I have been going to Harrison’s Chesapeake House on Tilghman Island for many years, and every trip is better than the last. It’s one of those all-inclusive resorts, but its excellent hospitality and Eastern Shore cooking make it stand out from the rest.
According to my grandmother, my great-grandmother came from Tilghman Island. This probably explains why all the food at Harrison’s reminds me of home cooking: The fried chicken and stewed tomatoes are exactly like the same dishes she made in her kitchen.
Whether you arrive at Harrison’s Chesapeake House by car or by boat, you will immediately realize you are no longer in the hustle and bustle of the rat race. The friendly folks who check you in are more interested in your comfort than getting to the next person in line. The view from your room of the beautiful water and the boats bobbing at the dock is more relaxing than any cityscape.
Harrison’s is a four-generation operation. Buddy Harrison’s grandfather started taking out fishermen in the early 1900s, and his grandmother ran the kitchen. This tradition continues today with Buddy’s son, Bud, doing the day-to-day operation. Bud has improved the accommodations by redoing all the rooms and building a meeting/dining room that can be used for large gatherings. Quite a few corporations have meetings at Harrison’s where business and fishing mix quite well.
The best way for an angler to experience Harrison’s Chesapeake House is on the Buddy Plan, a combination fishing and dining trip that begins with a delicious dinner followed by a night in one of the recently remolded rooms. In the morning, you are treated to a big Eastern Shore breakfast, and then sent out for a day of fishing with a massive lunch. Once you are back at the dock, you can load your car and pick up your cleaned fish as you leave the island. In case you plan to skip out on your bill, let this little story dissuade you. It seems four gentlemen were trying to leave the island without paying their bill. Buddy called his two cousins: the bridge operator and the sheriff. When the miscreants arrived at the bridge, it was up. When it came back down, the sheriff was waiting on the other side.
All of my trips to Harrison’s have revolved around fishing. Back in the day we targeted big bluefish, and now rockfish are the primary attraction. Beginning with the spring trophy season right on through the summer and fall, when smaller fish are caught on live spot, the good fishing is consistent. The boats in the Harrison fleet are large and can accommodate big fishing parties, making Harrison’s a popular place for large groups. One big advantage to having large boats is the lack of motion on all but the roughest days. While a few folks would be seasick on the Queen Mary before it left the dock, I have never seen anyone get sick while fishing on a Harrison boat.
My most recent trip last summer was a perfect example. We left the dock around 7 a.m. and were fishing by 8. As soon as our live spot hit bottom, it was inhaled by a rockfish. We had two fish in the box for all onboard by 9:30. Then it was off to the spot where all hands caught these little fish two at a time. Once the live well was refilled, we headed in. I was on the road with my four filets in the cooler before lunch.
If there are people in your party that don’t care to fish, no problem. Tilghman Island has much history to explore, and St. Michaels is just a short drive back towards Easton. Warning! The shops at St. Michaels can cause a credit card to limit out very quickly.
Getting to Harrison’s Chesapeake House is easy. From Easton follow Route 33 through St. Michaels, across the drawbridge at Knapps Narrows. Harrison’s Chesapeake House will be on your left. If you come by boat go through Knapps Narrows and follow the channel around to the dock at Harrison’s Chesapeake House.
by Eric Burnley
Harrison's Chesapeake House is now the Wylder Hotel Tilghman Island. The hotel has been completely renovated, yet embraces its history by continuing its charter fishing expeditions with the same fleet of captains.