Fishing (attempt), 7/21/11

I've always wondered what the high temperature limit is on bottom fishing in Tangier Sound, and I think I have now discovered it- 100F.  Debated all week about whether or not to brave the heat, projected at 99+F.  I also realized the functional limit of my camper's A/C.  And I also realized what clinical heat exhaustion feels like.  So, after conquering the A/C, installing a new water heater, and beating heat stroke, I finally launched the boat out of the north harbor at Deal ISland at 7pm, a mere 1/2 hour before high tide.  Had hoped to get out by 5pm but no dice tonite.  Took a quick trip back to Laws Thorofare, anchored, and caught one nice hardhead and one skate before deciding to relocate at 8:15.  Surface water temp = 92.5F- OUCH!! Boogied out into the Sound as the sun was setting and drifted at different depths from 25-45 ft after the crab-pot line drop off at 15 ft, but nothing biting on this muddy bottom despite showing many fish on the depth finder.  Nothing to brag about this trip, and doubtful I will ever attempt to fish again in heat that extreme.


Oh Yeah, fell off a ladder working on the camper- long story.  After hitting the ground, my first concern was whether or not anyone saw me.  Second concern was whether or not I broke any bones.  Two days later I am still extremely sore, but able to laugh about it,... sort of.  Next trip- July 27-28.  Time is running short and summer is disappearing like sand running through my fingers.

Deal Island Fishing- July 14/15 2011

So, I have realized that I have an interesting dilemma with respect to this blog.  And my problem is- I am actually fishing frequently enough this year that is difficult to keep up with chronicling my ventures here in this blog.  Oh well, not a bad dilemma to have I guess.

Embarked on a 2-day fishing adventure starting on a Thursday, 7/14/11, with both my son Blair (14) and buddy Loran fishing with me this time.  An unusual mid-July cool front passing through coincided with our fishing plans, the result being extremely windy (and rough) conditions for the front end of our trip.  Every single attempt to catch a late evening tide change (this one at 8pm) this year has been accompanied by big winds.  Nonetheless, braving persistent 4 ft swells (actually 1 – 2 ft when we first went out), we managed to dangle enough squid, shrimp, and soft crab on the bottom to put 16 fish in the cooler, largest being around 13-14 inches.  The fishing pattern was much the same as it has been the last month, drifting to find where the fish were biting, and in this case it was again around 35-45 feet of water, on the ledge of the west side of eth shipping channel, just north of Wenona.  This has pretty much been my hot spot this year, with some occasional action near the #12 buoy just south of Wenona.  Would like to explore some more distant areas soon, and also try and target some other species, but need better converging conditions (time, tide, and wind).

Friday, 7/15/11 unfolded with completely different wind, while maintaining a northerly direction from yesterday it had subsided to about 5 knots, which was qwuite comfortable with temps in the low 80’s and partly cloudy.   After another trip to the Hideaway in Rumbley for lunch (thanks Loran for the crab cake), we set out to catch the 3pm high tide. 

 On the way back from Rumbley, we stopped in the 25-30 ft hole not far west from the 1^st Rumbley channel marker.  Not much doing here with what we were offering, but I could tell that it was a soft bottom.  Returned to our aforementioned spots and enjoyed a simply glorious day, again catching lots of hard head, releasing most, and keeping 9- largest was 14”.  Have yet to catch any fish exceeding 14 inches.  Plan to return next Friday for one day of evening fishing, with a 7:30 pm high tide.  Bought a new water heater for the camper and hope that it arrives in time for me to bring it and install it.  Until next time,...

Flounder fishing- Folly Creek

Got home from Deal Island (exhausted) just after noon on July 3, only to get a phone call from my buddy Bruce Davis, the greatest flounder fisherman there ever was.  I fished once with Bruce a few years back and was quite impressed with how much he knew about this fish, even though we hadn’t caught many on a cool March day.  But this was different, Bruce was calling to tell me that he had been fishing the last 2 weeks at a place in Virginia and had never seen the fishing so good- tall words from this guy, and that we ought to go together the next day, July 4.  After initially declining but after thorough consulting with my wife Candy, I called Bruce back and told him that we were on.  Yes, I had just committed to awakening at 4 am to meet up with Bruce at 5 am in Delmar.  Got to bed early and made the 5 am connection with Bruce, thankful that he was driving and that we were taking his boat, an 18 ft jon that he has specifically configured for slaying flounder.  An hour and a half to 2 hrs later, we were at the ramp on Folly Creek, just east of Accomack, VA.  What a beautiful place, probably one of so many that I am not even aware of here on the eastern shore.  The VA eastern shore fascinates me any way, with borders on both the Atlantic and the Chesapeake.  So, we launch and follow the creek out about 2 or 3 miles to Metompkin Bay, which promptly empties into the Atlantic Ocean.  The water coming out was clear and adequately deep, and I wondered what finned treasures it might hold other than founder.  We commence fishing in a labyrinth or creeks and guts, all pulled along well by the now incoming tide.  Immediately I caught a flounder which measured 18 inches, a keeper.  Our rigs were interesting and very specific.  3 foot looped fluorochrome leaders, looped as to not present any knots to the fish in order to maintain invisibility.  No weight, using a ¾ oz naked jig head, rigged with a Gulp worm (Pumpkinseed, specifically), plus a live minnow (good sized minnows). We later augmented this to include a small strip of flounder belly and also a frozen shiner.  The idea was to not spook the flounder with an additional weight.  The worm was the same color as a species of shrimp which Bruce claimed was their favorite food.  The last element of our success was the electric trolling motor, as Bruce was able to maneuver the boat with great accuracy over shoals and holes.  The fishing was spectacular, we caught at least 80 flounder, a slow day by Bruce’s standards but beyond anything I had ever done, plus it was nice to catch a fish other than Croaker.  By 12:30 pm we had caught our limit of 8 (4 each), with one at 25” and another at 23”.  Netting these larger fish was critical- the flounder were really good at shaking out the hook.  Two pieces of instruction Bruce gave me for hooking fish, critical since I had not yet developed a good feel for hooking flounder, were 1) gently pull back on the line when feeling a strike or anticipating the fish taking the bait, and 2) maintaining pressure on the reel once I started winding one in.  Bruce still out fished me, but I felt like I was getting the hang of it.  Must return some day soon  !!!!

Deal Island fishing- long July weekend

Been busy fishing, so slow to get this blog updated.  Went to Deal Island June 30, didn’t return until July 3. Bait = squid and shrimp.  Fishing evening of 6/30, wind blowing hard out of NW, and even though the time of (low) tide change was perfect (~8 pm) seas were 3 ft and it just wasn’t pleasant. Again.  Managed to catch some fish, kept 6 smallish hard heads. 

Pics of the campsite,...

Got up Friday 7/1 and after toiling in the yard all morning, began my all-day fishing adventure.  Wind seemed to have laid down a bit, so I seized the opportunity to motor over to Rumbley, MD.  I have been intending to visit here by boat  since I first visited about 2 yrs ago by car.  There is a restaurant at the marina that looks pretty cool and claims to have the best crabcake in the world.  Get to “The Hideaway Grill” around 11:30 after about a 20-25 minute boat ride, taking it slow since I wasn’t familiar with these waters.  Tied right up next to the gas pump, not much traffic since it was during the week and also middle of the day.  Got me a cold beverage and sat out on the sandy veranda that was in some ways like a tropical place, anyway it was very cool as I was only steps away from the water and watching the waterman return from crabbing.  Ordered a crabcake from the friendly waitress and oh MAN was it good, worth the $14 for the crabcake.  It is hard to find a crabcake any more that is not made from asian crab meat, but this was the real deal.  After my 2^nd beverage, I reluctantly returned to my boat in order to rendezvous with the fish at the 2:30 pm (high) tide change.  No sooner did I leave the Rumbley harbor when the NW wind picked right up where it left off yesterday.  As expected, the water was rough and the fishing sparse, only putting one in the cooler.  NW wind here spells doom to my fishing.  Note to self- one significant 25-29 ft hole just outside of Rumbley in the midst of 8-16 ft depth all the way from Deal Island.  Could this hold fish at some point? Flounder maybe??  Must return to see, and have another crabcake.

Returned to Wenona exhausted from the sun (didn’t use the Bimini top today) and unfulfilled in terms of fishing.  Seeking to change my luck, I loaded up the jon-boat in attempt to hit the larger croaker back in the creek with the 8:30 am tide change.  When I got there around 6:30, the wind was dropping.  Timing was right, and I managed to catch 5 really nice fish (12-14 inches) before calling it a day at around 9 pm.  I love this time of year if for no other reason than the length of the days.  Retuned to the north-end harbor and a North wind, which blew my boat around and made it nearly impossible to get my boat on the trailer solo.  Note to self-  need to rig up a stern rope, even install a bigger cleat if necessary.  Eventually had to drive the boat onto the trailer, but not before the DNR game warden checked out my boat.  Wanting to know if I had a bow light.  Well, having been there before- yes, I indeed had a clip-on bow light, which I had dismounted after pulling in, as it sometimes slips its clamping after being docked.

The final fishing day, 7/2/11- head out around noon.  Oh man, it was DEAD CALM, or “slick cam”.  Like a lake, and hot too.  No choice but to use the Bimini top today.  Managed to put 6 fish in the cooler, all caught between 40 and 42 ft.  The drift was so slow, no sock necessary.  And, I only used 3 ozs of weight.  Caught many fish, just that the majority were throw backs.  Hoping some nicer fish roll in through the rest of the summer.  Called it a day by 3:30, it was hot, I was tired from all-day fishing the day before, and they were having karaoke at Lucky’s at 8 pm. Lucky’s is a convenience store in Chance.  They have a grill in the back and will cook just about whatever you want.  They also have really cold draft beer, the “cold” being necessary when you are sipping the cheap stuff.  I have eaten crabs there the last few weekends- I think they charged me $14 for a dozen of #1’s, which were not huge, but very full, tasty, and hot.  I think what I enjoy most about the Deal Island area is the culture and the people.  And the only way to really experience that is to get elbow-to-elbow with these folks and to meet them.  Even the newcomers are an interesting bunch since they are mostly like minded folks, having relocated here to retire and enjoy the Land of Pleasant Living.  I see it starting to change the character of the island somewhat, but one thing you cannot stop is- change,…. Had a cold beer with my friend Capt. D (names abbreviated to preserve people’s privacy), and met a new friend- Patty, the Crisfield blogger (a.k.a. Georgia Peach, as named by Daddy Art), then went back to the camper to grab a bight to eat.  Returned for the karaoke- WOW the place was packed !!  Oh what fun, as the night wore on people became more adventurous and yes, even I sang “Take Me Home Country Roads” before the night was over, fulfilling a promise to my friend “M” that I would sing if she would.  It was so nice to get away, I wish the whole family found this as much fun as I do.  My son Blair didn’t join me this time- he was away with the church youth group at “Creation”.  Until next time,…

Deal Island Fishing- June 24, 25: As the Wind Blows, and Blows, and Blows,...

June 24-25, 2011

June 24 was a true spur-of-the-moment venture.  Again the winds were blowing hard, this time as a cool front was moving in.  In fact the forecast was such that I had pretty much bagged the idea of fishing.  Well, I got off work at 11:30 am and set to work on my daughter’s car, thinking that the job would take all afternoon (I am not a great auto mechanic but I can just do enough to get me in trouble).  Good fortune prevailed and I found myself completed by 1:30.  Knowing that I had a 9:15 pm high tide and just past the summer solstice, I couldn’t resist the urge and bolted for Deal Island.  Unfortunately I couldn’t convince my son to drop everything as well, so I went solo.

True to for, the wind was blowing a gale when I got down there.  Well, at least 10-15 knots, with gusts to 20.  I watched the conditions closely throughout the afternoon and immediately prior to launch time I zipped down to the marina at the north end of the island, which is about ¼ mile from my place.  The water conditions looked fine, so I pulled the boat down to Wenona and launched around 6:30.  I knew things were going to be dicey as I exited the harbor and the waves began to smack into the bow of my boat.  Darn, I should have gone back into the thoroughfare instead.  Oh well, too late now so I pushed on, pretty much straight west and crossed the main channel.  Starting at about 25 ft depth, I noticed that this was the depth to fish at today.  More shallow than usual, not only was it slightly less turbulent than in deeper water but I also caught a fish or two right off the bat.  Used the drift sock which held be on my target depth pretty well.  Noticed the charter boat captains in the same area but deeper water, and I seemed to be catching more fish than them.  These guys, having bigger boats and with hydraulically retrieved anchors, are able to repeatedly anchor in spots in which it is not practical or sometimes even possible for me (I am no longer a fan of hoisting anchors by hand in depths greater than 40 feet).  Since the charter boat guys are trying to keep their customers happy, frequent moves and no tangled lines seem to be the name of the game.  I only have to please myself, and catching fish is a top priority, next to safety and comfort of course. At around 8:15 the water had settled enough that I chose to anchor at 25 ft, which I did until pulling out at around 9:15.  I motored back to dock just as it was getting difficult to see.  Calmer waters would have kept me in place into the dark and through the 1^st hour of the outgoing tide.  I think I kept 8 fish, released maybe 5 or 6.  The keepers were decent, again around 11-12 inch average.

Back to the camper, and assessed the weather for Saturday on the 11 pm news.  Forecast was for calmer waters, so early to bed and set the alarm of 0630.  Woke up, made a pot of coffee, grabbed my bait and headed back down to the ramp.  All looked great until I got out around the south end of the island, at which point the blustery northwest wind countered the incoming tide and played an entirely new set of havoc with me.  Wow, this was even more rough than the day before.  I am beginning to wonder if the wind will ever stop blowing in Tangier Sound in 2011.  Started drifting in 25-35 feet of water on the west side of the channel just north of Wenona, and caught a double header right off the bat.  So, this seemed encouraging !!  However, it turned out to be the highlight of the morning.  For whatever reason I had a really rough time getting the hook set on the bites I was getting, like surreal almost.  Endured the NW beating until the tide changed at about 0945.  Kept 6 fish, one of which was 14 inches.  With croaker, when you start dealing with fish 14 inches and larger, they fight REALLY well and are great fun to catch.  In fact last summer I had both a 14” and 16” fish on as a double header and felt something “pop” in my right elbow, leaving me with weakness and pain in the elbow that took until this spring to heal.  I had begun to believe the damage was permanent, especially since I had known of other people to damage their elbows fishing (Google it- there are a lot of these fishing injuries believe it or not).  Bait for both days was squid and shrimp.  May score some more soft crabs next trip down, which should be July 1 if all works out.

June 16-17 solo fishing, Deal Island

June 16, 2011:  Goal was to get in an evening fish to coincide with the tide change at around 9:15 pm.  The weather was particularly iffy upon arrival so I immediately opted to load up the smaller boat (14.5 ft jon boat) and fish the creek (Law’s Thorofare) behind Deal Island.  Wind blowing a steady 20-25 knts, and then the rain came.  Managed to catch 4 nice croaker (12-13) before having to flee for the dock.

June 17, 2011: Much nicer day, around 85F and with wind at 10-15 knots out of the SW.  Launched the bigger boat from Wenona, solo.  The new ramps at Wenona are awesome, and solo launching is so much easier.  Got out in the Sound at about 1pm to target a 3:45 pm high tide.  Crossed the main shipping channel to target the steep shoal on the other side, about 0.5 – 1.0 mile north of the Wenona harbor.  Bait was squid and shrimp, didn’t bother with softcrabs this time.  Started drifting starting 30 ft and ending at about 55 feet, trying out my new DRIFT SOCK.  I bought a medium sized sock just as an experiment, and ran it about 25 feet behind the boat.  Immediately started catching fish in shallow water, a bit unusual for a warm sunny day in June.  In fact, caught around 12 on my first few drifts, all in about 30-40 feet, and none in deeper water as the reports had indicated.  The sock worked reasonably well, as the wind and tide were both conspiring to push the drifting boat pretty quickly.  And then it all changed.  The wind dropped to about 5-10 and shifted to due South.  For about 2 or 3 drifts, I caught only a few small fish, quickly discarded.  Then I started catching them in 40-52 ft of water.  With the wind shift, I was able to hang on this depth for nice long drifts using the new sock.   I played this game until about 45 minutes after the tide changed, at which point I had reached my legal limit of 25 croakers.  Too tired to continue, I gladly called it a day.  The 25 fish ranged from 10.5 to 13 inches, with the average probably 11 – 12.  I threw back maybe 10 fish.  Was glad for the abundant catch but would have been happy for some bigger fish.  Hoping to get out for an evening fish sometime soon,..... The weird looking croaker above- I caught him and noticed he was missing half his dorsal fin, one of his pectoral fins, and had a lot of scarring.  Perhaps had been attacked by a bluefish earlier in life??

Late start to fishing; June 11 fishing report

Wow, FINALLY got going, much later than planned.  Initial delays focused around 1) traveling for work 3 out of 4 weeks , starting later April, and 2) replacing the 1984 camper with one from 1995.  The camper is working out well, it's bigger and nicer than the old one.  Not perfect but it will get me through a few more years (goal is 6 - 8 yrs). Sure would like to put up a permanent structure again someday.  Anyway, my son Blair and I finally launched the boat (17+ foot center console) on 1st of June only to have the motor quit 1/4 mile outside of the harbor.  To make a long story short, water had contaminated the fuel.  The story has a happy ending, no real damage and I fixed it myself.

Boat fixed, launched June 10 from Wenona.  Wow, the state of Maryland had closed the old ramp and replaced it with two really nice new ones.  Nice ramps, steep and long like they should be.  Needed to tilt the motor up more- note to self.  The wind was blowing a steady 20 knots out the east-southeast, which made for a churning mess in Tangier Sound.  So much for forecast of waves less than 1 ft.  Compounded with an incoming tide, holding a rig on bottom while drifting was nearly impossible.  My little center console was really overmatched with the chop, and on top of only catching two small fish, my son Blair and I got soaked coming back to Wenona after aborting the trip early.

June 11 was a little different.  Wind out of the due south resulted in waves about 2.5 feet but defined enough that it was workable.  Launched out of north end marine and diddled around on the 40-45 ft flat toward Sharkfin Shoal, which was a huge waste of time.  Finally took the plunge and barrelled toward the south end of the island.  Fished on the west side of the channel, holding pretty well in 40-60 foot of water.  The fish were there in about 45-55 ft, as expected for mid afternoon on a hot day.  Regret not making this move sooner, as we moderately-steadily caught croaker until the tide changed (about an hour) at which point it shut off (tide now coming in, along with the wind- pushed us hard).  We caught 17 fish, kept 11.  Most keepers were in 12-13 inch class, no monsters but nice fish.  Still hoping to get an evening fish in and catch them in more shallow water.  Final note- ordered a drift sock after this trip, which I had long thought about and am anxious to try.