Article by Capt. Mark Sampson
The term “knowledge is power” is sometimes used in the business world to describe how knowing as much as possible about one’s business environment can translate to a successful business. I’ve always figured that the same thing holds true when it comes to hunting and fishing, because if you have a decent understanding of the natural environment - you’re going to have more success as a sportsman. Consider the indigenous peoples of Africa, the cold northern latitudes and throughout North America, the natives of those lands didn’t just know about the antelope, the walrus, the deer, the fish and all the plants that they pursued for food, they also knew much about everything else that lived or grew around them and there’s no doubt they were better hunter-gatherers for it.
A lot of fishermen these days can tell you all about the habits of the fish they target but very little about anything else that swims, floats or flies near their boat each day. I guess that shouldn’t be much of a surprise considering it’s rare to find much published for fishermen that talks about anything but how to catch a particular fish. I guess the other stuff isn’t “interesting” enough. How many anglers would eagerly buy magazines with feature articles about spider crabs, sea cucumbers or eel grass? As important as that flora and fauna may be to the health of a flounder, tuna or any other game fish, such information is just not going to catch an angler’s interest as much as articles about “plugging for striped bass” or “kayaking for blue marlin”.
These days when knowledge about almost anything is just a click of a mouse away, we have the ability to learn from the comfort of our desk chair what our early ancestors came to know only after years of observation and experience. But too many of us still know “squat” about most of the life that surrounds us. Take seagulls for instance. I’m guessing there’s a lot of veteran anglers out there that can’t name three species of common gulls in this area, even though they’re as much a part of our local landscape as the water itself. How about the turtles we see offshore? Can you tell a loggerhead from a leatherback? Do you know that the leatherback is considered the largest turtle in the world and that it lives on a diet of strictly jellyfish, while the more common loggerhead eats a varied diet that might include fish, seaweed, conchs and crabs? Is that even important? I say “yes!”
Though knowing about the different types of whales, dolphins, sea grasses, corals, sponges or even the lowly horseshoe crab may not have a direct result of getting a finicky tuna to take your bait or rockfish to bite your bucktail, such knowledge will give the angler a better perspective of what’s going in the surrounding waters, which could ultimately translate to more fish on the line. For instance; the presence of some seabirds like terns, petrels and shearwaters can be a strong indicator of the presence of feeding game fish while herring gulls or black backs usually are not. A loggerhead turtle hanging around one area can signal the presence of a wreck or reef and, therefore, a good fishing spot but the sight of a leatherback is not likely going to be much help to an angler. Knowledge is power!
On June 15 and 16 under a big tent at the Ocean City Fishing Center in West Ocean City, sportsmen and anyone else who is interested in learning more about the plants, animals and a lot of other things that go on in the natural environment are invited to the 1st Annual Outdoors Delmarva event. Exhibitors at this free event will be there to provide the public with all kinds of good information about what goes on in Delmarva’s outdoor environment. Whether you’re there for knowledge that will help you become a better hunter or angler, or just there to learn about the life you see when you sit on the beach with your family – Outdoors Delmarva will be a fun and educational experience for all.
Visitors from Outdoors Delmarva will have the opportunity to learn about kayaking, wildfowl art, local birds, eco tours, the Salisbury Zoo, our coastal bays, the OC Running Club, Assateague Island, the National Aquarium’s Marine Animal Rescue Program (whales, dolphins, turtles, and seals), horseshoe crab research and tagging, the NMFS Highly Migratory Species (tuna, sharks, billfish) Division, as well as shark fishing, conservation and research. Visitors to the event will also have the opportunity to see and meet the stars of WBOC-TV’s Outdoors Delmarva program Mike Parker and Captain Willy from Chopper-16.
Outdoors Delmarva will be happening Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16 from 1:00 pm until 7:00 pm, just 100-yards away from the weigh-ins of the Ocean City Shark Tournament which will occur on the docks from 3:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Between the tournament and the Outdoors Delmarva event there is going to be a lot happening at the Ocean City Fishing Center over Father’s Day weekend, and whether you’re a sportsman or someone who just loves the outdoors, Outdoors Delmarva will be the place to be to gain the “power” of “knowledge!”
Event coordinator for Outdoors Delmarva is Gail Blazer. She can be contacted at [email protected] or 443-497-3745.
Captain Mark Sampson is an outdoor writer and captain of the charter boat “Fish Finder”, docked at the Ocean City Fishing Center.
