Flats fishing has been tough

[capt. ed]

Sorry for not posting up more, but it's been difficult to come up with positives about the past weeks trips. There are a few fish around, and when you catch one it's usually fairly large, but long slow hours between bites is not what we are accustomed to here on the Flats.
Some decent fish caught topwater over the past two days. Most success is on live herring though. Tons of herring all over the Flats and hordes of white perch everywhere you drop a jig.

Yesterday was especially tough. I had three "rocket scientists" (really) aboard. Light tackle jigging was not their specialty and I could see a skunk coming on. Brought up some herring and livelined 'em down at the southern end. I'm drifting right along with Walleye Pete and Mike Benjamin. Luck of the draw has Petes crew catching three good fish, while we go O for one all morning. My crew grew bored and bagged the trip early on me. Dropped them off in Perryville and decided to make an effort to get the skunk off before heading back to my ramp. Hit the dropoff out from Turkey on the way in and WHAM, nice fat 20 lber comes to the boat. Ah skunk erased.

Pete called and said they got two more out in the skinny, so five fish for his crew. Might be okay for soaking bunker in the Delaware Bay, but it's disappointing for Flats fisherman, when some of the best guides and fisherman can only manage to scratch out a few fish each day.

I'm calling it off for the weekend. Should be a zoo. Back out Monday.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h21/captainedwin/withpete004.jpg

[Timmy T]

My buddy Miller (he posts here) hes got a 14 foot boat, we are heading out Monday either to the river or the flats. Sounds like the river if the flats keep up like this. Can you do me a favor Ed and post if you hear about anything over the weekend? I know you are not fishing but if you get reports will you throw them up on this thread to help make my decision over the weekend? I'd really appreciate it

Sorry to hear things have been slow for you, hopefully it will pick up

[DEEP POCKETS]

Thanks for the report Capt Ed, bad news and a real tough day for you and your clients but at least you salvaged the trip with a nice fish. When the best guides on the flats arent catching fish, tells me the fish arent around in numbers. Discouraging to say the least, hope it turns on for ya next week.

So whats the consensus, why do you and other experienced guides think the fishing is so far off now? Clean water, good temps and plenty of bait, but no stripers:confused: Cant blame it on the full moon, we have had successful trips in the past right around the full moon. Must be there in spawning.

[DEEP POCKETS]

Oops, double post

[capt. ed]

Here's an example report from another board from yesterday:

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Took my brother (who has never fished) and his friend, Norm for a day of fishing on the flats yesterday. Enjoyed a beautiful day of touring and cruising the flats. Went to each lighthouse and took pictures, saw the eagle nested North of Sandy Point. Met the nice APG policeman (Are they hiring for that job!) Oh, yeah, the fishing. Fished the entire outgoing tide. Marked fish and saw several caught by a boat livelining herring in a self created chum slick. Saw a famous guide receive herring from this boat and fish live herring as well.

For us, one bump. Zero fish and no, I didn't eat a banana for breakfast . I explained to my brother and his friend that the flats are a world class LTJ fishery that is flatgitating to fish due to its unpredictability. I had sounded the warning alarm that I believe next week will be the week.

Oh yeah, normally I am gunning for fish the entire trip, rarely relaxing, always on the hunt. However yesterday I did something new. I took a 1/2 hour nap!

At least one good thing, the boat didn't break down like the last two trips. See you next week on the flats. It will be awesome or maybe it will be flatgitating . You never know, unless you go!
Oh yeah, if you were on the flats yesterday and caught a 100 fish, please disguise your post so that I will not read it and become more flatgitated!!!

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some guys I know went up the Elk River last night to go "Catfishing" with fresh herring supplied by me. They caught a bunch of really nice catties, and one small striper. You'd think soaking fresh cut herring would catch more than catfish, especially at night. Also spoke with a waterman who has 40 nets in the Sassafrass River. Other than two cows last week, he reported no stripers in his nets. The Susky River up to Port Deposit has not produced the past few days for those baitfishing up that way. The fish just aren't here, atleast not in numbers.
Trollers down the bay are having mixed success, with around half of their catches not spawned yet. So still more fish making their way up.

[Timmy T]

Do you think because of the off and on weather the fish have come up in small groups to spawn at different times instead of all at once and therefore they seem scattered?

[marlinmatt]

My buddy Miller (he posts here) hes got a 14 foot boat, we are heading out Monday either to the river or the flats. Sounds like the river if the flats keep up like this. Can you do me a favor Ed and post if you hear about anything over the weekend? I know you are not fishing but if you get reports will you throw them up on this thread to help make my decision over the weekend? I'd really appreciate it

Sorry to hear things have been slow for you, hopefully it will pick up


timmy i was there last night for a few hrs and hit a few fish.. but i will be out again saturday and sunday.. ill let you know how we make out. trying to go this flats season without 1 skunk! ahhh

[procastinator]

This is the first year in many that I didn't fish the flats at all. Business dealings, boat repower, and weather kept me home til it was time to start fishing up north. Looks like it was a good year to not fish the flats. Capt. Ed, I feel for you , Captains are under alot of pressure to put their fares on the fish. The flats are tough because it is pretty much a one species game. I have the luxery of distracting fares with a drop for seabass, or , an all out bluefish pounding. :D Hopefully it happens for you next week. :)

[THE GOOCH]

Talked to a friend who's name I won't mention.....who fishes the river between the conowingo dam and the 95 bridge....yes its illegal and he will sweat all day long that he is fishing for walleye...he also releases every fish he catches....uses single barbless hooks and makes sure every fish swims away. So before we get to bashing let me explain my concerns....
This dude has fished hard 2-3 nights a week since late march and has less the 5 fish. The past 9 years that i've been friends with this guy I have seen more pics with 40/50 and even a few 60lb bass and it wasn't uncommon to hear of 20-25 fish nights....this year nada....Sure we had a bad winter up north and had lots of snow runoff and the season was late yada yada yada....but I think the real problem is the boats in NC keeping all those cows...the same fish that are swimming into the rivers to spawn. Hearing this news makes me extremely nervous about the future of our stock....what are your thoughts???
BTW I tried one night at lapidum on a cut herring and got a 42lb bass but only 1 all night....not good

[Flyguy784]

Talked to a friend who's name I won't mention.....who fishes the river between the conowingo dam and the 95 bridge....yes its illegal and he will sweat all day long that he is fishing for walleye...he also releases every fish he catches....uses single barbless hooks and makes sure every fish swims away. So before we get to bashing let me explain my concerns....
This dude has fished hard 2-3 nights a week since late march and has less the 5 fish. The past 9 years that i've been friends with this guy I have seen more pics with 40/50 and even a few 60lb bass and it wasn't uncommon to hear of 20-25 fish nights....this year nada....Sure we had a bad winter up north and had lots of snow runoff and the season was late yada yada yada....but I think the real problem is the boats in NC keeping all those cows...the same fish that are swimming into the rivers to spawn. Hearing this news makes me extremely nervous about the future of our stock....what are your thoughts???
BTW I tried one night at lapidum on a cut herring and got a 42lb bass but only 1 all night....not goodI think you should tell your friend to follow the friggin rules and do the right thing. I don't giva sh*& that he's careful. Rules are rules dude, we just can't pick and choose to what suits us. I know a couple guys that fish up there. They're not on my boat anymore. And I don't respect them as men or fishermen at this point. None of us are above the law, not even the special people. I bet they have a bogis handycap sticker too. Let's all of us get up river and stress those fish out then maybe next year they won't bother to come up here at all. I'll bet I know your friend.

[Timmy T]

Have you seen years like this in the past Ed, where it was just off or is this like historically bad?

[marlinmatt]

haha its fine guys theres been years that have been worse then others.. but look at the positive signs of this year..the big girl breeders that have been caught ive never seen so many 50lbers and i even managed one myself.. and that hasnt happened to often. i cant complain last weekend we had over 100fish in two days.. but no season has been better then 1998s in numbers wise.. but the quality size fish of this year.. we have nothing to complain about.

[Timmy T]

glad to hear its just an off year and not time to panic:eek:

[THE GOOCH]

I think you should tell your friend to follow the friggin rules and do the right thing. I don't giva sh*& that he's careful. Rules are rules dude, we just can't pick and choose to what suits us. I know a couple guys that fish up there. They're not on my boat anymore. And I don't respect them as men or fishermen at this point. None of us are above the law, not even the special people. I bet they have a bogis handycap sticker too. Let's all of us get up river and stress those fish out then maybe next year they won't bother to come up here at all. I'll bet I know your friend.


I understand what your saying but like I said i'm not condoning what he does otherwise i'd be doing it myself....I'm not quite sure why they make it illegal to catch and release up there since the same fish can be caught on the flats, up the delaware or choptank....but theres a big fine so I stay out...I did however drive home last night at 85 mph so I'm a criminal too I guess...either way I believe that the big breeders are getting thinner down there....I have seen pics from a few years ago where he got 3 bass over 60lbs in 1 night.....now he hasn't had a 60 in a few yrs and 50s are hard to come by....lets all face facts its going to happen sooner or later....5 yrs ago the dog was onfire with tunas.....last year we had mackeral. weaking used to be all over the place, and look at it now....

[THE GOOCH]

haha its fine guys theres been years that have been worse then others.. but look at the positive signs of this year..the big girl breeders that have been caught ive never seen so many 50lbers and i even managed one myself.. and that hasnt happened to often. i cant complain last weekend we had over 100fish in two days.. but no season has been better then 1998s in numbers wise.. but the quality size fish of this year.. we have nothing to complain about.


Matt not to bust your stones but you reference 1998 as being the best numbers wise....you would've been 10/11 then???? Am I to believe you were down there killing them at 10/11 yrs old???? I took my cousin down 2 yrs ago when he was 10 and he could barely hold onto the rod when a big bass hit....and he's a big athletic kid. I think your taking the situation of the stocks too lightly....how mnay big fish did you see down there this year??? From what I was told from a local DNR guy the fish they got during a shock survey were much smaller then pervious years...

[2dogs]

Fished the flats today. Wind howling as usual. Tried several spots. All the fish I marked were in 15' of water. Managed 10 rats around 1 bouy on Gulp Herring and a 1/2 oz jig. Better then a skunk.Go get'em Matt. Even the hot dog didn't work today.

[marlinmatt]

Matt not to bust your stones but you reference 1998 as being the best numbers wise....you would've been 10/11 then???? Am I to believe you were down there killing them at 10/11 yrs old???? I took my cousin down 2 yrs ago when he was 10 and he could barely hold onto the rod when a big bass hit....and he's a big athletic kid. I think your taking the situation of the stocks too lightly....how mnay big fish did you see down there this year??? From what I was told from a local DNR guy the fish they got during a shock survey were much smaller then pervious years...

no problem gooch i was twelve years old and running my own boat out there, im not one of those little mutants that doesnt form until the age of 16, i caught my first white marlin and tuna at the age of 12 i got my boaters safety course in febuary and as soon as catch and release opened up i was out there on my own most days.. see i have been on the water with my old man since the age of 3, that man taught me everything i know on the water, there was days i went out and had 150+ fish all on stickbait bombers in 4-6 feet of water, and the size quality just wasnt there... they were all 22-26inches.. this year we had rats mixed in also.. but look how many 50lbers were caught.. just because you didnt get into them doesnt mean they werent there.. i know of atleast 12-15 counts of 50+lb fish. now you cant say the quality size fish arent there because that just isnt the case. not to bust any stones there either..

ken, ahh what can you do? hopefully they will turn on sometime shortly atleast you got a few rats to save the day. last night was alittle slow for us also but we'll be after em bright and early tommorow... take care ken, you going to run out anymore this c&r season?

[capt. ed]

We've had worse years than this one for sure. Those times the water quality was so poor it wasn't worth trying. The past week has seen good clarity for the most part and the temps have very gradually risen up through the range.
Bait is abundant as well. Everything looks ripe for easy pickins like those years when ANYONE can catch all they can stand (like last year). We'll have to wait and see how things pan out, how the trollers down the bay finish up and what becomes of the rest of spring even after C & R is closed to make any determinations on the overall stock.

[Flyguy784]

I understand what your saying but like I said i'm not condoning what he does otherwise i'd be doing it myself....I'm not quite sure why they make it illegal to catch and release up there since the same fish can be caught on the flats, up the delaware or choptank....but theres a big fine so I stay out...I did however drive home last night at 85 mph so I'm a criminal too I guess...either way I believe that the big breeders are getting thinner down there....I have seen pics from a few years ago where he got 3 bass over 60lbs in 1 night.....now he hasn't had a 60 in a few yrs and 50s are hard to come by....lets all face facts its going to happen sooner or later....5 yrs ago the dog was onfire with tunas.....last year we had mackeral. weaking used to be all over the place, and look at it now....Gooch, I'm not bustin your stones either. I'm glad you're not into it, it just pisses me off. Guys that piss and moan about the fishing and then go out and take the easy road with no concerne for the regs. Saw it to many times, saw it ruin to many fisheries. I live on the Brandywine, it used to be a fantastic smallmouth fishery. Now it's not. All because of a couple guys deciding they knew better and over harvesting. i'm done. A little ranting never hurt anyone, right?