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Monday, October 1, 2018

September 2018 wrap-up, (slight) return of the Specs

Final weekend of September brought gorgeous sunny weather, west-northerly breezes, and most welcome- cooler temps.  Since it had stayed so warm so deep in the year, I was sure I would be able to time a perfect outgoing tide in the Manokin River with hungry rockfish.  I launched out of St. Peter's Creek in Champ, MD, flying solo and determined to fish until dark and trust my GPS to get me back to the dock.  I'm starting to get more comfortable launching and especially re-trailer the boat in the dark ,and even solo when necessary.  I just installed new roller guides, and I think they help position the boat as it is coming up on the trailer.

On Friday, 9/28 I anchored at 4:30 pm at the mouth of the small creek draining St. Piere Marsh, which I had mistakenly called Teague Creek in the past.  It's actually on the Champ side of Teague Creek (north).  I must have cast 5000 times between then and 7:00 pm (sunset 6:50), and I rotated my rigs every few casts.  I was using top-water, shallow diving, and also 4-inch bass assassins on 3/8 oz jig-heads.  The only takers were two small (sub-14 inch) speckled trout.  But- noteworthy were that these fish were the first speckled trout I had connected with this year.  And, they coincided time-wise with some of the better spec fishing I had experienced last year.

The real mission of this weekend was to reposition the camper at the fishing camp.  For years I/we had been encroaching on the neighbor's property, and it was finally time to correct that.  As a result, I didn't get out on the water until 4:30 pm on Saturday 9/29, and I was quite exhausted when I got out there.  I spent the first hour casting jigs toward the south end of Little Deal Island (facing west).  It was blowing straight out of the west, and the water was quite rough.  When I finally rounded the south end of the island and gained protection from the wind (and now the tide just starting to ebb), that's when the fish started to bite.  First up was a really nice speckled trout.  I was using a brand new Penn reel and had not had opportunity to dial in the drag, and I think the loose drag cost me this spec right at the side of the boat.  Estimated length, 18 inches.  Over the course of the next 45 minutes, I caught 3 rockfish, all a tasty 16-17".  If only I had more time, but the sun was setting, I was tired and wanted to try the jetty outside of the Wenona harbor.  I should have stayed behind Little Deal Island.  Next trip not planned to be for 3 weeks, as I 'm on track to go to Squirrel camp Oct 11.  #dealislandrandy

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