Article by Capt. Matt Abell
Hot weather, warm water, and the smell of smoke from burgers on the grill (or some other Canadian wildfire) tells us summer is here and it’s heating up. Hopefully, the fishing follows suit where the action and good times rival the fireworks of the fourth!
The latest news from the serene sanctuaries of the Chesapeake comes from anglers sporting a “sheepish” grin. Scrappy sheepshead have been successfully sought out in the structures and reefs from the CBBT all the way up to the Tangier Sound. The striped drag strippers have keyed in on chunks of crab deployed on a variety of bottom rigs and sweeper style jigs. These fish hold tight to structure and seem to become more active around the change of tide. There have been several monstrous toothy trophies brought over the gunwale. In fact, my friend Brian Wright had a massive 26.5 inch fish that stretched his line while creating a catch of a lifetime memory.
Elsewhere in the Chesapeake, nice blues have taken up residence around bay structures like the Watts Island rocks and the Tangier Target ships. These fish have been coerced into the net by casting and trolling rap-10’s as well as other baitfish imitating lures. Farther south, anglers have trolled Clarke and Drone spoons behind #1 planners or trolling sinkers for spanish mac’s. Soon these fish will move into the central bay and even in the nearshore waters of the Atlantic off the ESVA.
The cobia bite continues to be fairly consistent. Bait fishermen who have fished fresh bunker chunks on fishfinder rigs with 7/0-9/0 hook’s have had bent rods and big smiles. The sharks in the mid bay have not been terribly overwhelming, so a chum bucket dropped to the bottom off your anchor line may improve your chances. However you decide to dance with the man in the brown suit, it’s sure to be a wild ride!
The sometimes illusive Eastern Shore Flounder have graced us with their presence on the dinner plate thanks to clearing water. The last of the flood and the first of the ebb have provided the best opportunity to partake in this frenzy of flatfish. The areas around the inlets have been the scene of the hottest action. A gulp tipped jig with a minnow or silverside get credit for finagling finicky flounder on the fillet board and into to the freezer. If you desire a deeper water setting, the blackfish bank reef along with other structures off the coast of the ESVA have provided pullage as anglers use top and bottom style rigs and jigs to lure monsters out of their lair.
The offshore waters have seen a uptick in activity as anglers have trolled up some yellowfin and a few whites. Most of the successful reports hail from the Canyons. However, at the store we’ve started to move some butters so an inshore bite hopefully is in the making.
This past week I had the privilege of taking a friend of mine (who used to work with me at Sea Hawk when he was in high school) fishing. He had called with news that he was coming home from Texas and wanted to show a family member from back in the desert how we fish on the coast. My instructions were to put them on a bunch of big fish…a very tall order. So I thought what would be a memorable experience for a young man getting ready to go into the tenth grade? So we grabbed some bunker, chum and some 8/0 wire hooks and headed to Wachapreague. In no time at all my friends were cranking on some big sharks that would alleviate the need too jump overboard for a cooling dip even on the hottest of days. That young man got to pull his heart out on toothy critters to over 6’ in length, making lasting memories, and even get the chance for an oyster sandwich at the carnival on the way home . The fact is, sometimes we take opportunities for granted and get caught up with trophy expectations. But what we must remember is that having fun and fellowship is what counts while enjoying this wonderful place we call home. §
