14-22 September Week in Review

It's amazing how a little temperature difference can make a big difference in the fishing.  When Captain Felker arrived in Annapolis on 13 September, fall seemed to be well on the way.  Water temps were down into the high 60s-low 70s, and the fish were starting to school up, providing several days of good jigging and top water action, as well as keeper Rockfish to the cooler, including a nice 27 incher.

Unfortunately, we were fooled by the faux fall weather, as summer reappeared the following week.  Although we enjoyed the company of Bery Edmonston and Russ Knaub on two outings, the fish generally returned to summer mode.  Bery demonstrated that persistence pays off, jigging up a few small Stripers on his outing, and almost tying into a 25-plus inch Striper, who inhaled an alewive that Bery snagged several times on the retrieve, and followed the unlucky live bait all the way to the boat.

We did have one brief period of schooled up Striper action with Russ in the boat on Friday afternoon.  Having chunked alewive and jigged with no success, we noticed birds and boats down at Thomas Point lighthouse, just south of the Severn River.  We got there just in time for the tail end of the feeding frenzy, and for about 45 minutes Russ got to experience Stripers slashing at top water plugs. Though no keepers, the action was hot, and a good many 18 and 19 inch fish made it to the boat.

Cooler temps are on the way, so hopefully we've seen the last of summer and look forward to the fish schooling up and fattening up before they escape the bay in the winter.

Tight Lines,
Mikey D Fishing

Indian River Inlet Multi Species Outing

Late Entry --- 3 SEP 17

Mikey D Fishing headed for saltier waters for the recent Labor Day holiday weekend.  Captain DiPaola was joined by brother Mike, Mike Carberry his son Joe, and Ed Condolon with his son Ed.  The weather offered mostly sunny skies, temperatures in the low to mid 70s, with light SSW winds. 

When fishing from shore, our preferred spot in lower, slower, Delaware is a seawall 1/4 mile east of the Indian River bridge.  Because of our military status, we are privileged and grateful to have access to the US Coast Guard station nearby.  It doesn't get much better there when it comes to fishing from the shore -- parking, heads, clean accessible seawall, a deep water basin where the USCG boats are docked, and unfettered access.  Compare that to the other side of the IR USCG station fence where you fish elbow to elbow while constantly re-rigging because of the rip-rap and other obstacles. 

Though there were some inexperienced anglers in the group, I was encouraged by the strong outgoing tide, nearby boats and terns along with seagulls active overhead.  Joe Carberry was one of the first to pull in a respectable but undersized flounder from the basin.  Brother Mike followed with a couple of 14" flounders.  The variety of fish caught added to the fun when Mike Carberry landed a toadfish, and young Ed Condolon (not pictured - should have caught a shot of that bluefish!) was able to bring a small snapper blue over the side.  The elder Ed landed a 14" flounder as well which was just a couple inches shy of the 16" limit. 

I'm not sure if Mikey D Fishing was able to evangelize the fishing message to convert the rookies into lifelong fishermen, but we had a great time.  Thanks again to the Indian River USCG station for the hospitality.

Tight Lines,

Mikey D Fishing

Bananas in the Boat

Fishing is a fickle sport.  One can master all of the techniques, use all of the right equipment, spend hours on the water, and yet the outcome can only be probable; never assured.  The unpredictability and variance tends to breed superstitions and semi-compulsive behaviors.  Fishermen share these traits with baseball players who never step on a foul line or aviators who follow a strict preflight regimen.  Most fishermen accept the idiosyncrasies as a part of the passion we share.  Only when these unwritten, often unspoken rules are violated is the ire of an angler revealed. One of many of these superstitions is the belief that fishermen should NEVER bring bananas on a boat.  There are many legends as to why, including one involving banana boats and poisonous spiders, but it doesn't really matter. This Captain is humble enough to know not to challenge the rule.

Superstition, Karma, or the Fishing Gods were tested Sunday Aug 27 when Captain DiPaola was joined by Clare Edmonston and her son Jonathan for an afternoon in pursuit of rockfish.  We left the dock on the back end of an outgoing tide on a sunny afternoon with light winds.  Though there weren't any birds diving on bait, the lowrance was pretty active.

We chunked and jigged off of Hacketts Point near the Bay Bridge.  Thirty frustrating minutes later with a couple of bites and two lost fish, we decided to slowly cruise toward Thomas Point Lighthouse.  The hope was to mark larger groups of fish on the trek south.  Again we came up empty.  Feeling the pressure to produce for Clare and Jonathan, we headed back north to the Bay Bridge pilings where there are usually some nice fish.

(This dead sea turtle was an omen for the day)

Soon after setting the anchor and positioning between two sets of pilings that have been lucrative in the past, we noticed the encouraging tap, tap, tap of the rods.  The baitrunner reels were set to run and despite our best efforts, we lost three successive fish including one that got away due to a broken line.  Our next two hookups were to cow nosed rays.  After giving Jonathan a chance to fight his first ray, I cut the braided line.

It was at this point that Clare offered Jonathan a banana muffin and I could tell that as she uttered the words she knew from past fishing experience that she had committed a fishing venial sin.  Without hesitation, Jonathan dumped the muffins overboard.  Our sacrifice to the Fishing God's accepted, not more than 5 minutes later, Jonathan landed a schoolie striper.  The first striper of the day.  With the sun getting low on the horizon, it was time to head back with an empty cooler and superstitions validated!

Tight Lines,

Mikey D Fishing