporting the project, we have some extremely exciting news for you. We received word that multiple spaghetti-tagged albies that were tagged and relea...

Several weeks ago, ASGA's Will Poston sat down with Backcountry Hunters & Anglers’ Mike Woods to learn about shoreline access initiatives in Rhode Island and possible legislative solutions to this persistent issue. Since that recording, BHA led a call to action that drove enough engagement to generate a major win. Mike graciously stopped by The Guide Post again to provide the latest update.#Be...

Dr. Andrij Horodysky is a fish biologist with expertise in gamefish sensory ecology. Blane and Andrij have been friends for decades. They founded a strong bond based on innovation in fly design through the lens of wildlife inspiration. In this episode, Dr. Horodysky breaks down some angling superstitions utilizing his gamefish ecology research experience including but not limited to: what fish see...

ASGA's Tony Friedrich and Capt. Cody Rubner react to last night's New Jersey DEP striped bass meeting about adopting emergency action regulations.

Several weeks ago, ASGA's Will Poston sat down with Backcountry Hunters & Anglers’ Mike Woods to learn about shoreline access initiatives in Rhode Island and possible legislative solutions to this persistent issue. Since that recording, a lot has happened. Namely, a RI Senate Committee has approved a “compromise bill” and sent it to the full Senate. This bill would provide clarity to the quest...

After the fourth and final public hearing regarding the ASMFC's recent emergency action for striped bass management, ASGA's Tony Friedrich and Capt. Cody Rubner sit down for a round of "striper BS bingo" with their favorite logical fallacies from the public comments.#BetterBusinessThroughConservation #ASGA

We Won. Emergency Action Passes with Additional Addendum II. The conservation community has just won the biggest striped bass victory in decades. A HUGE heartfelt thank you to all the conservation-minded board members who heard our voices and made this happen.#StripedBass #BetterBusinessThroughConservation

Capt. Paul Dixon & Capt. Peter Whelan stopped by the Guide Post before the upcoming ASMFC Spring Meeting to provide a perspective on what striper fishing used to look like - and what we should continue to strive for.#BetterBusinessThroughConservation

On the opposite end of the spectrum from the previous episode's commentary on striped bass, the upcoming ASMFC Spring Meeting presents a positive opportunity for anglers who desire to learn more and see precautionary management for false albacore and atlantic bonito. In this episode, the ASGA team breaks down a more hopeful opportunity to make your voices heard for another important character in t...

The ASGA team gears up for a big ASMFC Spring Meeting with a critical moment in the rebuilding of Atlantic striped bass hanging in the balance. After the return of increased harvest numbers for striped bass in 2023, the chance of rebuilding this stock by the required 2029 looks bleak if action is not taken.#BetterBusinessThroughConservation

Make your voice heard for redfish in Louisiana. You can find the survey discussed and ASGA's Louisiana Redfish Hub at linktr.ee/asga . The state's redfish survey closes tomorrow, April 11, 2023. Capt. John West joins the Guide Post for a quick riff on his Sheepy Tournament experience and Louisiana redfish. This podcast was recorded in March at the Sheepy Tournament in Hopedale, LA. #BetterBusiness...

Ph. D. Grad Assistant Joe Dello Russo from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute's Pelagic Fisheries Science Lab stops by to update anglers on a study to determine the catch and release mortality of giant (commercial-sized) bluefin tuna. If you are a bluefin tuna angler up in the Northeast be sure to complete this quick survey !#BetterBusinessThroughConservation

Capt. Cody Rubner and Capt. Mike Holliday sit down for a fireside chat after Tuesday's Stuart Snook Workshop hosted by FWC. The two discuss the proposed regional management for snook, multi-dynamic assessment of the regions and the issues trending Stuart's fishery towards its demise. Public comment for the Snook Workshop is now open with more progress to come at FWC's Spring Meeting in early May....

Tony, Will and Cody hop on the horn after today's Striped Bass Technical Committee meeting in which 2023 projections are announced. This podcast is presented by Costa Sunglasses. Follow ASGA on Social to stay up to date on current events! Instagram = @SaltwaterGuidesAssociation Facebook = American Saltwater Guides Association #BetterBusinessThroughConservation

You don't need to be a thirty-year veteran to change the game. Sometimes, you need to have the guts to speak up in a community that fears the ramifications of doing so - and that alone can leave a legacy. Captain Ty Hibbs was born and raised in Louisiana. And while he may be one of the younger faces, he has been one of the loudest voices about thoughtful harvest and more proactive management in th...

Known for “serving fresh chum daily,” Brian Bennett and the Moldy Chum crew utilize an “irreverently serious voice” to cover all aspects of fishing, the industry and conservation. We were pleased to have Brian stop by #TheGuidePost to chop it up about conservation challenges, anadromous fish and the impact of “the five H’s".