Cape Charles, VA Fishing Report, 11-13 August: "Rat Catcher" No More

 This was year five of Cobia outings with Capt. Kenny Louderback (https://www.facebook.com/fishfreaks2014/).  We changed things a bit this year.  Mary and I recently purchased a second home in Cape Charles, and a short walk to the bay.  Not having to worry about booking hotels offered the chance to expand our fishing opportunities, both for Cobia and the other saltwater species swimming in the lower bay.

We decided to book two days with Capt. Kenny, figuring that increasing our time on the water would improve our chances of putting fish in the cooler.  Before our Cobia outing, though, we got to do a little wade fishing in the southern bay.  Capt. DiPaola showed up Tuesday afternoon, and Wednesday morning we set out to the southern end of the beach of Bayside Village, a section of the Bay Creek development where the house is located.

I had arrived at Cape Charles a few days earlier, and had done particularly well on "puppy" drum, Redfish in the 18-24 inch range.  Joe and I hit the water a little after 9 in the morning.  We fished two types of rigs.  One was a Paul Brown's Dyne XL lure (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4zlT2wx5Bc) with a purple body and chartreuse belly.  Easy enough to fish; just cast, let it sink for a second or two, then either twitch or slowly retrieve, and wait for a ferocious take.

The other rig was a chartreuse popping cork with a soft plastic paddle tail (Electric Chicken and Purple were colors that were working) suspended about 18 inches below the cork.  When the cork goes under, you are on to a fish.  A very popular way to catch Reds and Sea Trout.

The corks serve a couple of purposes.  First, the concave upper section and plastic beads create sound in the water when the cork is popped.  Second, popping the cork jigs the paddle tail up through the water column, then flutters as it sinks.  

We did well on both baits, bringing five Reds to hand in about an hour and a half on an incoming tide.  Fish went between 20 and 24 inches.  We released all but one, who swallowed my only Dyne lure and wasn't going to make it.  So into the oven he went for a delicious lunch.

We fished with Capt. Kenny Thursday and Friday.  Joining us on the outings were John "Rat Catcher" Hupp (see previous Mikey Cobia posts), and Joe's long-time friend Phil Weglein.  We got underway on Thursday morning to winds better than 15 knots, with swells going 3-5 feet.  A bit of a choppy and wet ride across the bay.  But the forecast was for the winds to calm and the bay to lie down, perfect conditions for sighting Cobia.  But Capt. Kenny didn't have to wait for conditions to improve.  Around 10:00 am he sighted two really nice fish, tossed an eel to the first and immediately hooked up, handed the rod to me, then cast to the second fish.  A second hook up and Joe and I were doubled up.  Took a bit of coordination to keep the fish from entangling each other, but we managed to bring both onboard; 48 and 49 inchers, each weighing over 40 lbs.

Things quieted down for the next several hours.  The weather improved as forecast, although a light cloud layer moved in, which made it a bit more difficult to see fish.  But Kenny, who spends about 150 days per year on the water, adjusted to the conditions, and around 12:00 spotted what would be the fish of the trip.  Again, a perfect cast and hook up, and the rod went to the Rat Catcher.

Except this was no Rat (defined as a Cobia under the limit of 40 inches).  After a pretty good fight which lasted quite a spell, John pulled in a citation fish; 59 inches and well over 60 lbs.

Since we had reached our limit of 2 Cobia, we released the fish to fight another day.  But it was easily the biggest fish on our trips with Kenny.  Since you can still fish C&R, we stayed out well into the afternoon, but by 4:30 or so the sun was so low that it made sight-fishing difficult.  So it was back to the boat ramp to try out the Bubba Blade electric filet knife that Joe purchased as a house-warming gift.

Friday's weather was similar to the day prior; windy and choppy until the afternoon.  While we saw a lot of Cobia signs; Rays, Sea Turtles (Cobia like to swim with turtles), we did not see the pods of Cobia that are normally in the southern bay this time of year.  Kenny saw individual fish and some swimming in pairs, got off a few casts, and one hook up.  But the hooked fish went immediately under the boat, and cut the braided line as if it was nothing.

While we didn't put any more fish in the box, we had two fantastic days on the water.  Not much more we can say about Capt. Kenny that we haven't written in previous posts.  You wont find a more energetic and enthusiastic guide.  The man finds fish, and does not want to come off the water without filling the box, and catching that last fish.  

So another successful Cape Charles outing, and a new southern headquarters for Mikey D Fishing.  As we turn the corner towards the fall, the fishing there is only going to improve, with bull Reds congregating at the bay bridge tunnel, Seatrout and Flounder on the bite, and plenty of slot Reds for the filet table.  

Stay tuned, and tight lines,

Mikey D Fishing

Stripers Any Which Way You Can - Aug 7

 With the 2 week striper moratorium in the rear view mirror, Brian Gant, joined Mikey D Fishing for a striper outing in the middle Chesapeake Bay despite some threatening weather that was holding south.  Temps were in the upper 70s, and a three fish day predicted by the Nautide app, kept hopes high as we left the dock around 0900.  The best fishing was expected between 11:30 - 1:30pm.  

The plan was to live-line with spot and then opportunistically jig for stripers around the Bay Bridge pilings.  Tolchester Beach continues to report consistent activity, but I would rather work an extra hour for the bite locally than make the long run north.  As we approached the bridge spans, several charter boats were anchored just off of Sandy Point.  Most were live-lining spot and although I didn't see a lot of action as we passed, we marked fish at multiple depths.  

Brian and I decided to drift toward the bridge to see if we continued to mark fish.  The closer we got to the pilings the more the simrad lit up with fish.  Since the current wasn't rolling yet, we both were able to live line.    Thirty minutes in and not much to show for it but some tired spot, we switched to jigs and began our Mikey D Fishing horizontal jigging method to see if we could pick off a few stripers.  As we passed our third piling, Brian's reel began peeling off line so quickly he thought he was snagged at first.  Some headshakes from the striper on the other end quickly informed us that we were back in business.  A nice 16 inch striper again proved the method and we turned back around for another run.

We didn't get far into the second run when I noticed birds working near the main shipping channel.  Some splashes and flying bay anchovies led us to abandon the jigging and head over to the stripers on the surface.  Bucktails tipped with a pink twister, and white paddletails brought multiple fish over the rail.  The best was a fat 19" fish with most being between 16" - 18".  All in all a lot of fun and exciting to think about what lies right around the corner as the water temps peak and the fish begin to gorge for the change in seasons.

Tight Lines, 

Mikey D Fishing

Cape Charles, VA Fishing Report, August 8: Tunin' Up for Cobia Time

 I headed down to Cape Charles a few days ahead of our scheduled Cobia outing with Capt. Kenny Louderback to give bay wade-fishing a shot.  Got out on the water about 9:15 am with the tide starting to move out.  

Skies were overcast with air temps in the 70s.  I fished near the mouth of Plantation Creek, just down the beach from the house.  I fished a Paul Brown's Soft-Dine XL, a baitfish-imitating soft plastic.  The lure suspends just below the surface, and wobbles when retrieved.  

Due to the overcast, the flat bottom of sand and grass wasn't particularly clear.  But, as I only had to wade up to mid-thigh depth (about 100 feet off the beach), it wasn't too difficult getting around.  I did take the precaution of wearing flats boots, which was prudent, because every once in awhile I kicked out a ray.

There isn't much to say about technique.  I just cast out about 80-90 feet, let the lure sink for a couple of seconds, then retrieved by taking a few cranks on the reel, then letting the lure sit for a second.  Just about every cast I'd get some grass on the hooks; an occupation hazard.  

Within the first 15 minutes of casting I got a hellacious take, and after a five minute fight (I had to back up to land the fish in shallower water), I had a 20-inch Redfish to hand.  The locals call these "Puppy Drum," which I guess makes some sense, as Bull Reds over 50 inches are caught in the lower bay.  But even a 20-inch fish puts up a head-shaking fight.

The quality of the photo was not what I would have liked.  But I was by myself, had not net, and no boca grip; even a bad photo is better than none at all.  

I stayed in the same spot for the next hour, and landed 4 more Reds; three around 20 inches, with the last easily going 24.  Around 11:00 the water was getting pretty low, and it seemed that the bite was off, so I called it a morning.

The fishing is only supposed to get better, and from what I've heard is out of control in the fall.  Still have a lot more to figure out, but not a bad start.  

Tight Lines,

Mikey D Fishing