Someone Has To Do It - Slot Reds on Plantation Creek June 22, 2024

I was anxious to feel the tug from a redfish.  Hate to admit that it had been awhile, last year to be more specific since I brought a red drum to the net. Captain and Mary Felker were gracious in letting me set up camp at Cape Escape outside of Cape Charles.  This would be a solo effort as Captain Felker was out of commission as he recovered from ankle replacement surgery.   Wouldn't be the same without him, but someone has to do it.

First stop was the farm in Nassawadox, about 25 min north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel  (CBBT).  I brought the paddleboard along in hopes that I could sight fish or blind cast to a redfish in the shallows. I paddled in 4 to 5 ft of water using gulp baits.   I quickly tired of having to change them out with spot or needlefish consuming a gulp every minute or two.  As dusk approached and the tide changed, I noticed schools of bay anchovies skipping along the surface nervously.  Not long after and in quick succession,  a keeper red slashed through the bait.  I cast in and around the action to no avail, but it was exciting to know that there is great fishing to be had at the edge of the shoreline. 

My original plan was to start my day with the incoming tide aboard Mikey D Fishing, however high winds forced me to consider plan B.  So it was back to the flats at the confluence of Plantation Creek and the Chesapeake.  

Fishing was slow initially.   The near full moon brought spring tide that exposed more of a sandbar than usual.  It also formed a lagoon with one end opened toward the bay.  When I got closer, I began noticing a fair amount of bait moving about.  Even better I saw the telltale fins of a slot red working in the grasses.  A few casts later and...BAM, the popping cork disappeared in the submerged grass with a slot red on the business end of the line.  Another soon followed.  Despite the long walk, I wanted to see if I could land one or two on a spoon or the fly.  Twenty minutes later I was back in action.  A third red crushed a gold spoon about 20' away.   

 No luck with the fly, but plenty of action packed into 90 minutes.  For all the tactics and tips, there is just no substitute for time on the water!

Tight Lines,

Mikey D Fishing

Cape Charles-Potter County Fishing Report, 10-18 June: From the Salt to the Fresh to ... well....

 Capt. DiPaola and I had the opportunity to spend the early part of the week down in Cape Charles to chase Reds.  Joining us were good friends John and Heidi Hall.  The solunar calendar for the week predicted slow fishing.  But if you're not on the water, you'll never know.

We wade-fished off the beach down by Plantation Creek.  Weather was decent: partly cloudy skies, temps in the low 80s, water temps in the low 70s.  A bit windy, but the water was reasonably clear.  Both days we got on the water right as the tide started going out.  Which turned out to be a good thing.  Normally the bite turns on about an hour or so after the tide changes.  These two days, however, we hit fish at the top of the tide, but at prime time the fishing just turned off.  Again, the solunar calendar is a good guide, but the fish don't read it.

The good news was that our guests caught some nice slot Reds.  Just about everything we threw worked; Dyne XL, gold Johnson spoon, soft plastics under a popping cork.  I managed a couple of Reds and a small trout on the flyrod, tossing a Puglisi baitfish pattern (chartreuse and white).  Have been using that particular fly for the last year and a half.  It's gotten eaten quite often, but is still holding together.

Of greater importance, we picked up our first Reds for the year.  I was a bit afraid that some recently-acquired body art might have jinx'd me.

(Pro guide tip: Never thrown down a dare after a few too many adult beverages in a cigar bar in Ybor City.  H/T to Dr. Jim Beam)

Headed back to Potter County on Wednesday.  Streams up here are low.  Air temps in the 70s, but lows in the 40s.  On Sunday Mary and I headed south to fish Kettle Creek.  Figured there would still be enough water, and cool enough to sting some trout.  Fished from 9:30 in the morning to about 2 in the afternoon.  Water temps were probably in the low to mid-60s, close to the edge of no fishing.  But air temps were in the 60s-low 70s, and I needed to get my trout fix in.  

We fished the lower end of the C&R section for a few hours.  Water was ankle to shin deep, but a lot of fish in the stream.  Catching was tough.  We were down to fishing small flies on 6X.  Managed some misses, lost fish, and got one to the net.  Flies of choice were beetles, Griffiths Gnats (tough to see), and small Sulphurs. 

After lunch we headed upstream to Ole Bull State Park.  Found a run that held fish and managed a few underneath sight fishing with Feggs.    

A heat wave coming in on Tuesday will pretty much end the trout fishing for awhile.  That, and ....

The fish can rest easy for a spell until my new bionic ankle heals.

Tight lines ,SOMEBODY!

Mikey D Fishing

Potter County Weekend Report, 31 May-02 June: Doesn't Get Much Better

 The pics say it all....

Lows in the 30s, highs in the low 70s.  Sunny skies

Obligtory Basic Rifle Marksmanship training

Smores for the underage ... a little sumpin' sumpin for the adults

When the Allegheny is not cooperating with the grandkids, there's always Rainbow Paradise

And, as a side benefit, a few for the smoker

Home waters did not disappoint

Fewer bugs coming off, but enough to keep the fish coming up.  Time to grab some terrestrials and hit the water before it gets too warm.

Tight Lines,

Mikey D Fishing