Gerald Almy

United States

Contributing Writer at Field & Stream

Columnist at Northern Virginia Daily

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Articles

The Best Smallmouth Bass Lures of 2025

2 weeks ago | fieldandstream.com | Gerald Almy |Travis Smola

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn moreThere’s a reason former Field & Stream Fishing Editor, A.J. McClane called the river smallmouth “the greatest freshwater gamefish of all.” If you’ve come under this fish’s spell in its river environment, you know why. You may not be able to explain it. But you feel it. And you’ll need the best smallmouth bass lures to chase it.
Gerald Almy: Ten tactics for catching fish in spring

2 weeks ago | nvdaily.com | Gerald Almy

A column we wrote recently featuring short tips for catching fish in early spring was well received by Outdoors readers, so this week we’ll cover 10 more tips to use later in spring as the weather continues to warm. Tip: People who get to fish only on their day off work have to take what they get weather-wise. But if you can pick and choose, opt for warming trends with light and southerly winds for spring outings.
Gerald Almy: Tips for finding deer antlers in spring

3 weeks ago | nvdaily.com | Gerald Almy

Hunting for shed deer antlers takes perseverance. It also helps to focus on areas you know deer are using. Here’s a look at some strategies for finding these bits of bone deer have cast off in late winter. Even if you don’t find any, shed antler hunting is a great way to spend an early spring day. Traveling animals.
Gerald Almy: Searching for shed antlers in spring

1 month ago | nvdaily.com | Gerald Almy

The mature buck’s long main beam and sweeping tines appeared to glow with their own inner light on that gray, misty day. Glassing carefully, I counted five points coming off the beam. It was an amazing rack for a Shenandoah County buck. But there was something different about this encounter from other whitetail hunting experiences I’ve had in Virginia. It happened in March.
Gerald Almy: Tactics for Virginia’s migratory shad

1 month ago | nvdaily.com | Gerald Almy

Last week we took a look at why shad are such an appealing gamefish in spring as they surge up coastal rivers to breed in brackish portions of the state’s rivers. This week we’ll look at the fishing tactics that draw the most strikes from these scrappy gamefish. Shad do little or no feeding while in rivers on their spawning runs. The trick is to goad them into striking with a colorful or shiny offering, presented at the best angle to entice a take.
Gerald Almy: Best lures & flies for catching shad

1 month ago | nvdaily.com | Gerald Almy

It’s been a tough winter. No question. But when winter finally loosens its icy grip on the land and redbuds bloom on hillsides, Shenandoah Valley anglers will face a rich dilemma. What species of gamefish should I try to catch? Bass are feeding in the shallows, crappies are schooling near flooded brush piles for their mating ritual, and trout streams beckon with the first hatches of spring. For many fishermen, though, the list of spring fishing adventures is topped by another species — shad.
Gerald Almy: Tips for early season fishing success

1 month ago | nvdaily.com | Gerald Almy

Catfish, sunfish, largemouth bass, crappies, stripers, walleyes, smallmouths … a wealth of gamefish beckon Virginia anglers, and early spring is a great time to go after them. Rare is the fishermen who focuses on one of these fish to the exclusion of all others. Some anglers even add challenge to their day by trying for several species during a single outing.
Gerald Almy: Tips for determining the age and sex of a bear

1 month ago | nvdaily.com | Gerald Almy

Deciding how big a black bear is takes careful study of the animal’s physical features and some basic knowledge of what to look for. This week’s column will examine more ways to tell whether a bear is a youngster, a middle-aged animal, or an old timer, and whether it’s a male or female animal. Last week we look at determining how much a bear weighs. Now let’s turn to how old a bear is. Wildlife biologist Katie Martin has a number of tactics you can use to estimate the age and size of a bear.
Gerald Almy: How to judge the size of a black bear

2 months ago | nvdaily.com | Gerald Almy

Few experiences in the outdoors can match seeing a wild black bear in its natural habitat. Rare is the hunter, naturalist, hiker or wildlife photographer who doesn’t get a chill when they encounter a bear slipping through the woods or lumbering across a meadow, glossy fur coat rippling in the sunlight. After seeing a bear or two, though, it’s hard not to wonder…how big is that bear? How much does it weigh?
Gerald Almy: Lake Moomaw’s trophy trout

2 months ago | nvdaily.com | Gerald Almy

Easing along slowly with the trolling motor, we could see trout swirling on the surface chasing baitfish. The only question was whether they were browns or the more common rainbows. We would soon find out it was a mixture of the two species. My fishing partner’s rod bowed deep and he quickly snatched it from the holder. Minutes later he deftly slipped the net under a 3-pound trout. It was a brown with beautiful, vivid colorings.