Fishing the Shore
Bill Hall
Eastern Shore Post - August 14, 2020
Fishing was quick to rebound after the passing of Tropical Storm Isaias. Spanish mackerel and flounder highlighted the catches this week, while the late summer southern Chesapeake Bay red drum run has begun.
Onancock – Will Hamilton took home the trophies for the largest croaker (0.72 pounds) and the top catch by a first responder in the Onancock Fire Company’s Annual Croaker Tournament held Saturday, Aug. 8. Todd Arnold (0.68 pounds) finished in second place. Talia Taylor (0.62 pounds) took home the third place trophy as well as the largest croaker catch in the top female angler category. Danny Wallace (0.37 pounds) took the top youth category while Levin Barnes (0.04 pounds) had the smallest croaker in the event. Jeff Mears had the largest noncroaker with his catch of a 11.59-pound sheepshead.
Chincoteague – Donna Rae Roeske, at the Captain Bob’s Marina, reported that fishing had rebounded just two days after the passing of the storm Isaias. Some of the areas that are producing flounder include: in front of the high school, in front of the Island Resort, under the draw bridge, in Queen Sound, and from Daisey’s Dockside to buoy 17, as well as in front of Mariner’s Point. Roeske said that croakers are now “just about everywhere,” including Queen Sound, and right out in front of the shop, a few spot have also been mixed in the catch. Whiting and croaker are hitting from Mariner’s Point all the way past buoy 11. Just outside the inlet, Spanish mackerel have been very active. Robert Lynch caught a limit of Spanish mackerel in just about 15 minutes. The Turner’s Lump area is producing large sharks. Blackfish Banks has been covered up with boats and anglers but is still producing flounder, spadefish, and gray triggerfish. Dolphin (mahi) and a few tuna have been hitting chunk baits over the Lumpy Bottom. Anglers fishing the surf of Assateague were catching croaker, whiting, and the trash fish grand slam (sharks, skates, and rays).
Jimmy Vasiliou, at Captain Steve’s Bait & Tackle, said there has been a surge in the local croaker population, as well as some spot and plenty of flounder in Chincoteague Bay. Small puppy drum are also showing up in the bay. Spanish mackerel are being caught just off the beach by anglers trolling Clark spoons. The shop had registered citations for golden and bluelined tilefish. The inshore wrecks are producing flounder up to 26 inches, as well as some cobia. Lots of sharks are being caught off the beach. The surf also produced a large red drum last week.
Wachapreague – A spokesperson at Trident Tackle reported that the shop registered citation blue-lined tilefish catches for Doug Bechtel (12 pounds), Brian Simmons (10 pounds, 8 ounces), and Kevin Thomas (13 pounds, 5 ounces), as well as a blue marlin release for Logan Godwin. Amanda Manzella, at the Wachapreague Inn, reported that the charter vessel Foxy Lady with Captain Nat Atkinson caught 28 flounder Saturday, with 14 keepers.
Lower Shore – Jeb Brady, at Bailey’s Bait & Tackle in Cape Charles, reported that fishing was slow early last week with the storm’s passing. He had received reports of cobia catches by anglers sight casting eels in the vicinities of buoys 36A and 38A. Bottom fishing for cobia was not as successful. Big red drum have started biting in the evenings off buoy 36A. The shop has already registered several citation releases for reds measuring up to 50 inches. Spanish mackerel action had bounced back by late last week. The fourth island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel is still producing spadefish catches, as well as the Cell and Plantation Light. Spot and small croaker catches were being made around the concrete ships off Kiptopeke.
Upper Shore – Alan Ring, at Sea Hawk Sports Center, reported that flounder were biting inside the seaside inlets on Berkley Gulp, minnows, and silversides. He said that Spanish mackerel are hitting Clark spoons behind #1 and #2 planers and inline sinkers on the bayside. Ring said that the late summer run of big red drum has started on the lower Chesapeake Bay. There have also been some cobia caught by anglers targeting red drum. Ring added that speckled trout and rockfish are hitting in the shallows and deeper water over structure in the Maryland-portion of the bay. He recommended casting topwater lures in the creeks on a flood tide early in the morning or in the evenings
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