Chesapeake Beach Report

[don.themason]

Fished out of chesapeake beach saturday. filled in for a friend that was to sick to show up for his own charter.
5 of us left out 6am saturday morning aboard the hellen r .
within a half an hour we were almost limited out . trolled large bucktails n parachutes with umbrella riggs again . all fish caught in 35 to 40 foot of water but within 20' of the surface. we saw no fish under 38'' ,the largest was 44''.
although we did well from what i saw of other charters that came in the same time we did ,some didnt do so good .
In my opinion some of these boat captains should have their liscence revoked! watched others come in with some stripers as small as 12'' mixed in with some legal fish.
For some reason some of these captains think they can just keep anything no matter how small.
Really wanted to say something but just kept my mouth shut.
makes no sence with as many large stripers in the bay as there are.
Mornings seem to be most productive tapering off around 10:30-11:00 am. Plenty bait fish still schooled up.
Just find the bait fish ,troll through the school and you'll find the big stripers.

[Steve]

Wow, that's a pretty fast limit-out!

If you are positive beyond any doubt about under-sized species being kept, the DNR would love to hear from you.
Sorry, but if they were 12" Stripers, I would not have kept my mouth shut. I would have said, Gee, nice catch! and taken a picture for DNR.
It's up to all of us to stop poaching. We know they are out there....

[don.themason]

Steve i swear with my right hand on the bible they kept fish that were only 12'' . The only reason I kept my mouth shut is because I was a guest on this charter . the person whos place Itook on this trip is a regular customer on the hellen r taking about 15-20 trips a year the boat that kept these fish was just a couple slips down .I didnt want to cause any trouble for my friend or the captain of the hellen r . If I would have said any thing I probably would'nt be welcome to go along on any of his regular trips again. besides I didnt have my camera with me that day .
BELIEVE ME if I would have I would have posted these small fish on here along with the name of the boat, for any on here to do as they wished.
After seeing and hearing how these charter captains are really reprimanded for such an act it isnt worth the trouble.NO IT DOESNT MAKE IT RIGHT.
For instance Buddy Harrison of Harrison'scountry inn and sport fishing center Inc. . I have listened to him brag on how the year before last he got fined for over 300 stripers under sized and numerouse over thier limmit trips and how he only got a $300.00 fine for the undersize fish in total . nothing for the over thier limit fish.
Its not fair or right when any of us would get $500 per fish or $1000 per fish if they were dead.
The DNR is just not tuff enough on these charters. they should receive stiffer penalties than us private fisherman.
I hope me mentioning the name of one of these poaching charters doesnt affect me going on my companies fishing trip next year. I'VE heard alot of s--- from this guys hired captains for throwing under sized fish back.

[Steve]

I understand your position and respect it.
I'm just not the same way when it comes to us stealing our kid's resources.
Just because something is free, doesn't make it a good deal.
It's too bad MD doesn't go after the resource rapists with confiscation of their boat and a $50,000 fine.

Hello MD DNR?
Are you listening???
(NOT!)

[Steve]

As reflected in private messages with Don, I agree 101% with the course he has recently chosen.
For edification, it was NOT the Helen R that kept the undersized fish! The Helen R provided a good, legal service to their customers!

It's not like the bad guys are keeping quiet about themselves either, they'll blab to the world. Maybe others can observe what is happening all around them and get involved.

We don't need to see more species "leave" the area, like the big Trout did. Not saying they were poached, just that they were a fun, tasty fish and now they are no longer in the area like they were 20 years ago.

[don.themason]

thanks for your support on this matter Steve