Article by Capt. Matt Abell
The lower Delmarva has been busy this week with lots of fun and tasty things to enjoy. As temperatures warm up the fishing action follows. The only problem facing us down here is what fish to pursue with so little time.
Flounder action is pretty hot on shallow flats in less than ten feet of water during ebb tide with water clarity being the most crucial component. I had two charters this past week with two very different outcomes. Tuesday it took a lot of effort fishing dirty, grassy, and most of all unproductive water to bring home 4 nice keepers. The very next day during the same tide and in the same area but with clear water we had a three man limit and threw back extra keepers sized flatties in a mere three hours. It’s CLEAR to see what a difference a day can make. We did the best on chartreuse and pink teasers with gulp swimming mullet tipped with silversides.
The seaside inlets are still producing black drum action on clams while the surf has provided opportunities for anglers to beach some rock and kingfish as well as blacks. The trophy fish have been taking crab, clams and sand flea offerings tipped with a strip of Fishbites while the kingfish prefer bloodworms presented on small bottom rigs with colored floats on the hooks.
The grass flats of the Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds have been the scene of some great red drum, rock and spec action along with numerous rays that not only test our tackle but our patience as well . Most of these shallow water trophies have taken chunks of crab soaked around grassy areas and stumps. For anglers trying to bypass some of these winged menaces, casting paddle tails on jig heads will tempt weary trout and rock into the net. The channel edges in deeper depths have provided big black drum on crabs and clams fished on hard shell bottom.
The Smith Island Fishing Tournament finished up today and was a great success. There were great catches for drum, specs and even oyster toads to make an impressive first year of the contest. The proceeds benefit the Smith Island Cultural Center.
In the lower Chesapeake the black drum have made an appearance from the CBBT to the waters off Cape Charles. My buddy Chad from “Earning Stripes Sportfishing” reports anglers are concentrating their efforts on these bottom dwelling giants using clams to tempt them into the net.
Kingfish have also shown up to improve bottom fishing on channel edges. Reds continue to hold on the surf line around Fisherman’s Island. Flounder fishing this week has been tough with murky water abound. However, the fish pounds in the Kiptopeke area have had some nice flounder. Hopefully these reports of fish will move from the pound net to the end of our line next week!
We have a lot to be thankful for and look forward to offshore and cobia starting soon! With all these awesome things to do, why would you want to be anywhere else but the place we call home. §
