Chincoteague Charter Boats, Nature Cruises, Tour Boats and Fishing Guides

Aerial Photographs of Virginia Towns, Historical Buildings Inlets and Barrier Islands

Daybreak — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 02:35:35 +0000

Highcamera Aerial Photography has announced the release for sale of thirty images covering most of the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia.

Highcamera added a new gallery to its website which includes thirty images the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia. These high resolution aerial photographs include famous Delmarva landmarks such as Assateague Lighthouse, Smith Island Lighthouse, Kiptopeake State Park and historic life saving stations along Virginia’s barrier Islands.

Virginia towns featured in the gallery include Chincoteague, Accomac, Wachapreague, Onancock, Painter, Parksley, Saxis, Deep Creek, Exmore, Tangier Island, Willis Wharf, Cape Charles, Cheriton, Oyster and Eastville Virginia.

Other images in the collection provide aerial views of Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay and coastal barrier islands. Among the images are Tangier Island, Chincoteague Island, Assateague Island, Hog Island, Cedar Island, Wachapreague Inlet and Hog Island Inlet.

Prints of the images are offered in a variety of sizes on high quality paper and permanent vibrant inks. Each image purchased will be signed by the photographer and are certain to retain their value for many years to come. In addition to the collection of Delmarva aerial photos, the Highcamera website offers several Washington D.C. aerial photographs.

The Delmarva aerial photo gallery was released just in time for Christmas and customer response was higher than expected. Highcamera owner Patrick Hendrickson remarked, “As soon as the gallery hit our website, the phone
started ringing. A lot of people wanted aerial photographs of the area as gifts or for their own use.”

Highcamera is known regionally for high quality aerial photography for real estate, construction progress and advertising on demand.

Visit highcamera.com to view sample aerial photo galleries of Delmarva, Washington DC and coming soon
will be more aerial photos of Virginia and Maryland.

This article is copyright © Craig Banks, Chincoteague Charter Boats, Nature Cruises, Tour Boats and Fishing Guides. For more information on Chincoteague Charter Boats, Nature Cruises, Tour Boats and Fishing Guides visit www.chincoteaguecharterboats.com. When visiting other locations worldwide, you can find charter boats, sailing charters, cruises, fishing guides, hunting guides other outdoor adventures at Worldwide Charter Boat-Guide Directory.

2009 Recreational Fishing Regulations for Flounder and Sea Bass in Virginia

Daybreak — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:17:17 +0000

MAFMC and ASMFC Board Adopt 2009 Recreational Management Measures

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) together with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Board (Board) met on December 9, 2008 in Montauk, NY and adopted the following 2009 recreational fishery management measures:

For 2009, recreational anglers will have a harvest limit on summer flounder of 7.16 million pounds, with possesion limits, minimum sizes and open seasons being decided upon by the states.

Scup will be limited to 1.74 million pounds with a 25 fish limit in the EEZ, a 12″ minimum size and open seasons from Jan. 1-Feb. 28 and Oct. 1-Oct. 31.

Black Sea Bass will have a 2009 harvest limit of 1.17 million pounds, a 25 fish possesion limit and a minimum size of 12.5″. Open season for black sea bass was set at Jan. 1- Dec. 31.

Chincoteague Island Wahoo

Daybreak — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:21:41 +0000

Wahoo are among the fastest and most beautiful pelagic fish. They easily attain speeds exceeding 50 mph and are known for their stealth. The fish are long and slender, with a striking pattern of vertical blue tiger stripes. They have blue eyes and a wide opening mouth equipped with razor sharp teeth.

Wahoo use their combination of speed and sharp teeth when hunting. They have been known to charge thru a school of fish, with their mouth wide open. Their teeth need only to touch baitfish to slice them cleanly in half. After the initial charge, wahoo may turn and cruise back in lower in the water column, catching any injured or dead fish that sink.

Wahoo are very difficult to catch. Their teeth cut monofilament line effortlessly. When targeting wahoo specifically, many anglers switch to wire in order to avoid being cut off by the fish. Sometimes wire leaders work, but since wahoo have keen eyesight, they sometimes detect the wire leader material and refuse to bite. A switch back to mono might get bites, but then the angler is back to loosing rigs and missing fish again!

While wahoo are known for their speed, beauty and difficulty to catch, perhaps their most famous attribute is their table quality. Wahoo are among the most delicious of fish. Their meat is mild and white with a distinctive texture and flavor. Wahoo are delicious grilled, blackened, smoked or broiled.

Wahoo are found in off the coast of Virginia as well as other parts of the world. Several areas are famous for
opportunities to catch wahoo, including, North Carolina, Florida, Much of Mexico, Caribbean Islands and Hawaii.

Wahoo enthusiasts can find wahoo t shirts and art in this fish t shirts and art online store.

Towns of the Eastern Shore

Daybreak — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:13:27 +0000

The Delmarva Peninsula

The Delmarva peninsula is a narrow strip of land that is isolated by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Chesapeake Bay to the west. This strip of land is occupied by Delaware, and parts of Maryland and Virginia.

The area is home to a mix of agriculture, aquaculture, commercial fishing, and retirement living. Among the attractions are wildlife refuges, state parks and towns such as Dover, Salisbury, Berlin, Ocean City, Chincoteague, Onancock and Cape Charles.

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed separates Delmarva from the Western parts of Maryland and Virginia. The estuary includes more than 400,000 acres of land and thousands of miles of open bay, rivers and streams. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in North America, beginning in Pennsylvania, as a small part of the Susquehanna River. As the flow increases, it passes thru Maryland and becomes an open bay. The bay continues South into Virginia, emptying into the Atlantic near The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. The Chesapeake Bay is famous for its crabs, oysters, and fish including striped bass or “Rockfish”, one of the most important sport and food fish of the USA east coast.

The Atlantic Coast of Delmarva

Ocean City, Maryland is primarily a tourist resort, with a population that swells from less than 10,000 winter residents to over 2 million in the summer months. The Ocean City Inlet did not exist until1933, when the Chesapeake Potomac Hurricane tore thru the narrow island, separating Ocean City from Assateague Island. The Army Corps of Engineers stabilized the inlet making the town among the top mid-Atlantic fishing ports. The access to productive fishing grounds brought not only commercial fishing but recreational fishing, mostly boats that fish offshore for tuna, sharks, billfish and bottom fish.

Assateague Island is a pristine coastal island located South of Ocean City, Maryland. The Virginia portion of the island is occupied by Assateague National Seashore and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Assateague Island is known for its lighthouse, wild ponies, waterfowl, deer, sandy beaches, fishing and hiking trails.

Chincoteague Island is a family-oriented vacation resort along the coast. Recreation on the island includes swimming, sunbathing, fishing, clamming, bird watching, nature cruises, eco tours, biking, hiking, boating, kayaking, miniature golf, Chincoteague ponies, the pony swim, fireman’s carnival, Chincoteague decoy and art show, arts and crafts shows, the oyster festival and more.

South of Chincoteague is Wallops Island, which is occupied by NASA and the U.S. Navy. Below Wallops Island are several other barrier islands which are not accessible from land.

Wachapreague is another small town on the eastern shore. The town lies on a winding creek that leads to a series of small bays, tidal flats and eventually to the Atlantic Ocean. Wachapreague is well known for its flounder fishing and deep sea fishing for tuna, marlin and other pelagic species.

South of Wachapreague are more barrier islands and the community of Oyster. Oyster is known for its maze of shallow waterways, wildlife and its thriving clam aquaculture as well as harvesting of wild clams and oysters.

Delmarva Bayside Towns

Onancock is one of the most beautiful and oldest towns on the lower eastern shore. The town has restaraunts, shops, the harbor and other services within all within walking distance. Onancock is a popular overnight port for sailboaters. The creek into town offers quite dockage and is a nice location to stop off during Chesapeake Bay tours. Onancock Creek extends roughly 10 miles and merges in the Chesapeake Bay. Along the creek are sandy beaches, ideal for sunbathing and family outings. Further along the estuary are marshy stretches with grass beds, points and other scenic views. Anglers find a wide range of fishing spots within a short distance of Onancock.

Tangier Island is a small but beautiful island in the Chesapeake bay. Shallow water and marshy areas surround the island. The grassbeds are home to countless young blue crabs which come to grow and shed. This fishery for shedder crabs, known as “peeler crabs” are a main source of income for watermen. The commercial crabbers of Tangier Island catch crabs by traps, nets or scrapes and then hold them in tanks until they molt. The resulting soft shelled crab is a valuable seafood delicacy.

Cape Charles Virginia is a historic town near the tip of the Delmarva penninsula. The town was a bustling center of business in the 1800’s and first half of the 20th century, with most of its business related to the railroad which terminated in the harbor where railcars were transferred to barges for transport across the Chesapeake Bay. The rail hub still exists and remains in use.

Delmarva Links

www.chesapeake-bay.org

Delmarva T shirts

Chincoteague Island Standup Charter Fishing Aboard Shammy

Daybreak — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 01:52:28 +0000

Stand up fishing involves specialized tackle which gives the angler not only freedom to maneuver but also puts the angler in a position where they can use their body to its utmost advantage against large and powerful fish.

The foundation of the system includes special rods which are shorter than traditional IGFA trolling rods that were once common in offshore fishing. Stand up rods bend in a parabolic curve, meaning they flex more at the tip and stiffen sharply along their length. The reel seat is also closer to the butt on stand up style rods. This design allows more pressure to be transferred to the fish during a hookup and fight.

A key component of stand up tackle is the gimbal belt, which places the pivot point low on the angler, creating an optimal leverage against the fish. For larger fish, a kidney or shoulder harness is added. The harness greatly increases the size of fish that an angler can comfortably catch.

How does stand-up fishing help the angler?

First, the simplicity of the system makes it an ideal choice for small to mid-sized boats, and for anglers of all ages and skill levels. The learning curve is fast and the technique is extremely popular among beginners and seasoned anglers alike. Another reason that stand up fishing has become so popular in offshore fishing is that it is more fun. Anglers can follow the fish around as it maneuvers and keep pressure on the fish, even while resting their arm momentarily.

Captain Glenn of Shammy Sportfishing explained the how they use the technique to fish for large tuna off the coast of Virginia, stating “Stand up tackle allows us to introduce anglers from teens to seniors to large bluefin and yellowfin tuna as well as several other species. In matter of minutes, we can effectively coach anglers of any skill level to battle tuna that sometimes outweigh the angler. The tackle allows us to have a clean, organized cockpit with lots of room for fishing and relaxing. When a tuna is hooked, we quickly outfit the angler and the fight is on. People are amazed at how easy and effective this system can be.

Anglers that fished aboard Shammy described the experience, saying “On the day we fished, we found the motherlode of fish. We fought fish 2,3, and 4 at a time, sometimes non-stop. Our catch included dolphin of all sizes, a couple types of jacks, enormous false albacore and skipjack tuna. Captain Glen and his mate showed us how to use the standup tackle, quickly getting us equipped with belts and helping us into postion at the stern. The covering boards are well padded which provided a comfortable surface to brace ourselves against. We were able to catch a lot of big fish with very little physical strain.”

To learn more about standup fishing in Virginia for tuna, sharks, billfish and other species visit Shammy Sportfishing. For more about Chincoteague Island, visit Chincoteague Island Virginia.

Virginia Swordfishing

Daybreak — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:46:23 +0000

Boats from Chincoteague Island sometimes fish for swordfish. To reach swordfish, boats often travel 55 -75 nautical miles, searching in deepwater areas such as the Baltimore, Poor Man’s, Washington or Norfolk Canyons.

These structures have amazing features which produce conditions that attract several types of fish and other ocean life. West of the canyon walls are shallower but still productive areas. Near the canyon walls, the bottom becomes steeper and rockier. Fish congregate along the drop offs to catch food that is caught in the hard running current. Along the edges are lobster traps which are marked by orange buoys or “lobster balls”. The buoys attract mahi-mahi, also known as dolphin fish. Not only are the mahi-mahi excellent fish to catch, but they also attract the larger marlin which feed on them heavily. A trip by a buoy can be uneventful, or one or more lines might be attacked by mahi mahi, tuna, marlin or other fish.

Swordfish are caught mostly at night, in the deeper areas of the Virginia offshore canyons. On overnight trips, anglers typically set one or more lines at various depths. Nighttime swordfish rigs usually consist of a large circle or Southern tuna hook on a cable leader. Swordfish baits include whole squid, mackerel or other small fish. A glow stick is added to the leader a few feet above the bait. Inline weights may also be added on the line to control the depth of the bait.

Swordfish complete the trio of billfish that swim off the coast of Virginia, the other common billfish being white marling and blue marlin. Swordfish have tremendous strength and stamina, testing the limits of the most experienced anglers. Swordfish may vary from perhaps 4-10 feet in length, reaching weights of several hundred pounds and rarely exceeding 1000 pounds. They are found in the deeper offshore waters, feeding in extreme depths during the day and coming near the surface at night. Like marlin, swordfish move with temperature changes, becoming most common in late summer and fall.

Mako sharks are one of the few predators of swordfish . Several cases of shark attacks on swordfish have been documented of the Virginia coast. Large mako sharks are known to prey on swordfish basking on the surface. The shark attacks from behind, biting off the tail which leaves the swordfish powerless. The shark then eats its fill and leaves the rest of the fish to scavengers.

Anglers fishing the waters off the coast of Virginia almost always release both blue and white marlin. In fact in some areas the arrival of a dead marlin to the dock is considered highly offensive. As for swordfish, the decision to kill or release a legal sized swordfish is usually a matter of personal preference. The American swordfish fishery is one of the few fishery management success stories, with a recent comeback of the fish after their stocks plummeted due to overfishing. Hopefully future harvests will remain within reason and Virginia will enjoy good fishing for all 3 species of billfish.

Chincoteague Virginia White Marlin, Blue Marlin and Swordfish

Daybreak — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 18:18:06 +0000

Chincoteague Virginia is known for deep sea fishing, including white marlin, blue marlin and swordfish. These three magnificent fish are found in practically the same areas and it’s even possible to catch all three fish on the same trip, although triple headers of billfish are rare events.

White marlin tend to weigh around 30-60 pounds and feed on a variety of smaller baits. They are very intelligent fish. When hunting prey, white marlin display neon colors and change to an aggressive posture. A hungry or agitated marlin will charge and bat its bill at a baitfish or trolled lure.

Blue marlin are much larger, up to 1000 lbs, feeding on larger baits. Blue marlin are brightly colored and are known for their dramatic leaps and deep runs. Most local blue marlin are over 100 pounds and feed on fish such as small yellowfin tuna, false albacore, mahi mahi and other fish. A sign of potential for blue marlin fishing are pods of skipjack tuna. Skipjack tuna are the smallest of the Virginia tuna, ranging from about 3 to 18 pounds. The fish are sought after by fishermen because they are among the favorite prey of blue marlin.

Marlin migrate into Virginia waters in early summer with peak fishing usually occuring in late summer thru early fall. The fish may be widely scattered but when conditions are right, marlin congregate around sources of food. Ideal conditions occur when Gulf stream water moves into the area, bringing weedlines, temperature breaks and pods of small fish on which marlin feed.

Chincoteague Island charter boats may travel about 40-70 nautical miles to reach billfish. Anglers search for marlin and swordfish in deepwater areas such as the Baltimore, Poor Man’s, Washington or Norfolk Canyons.

These structures have amazing features which produce conditions that attract several types of fish and other ocean life. West of the canyon walls are shallower but still productive areas. Near the canyon walls, the bottom becomes steeper and rockier. Fish congregate along the dropoffs to catch food that is caught in the hard running current. Along the edges are lobster traps which are marked by orange buoys or “lobster balls”. The buoys attract mahi-mahi, also known as dolphin fish. Not only are the mahi-mahi excellent fish to catch, but they also attract the larger marlin which feed on them heavily. A trip by a buoy can be uneventful, or one or more lines might be attacked by mahi mahi, tuna, marlin or other fish.

Swordfish complete the trio of billfish that swim off the coast of Virginia. These fish have tremendous strength and stamina, testing the limits of the most experienced anglers. Swordfish may vary from perhaps 4-10 feet in length, reaching weights of several hundred pounds and rarely exceeding 1000 pounds. Swordfish are found in the deeper offshore waters, feeding in extreme depths during the day and coming near the surface at night. Like marlin, swordfish move with temperature changes, becoming most common in late summer and fall.

One of the only predators of swordfish are large mako sharks. Several cases of shark attacks on swordfish have been documented of the Virginia coast. Makos seem to be skilled at catching swordfish basking on the surface. The shark attacks from behind, biting off the tail which leaves the swordfish disabled. The shark then eats its fill and leaves the rest of the fish to scavengers.

Blackfish Banks Artificial Reef

Daybreak — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:50:16 +0000

Blackfish Banks Artificial Reef is located less than 10 miles off coast of Chincoteague, Virginia. The reef has been constructed in several phases. The first reef is composed of tanks dispersed near the buoy. The second phase added railcars east of the buoy. The material sits in roughly 60-70 feet. just east of buoy 8A.

Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) is planning on adding 84 new Subway Cars on Blackfish Banks Artificial Reef. The deployment of the new reef material is expected to begin in July or August of 2008.

The reef is inhabited by sea bass, tautog, trout, croakers, spadefish and other structure oriented fish. It is best known for its excellent flounder fishing during the summer months. The reef is also visited by amberjacks, jack crevelle and a variety of sharks.

Virginia Council of Angling Clubs

Daybreak — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 03:39:31 +0000

The Virginia Council of Angling Clubs (VCAC) performs work in the interest of the recreational fishing community. The VCAC serves Virginia angling club members and the Virginia recreational fishing community by providing immediate access to the latest news and issues related to recreational fishing.

The group works to gather and share news and information including fisheries issues, political action, regulations, fishing-related news and other information. This important work allows Virginia angling clubs and their members to stay updated and react to issues that affect area recreational fishing.

The public can support the VCAC by joining your local angling club and urging them to be represented on the council. A list of particpating angling clubs is available on the VCAC website.

The Virginia Council of Angling Clubs is located at: www.vafish.org.

The website provides an option for subscribing to email notifications of news items, thereby keeping anglers up to date on important developments.

2008 Virginia Flounder Regulations

Daybreak — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:01:22 +0000

The following information relates to Virginia recreational summer flounder regulations for the 2008 fishing year.

2008 Virginia flounder regulations include:

A 19 inch minimum size limit with a 5 fish catch limit.

The season will open Saturday March 1st, 2008.

There is a season closure from July 21st thru July 30th, 2008.

* fishing regulations are subject to change. For the latest information see the VMRC website.

The Summer Flounder Rebuilding Plan

Since 1993, summer flounder has been under a rebuilding plan in order to reduce fishing mortality and continue rebuilding the stock. A 10-year rebuilding plan began in 2000 and was to have ended January 1, 2010. The recent re-authorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act extended the summer flounder rebuilding plan to January 1, 2013.

Federal and State Summer Flounder Regulating Agencies

Virginia summer flounder regulations continue to be a complex issue for anglers. Recreational and commercial summer flounder (P. dentatis) regulations are regulated by the Virginia Marine Resource Commission (VMRC). Several entities seek to affect Virginia and the overall Mid Atlantic region summer flounder regulations.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) sets summer flounder quotas for the region and each state based on scientific data from the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) is responsible for management of fisheries in federal waters which occur predominantly off the mid-Atlantic coast. States with voting representation on the Council include New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. (North Carolina is represented on both the Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils.)

NMFS has approved a total allowable catch (TAL) of 15.77 million pounds for the 2008 summer flounder fishery, divided into a 9.46 million pound commercial quota and a 6.31 million pound recreational harvest limit.

Virginia will draft 2008 regulations that seek to stay within the federal limits. The exact regulations are based upon a variety of input, including input from the angling community via Ad Hoc committee meetings, letters and other communications.

Virginia’s share of the 2008 total allowable catch will include a cut of roughly 20% compared to 2007. The reduction of summer flounder recreational harvests can be accomplished by (1) increased minimum size limits, (2) lower creel limits, (3) seasonal closures or (4) some combination of options (1), (2) and/or (3).

Summer Flounder Recreational Landings Data Collection

In late 2007, the federal government began moving forward with plans mandated by Congress to overhaul its data collection systems for marine recreational fisheries by 2009. The NOAA Fisheries Office of Science and Technology web site summarizes the joint State and Federal efforts to redesign the program. A significant component of the anticipated survey design changes call for the creation of a national registry of marine anglers by 2009 based on accepted state licensing programs or a new federal fishing permit. The new registry is anticipated to be a comprehensive, up to date listing of all active marine anglers and will be used to improve angler surveys.

Summer Flounder Lobbying Groups

The Save The Summer Flounder Fishery Fund (SSFFF) lobbies for recreational summer flounder fishing. SSFFF is a non-profit organization consisting of party boat and fishing charter boat owners, bait and tackle and store owners, tackle distributors, bait suppliers and other people that are involved in the recreational fishing industry.

The Virginia Council of Angling Clubs publishes up to the moment news concerning Virginia recreational fishing issues. Many of the member clubs work with VMRC to create the best possible summer flounder harvests for Virginia anglers while staying within the federally mandated yearly quota.

Both the PEW environmental group and the Marine Fish Conservation Network have called for a summer flounder moratorium. Both groups have published press releases and are actively seeking to restrict or eliminate recreational fishing for summer flounder.

2009 Summer Flounder Moratorium Possible

In a 2007 letter to W. Peter Jensen, chairman of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, then head of NMFS William T. Hogarth wrote “I urge you to consider new approaches for 2008 that will better ensure that the recreational targets will not be exceeded…” Hogarth noted that the Marine Recreational Fishery Statistics Survey indicated that all but two East Coast states exceeded their 2007 targets by the end of August. He went on to warn that “… if the measures implemented by the states to manage the 2008 recreational fishery are not effective to constraining harvest within the recreational harvest limit, NMFS is prepared to close the summer flounder recreational fishery in the Exclusive Economic Zone.”

Updates

This article was last updated on February29, 2008.