Brian Weiss - Fishtagram287

Where are you from?

• I grew up in Avon, Connecticut and spent my summers living in Old Lyme, Connecticut where I learned to fish!

Where do you go to college/what do you study?

• I graduated from Merrimack College in 2018 with a degree in marketing 

What have you been up to since college (besides fishing)? 

• In January I started working as a sales representative for a company called Guy Cotten. We sell quality rain gear and fleece products for commercial and recreational fisherman as well as agriculture. 

How did you get into fishing?

• Since I was born I have spent my summers in Old Lyme, Connecticut where my dad and grandfather got me started on the water. I was instantly fascinated with marine life and couldn’t get enough of it! My curiosity as a child has made me a better fisherman because I learned as much as I could about the ecosystem in my area as I got older. That has brought me closer to it and helped me understand how everything in the environment interacts. 

How long have you been fishing?

• I’ve been fishing since I could hold a fishing rod! So at this point roughly 22 years. 

What’s your favorite fishing spot?

• My favorite area to fish is right where my passion began at my home in Old Lyme. 

Do you remember the first fish you’ve caught? If so, what was it?

• I’m not sure I remember the first fish I have ever caught for sure. However, the first memory I have of catching a fish was off the rocks in front of my house. It was a juvenile bluefish, we call them snapper blues. I caught it on a small push button fishing rod for children using a “snapper popper” which is basically just a bobber used as a popping cork connected to a small baitfish imitation behind it. 

What’s the biggest fish you’ve caught?

• The largest fish I’ve ever caught was just last month! It was a bluefin tuna weighing almost 700lbs! 

What’s the most interesting fish you’ve caught?

• I’ve caught lots of crazy species of fish, some small exotic species like pufferfish, some larger like sailfish and lots of species of sharks like threshers and makos but the one that still has me baffled is that bluefin. Pictures do not do the size of these animal justice and seeing a big one like that in person changes your perspective. 

What’s your favorite thing about fishing? 

• My favorite thing about fishing as that it teaches me something new every time I’m on the water. No matter the result of my fishing trip it’s always a success because even if we don’t catch fish it can help us understand the species we are targeting even more. We can learn just as much if not more from a bad trip than from a good one! It also allows me to unplug from everything else and connect with nature. If I’m alone it’s very peaceful and if I’m with others it can help bring us together. 

What’s the most challenging part of fishing?

• The most challenging part of fishing is that everything is always changing. As soon as you think you have a specific species figured out the fishery can change. Fishing is like a science. Anyone can go out and catch fish but to continue to be successful you need to have a better understanding of the species and it’s environment. Everything is connected. Tide, temperature, wind direction, barometric pressure, weather, all of these things play a huge role in what the fish do. You also need to pay attention to what they are feeding on and what the bait is doing can dictate the bite. 

What is your favorite time of day to fish? 

• My favorite time of day to fish is first thing in the morning. I am not a morning person at all but you can’t beat a beautiful sunrise on the water. I love to target striped bass at sunrise using topwater lures. This can be one of the most productive times to catch fish on top and there’s nothing like a big bass exploding on a surface lure!

Worms or flies, lures or bait?

• I fish for a very wide variety of fish. Freshwater and saltwater but I also fish a variety of different ways. As I’ve gotten older I’ve picked up fly fishing and spearfishing too! All different types of lures and baits have different applications. I love to fish artificial lures but also use my fair share of love and cut bait depending on the type of fishing I am doing. Fly fishing is also an awesome way to target fish if they can be caught that way. I started fly fishing for trout on the Farmington river but I’ve gotten more and more into saltwater fly fishing. 

Do you have a favorite fisherman? If so, who? 

• I don’t have a favorite fisherman but I do have a lot of people who have helped me become a better fisherman. As a kid I always tried to pay attention to what some of the other fisherman at my marine were doing to catch fish. Many of them helped get me started on the water. 

What’s your favorite season to fish?

• That’s an impossible question but I love to fish all through summer and the fall. I fish year round but the months of June to November is when I do most of my fishing. The fall is an especially exciting time to fish in New England because so much is happening. We have what people refer to as the fall run where many species of fish and baitfish are on the move and it can be a blast. Striped bass, bluefish, false albacore, Atlantic Bonito, and tautog are very active this time of year and can be targeted somewhat reliably in the fall. 

What’s your favorite rod? 

• I don’t have a favorite rod but two of my favorite brands are shimano and st. Croix. They are great brands that make incredible products! 

Do you eat the fish you catch or release them? 

• I do both. I practice catch and release regularly but I also love to eat seafood so I will often take some fish for the table. I love to cook and sharing my catch with family and friends can really enrich my experience and bring people together. 

What advice can you give for someone wanting to get into fishing? 

• The best advice I can give is to get out there!! Just getting outside and being on the water is your most useful tool. The more time you spend observing your environment the more you can learn about it and that will continue to make you more successful on your fishing trips. 

What is your favorite Tuck Life product to take on a fishing trip?

• I love to wear my tuck life hats because it keeps my face and eyes more protected from the sun. Good sun protection is very important when spending time on the water and I love the tuck life designs! I also love the long sleeve shirts this time of year! The striped bass design is awesome!!