Article by Capt. Matt Abell
The ESVA has gotten a little busier with the holiday weekend upon us. More traffic on the roads, more trailers at the ramp and more boats in your secret spot. Luckily there is plenty of fish and fun to go around during this incredible Independence Day!
The inshore wrecks have been getting a lot of attention as anglers target a mixed bag of spades, triggers, ribbonfish, flounder and even tog as the season reopened. The flounder have been lured into the cooler with a variety of baits like long squid strips, minnows, silversides and smelt deployed on bottom rigs. This technique works well when the current requires extra weight to stay in the strike zone on the bottom. However, when the current subsides, a 5-6 inch Gulp displayed on a 1-1/2 to 4 ounce jig like a spro bucktail seems to do the trick. Ribbonfish are an incidental addition to the trip as they actively prey on the baits intended for hungry flatfish. The shallower structure has produced suspended spades and triggers. A small piece of clam fished under float are all that is needed to tempt these tropical looking trophies to the dinner plate. Don’t forget, cobia are lurking in some of these same areas, so make sure you have an eel or jig to capitalize on a chance encounter.
Speaking of cobia, the Chesapeake continues to produce some quality fish, although action has cooled off considerably. Bunker chunks fished on the bottom using fish finder rigs has still been the most consistent producer, while sight casting has accounted for good numbers as well. The lower bay has also had good reports of spanish being trolled up on 0 and 00 Clarke spoons behind #1-#2 planners. Sheepshead continue to take baits of crab in and around structure like pilings and reefs. Bull reds are still patrolling the grassy flats for shedding crabs. Anglers continue to enjoy bent rods on these scrappy spot tails as long as they can stand the shear numbers of rays that plague the sultry summertime shallows.
The seaside barrier islands and their shorelines of surf and suds have entertained anglers with an array of aquatic offerings. Flounder continue to be the guest of honor on the table of many hungry anglers. These tasty bottom dwellers have been taking silversides and minnows coupled with Gulp swimming mullet or squid strips on brightly colored teasers fished during both sides of high water in and around the inlets of the ESVA. Hardhead fishing has been fairly consistent although the size of these little croaking creatures has been less impressive. The catch and release shark fishery is in full swing as sandbars, blacktops, and lemons invade the coastal bays to pup a new generation of toothy tussling trophies. Cut baits like bunker and mackerel fished with chum in deeper holes on a ebb tide are all that is required for ripping drags and smiling young’uns. This past Wednesday I was lucky to take a father and his two sons fishing. After catching a few flounder for dinner we set up for some incredible inshore shark action that had those two boys sweating and smiling. We boated about a dozen pugnacious predators in short order with three of the fish approaching the 6 foot length. You can only imagine the delight of my cranking crew as we made memories that will last forever.
I hope we all take a minute to reflect on how lucky we are to live in a country that affords us the opportunity to enjoy the blessings that God has given. Everything a sportsman or woman could ask for right here in this wonderful place we call home! §
