HUTCH FISHING REPORT WEEK OF JUNE 30, 2008
| Cherrystone Family Camping Resort will update this fishing report weekly through mid-October, later if conditions warrant. It is compiled by Bob Hutchinson, seasonal camper site #143. Hutch is the retired outdoors editor for hunting and fishing for The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot. Find out the latest on fishing at Cherrystone. ******************************************************************** This week's big news is that croaker have invaded waters of the Chesapeake Bay off Cherrystone Family Camping Resort as well as Seaside (oceanside) waters out of the village of Oyster, VA, 4.5 miles east of Cherrystone. In fact, catches out of Oyster have been fantastic, with some glutonous anglers hauling their catches away by the coolers-full. Take what you can use but don't waste a valuable resource. You may want to go again. Croaker fishing is relatively simple. All you need is a two-hook, high-low Chesapeake Bay bottom rig. Use 1/0 long-shank hooks since they are usually easy to remove. Bait the hooks with 1/2-inch by 2-inch strips of good squid. Either light (10-12-pound-test) spinning on baitcasting outfits will suffice and usejust enough sinker to keep the rig on the bottom. The same rig will also work on gray trout, spot, kingfish, small bluefish and other bottom-feeders. Croaker will hit a variety of baits, including shrimp, peeler crab, bloodworms and manufactured "Fish Bites," available at Cherrystone Bait and Tackle. I've even caught them steadily on small flies tied with small feathers and bucktail. Capt. Ray Cardone, who skippers the head boat Miss Jennifer from the docks behind Cherrystone Aqua Farms, reports a mixed bag that includes small gray trout, small bluefish, kingfish and even some flounder. Of late, the hottest flounder action has been in Seaside waters out of Oyster, more specificly inand around Shop Shoal Inlet, The best Bayside hauls are being made in deep (40-80) feet of water around structure, including wrecks. Cobia, |
BOB HUTCHINSON
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