Article by Capt. Matt Abell
Well, with temperatures like these, one could say fishing should get easier. The fish may want to leap from the hot waters of the ESVA to cool down in a frying pan of grease . Now that’s a bit of a fish tale exaggeration, but it is pretty dang hot! Lucky there’s some fish and fishermen alike that are tough enough or possibly crazy enough to brave the heat to keep things going.
Flounder, both inside the barrier islands as well as on near shore wrecks have been the center of our inshore activity. The flood tide still is producing the best conditions around the inlets with its cool clean water pouring in from the Atlantic. It’s truly amazing to feel God’s air conditioning kick in as you near the inlet. The thoughts of hot, stifling temperatures that leave us in a glaze of salt from perspiration instead of sea spray are literally melted away and replaced with bent rods and smiles. The baits of choice are silversides or minnows coupled with Gulp and teasers with color combinations including orange, chartreuse, pink and white. The flatties that have taken up residence on our nearby reefs and wrecks have been taking jigs tipped with Gulp twitched directly over the structure.
Elsewhere, in the clear blue waters adjacent to our Eastern Shore, triggerfish continue to stretch lines around shallow wrecks where anglers offer small pieces of clam floated back in chum slicks. The sighting of coastal cobia have also improved around some of these same structures that offer an oasis of sea life.
In deeper depths, tuna are smoking drags as the chunk bite continues to keep steaks on the grill and smiles on our faces. Anglers on the troll have also had the chance to tango with some tuna as well as a handful of billfish, bigeyes, mahi and even a reported king sized king mackerel to add to the pelagic prize list.
The middle Chesapeake has had a little bit of an increase of activity in regards to speckled trout. Early morning flood tide has allowed some cooler water during prime feeding time. These spotted trophies of the shallows have been tempted into the net by paddle tails, mirrodines and topwater “walk the dog” lures fished through the thick grasses of the ESVA Chesapeake shores and islands.
Anglers continue their quest for cobia from the Smith Island target ship all the way down to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.
Sight casting has been the most productive technique as these brown suited brawlers have spread throughout the area. Anglers targeting spanish mackerel have had increasingly good results trolling 0 size Clark spoons trailing #1 and #2 planers. Silver, pink, green and gold spoons have helped to lure these speedy spotted quarry into the cooler and onto the dinner table. The reefs of the lower Chesapeake as well of the CBBT have been the scene of some pretty good sheepshead fishing along with a by-catch of juvenile black drum.
Bottom fishing has been fairly steady with anglers boating a mix of kingfish, hardheads and spot on bloodworms and crab baits.
We are so lucky to have such opportunities to enjoy the waters around the Eastern Shore. This week in addition to world class fishing there will be the 97th pony swim at Chincoteague. This is a really neat spectacle to participate in that leaves a mark on all, young and old alike. So whether you’re wrangling a tuna, tempting a trout or watching the saltwater cowboys swim a herd of Eastern Shore mustangs across Assateague channel, get out there, stay hydrated, and enjoy this awesome place we call home! §
