Memorial Day Weekend Miracle

Sometimes we run across things in life that make us sit back and think…things we know could have or should have turned out differently. We sometimes call them miracles. I believe in miracles, and angels.

Friday night I was just getting set up while out fishing, when I got a call from my mother telling me that my brother was in a bad accident. He was traveling, and still eight hours from home, when he was hit by a semi on the interstate. His car was totaled, but he walked away from his car with a few broken ribs and lacerations. The trooper and EMT told him he was lucky to be alive.

I spoke with him yesterday and found him to be in good spirits. It had been a horrifying ordeal; the semi actually ran over his car…yes, he was under the semi! He returned to the hospital yesterday, but he’s out and seems to be ok, but in a lot of pain. I also discovered that angels pulled him through all this. My brother told me he was not alone though all of it, and I actually cried when he handed his phone to a man who explained to me that they saw the accident happen and stopped. The man and his wife directed traffic, called an ambulance and the police, and ensured that my brother made it to the hospital. My brother was dazed and disoriented. The stranger and his wife returned to the hospital the next day to oversee my brother’s testing and to sit with him. They spent the day with him, and drove him to his car in the impound to get his belongings. They also took him to dinner, where my step-dad and my brother’s girlfriend finally arrived after an eight hour drive and joined them. The gentleman told me that he could not believe my brother survived the crash. I thanked him for taking care of my brother, and told him my family was eternally grateful for their kindness. My brother was in a strange town, with no car, coming out of a terrifying near-death experience…but they took time out of their holiday weekend to help a stranger and make sure he was ok. Thank you God, for a miracle and for sending angels to look after my brother.

Girls, let's go fishing. Thanks Mom.

I grew up in a world that didn’t place emphasis on male and female roles. It was never instilled in me that I could not do something because I was female. Those boundaries common in society as I was growing up, were foreign to me. If I had an interest or a goal, just like my younger brother and sister, we had the support of our family, particularly our mother. We developed as individuals, not stereotypes.

It didn’t really occur to me until I became an adult, that the encouragement to grow without emphasis on my gender was an exception, not the norm. Although today things are improving, we still have a ways to go. I’m reminded daily as a practicing dentist how infrequently women are found in my profession. And it’s not hard to notice that my passion, fishing, is still mostly enjoyed by men.

At first, as I excelled in my “not-so-female-oriented interests,” I didn’t understand this skewed attitude from people. I was mostly caught off guard by off-handed remarks, or gentle reminders from strangers that I’m a woman, and certain boundaries apply. I was never angered or upset, or even discouraged by these naïve positions. I simply realized that I was very lucky to have the love and encouragement from my family to achieve anything I could dream…no matter what. My Mother made sure of that.

Since sportfishing become my passion, I worked for years to find my place in the community and within the sport. It became clear during my journey that it was time to break the gender-biased attitude within the fishing world. I made it my goal to help change that view-point whenever I could. My initial blank looks in response to obtuse remarks related to my fishing achievements were replaced with an understanding smile, and a gracious invitation to embrace the influx of more ladies turning to sportfishing.

I now stand tall as a woman advocating the world of sportfishing, and the response from other women is refreshing. I’m elated with the number of ladies who come forward to share their newly found love and experiences in fishing. Each woman that thanks me for what I do for the sport is thanks to my Mother. As I look back, that was a bold commitment for a Mother who grew up herself in a mostly male-dominated society. Her strength and her dedication to her belief that people should not be directed in life by gender, made me who I am today. This is just one more reason I am so thankful to my wonderful Mother. Thanks, Mom. Happy Mother’s Day!

My Favorite Fishing Knot

I am often asked about the knots I use for fishing. There all types of fishing knots out there, with many different uses. It’s a good idea to become familiar with a few that are useful for the type of fishing you prefer. A good knot should be easy for you to remember, simple to tie, reliable, and strong. And remember, practice makes perfect. Tie the knot you choose over and over until you can tie it quickly, and then evaluate its quality before you get out on the water. When you are on the water, in the middle of a blitz or casting to a surprise school of drum is not the time to practice tying and testing your knots. Nothing is more frustrating than holding the tell-tale curly end of an unraveled knot instead of your fish.

Of course I use different fishing knots for different situations, but my favorite all-around knot is the uni-knot. This knot satisfies all of my requirements for a good knot, and suits most of my fishing needs. It’s simple and strong, and I can even tie it in the dark. The more the knot is pulled, the more it tightens. And most importantly, I have never had a uni-knot unravel. I routinely use the uni-knot for tying my leaders and attaching hooks.

There are several different ways to research and learn to tie the many different knots available. There are many how-to books, articles, and helpful videos. I have also found some very good knot-tying videos posted on You Tube. Some presentations make more sense to me than others, so look for a how-to source that works for you and is easy to follow. Here is a good link www.animatedknots.com/duncan/index.php.

You can also ask your fishing buddies which knots they prefer, and have them show you how they tie them. A word of caution on this advice, though…take notice that your buddies’ knots work and don’t pull or break. Often anglers are convinced their knots are the best, and are not aware that they are tied incorrectly or poorly.

Good luck out there, and may your knots always hold!

Fishing piers great for kids

Parents ask me all the time about the best options for introducing kids to fishing. I always suggest our local fishing piers. Fishing piers are a great choice for learning the basics in a relatively low maintenance environment. I spent many days fishing from piers as a child catching fish with my family, which are now some of the best memories of my life. I enjoyed observing the other anglers on the pier, and took every chance I could to pick their brains. And just like most anglers, pier anglers also love to talk fishing!

The pier environment provides a safer setting than a boat for young children, and not to mention less expensive. Plan to spend anywhere from $5 to $10 for a day or night of fishing, and no fishing license is required while fishing from a pier. Most piers are convenient, and offer some basic tackle and bait for sale. For your first trip, call ahead for information and for a few tips on basic “pier etiquette” to help the trip run smoothly.

Lately, the fishing action on local piers has been very good, so now is a great time to hit the lower Bay and ocean front fishing piers. Jumbo croaker, big sea mullet, flounder, and spot are but a few of the many different species available. So hit a local fishing pier for some good saltwater fishing action, and take a kid with you. And bait up! 

For more information on Hampton Roads Fishing Piers, go to www.hamptonroadsfishingguide.com/directory/fishingPiers.html.

What's biting Easter week?

 06 April 2012

EASTER REPORT 

There should be plenty of variety for those who hit the water this week. The water temperatures continue to rise ahead of schedule, with the spring fishing season heating up accordingly.

Flounder action is on the upswing, and should only improve as the water continues to warm. The best hauls are coming from the curve near the third island of the CBBT, along the Baltimore Channel, buoy 36A, and Back River Reef. One boat loaded up with fish ranging to around 23-inches while drifting off of Ocean View in 10 to 15-feet of water. Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets are also faring well with keeper fish, but the action is still inconsistent. On the Eastern Shore, the seaside inlets near Oyster and Wachapreague continue to produce fish up to 4-pounds on bare hooks donned with strip bait.

Tautog action is still going strong, especially within Bay waters. Fiddler crabs and blue crabs are working well on lower Bay structures and wrecks. The rocks and tubes of the artificial islands and the pilings near the High Rise section of the Bridge Tunnel, the Concrete Ships, Cape Henry wreck, and the Yancy wreck are providing good action.

Speckled trout continue to hit in the Elizabeth River. The fish are hanging on ledges and in water from 4 to 8-feet, where suspending twitch baits are working well. One pair of anglers released over 30 specks this week, with several measuring to over 24-inches. A mix of keeper sized trout and snapper bluefish are also hitting in Rudee Inlet.

Croaker are biting near the CBBT, off Willoughby, Ocean View, and the near the Little Creek Jetties. The bigger fish are coming from the lower Bay Rivers on peeler crabs and bloodworms. The Ocean View Fishing Pier reports good numbers of round head averaging to 12 and 14-inches, and plenty of small croaker.

Schools of huge red drum are settling in along the barrier islands of the Eastern Shore. Surf casters and kayakers are doing the best along the breakers, with reds ranging between 45 and 55-inches giving them a run for their money. Large black drum will make the scene any day, with one black weighing 45-pounds already pulled from the surf this week. 

Let's talk fishing at the Expo

 What is the favorite past time for anglers when the weather’s not favorable for fishing? Fishing and boat shows, of course! From Maine to Florida, folks flock to these winter-time events to share in the fishing fever and anticipate the upcoming season. This year, there’s a new show on the block. The 1^st annual Mid-Atlantic Saltwater Fishing Expo makes its debut this weekend (Friday through Sunday) in Richmond, at the Showplace at the Mechanicsville Turnpike exit.

I have been asked to host a booth at the show, so come out and let’s talk fishing. You may also bump into a few other featured guests to include local pros Kayak Kevin, Mark Lozier, Jet Ski Brian, and Mark Davis of Penn’s Big Water Adventure, to name a few.

This show boasts catering strictly to a saltwater fishing theme, with activities and vendors for all aspects of saltwater fishing. For more information, go to www.midatlanticsaltwaterfishing.com. See you there!

Sixty-pound Red Drum caught off Ocean View Fishing Pier

Spring is officially here. So what should you fish for this weekend? Take your pick. The mild winter and warm spring can only mean one thing on the fishing front….an early spring fishery. And so far, that prediction is holding true. The spring favorites are trickling in. Flounder, bluefish, and speckled trout are already here and on angler’s spring fishing to-do-list.

But what most are not expecting quite yet is the arrival of one of spring’s most anticipated stars. Red drum. That’s right; anglers usually begin watching for these highly coveted lower Bay favorites to begin filtering into the lower Bay shoals and shallow inlets along the Eastern Shore in April.

 But this week we were handed an unexpected gift. Candice Otey of Norfolk was enjoying a nice day fishing for croaker on the Ocean View Pier, when she hooked into something more than she bargained for. After a vierce battle, to her delight Candice became the first angler in Virginia to release a full-sized bull red drum. And it was not just a full-sized red. It weighed 59-pounds, 13-ounces at the pier, and stretched to 49-inches long! By drum standards, that’s a hefty specimen for any time of year!

Yes, I think spring fishing will be ahead of schedule this season, and it looks like it’s going to be a great year!

(If you want more information about the Ocean View Fishing Pier, call 757-583-6000 or go to oceanviewfishingpier.com)

The time is now for nice Virginia Tautog

11 March 2012

With all the wind lately, I was anxious to get back out on the water. The target for the day was one of my favorite species, tautog. My crew consisted of myself, Scott Fiedorczyk, Brian Scott, and Scott’s buddy, Craig. We left Lynnhaven Inlet on my boat around 7 am and headed out to the Triangle wrecks. The seas continued to smooth out as we made our way to our first stop. There were about half a dozen boats out there all day. We used crabs to practice with a few seabass, which we tossed back. We found one hungry tog, so we decided to move to the next spot.

The piece of structure is pretty small, so it took a few attempts to get a good hold with the anchor. But once we were set, it was worth it. We weren’t bothered by any more seabass; instead we were taunted by tricky tautog. We had great fun making fun of each other as we missed bites, or pulled off fish. We caught a cooler full of nice tog. All of our fish on this trip were nice, including three citations with the biggest going to 12-pounds. Our buddy Captain Neil Taylor with Seaduction Charters was also fishing at the Triangles that day, and he also had several nice fish and a hand full of citations up to around 13-pounds. We left at about 4pm, and had plenty of daylight to clean the boat. There are some big fish out there if you don’t mind the hassle to go get them. Good luck!

For the Love of the Sport

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I had the opportunity to speak at Bass Pro Shops in Hampton, Virginia yesterday. While I was there, someone thanked me, and then asked why I go through so much trouble to give these seminars for the public. I thought for a second, and then I told him. Over the years, through my unyielding love for the ocean I have taken on a responsibility to promote and support recreational sportfishing and our local fisheries. I love sharing my knowledge, experiences, and passion for fishing in hopes of inspiring others to appreciate the resource through the love of the sport. There are very few things that I do in my life that give me the feeling I get when I see that look in people’s faces when they “get it”. And touching or even changing someone’s life though my inspiration, words, or other efforts is a really big deal, and that satisfaction makes it worth all while.

After chatting with him, I thought about it and realized I have presented fishing seminars for Bass Pro for over six years now. I have also been involved in other events there, but as for speaking to the public, that came to over 50 seminars just at one place! I looked back and added in past sportfishing and boat shows, angling clubs, symposiums, banquets, sportfishing and boating associations, etc. And I realized that I have had the opportunity to touch folks through more than 250 seminars over the years. Wow, I remember the first time I ever stood in front of a crowd to speak. Although I was terrified, once I saw the intrigue and excitement in the faces of those folks in the audience, I knew my mission was set. I had no choice but to get over my stage fright. And I’m glad I did.

Crazy winter weather

It’s February. Yesterday, air temperatures reached over 80 degrees. That’s a new record high for the Hampton Roads area! Only six days ago, it was snowing in many parts of the area, with a high near 34 degrees. This crazy weather is enough to, well make someone crazy.

Now this week, the wind is relentless. Blowing a gale from the North, and then the South, and then from the North again….just another odd weather situation to keep us shaking our heads at the unusual conditions. No one is really complaining. These conditions are certainly better than the frigid winters highlighted with brutal storms we have experienced for the past few years. But the weather plays such a large roll in the fishing scene. Unusual twists in the norm make predicting fish patterns even more challenging!

No wonder the fishing dynamics have been bizarre. It’s hard to tell if it’s winter or spring! But it appears that the reality of winter is finally setting in on the fishing scene. Yes, water temperatures along the coast are still averaging in the upper forties, bait is still plentiful, and lots of life and whales are still evident along the shorelines. But it’s possible that the amazing saltwater fishing bonanza featuring huge striped bass and bluefin tuna right off the coast has run its course.

But interestingly, anglers don’t seem to be too disappointed. With the blessing of such an extraordinary introduction to our winter fishery, the mood seems more like that of contentment rather than disappointment. All good things must come to an end. And most folks recognized that this was an exceptional phenomenon, partaking in the bounty while they could. Now they are just grateful it happened.