Ernesto passed us by relatively quick – leaving lots of rain and some decent wind as the former Hurricane shot into the northern Atlantic.
Things were a little worse through the middle of the state, where more rain and higher winds caused quite a bit of damage.
So what’s that got to do with boating and fishing in the lower Chesapeake Bay, its tributaries and the coastal Atlantic?
Likely nothing.
But there’s always a chance after a tropical system goes by.
Winds and soft, rain-saturated soil throughout the flat’s surrounding the larger rivers that flow into the bay often dock down all sorts of things – dead tree branches, entire trees, posts, fences and parts of boat docks and shoreline construction.
Lots of that stuff ends up in high-water creeks and flows into the larger rivers.
It ends up in our water playground.
Lots of this debris can be seen in the water by attentive folks on the boat. Bouncy water can make it more difficult.
And some of this stuff – especially the older or dead material – floats similar to an iceberg. Just a small bit of it gets seen, but under the water a much larger piece dangles.
Some of these are big or hard enough to cause damage to boat hulls and outboard motor lower units.
Okay, had to preach a little bit but the difference between and good trip and a bad one can often be real simple.
It’s all really important now, as cooped up anglers stayed in port because of thunderstorms and rough waters.
That energy should have plenty to work on, but after even weaker tropical systems, exactly which species are going to be the most active.
Speckled trout, puppy drum, flounder and bluefish have been cooperating nicely in and around inlets. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and a few other water crossings are also holding good numbers of sheepshead. Flounder, tautog and triggerfish were being caught around coastal wrecks and artificial reefs.
Inside the bay and along the coast, big red drum and cobia have been providing plenty of action.
It doesn’t get talked about too much, tarpon are still available in the oceanside backwaters of the Eastern Shore. Enjoy action from bull shark while looking for the long, silver fish that is the likely king of inshore fishing.
It’s a strange time offshore, where there seem to be more fish south and north of us. As waters cool with fall’s approach, and daylight becomes less a part of the day, lots of these species will travel through our waters.
While tuna, dolphin, sailfish and wahoo were being caught, bottom action for tilefish and other deep water critters has been pretty good.
Fresh and brackish water areas are seeing a minor drop in temperature and with every degree action gets better.
Largemouth bass action in the Northwest River has been decent and Back Bay is continuing to see an upswing in numbers.
Crappie are hanging around deep water structure or schooling around suspended bait.
Bluegill and catfish action has been good almost every where and shell cracker (redear) catches in deeper waters in our western part of the region have been good.
Yeah, that’s me with the shell cracker while fishing with Harvey Caldwell.
Nothing wrong with a little self promotion now and then … right?
