My Delmava Summer 99

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My Delmarva Summer 1999

April 1st thur 3th, 1999
     Thursday the White Perch bite good and I caught and we had them for
supper. I caught enough so that I took the time to fillet them, which
is so easy with that electric knife. Then I took the little fillets,
with no bones, and laid them in a glass pan with Old Bay and Lemon
Pepper on them and broiled. Man, was it good, and no flying with all
that oil. No bones made Granny happy.
     Friday, rain. I talked to Roland 'my man with a commercial license
to drift net'. Where he just doesn't feel good enough to go, we decided
to change his license over to me for 30 days. This way I can go when
ever I want as long as I can fine anyone that wants to go.
     Saturday, yard work, yuck. Beautiful anyway. HAPPY EASTER. Write
if you know how.

April 4 thur 10, 1999
     Had a chance to drift net, with Bobby, in order to catch some turtle pot bait and some Herring Roe to eat. A Couple hours of drifting in the morning produced 2 to 3 bushels of bait each day. Mostly Grizzer Shad. Thursday, of course that was the morning that Harold came over to go with me, was the worse day and we only caught about a half bushel, and quit after trying a couple drifts in 2 different reach's, Tittle Island and Calf.
      Harold headed of Va. Landing and Pat and I where to head for Chincoteague. Well, Pat and I got a late start heading for Chincoteague and got there just in time to set my Crab pots and go out for supper. Course Friday morning we woke to the thunderstorms and between the rain showers we went and got the Crab pots up. Caught about 3 dozen Hard Crabs, which I would rather have then the fish. MAN, they were good.
     Did see some fisherman that had gone out at daybreak till the storms came and they did catch a couple per boat. Boy, and 16' fish is a nice one. They also said that there were lots of small ones.
Pat and I are intending to try again Wednesday or Thursday. Will let you know what we do.
     Saturday, Pat, Dawn , Heidi and I went to a Billy Ray Cyrus concert at Dover Downs. Even this OLD FART enjoyed it. What's going on at your house?   donald
April 11 thru 16, 1999
     It's Friday morning and it's raining, so I figure I will write you'all what's happening. Bobby and I have our freezers full of turtle bait and our bellies full of Herring Roe, so we have quit drifting. We still have 3 turtle pots set right here behind the house, but just nothing moving yet.
     Pat and I went to Chincoteague Wednesday afternoon and set the Crab pots. Then spent the rest of the time cleaning up around the camper. Wanted to try the flounder but the wind was blowing a gail. Finished working on the yard Thursday morning on by the time we got to fishing the Crab pots, in the afternoon, someone had fished a couple for us. Damn people, hope they get toe-main poisoning. Anyway, we still had about a half pot full, which is more than I can eat in a couple days. Still no peelers to shed out for soft shells, but see a little sign, so I will set up my shedding tank and be ready.
     With the rain last night the night crawlers were out and I took the time to catch 50 or so. If it stops raining today I will go catch some White Perch for supper. They are just beginning to catch some HardHeads in the poundwier at Fishing Bay, so it will not be long before I can enjoy them.
     The Wisteria that blooms those pretty grape type flowers is blooming all around my house. It's beautiful, but it grows so fast and spreads so much I am not sure it is worth the time it takes to keep it down. Brought myself a new little riding lawn mover. I got a little Cub Cadet Yard Bug. Cost me 1,000 bucks and right now I am putting off painting it white so that I can ride it out to the pits when I go Snow Goose hunting, so that Pat doesn't realize that it will look just like one of the dekes when I go hunting and that was one of the reasons I wanted the Bug. Once I set a goose head on the wheel she will know she has been had. I should be able to use it at BoomBay and at Hurlock after dropping the mover unit. Then I will not have to park the truck so close to the pit when I hunt by myself. Plus it will be another deke.
     Write if you get a chance. donald
April 17 and 18, 1999
     Saturday I spent the day claiming some of my back yard, back.
Where the grandson has been cutting the grass, he has of course just cut
the middle and the sides have been closing in on me. You know, kind of
like running the vacuum on the living room floor in a hurry.
     Sunday I was up at 0500AM to go fishing on a head boat the Judy V.
out of Indian River, out in the Ocean for Mackerel with Craig. We had
both tried to get others to go, but they were all wimps. We left Indian
River at 0800 and headed out ten miles into the Atlantic Ocean. Rough
in the morning, winds about 15 kts, but by afternoon in calmed right
off. We didn't set the world on fire as far as the Mackerel catching
was concerned, but most everyone did catch a few. Some nice big ones,
full of roe 'guess you guys think I am nuts eating all these fish eggs
huh'. I had five on my line at one time by only landed three and then
four once but only landed two. Course when the boat drifted through
them most everyone catch them. The Captain said they were spotty and he
just couldn't stay on them. We also caught several Spiny Dog Sharks,
which Craig kept two of, to go on the grill. Kim, his gal, loves them,
grilled.
     We would have liked to have caught lots more fish, 'course then we
would have had to clean them', but we had a good day and I always enjoy
Craig's company. Wish he lived closer, sorry Kim. I was of course
pooped and went to bed early and got up late this morning, but would do
it again. Craig took his boat from the back yard on home with him to
get ready for the summer and he hadn't gotten much sleep, so I was glad
to get a phone call saying he got home without going to sleep on the
way. Thanks Craig for a great day! Wish some of you other wimps had
gone.
     Back to the yard again today, if can can get my muscles working.
Hoping to get a Tautog fishing trip going later this week. But need to
go to Chincoteague Thursday and catch some Hard Crabs for bait first. I
will write if I do anything. Write if you do.
BTW, I just got back from going the Hurlock and could have killed my
Turkey with the truck, couldn't beleive they were in the road standing
there like the season wasn't open. Bet they don't make it through the
day, the dummies. Later. donald
April 19th thru 24, 1999
     Monday, yard work and honey dues.
     Tuesday, yard work, thinking about going Tautog fishing with George Doty in the morning.
     Wednesday, yard work while waiting for Doty who didn't show till about noon. Headed for Lewis, Del to launch the Ark. 0230 in the afternoon we were finally at the wall at the mouth of the Delaware Bay and positioned ourselves on the Atlantic Ocean side. Wind calm, but looking like rain. On the way out I checked the compass just incase George didn't. I had the first one before George could get a hook over the side. About 5 lbs, 16 and a 1/2 inches. That was the average fish catch. We stayed, even through it started raining soon after we got tied up, till about 6 PM. We had caught about 35 fish, but were losing the bigger fish. Just gotto get heavier rigs to fish with. 20 lb line just doesn't cut it. Weather had closed in with a drizzle and haze, so we set the Ark at 140 degrees and headed in. I was home just before 8 PM. Wet, cold, tired, stinky, fat, dumb, and happy!
     George wanted to go again in the morning, but I had promised Pat we would go to Chincoteague for more Hard Crabs.
     Thursday, I filleted fish and found that Tautog roe just isn't developed yet, but the fillets were beautiful. Once Pat had a nap, she worked all night, we headed for Chincoteague. We sat the Crab pots and watched some boats come in with beautiful flounder. We just laid around the camper and ate Tautog till we couldn't hold any more and then watched the new movie 'Bugs". When we finally at out of bed, we went and got a mess of oysters for me to eat raw and the Crab pots, which had about a half bushel of Hard Crabs. Pat had a doctors appointment, so we had to get on the road home. Great time with Pat. Hoping for a rerun this week! Write if u do anything. donald
April 25th thru 27, 1999
     Saturday, Bob Wheatley came over with a friend and the kids to
fish off the pier. Think they had fun. Cold as hell, but they still
caught plenty of fish to take home. He is the only person who has taken
advantage of my pier that I think is so great this time of the year.
Hope he comes back.
     Jeff stopped by after being down to the Ocean City decoy show. I
agreed with him that it's not much of a show for hunting dekes, but some
really good detail and painting for show and decoration.
     Sunday, Pat and I headed for Chincoteague after church. Set the
Crab pots and tried flounder fishing, but it was just to cold to fish.
We again just laid around the camper and rested, ate and fooled around.
     Monday, we went fishing and within 10 minutes we had 2 flounders
over 16 inches in the boat, but it was just blowing to hard to stay and
as the spare got Pat wet it was just to cold to stay. Sure looked like
it was some nice flounder there. We picked up the Crab pots and found
that someone had stolen one, 'hope his teeth rot and his dick falls
off'. I still had a nice mess of Hard Crabs, but the cold temps have
the shedding at a standstill.
     Tuesday, back the the yard. This time trying to stop the Wisteria
from getting out of hand. Sure is pretty, but hard to control. George
Doty says he wants to try the Tog again Friday so I am hoping that the
rain they are predicting goes away. Will let u know.    donald

April 28th thru May 2nd, 1999
     Damn wind blowing every day! The high for the time was Jeff coming down Friday to work on some mounts. Think he's got it figured out now.
     Sure hope the wind dies out, cause honeydews suck. Even if it doesn't, Bobby and I are going to set some turtle pots Monday. Course, it's still to cold, but we are ready even if the turtles are not.
     George Doty stills wants to go after Tog first chance we get and I am really looking forward to it. We have eaten all that we had and everyone asked about more. I will write if I do anything. donald

May 3rd thru 6th, 1999
Well, Bobby and I set 25 turtle pots and caught nothing. Planning on checking them again Friday. Highlight of the week is my daugther from Maine is here to visit till the 15th and than she will return to Maine with GRANNY!!!

May 7th thru 9th, 1999
     Friday, Bobby and I moving turtle pots. We are now 20 miles from where I first started and still can't fine any turtles. Ducks everywhere. We have moved back to the same places we caught them over the last few years. I think it's just still to cold.
     Saturday, you might figure, George Doty called and wanted to go after Tog. I had turtle pots set deep and had to go fish them even through we are not catching any. Hate to let them die.
     We had three for about 50 lbs. Ducks and geese everywhere. Sat the pots high and will fish them again Monday.
     Sunday, we have four generations at the mother daughters thingy at Church. Also, have everyone over for dinner which is to start any minute.   By for now. donald

Week of May 10, thru 17, 1999
     Wind blow every time I tried to go fishing! Fished turtle pots every other day. Not much moving yet, we may have caught 200 lbs since we started. They are just sitting in the barrels asleep, cause they are cold.
     Highlight for the week was Granny going to back to Maine!
     Low for the week is that Pat broke her finger on her right hand and can't write 'so no working' OR fishing 'can't turn the reel'. Life is a bitch and than you die. donald

Week of May 17, thru 23, 1999
     Life is looking better. Pat's finger is still broke but she can
now use a rod and reel and go fishing. Took her this week and she
caught her first Tog. Actually she caught more the the other four men
in the boat. Course I out fished her. There was 6 of us and we caught
our 18 fish over 16 inches. Great afternoon on the Delaware Bay.
     Things looked better at Chincoteague this week. We caught a nice
pot of crabs and a couple flounder and trout. Still just to cold to get
into the water for clams, 'next time'.
     Today was the best day yet for Bobby and I turtleing. We had about
200 lbs. It has been a lot of work for not much return. We are still
working down the river from Vienna and will keep going till we run out
of turtles. We had one of the bravest geese attack the boat this week
when we passed its young goslings, actually bit the boat and almost got
Bobby. I don't think anything will get those little geese, well, maybe
a Snapping Turtle, if I can't catch it first. Can't wait to sell
turtles this week, I am out of 'mad money'.
      Hope you had as good a week! If so let me know about it, it will
not kill you to email me. Till next time. donald

Hi Folks,
Can't seem to fine time to write, but wanted you to know I am ok. Catching 150 to 200 lbs of Snapping Turtles each morning. Crabs, Clams, Tog and Strippers all available and delicious. Planning on helping Jeff work on the blind over to Hard Scrabble on Sunday morning. Eddie says he can be there also. Glad we are getting to it before it gets hot. hehehe Gone for now! donald

June 18, 1999
     I know I am just not writing. Grandson on the machine all the time and I just seem to be doing something all the time. Maybe it will settle down.
      Anyway, still catching Snappers each morning. Should end up with around 1,000 lbs this week. Ordered shot for this winter from Ballistics Products and taking care of things to go hunting this fall. My toys are expensive. Will be painting dekes before long.
     Wind seems to stay out of the East and I don't even try the rock when it is, but whenever it isn't I have know problem catching them. 'As a matter a fact', as soon as I finish this I am going to catch some Hard Crabs and my two Strippers. I will also fish my peeler pots and have Soft Crabs for supper.   I just took one out of my shedding tank and have two more on the way out.
      Really missing Pat. She has been down in Nashville since last Friday and is coming home Sunday night. We will ride the Snappers to Atlantic City on Monday.
     Well, gotto go lanch the boat!!!!!!!!

July 4, 1999
Hi Folks,
I know, I know, I just haven't been writing. Well, most of you know that when I got to Atlantic City with the turtles, back on in June, I slipped in some turtle shit in the back of the truck and ripped my Achilles tendon. 'Damn that hurts!' Anyway, it put me on my ass for a while. Finally got so I can humble around and went back to fishing turtle pots the last couple days. Long as I can get in the boat and on my ass I am ok. Went right back to catching a couple hundred lbs a day. Planning another trip to Atlantic City on Wednesday, not even getting in the back of the truck NEVER EVER again.
Hoping to get back to the fishing and crabbing this week, but I got to take it slow. Ha, like ever thing I do isn't SLOW. 'Yes, girls even that!'
Write if you can. donald

July 4, thru July 21, 1999
     Just got back from checking to see if the 'Doubler' run has started in the Big Choptank River at daybreak. Got a few Hard Crabs to eat and a few peelers to shed, but the run just isn't good enough to stay long yet. Let's see, for those that don't know what a Doubler is. It's when Blue Crabs mate. They only get one crack at it, while she's soft, poor feelers. Ha, the males just go from one to another. Guess I should say poor gals. Anyway you get the best of the males and females that are about to shed. Enough, enough. It was nice to be up before light and see the sun come up!
     I am STILL just humbling along on that knee. Man, I have never had anything hurt and take as long to get better. Guess I am doing the right thing as far as going on the best I can.
     Bobby and I quit Snapping Turtleing a week ago. Not the best year, but I got most of my hunting stuff paid for. Can't wait for September. Course, the Crabbing and Fishing should be good till than. Planning on taking my daughter out at sunset to catch some strippers.
     Granny comes back from Maine next week. Sure hope she appreciates us giving her our home to live in and all the care she gets more than she did when she left. Maybe, but I guess it will just get worse and worse.
     Well, I know I haven't been writing much, but it's more than most of you. Write if you know how.    donald

July 21st thru Aug 4th
     Well, July 25th the doubles started for me on the bridge piles. My best day has been 75 peelers and bushel and a half hard crabs. I stay a couple hours and then my ass begins to become part of the boat seat and that's enough. Stripper fishing has been good and there seems to be no problem catching my two. They are running about 22 inches.
     The last two days have been special, as Bill came down from Pa. and we had a chance to get out and play. We had fair luck with things. He got to check the floater and then we went fishing for strippers. They just wouldn't bite till the Sun was down. Then within ten minutes we boated two, Bill's the biggest at about 24 to 26. When we got up the next morning we headed for the Big Choptank River bridge to catch crabs off the piles. Bill said he only wanted about half a bushel, but we stayed till we had almost a full one. Once we got home I fixed softcrabs and we ate all we could hold. Bill will be coming back later this month and we will put the floater in Eagle's Ditch and brush it.
     Both fishing and crabbing should just get better and better as fall approaches. Cann't hardy wait till the hunting season starts. Write if you gat a chance.   donald

Aug 4th thru Aug 10th 1999
     Well, life is good! Doubler run is still going strong. Pat and I have shed and eaten just about all the Soft Crabs we want and I fine myself giving them away. Bill came down and checked out the floating blind and we had a chance to play, Crabbed and Fished. Jeff came down and we went scouting for places to hunt Teal. Seems they are always buying new spots that become public. Nice to get into the marsh. We came across a Fish Weir and wished we had brought the Crab net, cause it was full of Crabs. I when ahead and caught enough for a mess to eat, about 8 nice males, with my hands and paid with blood. If my hand hadn't bled so bad I could have caught lots more.
     Crabs are getting so plentiful that the buyers dropped the price again and put the guys on a limit for 1's. Every year since I can remember there has always been too many Crabs this time of the year, But the damn politicians will more than likely put all kinds of rules and regs on them. I wish they would be made to come and see that the Blue Crab WILL become as plentiful as the food source allows, to the point of eating themselves, because there is nothing else to eat. O Well, I better not get started.
     Granny has settled in and seems a little more appreciative of the house and care given. Pat is working lots so she can play lots. Think life is good for them also, through Granny just will not let herself enjoy life.
     Crabbing and Fishing should just get better and better and hunting is getting close. Always seems to be more when I am out along. Like last evening I went out on the Big Choptank about an hour before sunset and went to a Fish Weir and caught about half bushel of Crabs in about 15 minutes and then hooked 4 Strippers just at sunset, kept two over 2 foot long, and will take them to one of my hunting lease landlords today.
     Hope life is good for you. Write if you can.   donald

Aug 11th thru Aug 13th 1999
     Well, I talked Eddie into going fishing Tuesday evening and he never got a bite. I caught 3 one of which was the first fish this year that looked sick. The other two were 2 footers and beautiful. Crabs aplenty.
     Then, Harold and a friend came for Thursday evening and we never even had a bite. Damn fish.
     O Well, Pat wants to go down to Chincoteague for the next couple days and maybe once I get back they will bite better. I think Chincoteague will be a little better for us, cause the Island folks finely got rid of their Mayor and town manager and fired their Police chief.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
   Chincoteague is looking for a new mayor. Mayor Harry Thornton has resigned.
   This follows his admission in may that he skipped most of the National Hurricane
   Conference to take a pleasure trip to the Florida Keys. $3,000 of town money was
   used for that trip. He was accompanied by town manager Stewart Baker and
   police chief Willis Dize. Baker was forced to resign and Dize was fired. The town
   council will appoint a new mayor.
Don't it make you feel good that at least some folks in this world WILL get rid of people that are supposed to serve the people and don't. See it can be done.
     Well, I am going now to go fish the Crab pot and the end of my pier and steam them before we head to the Island. Will write once we get back. donald

Aug 14th thru Aug 18th 1999
     Best thing about the trip to Chincoteague Island was the shrimp for $2.50 a lb. Ate steamed shrimp till we couldn't walk. hehehe Still seems to be plenty of Crabs, but the strippers have been a little temperamental. Guess it's just so much for them to eat and hot also. Caught the first one this year that was not healthy. It seemed to be all bruised up, maybe from the Skates that are also plentiful. All others have been beautiful. Tricia, my daughter and Herby her husband, caught there limits last time we went fishing, while I sat I my boat and caught nothing. That's NOT the way it's supposed to be.
     Went into the courthouse and got the floating blind permit for Eagle Ditch. Not to bad a line.
     Jeff came and we went in his new boat and caught him all the crabs he wanted off a couple fish pound weirs. Man, you talk about a great duck boat!!! It just looks like death for them. I am so happy for Jeff, I know he will enjoy it. Hoping, I get to go some with him, also.
     Pat wanted to go dip crabs yesterday 'couldn't get her to quit ' and now I have to pick the damn things out. hehehe Crab cakes today. She's off the rest of the week and we will play. Best of life!
     Hope life is good for you, also. Write if you can. donald

Aug 19th thru Aug 23th 1999
     Well, Pat said she had heard enough about all the crabs hanging on those fish pound weirs, and wanted to go. Dawn, my daughter said she wanted some to pick out, so away we went. Two bushels of crabs later I got Pat to quit. Whew, now I had to cook the damn things. Did have 42 peelers and about half bushel of good jimmies. The rest were sooks, that pick good. That's what I did Friday.
     Pat and I also had a big week on concerts. Went to see Randy Lee and Kenny Chesney at our local Ball Park. Hoping they keep the concerts coming, it was the first. Friday evening we went to Chincoteague Island to see Randy Lee. Was very humid and I did have a lot of angina, but I made it and knew I could sleep in Saturday morning. Which I did!
     Eddie was supposed to go with me to Hard Scabble Sunday and then go fishing, but was no where to be found. Going to Easton tonight to the DNR meeting concerning the waterfowl seasons with Jeff, also Eddie if I can fine him. Getting started painting on all the dekes, that I have to, for this years hunting. Always a lot of time. Write if u can.   donald

Aug 24th thru 29th 1999
     Well, this week was a little rough. Pat came home from the
Hospital with the Whooping cough. She took care of a baby that came
down with Whooping cough and sure enough she's got it now. Went on an
antibiotic that is really hard on the digestive system. She and I have
not felt very good most of the week, but it seems to be getting better
now. Granny is fine, she will outlive us all. I have put Sunny on a
diet, someone has to be in shape to go get the dead geese.
     Crabs are still unbelievably plentiful and beautiful. One of my
friends caught one 10 and 1/2 inches that he wants me to mount for him.
Damn big crab! Doublers are still running good and all over the bridge
piles. Tricia, my daughter and her husband Herby went yesterday and
caught almost 3 bushels. I have gone to just one crab pot at the end of
my pier and it's catching 18 to 30 crabs a day. More than I can eat.
Haven't tryed the strippers lately, but they tell me they are easy to
catch.
     Eddie and I went today and took about 100 silly Canadian dekes over
to the dozier blind at Hard Scrabble. Not a goose in site. There was
two Bluewing Teal sitting in the pond. Not allowed to shoot them there,
most be near the bay coast. Plan on loading the 70 mounts in the truck
tomorrow evening to take to the field. We, Jeff, Eddie and I will not
set them till Wednesday morning and hope that the damn hurricane doesn't mess so up. Maybe it will help.

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If anyone is reading these letters, it would be nice to have an account of what your life is like. I would love to hear from you.

Donald

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