Captain Greg Buckner owner and operator of MISS SUSIE CHARTERS had a last minute opening for a May 10th morning charter departing from Solomons Island, MD and the owner of the Bay Net jumped at the chance to take his hard working employees and a business partner out for a Trophy Rockfish trip. The crew of 5 met and loaded onboard the 44ft MISS SUSIE (licensed for up to 16 passengers) at 6 am sharp and we were off to find the fish on a chilly and breezy morning. Capt. Greg and his first Mate Tad Sauderberg had everything in order, with 28 trolling rod and reel combinations rigged up with custom made parachutes and plastic 9” sassy shads all laid out and ready to fish.
After a short 40 minute ride south onto the Chesapeake Bay, Capt. Greg slowed the boat to trolling speed and First Mate Tad began deploying the planar boards (hand-made devices which attach to the boat and pull out to each side of the boat, allowing extra lines to be fished away from the boat using a breakaway system with a rubber band and a carabineer, like out-riggers but they get out much further from the boat). After both planar boards were deployed, Capt. Greg used his trolling valve to get the speed set just right and then he gave the wheel to one of the guys in our crew and he was directed to steer towards a spot on the distant Eastern Shore while he assisted first mate Tad at deploying the impressive 28 rod spread.
No bites while setting the spread, but it only took 30 minutes for the first shout of “FISH ON” and the sound of a screaming drag. After a good fight our first keeper (28” size minimum during the Spring Trophy Season April 16-May 15) of 35 inches was in the net and on ice after a few quick pics. The action was steady for the next hour and with-in no time we had our limit of one fish per person in the boat. Upon landing our last keeper, Capt. Greg asked if we would like to throw it back and try for BUBBA or call it a day and head for shore. With a busy work day ahead, we decided to keep our final keeper and head for the dock, considering we had an impressive limit of Rockfish from 34 inches to 39 inches. We all helped crank in the rest of the lines and after the planar boards were retrieved we were on our way. Once we arrived back at the dock, First Mate Tad did an excellent job filleting the fish and we each took home a gallon bag full of fresh Striper fillets.
Starting May 16 the Spring Trophy Season will be over, but that does not mean that there will not still be Trophy fish in our local waters of the Chesapeake Bay. In fact, all it means is that the size and creel limits change. Beginning May 16, anglers will be allowed to keep two Rockfish per person over 18 inches, one of which may be over 28 inches (basically one big fish and one small fish per person or two small fish per person). With the cooler water temps this spring, Capt. Greg believes there will be good numbers of Trophy Fish still in our waters next week and possibly through the end of May, as these fish make a slow exit from our waters on their migration from their spawning grounds back to their summer haunts off the coast of Maine and the New England states.
Capt. Greg and MISS SUSIE CHARTERS, will soon switch gears after the Trophy trolling bite slows and begin targeting Rockfish from 18 inches to 40 plus inches using chum, cut baitfish and live bait on light tackle spinning rods. And then starting June 1st Capt. Greg will begin fishing his mixed bag evening trips which depart from Solomons at 4pm and first target Rockfish and Bluefish and then as the sun begins to set target the large Croakers (25 per person) using light
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