Why do you read fishing books? If the number one reason is to learn how to catch more fish, then you’ll want to dive right into Rudow’s Guide to Rockfish ($19.95; www.getgup.com). Rudow-Boating Magazine’s own Ultimate Angler, of course-sets the tone of the book in the first two sentences: “You want a dissertation on the historical importance of striped bass? Then go to the library and look up ‘boring.'” As promised, the book dives right in and gets down to the business of telling you how-and where-to catch striped bass. One of the smartest things about Rudow’s Guide to Rockfish is how it deconstructs the different factors that go into successful striper fishing, then shows you how they all work together. It tells you how the fish’s body type dictates when and where it feeds and how its biology is affected by the sun, moon, and tide-because all these factors play into rockfish behavior at any given time. Rudow then builds on that wealth of information to illustrate the many techniques you can use to catch stripers-from chumming to live baiting to jigging to trolling to fly-fishing. And he includes what works best day or night, spring, summer, fall, or winter. Rudow also provides specific hotspots that offer the best striper fishing in the mid-Atlantic region, from Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina, to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. If you’re looking for a book that will give you valuable information on tackle, technique, and locations for striped bass fishing, you won’t be disappointed.
