Susky Flats 4-30

[2dogs]

Flew the skunk again. Six hours of plugging with 1 LMB to show for it.
This season has been terrible for me.

[marlinmatt]

ken sorry to hear that.. it isnt for a lack of the effort for sure with you.. you definatley put the time in.. It surely isnt what it use to be.

[capt. ed]

I was supposed to host Capt. Skip from the Stalker Thursday. I had to tell him not to waste his time. I spoke with two other guides last night. Russ W. got skunked, and Tom H. caught one largemouth bass on a Tony spoon. No Stripers caught by either boat.

Cancelled today for combined weather and lousy fishing. Working on cancelling the weekend trips.

Absolutely terrible year.

[striper2278]

Thinks it's anything to do with all the VA boats keeping all those fish all winter?

[Skmag357]

Thinks it's anything to do with all the VA boats keeping all those fish all winter?

Yep!:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

[2dogs]

I'm thinking about going down bay and try some trolling. I'm getting desperate for a tug.
I had a banner day last spring in the ocean, maybe I'm paying it back now.
We had 21 fish between 28 and 48 lbs.

[capt. ed]

There is no doubt the total population is down. However, I think more is at play in relation to the Flats. For whatever reasons, less fish are hanging out in the area, choosing to spawn south of us, either in the main bay or up the rivers before reaching the flats. Less herring, fewer shad, environmental factors . . . ?

Ken I'll be dusting the cobwebs off my trolling array this weekend. The other boat is in the slip in Rock Hall and ready to go. It ain't really my area of expertise, but I gotta get some fish in the boat!

[Flyguy784]

Sorry to hear that Ed. I believe the over harvesting of the cows, all winter, down in Va doesn't help. Caught a little over 100 bass on the flats this year but biggest was only 12 lb. Time to hit the ocean, I'm ok with that. Ken, I always did well in the Hooper island/Calvert Cliffs/Cedar point area. Bit of a drive but never let me down. I get up to Sandy Hook quite a bit thru the season. Love that area as well. Do well in the Cape May zone too, so many places so little time.
Capt Ed, ever do anything with the Cobia run down bay ? Or the spring run of reds? I tryed a couple times but my boat is a little to small to fish it effectivly.

[md10392]

Flew the skunk again. Six hours of plugging with 1 LMB to show for it.
This season has been terrible for me.


Try cut, live, or dead herring!

I cease to amaze me how some of you think bait fishing is so savage. Not too high and almighty when you are chucking lure and getting skunked with the good ole boys who just want to catch fish uses the correct bait slays them?:razz:

[Flyguy784]

Just a little too easy for some guys. We've probably all fished bait when we were starting out. For many it's as important how they caught a fish as it is to catch one. Not high and mighty at all, just relish the higher level of challenge. It's not all about just catching a big fish it's about honing your angling skills to a razors edge. Not putting down bait guys here, do your thing, what ever floats your bait. By the way, the phrase is, "it never ceases to amaze me". Although you very well may have ceased to amaze you. ;)

[capt. ed]

Never seen a cobia in my travels, don't get far enough south for them. Reds? Believe or not every year I see big Reds close to home. Very hard to catch and unreliable as to when they show exactly. Couple charter boat captains have them figured out further south, around Soloman's.
I'll stay around Rock Hall till late summer/fall. Then I'll start running the center console in Eastern Bay, Poplar Island area. Small rock, blues, and even a few spanish mackeral from August on.

[mmoroz789]

If I head to Rock Hall is do I need to troll or can I do some light takle set-ups?

[capt. ed]

little early to jig 'em down there, but not impossible. Later in the summer they start schooling up and holding to structure and are quite catchable on lures. Fall can be a blast with working birds and breaking fish.

[2dogs]

Ed, I already spoke with Skeeter and Russ. Maybe we can put something together for the Rock Hall area. I have jury duty this week, so maybe after that. I'll be in touch. Ken

I've used bait and did well. I just don't care for the method as much as plugging. I will use live bait, I enjoy live lining bunker and eeling too. Just something about dead sticking....
Nothing like getting them to eat a chunk of plastic or a mouthful of feathers and hair. Whatever gets you there.
John Yank got me fired up on the long rod this year. Now I have 2 and plan to learn to catch fish with them.

[SRF]

Flyguy

I use to fish the Calvert Cliff and cedar point area my self. The power plant, gas dock, the old lighthouse, chinese mud, and on and on. Alot of structure and was a great area to fish. I have alot of good memories there.........only place I have ever been spooled.

Did you fish with Brady?

[Flyguy784]

Did fish with a guide down there a long time ago. I believe his name was Mike. Out of Hoopers Island. Back when you could fish the gas docks. What a great area, the fishing, the people and the environment. I had friends that owned property on Hoopers and would stay there while on fishing weekends. Catching crabs and croakers for the evening fish fry. Some really good times.

[capt. ed]

Mike Murphy still runs out of Jones Marina on Hoopers.

[Flyguy784]

That would be him Capt. Had an 18 inch striper along side the boat and outa nowhere comes a 48" bass trying to eat the shorty thrashing at the surface. Right at the Calvert discharge.

[AFISHN]

Used to fish Calvert Cliffs quite a bit about 8 years a go.
Also did very well the dozen or so times I made the trip down there when I lived in Delaware

The first few times I fished it with an unbelievably nice and knowledgable guide named Norm Bartlet(sp?).
I believe he was from Joppa ,MD

Is he still guiding and/or living in the area???

[capt. ed]

Good ol Capt Norm. One of the most knowledgable guides on the bay for many years. Getting up in years now. Spends his time trying to ban chumming arguing that it is pollution. Not many folks know the Chesapeake like Norm does.