Big Crabs caught on Tavern Creek in 4-5' of water 69-70 degrees water temp.

 Despite trouble with the crab boat that kept me at bay for the last month, I was finally able to get out today around 7am to try the legendary Fall crabbing season.  It was a rather placid day around 66 degrees air temp.

I started off in Tavern Creek and layed 10 traps baited with chick necks in about 4 feet of water.  I had crabbed here before throughout the summer picking up 3-4 crabs in an outing.  Not great, but being on the water made up for the lack of production.

While the crab traps soaked, I turned to fishing with a Mepps spinner right off of Swan Point.  I've had luck with this before so I knew I'd see action or some sort.  I month back I landed a 20" Rockfish that really made my day.  Today though I hooked into two blue catfish with one being over 5lbs.  I also caught the obligatory perch and even to my surprise a pumpkin seed.  Fitting I suppose for October. 

Chesapeake Pumpkin Seed caught in Swan Creek, Rock Hall MD

Best day crabbing I've had all year.  

August Fishing 2021 - Schoolies caught off of Swan Point, MD. Crabs running too!

I finally accomplished my goal (8/9/21) of catching a striper/s off of Swan Creek Point. This location is situated between Swan Creek and Tavern Creek mid-upper bay of the Chesapeake. I also caught a few crabs too on chicken necks in about 3-5' of water. Two were nice-sized keepers but good to see some crabs taking the bait.

Ideal fishing this day was about an hour before high tide.  The Water temp was around 77 degress.
 

The weather during the morning hours.

Later the same day 8/9/21 I was able to go commercial fishing on F/V Canvasback out of Rock Hall, MD.  We trolled with six lines and caught six stripers, but only three were keepers.

Two 28" striper caught at the mouth of the Chester River in moderate seas.

 11/20/20

We headed out on Friday with my Father and two uncles on a brisk and very breeze morning.  The wind was about 14mph out of the south with white caps, but an outgoing tide in the opposite direction kept the swells somewhat reasonable for a Grady 20'.  

We didn't spot fish until we got to our waypoint at the mouth of the Chester River.  We fished in about 28' of water where the sonar was active with fish in 15 to 28 feet or water.  As usual most fish were seen laying on the bottom.  The water temp was about 55 degrees. 

At around 12pm my uncle hooked into a 28" striper using 1oz. jig with 5 to 6" swim bait.  He slow jigged the bottom which proved to be the trick.  He caught two nice fish that day.

Week of 10/26/2020

 If been going out in the evenings to swan creek point to jig for strippers.  I've also been using spooks, which I did manage to get bigger fish but unable to land it.  I may try poppers just off swan point and casting into the shore. 

Typically, I can catch the schoolies on a small curly jig that looks like something below. 

Water temp has been in the low to mid 60's, though a cold front is coming in this weekend (10/31/20).

Here's a video of Yuri and I out by the mouth of the Chester River not far from Love Point. 

Fishing for Stripers on 9/20/20

Fishing Trip out of Rock Hall 9/20/20 with Yuri.

We left the dock around 6:50am on a relatively brisk September morning.  Air temp was about 50 degrees with water temps still in the low 70's.  The wind was light but picked up during the day and at times was a good 15kts.  Swells were light near shore with bigger ones towards the middle of the bay, as usual. 

The day entailed a good amount of trolling, but the majority of fish we caught were casting soft baits.  Yuri caught a 22 in. keeper around 11:30am.  About 15 minutes later he landed an 18in both which were caught south of 3 CAN a few hundred yards off of Bayside Camp Ground.

Fishing off of Rock Hall Harbor just north of #3 green can.

 Billy and Matt came down last week and we spend two days fishing off of Rock Hall Harbor.  Wednesday we caught about 15 fish with them mostly being Stripers.  I did pull in a small bluefish to my surprise.  Thursday we did a bit better with stripers using jigs.

Water temp was between 80 and 82 degrees with moderate wind on Thursday 8/27/20.  

Earlier this week ahead of the coldfront, it was foggy but very calm on East Neck Island.  The water disappears into the horizon.  Tundra swans swimming to the right and a pair of eagles perched to the left (too far to photograph).