Recently I shared the water with a fisher of such relentless efficiency I had no chance to keep pace. So, being the student of the game that I am, I set the rod down and watched, hoping to glean some trick or nuance to add to my skill set. Unfortunately, no. Unless somehow I could hold my breath and dive 20 feet down into 55-degree Bay water, game over. Point to the loon.
Far less intriguing but nonetheless an indication the fishing season is fast coming to a close is the shrink-wrap frenzy. I admit I get a little forlorn when I see my neighbors boats shrouded in white plastic.
And while our fishing opportunities may be limited, they do exist. I plan to cast on quiet waters to pickerel and panfish, maybe even a freshwater trout. At least one, maybe two tautog trips are also on my agenda. And I’ll keep an eye on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel for a major, major blitz, provided the weather’s tolerable. Days of getting beat up in rough seas and bone-numbing winds for a few rockfish, however, are in my rearview mirror.
Of course, the winter boat and fishing show circuit will crank up in January, with shows large and small on the docket. On January 17, check out Maryland Saltwater Sportfishing Association’s (MSSA) Frederick chapter’s sixth annual Saltwater Fishing Expo. The day-long event runs from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Frederick County Fairgrounds in Frederick, MD. PropTalk is a proud sponsor, and I will be one of the seminar speakers.
The Baltimore Boat Show is always a good way to spend the day. It will run from January 29 through February 1 at the Baltimore Convention Center. My Virginia friends have the Mid-Atlantic Sports & Boat Show February 6-8 at the Virginia Beach Convention Center and the Richmond Fishing Expo, Jan 16-18 at state fairgrounds in Doswell, as well as the National Capital Sportsman Show at the Fredericksburg Expo Center from January 30 through February 1. For a complete listing of all of the boat shows and fishing expos, click to
proptalk.com/winter-shows.
Here’s how PropTalk’s pros suggest wetting a line this month. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, be safe, and good fishing!
~ Captain Chris D. Dollar
DELAWARE
PropTalk’s Eric Burnley says anglers could catch a few rockfish in the ocean this month.
“They will be found under diving birds and may be caught by trolling plugs or casting metal lures,” he says. “Beginning on January 1, the bag limit for rockfish will be one fish, and the size limit will remain at 28 inches.”
Eric says that tautog are more likely to be caught into January with inshore reef sites the best locations (See “Fish Spot” on page 46). “Green crab will be the top bait with clam, conch or fiddler crabs also used,” he suggests. “The tog bite will continue all winter unless the water temperature drops below 36 degrees.”
Captain Chuck Cook of First Light Charters will be targeting stripers, tautog and sea bass for the remainder of the year. “Running both day and night charters out of Lewes and Indian River, there should be plenty of action to keep everybody catching fish,” he says. “If you have never tried your luck at anchoring up to a wreck and tog fishing, give it a try; it might turn out to be your favorite fish to fish for.”
Captain Chuck will fish through the next several weeks, wrapping up the season after the first week of January, and he plans to start fishing again in mid- March.
MARYLAND
Captain Harry Nield, skipper of the Deal Island-based charter boat KingFish II, will be running hard to hunt down the fall migratory stripers as well as continuing to catch the resident fish we have schooled up if they hold up.
“Also I will be doing some sea duck charters. The ducks are here now and seem to be very plentiful already,” he adds. If you’re looking for a little cast or blast, you can get in touch with him via PropTalk’s Charter Fishing section in the spring.
Captain Sonney Forrest of Reel Relief Charters (Solomons, MD), is hanging in the Keys this winter. He does, however, offer selected trips for Bay fishermen looking to get warm and catch fish. He’s at Boot Key Harbor in Marathon, FL, and fishes from his 26-foot center console.
This month Captain Monty Hawkins will sail from the Ocean City Fishing Center, focusing on tautog and sea bass. If you want to try this fun style of fishing, you can get on the email list to be notified for December sea bass and January tautog fishing dates (morningstarfishing.com).
For the next four weeks, Captain Walt of Light Tackle Charters will spend his days with clients on the “sweetwater” of the upper reaches of the Pocomoke River targeting crappie, yellow perch, and pickerel.
“The crappie and yellow perch can be numerous (50 each in a day), and the pickerel get very big in the Pocomoke River,” he says. “I just outfitted my guide business with a new 18-foot, all welded aluminum jonboat matched to a Yamaha outboard that will be perfect for this wintertime fishing.” His clients will cast ultra-light tackle (4-6 LB Spinning Gear and 4-7 Wt Fly Gear).
Captain Walt says the great thing about fishing the Pocomoke River in the winter months is “that it winds back and forth down the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia so much that I can always find a location that is in the sun and out of the wind that will hold fish. So there’s no need to stop fishing in the winter months.” If you’re looking for a fun, inexpensive trip, consider booking a trip. “Kids love this kind of action packed fishing, and I love teaching them how to do it successfully,” he adds.
Captain Kevin Josenhans of Josenhans Fly Fishing is taking a break from shows and seminars this winter. He will probably just fish the Pocomoke all winter. “I don’t plan on fishing the CBBT unless there is a major blitz and nice weather,” he said. Amen to that.
When he’s not duck or deer hunting this month Captain Richie Gaines of Anglers Connection guide service said he’ll give the CBBT another try this year, hoping for better results after a pitiful 2013 season at this massive structure. Otherwise, he’ll stay busy giving talks.
“I am doing the following seminars in 2015: “Better Understanding your Depth Finder and Elctronics” on February 21 in Quarryville, PA. This is a workshop that Keith Kaufman puts on,” he says. “Also, later in 2015, March 7 at Tri State Marine in Deal, MD, to be exact, he’ll again deliver his four-hour course, “Light Tackle Fishing the Bay,” a tutorial on finding and catching rockfish on light tackle.
On board the charter boat Southpaw, Captain Jeff Eichler will round out his striper season trolling with parachutes, swimbaits and bucktails, as well as utilizing planer boards. “We are looking at gray pelicans and gannets which are a good sign of big rockfish coming to the area. Hopefully, it won’t get so cold so fast this year, and the fish bite a bit better than last December,” he says. “Rig your baits deep. The rockfish are staying down in deeper water. Working birds, pelicans, and gannets can help find the fish.”
VIRGINIA
PropTalk’s Virginia correspondent Ric Burnley asks the question many of us are asking: Will the striper return? “By mid-winter, southside Virginia anglers will know the answer. If schools of migrating striped bass arrive to Virginia’s coast, anglers trolling parachutes and big plugs will score trophy rockfish from the Virginia border to the North Carolina state line,” he predicts. “On the good days, light tackle aficionados can chase diving birds and rolling fish with bucktails and casting spoons.”
Ric adds that with any luck, big bluefin tuna will also show up with the striped bass. “While the giant tuna will strike lures intended for striped bass, anglers hoping to land one of these 300-pound fish should rig up 80-pound tackle with an Ilander or Sea Star (lure),” he suggests. “If the striped bass make a repeat no-show, anglers will turn their attention to inshore structure and offshore wrecks for the season’s biggest tautog. Drop a chunk of crab or clam on a single-dropper rig with a heavy action conventional combo.”
Here’s what Ric thinks might happen with speckled trout this month: “As Dominion Power turns off the lights at the Elizabeth River station, will trophy trout that spend the winter in the warm water discharge leave the area? If the fish stay, anglers casting soft-bodied suspending twitch baits will score trophy trout through the coldest part of the winter. If the fish leave the river with the last of the warm water, anglers will be forced to wait for early spring for a shot at specks.”
Captain Charlie Koski of Island Queen Inland Charters out of Chincoteague Island will continue to fish out of Cape Charles for the duration of the month, weather permitting. He will target the large stripers lurking around the waters from Plantation Light to the Kiptopeake concrete ships. Drifting live eels and trolling will be the method used.