Article by Capt. Matt Abell
We on the Eastern Shore are truly blessed. A week with light winds and calm seas have redeemed us from the plague of northeasterly gusts which kept our boats moored, reels silent, and hopes subdued, like water in a blow out ebb tide.
With the return of clean, clear water comes the smiles and bent rods of the seaside flounder fisherman. The last of the flood and the first of the ebb have provided the most productive setting for extreme Eastern Shore floundering. Silversides coupled with Gulp on Sea Hawk flounder rigs have been the ticket as a good number of fantastic flounder fillets were served on the dinner tables of those who cherish the pursuit of these spoils of the seaside shallows. The standard colors of white, chartreuse, and pink remain the reining champs. However, the Gulp Salmon Red (blaze orange) has also added to the boat side excitement.
We at Sea Hawk Sport Fishing among other steadfast anglers, continue our quest for tenacious trophies of the Tangier. This week we were lucky enough to take several groups out to enjoy the treasures of the Chesapeake while casting a mix of Rapala, mirrolure and the shores own paddle tails from the quality manufactures of Old Skool, and RumbleFish. While specs have been limited in numbers, the quality has been world class. The spotted shallow water scrappers have been secluded to grassy creek mouths where baitfish and shedding crabs are prevalent. Elsewhere on submerged structure, a mix of rock and blues have provided screaming drags and big smiles. We have had blues 18”-25” come over the gunwale and rock to nearly 30” fill the net. A rap-10 burned over the top of nearly any rock pile in the central Chesapeake is subject to be attacked by one of these predacious predators that will make a rod bend and a grown man forget about the trials and tribulations of life.
The lower bay has seen a good number of reds and sheepshead take the bait as anglers get ready for the opening of cobia next week. A chunk of bunker on a fish finder rig is all that’s needed to dance with the man in the brown suit. This years regs include a minimum size limit of 40” total length and 1 fish per person, with no more than 2 fish per vessel. Only one of the 2 fish may exceed 50”.
The deep blue of the Atlantic off Chincoteague have yielded a pretty good yellowfin bite on the troll in the canyons. Ballyhoo trolled on teasers like islander trackers have lured some of these pelagic prey to the dinner table. It won’t be long before we can consistently add mahi and billfish to the targeted tally for the day!
Don’t forget to join in for a great cause and sign up for the Mike Taylor Memorial Flounder Frenzy which will be held out of Sea Hawk Sports Center on June 16 & 17. Mike was a friend and fisherman who was taken from us far too early, and to commemorate him, the family and the Sea Hawk crew will be hosting a family friendly flounder contest in his honor. The entry is $20 per person and kids under 16 are free. All profits of the tournament will be donated to the National Down Syndrome Society which is dear to the hearts of the Taylor family. So grab the kids and their buddies and show everyone that not only are we blessed with the some of the best fishing in the world, but also the best people in this wonderful place we call home! §
