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My Delmarva Summer 2000
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March 26th, 2000 Well, spring is in the air and the White Perch, Herring and Rock are behind the house spawning. I have had my fill of White Perch Roe and have now gone to the Herring Roe. Still on that all protein diet. Never figured I would get tired of meat fish and eggs, but I fine myself trying to gather more and more different things to eat. I have no idea now much I weighted went I started, but I still couldn't get weighted at the Dr's office, so I went into a seafood buyers place and got on his scales. Pat says she knows that I have loss 40 or 50 pounds and I am still 356 on the seafood scales. Maybe next time I go to the Dr's office I will be able to be weighted. Dr is also going to have blood work done to make sure I am not messing up my blood with all this meat. I hope not cause it is a way that I can loss weight, while other diets don't seem to work. Will be heading for Chincoteague Va. next Sunday to set the Crab pots for the first of the Hard Crabs of the season. Can't wait! Looking for a good week of fishing this week and plan on going driftnetting each day for Herring Roe, if anyone wants to go? Pat and I went to a Country Music concert last night and saw a group called Mustang Sally, which was all girl band' and Michael Twitty, who sound like his dad. We also went to a Randy Lee Ashcraft party on St. Patty's day, but Pat was not comfortable with the college crowd that was there, they were a little loud and wild. Till next time! If you do anything interesting write me. donald
April 8, 2000 Summer is getting here slow but sure. Pat and I went down to Chincoteague the first of April and set the Crabpots! We have been eating Crabs ever since. I am really going to enjoy them now that I am on this diet. I made some crabcakes that were out of this world. Been driftnetting whenever I can fine someone that will go with me and eating all the Herring Roe that I want. The White Perch are still biting off my pier and a few rock. Love my fish, fried, boiled, baked, grilled ect! Tried to go after Tog out on the Delaware Bay today but just didn't make it out. Went with Pat to Atlantic City to a Neil McCoy concert and also to a Randy Lee good time. Granny is going to the Doctors and have some spinal fluid taken cause the Dr says that it might be causing the lost of memory. Course the cause is from the cancer treatment, but it wouldn't hurt to try anything. My diet to going great. Course I still can't weight myself, cause I am still over the 350 lb mark. Maybe when I go to the Dr this time. Summer should help, cause I can gather lots of good things to eat. Talk to you later! donald
April 18th, 2000 Summer is sure taking it's time getting here! Still hanging around in the 50's. Course I just cooked a pot of Hard Crabs so it's not to bad! Pat and I went down yesterday and fished the Crabpots. Still has not been good enough weather to go fishing. The Herring Roe is all over and I have put the driftnets away till next spring. I went down on my pier one evening this week and caught lots of Catfish, I kept about 10 that would go about 2 to 3 lbs to fillet. I have figured out how to fillet them with my electric knife without even skinning them, so it's fast and easy. They still are great after you get past the ugly. Kind of like me! Pat and I have been looking for a small pontoon boat and found one that is 16 foot with a 15 hp and trailer for $1,500.00. It's siting in the backyard. Hope it's as much fun as I think it will be. Still on the diet, but not had a chance to weight myself. Hoping for 350 lbs. Man, that's a big pile of shit! Granny has an appointment to have her spine taped. if she can remember it, hehehe. Dawn is back here with her kids!! Her house burned!! Well, at least the upstairs. The kids bedrooms were gutted, and everything is black with smoke, but it didn't get to the roof before they had it out. Nice to live close to the firehouse. Anyway, it looks like it will be about 3 months work before they can move back in. Guess she will make out OK. It's rough for an 11 year old to lose everything she has! Well, gotto go register my new boat! Later. donald
Article written by Bill A Different Kind Of Duck Hunting.... Bill DeGeorge (Mudhen) Susquehanna River Waterfolwers Assoc.
There we sat in a seaclass 17TDB anchored out in the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay. We were fully exposed with no attempt to erect the blind, or to lay down in the bottom of the boat. The anchor was holding on a taught line and the boat was bouncing up and down in the 1 1/2 foot seas. The northwest wind matched the out going tide and seas were coming under the bow and running directly to the stern. Out front of us were 4 or 5 strings of black and white decoys in two long lines, almost perfectly in parallel with the wind, the tide and the boat. Suddenly from the stern of the boat, our host says "there's a flock" and picks up an oar and begins to wave it back and forth over his head. He says "they saw it and here they come, get ready". I watch with a smile, half not believing what I an watching. When the oar is waived in the air, the flock rises up 20 feet off the water, sees our decoys and heads straight into them. The shot is called, 3 ducks lay dead on the water. It's like trying to shoot at quail while riding on a trotting horse! I think about the days in rougher weather with the boat bouncing in 3' seas and am thankful. That's like trying to shoot from a bucking bronco! The same action is repeated over and over during the next hour until we have our limit. We don't always get a complete limit, especially on the rough days. Some days we just run out of shells!
This is sea ducking hunting on Maryland's Chesapeake Bay. A fast and furious type of waterfowling which every duck hunter should try at least once during their life. On this day, I met our host, Captain Jeff Coats and our friend Donald Hughes in Cambridge on Maryland's Eastern Shore. It was 7:00 am and first hint of sunrise was coming through the night sky, late for regular duck hunting, but I was assured just fine for seaducks. So, off we went in convoy towards Taylors Island, a 20 minute ride west of Cambridge. We put in at Taylor Island Marina and Campgrounds, and within 15 minutes we are setting out strings of seaduck decoys about a mile offshore. It takes a few minutes to figure out the tide/wind combination, and Jeff moves the boat into position so we are not looking into the sun which is now fully above the horizon, put down the anchor and load up the guns.
There are no seaducks flying for the first half-hour or so while we sit there, sip coffee and enjoy the sunrise and open waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The day is starting out sunny with cool temperatures and a 10 knot wind. The water is shallow here, around 8' and the 1 1/2 foot chop has the bow of the seaclass moving gently up and down. Very nice for the Bay.
When the seaducks begin to fly, they come from the open waters of the Chesapeake up into the Bay to their daily feeding areas in the bays and the mouths of the rivers where they feast on mussels, claims and other invertebrates. Their normal flocks are anywhere from a few birds to 25 or 30, always flying just a few inches above the tops of the waves. Their primary flight path is a hundred or two hundred yards from were we sit anchored. By putting the oar, or a flag on a pole up in the air and waving it, we get their attention and they rise off the water to see what it is. When they get high enough, they see the decoys, and until they become to educated, will come on over and check thing out. The most abundant species we see this day are the scoters and old squaw. We must have a decent set up because just about everything we wave the oar at, comes to the decoys. Our shooting isn't to bad either, considering we sit in a boat which is bouncing around a bit. It takes about an hour for us to kill out limits of 11 scoters and 4 old squaw.
We pick up the decoys, which takes only minutes because they are set up on 5 lines of 12 each and each line of decoys just dumps directly into a bag. No wrapping and a minimum of tangling. On the way back in, we decide to go and scout a bit to see if any early blackheads have started to show up in the area. If we find some, we may just go and setup for them too. That's the nice thing about shooting seaducks in the seaduck zone. They don't count against your limit of regular ducks unless you shoot them in areas other that are seaduck zone. We don't find any rafts on this day, so we call it a day.
There are some special requirements for hunting out in the special seaduck and gunning rig zones. A gunning rig license is required which can only be issued to a Maryland resident. Non residents and residents not holding a gunning license, must be with a resident with a gunning rig license.
There are a number of outfitters and guides who take parties out for seaduck hunting. Captain Jeff Coats, who was our host for the trip, described in this article has recently started his seaduck guide service. He is licensed by the Coast Guard and the state of Maryland, has a nice safe rig and operates it with total competence. Captain Jeff can be reached at phone # 410-838-7264 or e-mail him at "pitboss@iximd.com".
If you haven't tried seaducking, you owe it to yourself to try it. And don't forget to bring plenty of shells!!!
May 1st, 2000 Well, it looks a little more like summer might come all the time. Temp hit 39 last night, but it is supposed to warm up today and then looks good the rest of the week. At least going into the 70's. Our new Pontoon boat is tied up down the the pier at the campground and we have been able to catch just enough Hard Crabs to have them to eat whenever we wanted, but the cold wind has kept us from catching any flounders at all. We haven't even tried! Pat goes on vacation this Wednesday, so maybe we will get a chance to catch a few then. Our house is a Chinese cirrus. Course with Dawn and her kids and Granny we are really kind of overloaded. I just hope we don't sink! If it gets to bad I will go stay in the camper! Anyone want some kids or an old lady for awhile!!! Later. donald
May 21, 2000 My house is still a Chinese cirrus! How come, none of you wanted Granny or some grandkids for awhile, too smart, huh. Pat and I have been to the camper almost everyday she has off. The pontoon boat is a dream. We have had all the Flounder, Hard Crabs and Clams we want. This morning, I took a side trip today with Craig and we caught 1 Tog, 1 Blowfish, and kept 1 Sand Shark. It was a nasty day out on the Delaware Bay. We fished the wall with the waves from the Atlantic Ocean spraying us as they broke over the wall. Winds NorthEast at 15 to 20 kts. Ok, so neither of us has good sense. Tomorrow, I will put my peeler pots over and try the HardHeads in the Big Choptank River. Later. donald
May 28, 2000 Add Soft Crabs to the list of good things that I have available to eat! Took 2 nice big ones out my tank this morning and have several more that should come by morning, so we now eat Soft Crabs whenever we want. The Big Choptank is full of nice Hardheads, but the weather, 'sucks'. Maybe I will get a chance to go this coming week. Pat and I came back from Chincoteague yesterday with lots of Hard Crabs and I gave some to some of my landlords that let me hunt their fields for Snow Geese. Hope the Arctic Foxes don't eat them all up again this year! Took Jeff and Bill to see a lease for Duck hunting and I think it will be great for them. Sure is hard to fine a good duck hunting lease that is available. I worked on this one for a long time, but I think it will be worth it. It's called Cator's Cove and is on Taylor's Island looking out at James Island. Can be one of the best spots around for divers and all around duck hunting. Will be heading for Chincoteague again on Tuesday and hope to have warm enough weather to get overboard and catch some more Clams for fritters. Looks like it will be our last time down till after Pat gets back from Nashville. I may be able to talk someone into going down, but I doubt it. Talk to you later. Write if you know how! donald
June 3, 2000 Well, another week gone. Damn, time flies by. I just walked out and took a nice 6'' male softcrab out of my little tank and put it on a plate in the icebox with three others. Softcrabs again tomorrow. Kindda getting my fill of them. Looking for that first Rockfish. Darn season started on the first and I still haven't had a chance to go catch one. Eddie and I will go this evening. Pat and I came home with plenty of Hardcrabs, but it was just to cool to get any fresh Clams and blowing to hard to go fishing down at Chincoteague. When to see Randy Lee and they are going on a cruse in Dec. to the Caribbean, so I guess us old folks will go. Looks like it will be leaving on Dec. 8 for a week, so I guess I will miss one of the best weeks for duck hunting this fall. Think Pat would be really upset if I said no, so I guess I will go, kicking and screaming, hehehe. Pat, Granny and I leave for Maine on Friday this week to be at my grandson's 'finishing high school party'. I will return on Monday. but Pat is heading on down to Nashville for FanFair week. I'll have the house with just Robert. Looking for a good week and then when Pat and Dawn get back from FanFair, Dawn should be able to move back into her house. Then Pat and I will have the house to ourselves for a month while Granny is at Church camp in Maine. Man, that sounds GOOD. Ordered my shotgun shells for use in my auto this week and can't wait for the season to start. Looking for a great fall! Write if you know how! donald
June 17th, 2000 Well, Pat and I made our trip to Maine and watched as our grandson was freed from school. He will head for the Air force. It was nice to see everyone again. Left Granny there and Pat just got on another plane an she and Dawn headed for Nashville for FanFair week. I came home to a quite house. Been eating fish and softcrabs and painting dekes for this fall, got 30 'Cans' done and have about that many more to go. Baited a Crabline, but have still not had it in the water, maybe tomorrow. Bill was down yesterday and we rode out to where the offshore blind will be put and then catch some Croakers for him to take home. I think he enjoyed the day on the River even if the fish were little. Croakers in the Little Choptank River run from 10 to 12 inches and the ones that I have been catching in the upper Big Choptank River run 14 to 18 inches, I have no idea why. Pat comes home Monday!!!! Man, I miss her, part of me is gone. The best part! She wants to go on down to Chincoteague for a couple days after she gets home and I am ready. Write if you know how. Later. donald
June 25, 2000 Well the first week of summer and things are just great. Plenty of Softcrabs, Hardcrabs and HardHeads to eat, also still have plenty of venison froze, which are all on my diet. Wish I could tell you how much I have lost, but I am still toooo big to tell unless I go to the commercial scale. Finishing up the diver dekes that I am repainting, about 35 Cans and 25 Bluebills. The rest of my dekes need new line and just a good overhaul. You know, to take out the ones people shot full of holes. I have not been for a Rockfish yet, nor have I set a Trotline. Just getting old, I guess. Course, like I said I have had plenty of Crabs, Clams and fish to eat. Pat and I went to Chincoteague and set the Crabpots, which is the easy way for me to keep in HardCrabs. The Trotline is a little hard for me to run by myself anymore and I never seem to have anyone that wants to go, so the pots are the way. Pat just loves to Clam. Got a bucket in the icebox now if anyone wants them. They are hard to give away! Remind me of Snow Geese. We stayed overboard most of the day in the Chincoteague Bay and the next day I couldn't hardy walk. Gave Clams to the gate guards and to everyone I knew that would like them. Dawn and her family SHOULD move to her place Monday, hope so, then Pat and I will have the house to ourselves for a little while. You know, like it's supposed to be! Afraid to call and talk to Granny cause she might say she's ready to come back. Hopefully she will stay up there till the end of July, anyway. Maybe she will not be so bossy when she returns. Having Clam cakes for supper if you can make it. Write if you know how. Later. donald
July 6, 2000 Well, I just lost a week of my summer in the DAM hospital with cellulitis! Last Tuesday, 9 days ago, I went out on the Choptank River and caught 6 nice Strippers. While taking one off the hook it got me in the leg with a fin. Didn't think anything of it at the time. I was fine the next morning when I got out of bed, but by 8 o'clock I began feeling it and got in the Jacuzzi. Before the 20 minutes were up I was setting there with my teeth chattering in the hot water. Got out and called my Dr. Within a short time the pain was so bad I lost everything and had the dry heaves. Got to the hospital and got some morphine and started a long battle to get rid of the mess. Anyway I finally got out of the place and am still mending at home. Going the eat that Striper for supper!! Dawn and her family have moved back to her house and Pat and I have this one to ourselves for awhile anyway. Man, that's nice. Hope your 4th of July was better than mine !! donald
July 19, 2000 Well I am finally back to fishing, crabbing , claming, ect., but my leg still looks like shit. Most of the skin peeled off and it's all shines with new skin, anyway it looks gross. However, I am doing what I love and just babying it. Seems to be plenty of Crabs, Strippers and lots of great things to eat out of the gardens. I miss the fresh things out of the garden, but am staying on this damn diet till I am under the 300 pound mark. Now at 330s. Better than the 410, huh. Wish I had some ducks or geese to eat, although the seafood is great. Pat and I went to a concert at Ocean City to see Randy Lee last night and I think we will go back tonight and then down to Va. and go clamming in the morning, but most be home in time for her to go to work in order to keep having this much fun. Finished the diver dekes and just finishing up painting 34 Black duck dekes and have the Mallards set to be next. Have my 3 strings of 15 dekes all overhauled and the sinkers replaced. Course they are all just painted brownish for the early Teal season. I can still hear Jeff laughing at those Bluewings decoying to the Eider dekes that are mixed in with everything else and painted brownish. Course they will be black for the Seaduck season and then brownish for the later marsh season. Need to finish up with these duck dekes so I can start on Snows and Canadian, course the Canadian will become Brant after the September season. Hoping your summer is as fun filled as mine. donald
Aug 3, 2000 Man, I sure have not written very often this summer. However, things are going just great. Pat and I got back from Chincoteague this evening in time for her to go to work. Brought back Clams to eat. Swimming in the bay is great. Fishing for Strippers has been no good due to the East winds that have been staying with us. Hope it changes. Only 27 more days till Waterfowl season opens. Think I will have everything ready. Can't wait. donald
Aug 20, 2000 Well, summer is going fast! Pat and I have been to Chincoteague but it is the first year that I can ever remember Sea-nettles all over the place. Seems there has been enough fresh water this year so that they are everywhere. Our swimming has been stopped! There is still some Crabs to be had down there and it's a good thing, cause they sure are hard to fine up here. It's been one of the coolest summers that I can ever remember and one of the wettest. When it's like this Crabs can't grow and it's just none around. Course the DNR will have a perfect year to get the laws they want put on the books. As if they are smart enough to control Mother Nature! Caught a nice 7 pound Tide Runner Trout this week, but the wind seems to be out of the East all the time and I just don't fish on an East wind. Finishing up with some Canada floaters with my decoy painting. Then I have some tires and sillies to paint white and I will be done. Good thing, cause I have been at it all summer. Only 12 more days! donald
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