Much to my dismay, Summer has faded into Fall and there is not much I can do about that. Fall is typically a busy time for my family and I, and I usually watch my outdoors opportunities vaporize with the advent of September. And, this year is no exception. In fact, it seems as though I have over-committed myself once again. After Labor Day, my first opportunity to return to Deal Island was Oct 7. Since I was hungry for some crabs, and this time of year usually is really good crabbing in the Dames Quarter marsh, crabbing superseded fishing. If all went well, the plan was to fish on Day 2- as the reports of top-water speckled trout action were plentiful.
After conquering waist-high grass in the yard, buddy Eric and I got the jon-boat out into the marsh at around 12:15, and set anchor at our spot around 12:30. Of course, this is the marsh impoundment at the Deal Island Wildlife Management area at the end of Riley Roberts Road, same place I have been crabbing since a teen-ager. The bite was on almost as soon as we got 2 or 3 lines in. It was a sunny but cool day, with high temp around 72F and light steady breeze. Nights had been in the upper 40’s for nearly a week, so the crabs were active come mid-day as expected. The ratio of male-to female crabs was unfortunately about 1:3. The crabbing was steady (but not too fast) throughout the afternoon until we pulled anchor around 4:45. The keep was ½ bushel of really nice males. The toss was over a full bushel of absolutely gorgeous and heavy sooks. The DNR had put sooks off-limits to recreational crabbers in 2010, and also limited them to the commercial crabbers. I would like to see the restriction lifted in October for recreational, same as commercial- but I don’t make the laws. I usually follow them, and today I did.
After trailering the boat, we left the impoundment area. The road in and out is unpaved and rather rough, allowing for a 20-25 mpg cruise pulling a boat. Almost to the end of the wildlife area and just before hitting asphalt, the leaf spring on one side of the trailer collapsed, which then pancaked upon the axle and split it as well. With no road shoulder and about 150 yds to go, I drug the collapsed trailer to a place suitable for pulling it off the road. Realizing it was already after 5pm on a Friday, October 14, 2011, it was clear we weren’t going to be able to solve this dilemma until the next day. So, after loading the contents of the boat into the back of my Explorer, we departed the area, leaving the stranded boat and trailer. At our evening venture to Lucky’s (the local gas station/restaurant that just happens to also sell draught beer), we were able to identify someone willing and able to assist us in retrieving the trailer and boat, albeit at a price. The next day, the trailer and boat were returned to my yard- at the cost of $100. Ouch !! Back in the day, we would have been helped for free. Oh well, everyone is struggling to make a living down there so no big deal,… I don’t know when the next opportunity to crab will be, and I also have no idea if I will wet another fishing line this year. The day 2 fishing adventure never materialized- the buzz kill of the trailer collapse was too great. Not exactly the way I had hoped it would turn out, but I am learning with age to just go with the flow. So, until next time- ADIOS!
