THIS ISSUE COMPLIMENTS OF - Fishing and Hunting Journal
Transcription
THIS ISSUE COMPLIMENTS OF - Fishing and Hunting Journal
Volume 23, Number 9 FREE April 2014 FREE THIS ISSUE COMPLIMENTS OF • Spring Chumming Refresher • The Jig is Up for Bass • The Cruelest Month • Turkey Hunter Checklist • “Troutabout” April 2014 www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com 1 Charlie Tyler with his buck that scored 200 2/8 in Somerset, Co. MD. Photo courtesy of Wink’s Sporting Goods. Benson and Mangold Real Estate The voice of experience on Maryland’s Eastern Shore! • 180 Acre of Marshland “Hunting land” with over 1 mile of waterfront in Somerset county near Crisfield. On the Manokin River up South Broad Creek. Adjacent to hundreds of acres of public hunting. $179,900 • 160+- acres and a 4,600 sq. ft., 4 br, 4.5 bath home built in 2005. Near Tilghman Island Features wood floors, wrap around porches, 2nd floor deck and screened porch. The property is fantastic for the hunter or nature enthusiast. Additional 160.44 acre parcel is included (approximately 60 acres fields & 100 acres wooded) $659,000 • 165+- acres “Miles Creek Farm” Trappe, Md. approx 100 acres tillable. Currently a RSA “Regulated Shooting acres”. 6 ponds, 22 acres of impoundments. 6 bay garage, large pole barn. Converted dairy barn has 2 bedrooms, 2 baths and wood burning fireplace. Great hunting and privacy. Over 600 ducks and 250 geese harvested last season. This property has waterfront on Miles Creek. $1,950,000 • 28+- acre building lot near the village of Tunis Mills. Very private and great hunting. County sewer available. $399,900 Quality Seed, Exceptional Service As your local seed company, we offer more than just a wide variety of high yielding products: we provide personalized service. Our number-one trait as a seed company is our commitment to our customers. Freeman & Sons Seed Company 324 Hackett Corner Rd., Sudlersville, MD Phone: 410-928-3641 Cell: 410-739-7797 email: freemanseed@hughes.net Delivery Available Steve Freeman - Owner To advertise in the Fishing & Hunting Journal - e-mail driftrock@verizon.net • 13+- acres Trappe Commercial Opportunity zoned LI- Limited Industrial- offers many possibilities. Located adjacent to White Marsh Elementary School. $250,000 Fish On-Pumpkinseed... Mark Susinno A Wild Wings exclusive. • “Hambleton Meadows” Spacious Rancher situated on 2 private acres. Home offers 3 brs and 2 baths. Large 20 x 30 addition with wrap around porch. Recent upgrades include wood floors, pellet stove, heat pumps, roof shingles, Trex decking, kitchen cabinets, countertops & appliances. There is an attached 2 car garage and a greenhouse. $329,900 Courtesy of Wild Wings, LLC Lake City, MN 55041 This print and other fine wildlife art are available at: • Custom brick home sited among mature trees in the Springfield section of Cooke’s Hope. Spacious & light filled on a corner lot, fenced gunite pool w/masonry patio & professional landscaping. First floor master suite, open family room w/vaulted ceiling, 2 fireplaces, large garage, walking trails, fitness center, tennis court & putting green. Boat Slip #3 paid through 2014. $659,900 • “Ingleton” Spacious and private with water access, this 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath Rancher is situated on 2.5 acres with sunporch, screened porch and mature trees. Community waterfront lot, picnic area and boat ramp. Only 10 minutes to Easton or St. Michaels. $349,000 Eddie Matthews 410-310-4957cell 410-822-1415 Snow Goose Gallery 27999 Oxford Road Oxford, MD 21654 2 www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com 1-800-672-9089 www.snowgoosegallery.com April 2014 “Hooked on Fishing” Spring Chumming Refresher There’s no doubt about it: By Lenny Rudow trolling is the number-one way of catching the largest number of striped bass during the spring trophy season. There’s also no doubt that many of us can’t stand dragging dozens of lines through the water with broom-stick rods and ropelike line. We hate having 20 ounces of lead smother the fight right out of the fish, and we most certainly don’t look forward to hours on end of driving aimlessly back and forth across the bay. Don’t even get me started on weaving the boat and planer boards through hundreds of other boats and planer boards. Fortunately, despite conventional wisdom, you can catch spring trophies on light tackle. Lures will work in a few very specific spots during limited time frames, but one under-utilized style of spring trophy light tackle fishing is chumming. Go to a common fishing area in the mid-bay and you’ll usually see one boat chumming for every 10 or 20 that’s trolling. Why? Because, as the first sentence read, trolling is the best way to produce numbers—if, that is, you try chumming with standard-issue fall tactics. Spring chumming is completely (if subtly) different, and you have to adjust accordingly if you want to score big. Data Delivery Catch records going back to the first trophy season after the moratorium re-opened, including each and every trophy striper caught by my boat, my father’s and my brother’s, proves one very important fact: 75-percent of the trophies caught with when spring chumming bit during the last one and a half hours of the tidal cycle. 15-percent of the remaining fish were caught in the first hour of the next tidal cycle, and the remaining 10 percent bit at sunrise or sunset, which as most of you already know is almost always a time of active feeding for the fish. This has remained true across the board, season to season, regardless of weather patterns, water temperature and clarity, and variations in the basic technique. Overall the incoming tide beats out the outgoing by a slight margin, but both can be productive, and in any given year one or the other may be more or less productive for stretches of weeks or even a month at a time. Of course, variables like rainfall and water clarity do make the technique more or less effective when considering the overall number of fish caught during any given time frame. More rainfall in the spring commonly translates into fewer trophies caught. Clarity helps but is not imperative, and in extremely cloudy water, chumming is often more effective than trolling. But that 90 minute window of time has been the hot bite, from season to season. And when it coincides with sunrise or sunset, you have the very best opportunity to hunt these big fish on light gear. For this type of fishing, timing truly is everything. Tactical Advantage So, just what’s different about spring chumming? First off, location. These fish aren’t usually oriented to structure, they’re migrating. So set up for spring chumming on a mud flat, in 28’ to 40’ of water. The mud flats off Love Point north-west of the LP buoy, the flats east of Hackett’s Bar, and the flats east of Franklin Manor are all prime examples of productive spots. Secondly, the vast majority of your fish will take motionless baits set dead on the bottom. Though trollers and fall chummers may get the majority of their fish near the surface or at mid-depth, spring chummers do not. (Lines set higher in the water column usually get throw-backs at this time of year, if they get bit at all). Thirdly, since the fish you’ll be catching are deep, you need to set your chum deep. This 46-incher was caught the second day of trophy season last year, at Love Point, in 36' of water. Add some lead to your chum bucket and sink it to the bottom, then raise it a foot or two and cleat it off. Warning: when you get a big fish on the line, pull the chum bucket immediately or you risk a fish-losing tangle. Fourth, frozen bait doesn’t cut it. A fistsized hunk of fresh-cut bunker is the number-one producer, with soft crab becoming very effective sometime around mid-May. TIP: add the bunker guts to your hook, along with your bunker chunk. Thread it through the tough “gizzard” so it doesn’t fall off. You WILL get more bites. Tackle is more or less a matter of personal preference; on my boat, you’ll find 15- to 17-pound class rods and BaitRunner reels spooled with monofilament, only. Braid allows the fish to feel too much resistance, and with this style of fishing, results in lots of mouthed and rejected baits. And don’t set the line then sit the rod in a holder—even with a BaitRunner the fish can feel resistance when it gives a good tug, and if they feel resistance they usually drop the bait and cruise. A better method is to set the line, then fish with the reel in freespool (or the bail open) and your finger holding the line, on a hair-trigger. As soon as you feel a nudge, feed the fish line. Let it run for a five-count, before tightening up and setting the hook. Use the BaitRunner function only when you need to cut bait, or grab a bite to eat. Terminal tackle consists of an egg sinker or fishfinder rig (again, so the fish doesn’t feel resistance), four feet of 30-pound test leader, and an 8/0 Octopus-style hook. Some guys swear by circle hooks and while I do depend on them for certain types of fishing, in my experience, when spring chumming they result in too many missed fish. One caveat—you will gut-hook many fish with a five-count. In past years this never presented an issue, as the vast majority (over 95-percent) of the fish caught chumming were keepers. Last season in particular, however, throw-backs showed up very early and we caught more than in all past years combined in the first couple weeks. If you encounter throw-backs it’s incumbent upon you to switch to a faster hook-set, and prevent guthooking these fish. If you apply these spring tactics, are you likely to out-catch the trollers? These days, I have to say no. For whatever reason, spring chumming was more effective back in the 90’s. We would regularly match or out-fish the trollers in the same areas back then, with six or eight person limit catches being common. But in the past 10 years or so, a “good” day of spring chumming has only produced a handful of fish. Personally, however, I’d rather take a single trophy on 15-pound gear with little or no weight, than box a half-dozen fish on broomsticks and rope. If you feel the same way, give spring chumming a try this season. Bowley’s Bait & Tackle Live Bait • Licenses 2917 Eastern Blvd. • Baltimore, MD 21220 410-687-2107 Now a Booking Agent for Local Charter Boat Fleet. Call for More Information. Sunrise is always a good time to try for a trophy, regardless of the method you’re using. April 2014 www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK! 3 In This Issue... Faith of Our Fathers Volume 23, Number 9 April 2014 FISHING Spring Chumming Refresher by Lenny Rudow Page 3 The Jig is Up for Bass by Tim Sherman Page 6 Simple but Effective…Grass Shrimp Jigs by Jim Gronaw Page 12 HUNTING “Troutabout” by Grant Soukup Page 18 The Cruelest Month by Steve Huettner Page 21 As the Apostle Paul was saying goodbye to the church at Ephesus, he left with them an admonition. The admonition was the motto of his life. He said, “Remember the words of Jesus, that it is more blessed to give than to receive.” All of us have something that motivates us – something that drives us. For this man, it was truth. Life is so short, and in just a few years many who read these lines will be gone. We will leave behind all that we have, and we will take all that we are. It has been said that “we make a living by what we get out of life, but we make a life by what we give back to life.” Human nature wants to tell us that’s not true. We came into life with a prism of greed and selfishness. Covetousness has become the sin of the day. The motto for many in our society is get all you can, can all you get, and sit on the lid and poison the rest. We in America have a “me” problem. We are concerned with self first, others second. We somehow feel that material gain is the way to happiness. However, the way to happiness is stumbled upon on the road to service. The Bible is correct. It really is more blessed to give than to receive. Giving is more than our money. People need more than our money. We are to give understanding. We’re to give acceptance, and most important, we’re to give love. Take time to put this motto in your life. It is more blessed to give than to receive. This was the faith of our fathers and I trust it is your. This was the faith of our fathers, and I trust that it is yours. Chestertown Baptist Church Pastor Mel Brindley REGULARS Coastal Report by Capt. Mark Sampson Page 19 Sportsman’s ClassifiedsPage 22 CREDITS Editor & Publisher: M. Mitchell G. Quillen Contributing Editors: Steve Huettner, Chuck Prahl, Lenny Rudow, Capt.Mark Sampson, Tim Sherman, Jim Gronaw, Mike Monteleone, Grant Soukup Regional Sales Representatives: MD: Capt. Lee Buckel 410-708-1616 Marc Van Pelt - Creative Director Advertising Information: driftrock@verizon.net An early season Rainbow Trout caught by Jack Saley, 6 1/2 lbs. - 22 1/4”. Photo courtesy of Clyde’s Sport Shop. (410)778-6575 Fishing & Hunting Journal P. O. Box 399 • Crumpton, MD 21628 www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com Fishing & Hunting Journal Name and Logo are Registered Trademarks wholly owned and operated by Fishing & Hunting Journal c/o Mitch Quillen, P. O. Box 399 Crumpton, MD 21628. All rights reserved.© 2014, Fishing & Hunting Journal. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. 4 The Rabbit Commander with 29 Bunnies on a snowy day. Photo courtesy of Wink’s Sporting Goods. www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com April 2014 Wild Turkey Facts Imagine going on a turkey hunt only to find there are no wild turkeys! It sounds far fetched, but in the early 1930s this grand game bird was on the verge of extinction. But today, thanks to hunters and wildlife restoration programs, the wild turkey is abundant and thriving in its homeland. Wild turkeys are native to North America and there are five subspecies: Eastern, Osceola (Florida), Rio Grande, Merriam’s and Gould’s.All five range throughout different parts of the continent. The eastern is the most common and ranges the entire eastern half of the United States. The Osceola (Florida) is only found on the Florida peninsula, while the Rio Grande ranges through Texas and up into Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado. Rios are also found in parts of the northwestern states. The Merriam’s subspecies ranges along the Rocky Mountains and the neighboring prairies of Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota. And you can find Gould’s throughout the central portion of Mexico into the southernmost parts of New Mexico and Arizona. Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge announces youth Turkey hunt Bradley Moyers Sr. with this 10 point Muzzleloader beauty. Photo courtesy of Ron’s Bay Pro Shop Tom O’Brien with his Kent Co., MD. 20.5 lb. Turkey. New Matthews 2014 Creed XS, Chill R, Now In Stock! All Crabbing supplies are in! Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in cooperation with the National Wild Turkey Federation will once again conduct a gobbler-only spring youth turkey hunt on the refuge. The Youth Turkey Hunt will include two Saturdays during the State season: April 19th and April 26th, 2014. Pick up applications at the refuge office from 11 am to 3 pm most days. Request applications by email ENYouthHunt@gmail. com or phone 410-639-7056. Completed applications must be received or postmarked no later than April 3, 2014. See the application for details. The drawing to select youth hunters will be held on Tuesday, April 8, 2014. The refuge will be CLOSED from 7:30 am to noon during the Youth Turkey Hunts on April 19 and April 26, 2014. Chesapeake Outdoors Between 5,000 and 6,000 feathers cover the body of an adult turkey in patterns called feather tracts. A turkey’s feathers provide a variety of survival functions – they keep him warm and dry, allow him to fly, feel and show off for the opposite sex. The head and upper part of the neck are featherless, but if you look close, you can see little bumps of skin on the bare area. Two major characteristics distinguish males from females: spurs and beards. Both sexes have long, powerful legs covered with scales and are born with a small button spur on the back of the leg. Soon after birth, a male’s spur starts growing pointed and curved and can grow to about two inches. Most hen’s spurs do not grow. Gobblers also have beards, which are tufts of filaments, or modified feathers, growing out from the chest. Beards can grow to an average of 9 inches (though they can grow much longer). It must also be noted that 10 to 20 percent of hens have beards. Wild turkeys have excellent vision during the day but don’t see as well at night. They are also very mobile. Turkeys can run at speeds up to 25 mph, and they can fly up to 55 mph. Casey Michelle Charters Captain Brady Sweitzer Full/Half Day Trips for Rockfish, Bluefish, Spanish Mackeral Leaving from Kentmorr Marina Kent Island, Maryland Cell 410-829-9816 caseymcharters@gmail.com www.caseymichellecharters.com USGC Licensed & Insured for up to 6 passengers Kent Island’s Largest Full-Service Sporting Goods Store FISHING • ARCHERY • HUNTING Get ready for Turkey & Rockfish Season now! We have a full line of accessories in stock! Check out our Parachute Display / All Sizes and Colors www.chesapeakeoutdoors.com MD FISHING & HUNTING LICENSES • RAMP PERMITS • FROZEN BAIT • ACCESSORIES • CRABBING SUPPLIES Chesapeake Outdoors April 2014 Rte 50 E, Exit 39B Chester, Maryland 21619 Phone: 410-604-2500 e-mail: john@chesapeakeoutdoors.com In Season Hours:Mon – Sat 5am - 7pm, Sun 5am - 5pm www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com 5 “Tackle Box Tim” The Jig is Up for Bass By Tim Sherman Poll as many bass fishermen as you like and I’ll bet you that the majority use jigs quite regularly. Many folks unfamiliar with bass fishing may even ask, “What exactly is a jig?” The generic answer is: a jig is a hook with painted lead molded as a head and a rubber or silicone skirt of a matching color dressed to hide the hook. As bass fishing and tackle have evolved through the years, so, too, have jig designs and specific techniques for which they are used. There is no better source for information about jigs and jig fishing than Mike Acord. He is co-owner of Susquehanna Fishing Tackle with father, George Sr., and brother, George Jr. He is a guide on the Susquehanna River and champion tournament angler. So, yeah, Mike knows his way around the topic of bass jigs. When most bass folks think of jig fishing, they think of the short distance, stealth techniques of flipping and pitching. These tactics are pinpoint casting to close targets that are typically dense natured cover. Acord says that the best jig for flipping has a smooth tapered head with a line tie positioned at the nose. Some manufacturers even integrate the line tie into the molded lead at the nose. This allows the jig to slip through the cover. This jig will also have a heavy snag guard and thick wire 4/0 to 5/0 hook. All of these stout features are designed to pull big bass from the gnarliest cover where that hawg can hide. Mike prefers the Boogerman Jig with its long skirt. There are times when the extra length yields a better bite, though he will trim it back to make it more compact. He prefers a big chunk-style trailer to tempt big bass looking for a sizable meal. Underwater grasses are often the thickest form of cover. There are times when a flipping jig will fail to cleanly push through the mats. Acord favors the punch jig for matted vegetation. There are some punch jigs similar to flipping jigs, but Mike prefers the style that keeps things lined up. It’s more of a system than a jig. The punch jig starts with a heavy bullet style sinker with a collar that holds the skirt. These weights can be as heavy as 2 ounces. Line is threaded through the weight and snelled to heavy straight shank hook. The snell knot is important. Other knots will wear against the underside of the weight and eventually break. Some anglers will thread a beaver of craw-style trailer onto the hook, while others prefer the new-tothe-market skirts that have claws or other appendages molded within. Contrasting the thick cover that requires flipping jigs, more open water calls for a casting jig. With casting jigs you are definitely covering more territory. Mike says that many folks overlook gravel and “do nothing” banks where a jig hopped along the bottom often scores. There are a couple designs for casting jigs. The first is similar to the flipping jig with the difference being a lighter hook. The other style is more like the original Arkie Jig with a more curved bottom. Most of either style has a line tie positioned at the top front of the head, which provides more action when hopping it along the bottom. The most recent style jig that anglers find favor with is the swim jig. The head of a swim jig is most often slim and pointed. Some resemble a minnow head. Acord says that the weed guard and the hook are lighter because you will not be using it around heavy cover. However, the hook is a little longer to accommodate longer trailers such as big craw baits or swim baits. Mike prefers using a bulky Zoom Horny Toad as a Arundel Firearms & Pawn 7427 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd, Glen Burnie, MD - GUNS - BOUGHT • SOLD • TRADED • PAWNED Scope Mounting -USED GUNSSpecialty & Hard to Find Ammunition Rifles • Shotguns Black Powder Handguns • Barrels Lay-Away 410-761-6381 Complete Gunsmith Service Like Mike Acord, “Tackle Box” Tim knows that smallmouth bass love a finesse jig. ON TARGET Inc. FIREARMS for Home Protection, Target Shooting & Hunting Pistols • Rifles • Shotguns trailer when he casts a swim jig. When you are working around the cracks and crevices of rocks, no jig is better for the task than a football jig. The football jig played a big part in Dave Mansue winning the BASS Northern Open in April 2009 at the top end of Chesapeake Bay. He fished the lure in deep submerged rocks in the Susquehanna River. The name “football jigs” is derived from the football style lead head that lies perpendicular to the hook shank. Acord says that the football jig is also good for working around standing timber. Its wide stance allows it to tumble down through the limbs. Mike pairs football jigs with trailers that have wide claws, because he wants the football jig to best resemble a crawfish. The smallest of all jigs is the finesse jig. Its qualities are that it is light in weight and has a thinned out skirt for a small profile. You will find them in weights from 1/16 to 5/16-ounce. There are two types of skirts: full skirt with thin strands or a skirt with stubby strands that poke up above the collar. Much like the football jig, the finesse jig should resemble a crawfish and should be teamed with a smaller craw-style trailer like the Netbait Tiny Paca Chunk. Acord says that their use is much different than the larger jigs cast in power fishing modes. He believes they are the perfect jig for when bass feel pressured -- either from Mother Nature or anglers. He uses a slightly larger trailer in the Strike King Rage Chunk. Its wide chamfered claws allow a light jig to fall slowly to give bass an extended look. Mike also casts finesse jigs for smallmouth bass. As a guide on Pennsylvania’s portion of the Susquehanna, he ties on finesse jigs for his clients because he knows that’s smallies prefer the bait’s compact size over larger jigs. The next time you hear a bass angler boost about catching scores of bass on a jig, ask him or her for clarification. In today’s bass fishing world, generic terms need expansion to educate us, which in turn, helps grow the sport. There are jigs for several bass fishing techniques, so choose wisely at the tackle shop. Colt Taurus • Ruger Rossi • Glock Springfield Armory Smith & Wesson Bersa • Walther Bushmasters • 308 Ask us about HQL Classes! AR-10 Still Legal INDOOR PISTOL RANGE Memberships — Individual $200.00 1st year, Renewal $175.00 / Family $250.00 1st year, Renewal $225.00 Active Duty Military $175.00 1st year, Renewal $150.00 Law Enforcement $150.00 1st year, Renewal $125.00 2618 Annapolis Rd. • Route 175 and Ridge Road • Severn, MD 21144 Severn Square Shopping Center–Behind Pizza Hut 1 mi. East of I-295, 4 mi. East of I-95 BALT. 410-551-7777 www.ontarget.biz WASH. 301-621-7777 AMMUNITION • HOLSTERS & ACCESSORIES • SAFES • GUN CASES • GIFT CERTIFICATES 6 www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com April 2014 Prepare Your Turkey for the Taxidermist From field to freezer to fan, caring for your trophy is important if you want a turkey display your friends will go wild over. So we consulted awardwinning taxidermist Cally Morris, who shared pointers on how he prepares birds in the field for a trip to his shop in Green Castle, Mo. Morris and his team at Hazel Creek Taxidermy make works of art out of 900 to 1,000 wild turkeys each year. Bringing the bird from the field Field care starts immediately after you shoot the bird. Treat the turkey delicately. Grab the turkey by the legs or handle its body. Never grab it by the head or drag it to the ground. Keep the feathers from getting bent or dirty. When transporting the turkey, lay it on its belly, not its back. When you're ready to package the gobbler for shipping, lay it on its back. Keep as much blood as possible from dripping on the feathers. Blood that spatters should be washed off immediately. Preparing the bird for freezing and transport If the head is bleeding, put paper towels in the turkey's mouth. Click here to see how. Roll the head in paper towels. Fold towels over the head and tape them closed. Click here to see how. Tuck the head inside the wing. Fold the wings tightly against the turkey's body. Click here to see how. Cut a piece of cardboard to fit over the tail feathers and feet. Do not tie the feet and feathers together for any reason inside the cardboard. *This is one of the most important steps because kinked tail feathers are difficult to repair. Click here to see how. Put the turkey headfirst inside a large garbage bag. Roll the bag over in a teardrop shape, handling the turkey by only its legs or main body. Tape the bag. Click here to see how. Fit the cardboard around the tail feathers and feet. Tape or staple the cardboard into position. Click here to see how. Lay the turkey in the freezer on its side. In 36 to 48 hours, the turkey will be frozen solid and ready to ship. Take the turkey from the freezer and wrap it in bubble wrap. Place the turkey headfirst in a box. The turkey should fit tightly to prevent a lot of movement. You can usually find a box at a grocery store or moving company. If there are old labels on the box, tear them off, or mark through them with a black marker. Click here to see how. Shipping Tips Always ship your turkey to the taxidermist on Monday if possible. Never on a Thursday. When you send it later in the week, there’s a chance your turkey could get misdirected and sent to a terminal over the weekend, causing it to thaw and ruining your prize. A wild turkey takes about two days to thaw completely. When you ship the turkey, expect to pay for packing supplies and shipping costs. Ship only to a street address. Include in the box your name, address and phone number, and be ready to discuss the pose of your mount. Macrotech Archery Pro Shop 5826 Ritchie Hwy. - Baltimore, MD 21225 • 410-789-7777 • 1/2 mile North of Beltway Exit 3-A Authorized dealer for... Special Tooling for Professional Installation of ALL Drop Away Rests! Newest Full Line dealer in Maryland for Lone Wolf Tree Stands INTERNATIONAL BOW TUNING INSTRUCTOR FREE Bow Check-Up Bow Tuning & Repairs on Premises Complete Laser Tuning System www.macrotecharchery.com One of Maryland’s Largest heated & Air Conditioned INDOOR BOW RANGES MACRO KNOW BOWS • All Licenses - All The Time! • Come Check Out Our New Deals! MUZZLELOADING GUNS & SUPPLIES LOW PRICES EVERYDAY! ARCHERY SUPPLIES Now Selling Handguns • Complete Line of All YOUR Rockfish, Perch Bait and Crossbows in Stock / Turkey Tackle hunting supplies Parker / Ten Point / Excaliber / are ready and in • Rod & Reel Bow Tech Striker stock! Combos Spring Tropy Season Opens April 18-23 • Fresh Bait April 20th. Rt. 260, 1 Block off Rt. 4 - Dunkirk, Maryland 301-855-0351 / www.bayproshop.com April 2014 www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com 7 Silver Spring Man Found Guilty of Poaching 228 Undersized Striped Bass A Silver Spring man was found guilty last month in Annapolis District Court of possessing 228 undersized striped bass. Hervin O. Nunez-Aleman, 34, pleaded guilty to a single violation. He was fined $2,000 and placed on unsupervised probation. An officer with the Maryland Natural Resources Police was on patrol at Sandy Point State Park on August 31 at 1:30 a.m., when he stopped a boat returning to the marina. After receiving permission from NunezAleman, the boat owner, to check the coolers aboard the 14foot recreational vessel, the officer found 228 striped bass under the legal minimum of 18 inches. The officer also found about 30 pounds of white perch in the coolers. None of the four people on the boat had a fishing license. The trial of a fishing companion, Amaya Chicas, is set for April 18 in Annapolis District Court. The district courts in Anne Arundel County par- Trucks Start at 1 pm Interstate Start at 6 pm MAPA Truck Pullers ticipate in a program that highlights natural resources cases on specific day each month. Under the program, cases including fishing, hunting, boating and tree expert violations are heard on a specific day each month in the region where they occurred. Citizens who see conservation violations, maritime emergencies or other law enforcement issues on the Chesapeake Bay or the State’s public lands are urged to call 800-628-9944. Jim Gronaw caught some nice Largemouths on 1/4 ounce Rat-L-Traps at a local pond on March 21. Some of these fish were caught as shallow as 18 inches. Looking forward to warmer weather! Guided Bass Fishing on the Upper Chesapeake Bay and tributaries with 2 time Bassmater Classic Qualifier Chris Price Learn the Secrets of Chris’s Success! 8,000 Diesel P/U Truck Call to book a Personalized Bass Fishing Experience 410-708-0275 April 19, 2014 Tuckahoe Steam and Gas Assoc. Show Grounds Located 5 miles North of Easton MD on US Rt. 50 11472 Ocean Gateway Admission Classes $10.00 per adult *10,000 lb Pro Farm Tractors (Children 6 and Under Free) *7,700 lb Light Limited Turbo Tractors *8,500 lb Mod Turbo Tractor Local gas and diesel pickups *Classes Interstate ITTP Points B.A.S.S. TOURNAMENT HISTORY Total Tournaments 36 Total Weight 586 lbs 1 oz Classic Appearance 2 Times in Money 13 Top 10 Finishes 2 Top 20 Finishes 5 Top 50 Finishes 11 For More Information Call 410-822-9868 or visit www.tuckahoesteam.org No Alcoholic Beverages 8 www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com April 2014 Angler catches new potential world record redear sunfish in Arizona Phoeniz, Ariz. — A pending world record fish was caught from Lake Havasu in Arizona last month. Hector Brito’s redear sunfish weighed 5.78 pounds, according to the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Redear sunfish in the lake likely are benefitting from the invasive quagga mussels as a food source, the department reports. Brito caught the redear sunfish at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 16 and brought it to Bass Tackle Master in Lake Havasu City, where John Galbraith weighed it at 5.78 pounds on an Arizona Game and Fish-certified scale. It was 17 inches long. Brito caught the massive panfish with a drop-shot rig that included a No. 8 Aberdeen gold hook and a nightcrawler. The record awaits certification by the International Game Fish Association. The previous record, held by Bob Lawler, was 5.55 pounds and was caught in 2011. Redear sunfish have grown to trophy size in Lake Havasu. Redear sunfish in the 2-pound range and larger are regularly caught in this 19,300-acre impoundment on the Colorado River, formed by Parker Dam, according to the Game and Fish Department. “ ( B r i to) said he thought it was a catfish,” Galbraith said. “I Enormous Hog Killed in North Carolina Hunter Terrell Harris took the hog around 2 a.m. on Saturday, according to WGHP. The hog reportedly destroyed 10 acres of chuffa, and a trail camera captured photos of the boar two nights in a row prior to the hunt. Harris needed several buddies and a winch to load the massive animal onto a trailer. The following day the group processed the hog, which weighed more than 500 pounds according to Harris’ wife. Feral hogs are regulated by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission in six counties that form the western-most tip of the state. The Commission also reports the average wild hog weighs less than 180 pounds. Another huge boar was taken roughly 200 miles away in the eastern part of the state. don’t know what the genetic potential is for redear. But this record fish was not even a spawning fish. There’s some out there that are in the mid-6 (pound range) easy.” Galbraith said the redears have been getting exceptionally large during the past four years, when the lake has been infested with the invasive quagga mussels. Crawdads eat quagga mussels, which could be another reason for the enlarged redear, as well as smallmouth bass. “Redear, we assume, eat quaggas, although this hasn’t been proved,” the Game and Fish Department release says. “These sunfish meander along the bottom of lakebeds seeking and cracking open snails and other shelled creatures with its thick, pharyngeal teeth and hard, movable plates in its throat that allow it to crunch exoskeletons. Excellent ruling in Delaware The Delaware Supreme Court, in Boone v. Wilmington Housing Authority, ruled that a public housing agency cannot preclude possession of firearms in common areas. It noted that many of those common areas are what would in ordinary houses be part of the house/home, and rejected claims that the government here was acting as a landlord and not as a sovereign. "With the Common Area Provision in force under penalty of eviction, reasonable, law-abiding adults become disarmed and unable to repel an intruder by force in any common living areas when the intervention of society on their behalf may be too late to prevent an injury." Fishbones bait and tackle inc. 4729 mountain road - Pasadena, MD 21122 • Fresh Live Bait ALEWIVES SOFT CRABS PEELERS RAZOR CLAMS • Crabbing Supplies • Rods, Reels, Lures - Lure Making Supplies • Complete Line of Marine & Boating Supplies • EXIDE Marine Battery Distributor...& Much Much More! 410-360-0573 LIVE BAIT! Booking Now For: Spring Turkey (Starts 4/18/14) and Spring Trophy Rockfish Season (Starts 4/19/14) by Harrison’s Outfitters Reasonable Rates! Where the Hunt Never Ends We welcome all types of events-Birthday, Bachelor & Bachelorette parties, Corporate Team Building Events! FOUR STAR RATED RANGE Danny B. Harrison 42’ Jones Let Harrison’s Outfitters design a trip for you, your club or business. We offer many types of fishing trips for small or large groups. We want you to enjoy the entire fishing experience and will go the extra mile to make your fishing trip a memorable one. Out of Historic Tilghman Island, MD. Call Danny for available dates and pricing! New Mathews 2014 MXB400 Crossbow 6.9lbs. + over 400 ft. per second Check out our video on line! Rated by The National Shooting Sports Foundation Pro Shop Mathews & Mission Bows • Equipment Rentals featuring George E. Bennett, Owner A+ 410-714-2200 April 2014 Crossbow Range Now Open! www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com 3021 Churchville Road (Rt. 22) • Churchville, MD 21028 410-734-9554 www.deercreekarchery.com 9 Don Travis was tagged out in Texas on his third day with a monster Aoudad Ram. Thompson Safe Company Protect Your Investment Residential and Commercial Safes 7313-M Grove Road • Frederick, MD 21704 Mike Thompson 301-631-1500 www.thompsonsafes.com We Deliver to MD • VA • WV • PA John Francis Sunkler's Aoudad Ram bagged in Texas. From Don Travis - Check out Redwing outfitters Aoudad hunting. It can add your the season when most things at home are over. They are blue collar priced hunts in a beautiful area of west Texas. We had a blast. Life is too short go hunting! If your interested just check out www.redwinghunts.com STOLTZFUS OUTDOOR LIVING Pre Season Sale! “Place your order now to receive your blind in the spring to be prepared for the 2014 hunting season" If you pre-order now, we will deliver for free within a 40 miles radius! Contact 1-866-398-9011 toll-free • 410-810-1504 office • 410-708-2420 cell Location - 6408 Church Hill Rd - Chestertown, MD 21620 10 www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com April 2014 Clyde’s Sport Shop has the youth in play! Riley Stafford with a 9 pt Buck. Eddie Sullivan and the kids had a great outing on youth hunt today in February with limit of geese. A big thanks to Wayne Gatling at “Gatling Guide Service” for providing the blind for these kids to enjoy a hunt. Benjamin Haley with a 5 pt Buck. 10 year old Jackson Eshelman with his first 7 pt Buck. Jonathon Williams with his first doe. April 2014 Maryland Reported Antlered and Antlerless Deer Harvest for the 2012-‐2013 & 2013-‐2014 Hunting Seasons Antlered Antlerless Total County ’12-‐’13 ’13-‐’14 % ’12-‐’13 ’13-‐’14 % ’12-‐’13 ’13-‐’14 % Change Change Change Allegany 1,795 2,021 12.6 1,280 1,615 26.2 3,075 3,636 18.2 Anne 855 1,032 20.7 1,927 2,462 27.8 2,782 3,494 25.6 Arundel Baltimore 1,820 1,787 -‐1.8 4,171 4,549 9.1 5,991 6,336 5.8 Calvert 558 752 34.8 1,180 1,689 43.1 1,738 2,441 40.4 Caroline whitetail 620 728 17.4 1,740 1,795 3.2 2,360 2,523 6.9 sika 2 1 * 3 2 * 5 3 * Carroll 1,946 1,946 0.0 3,633 3,969 9.2 5,579 5,915 6.0 Cecil 1,094 1,100 0.5 2,201 2,512 14.1 3,295 3,612 9.6 Charles 1,166 1,466 25.7 2,437 3,040 24.7 3,603 4,506 25.1 Dorchester whitetail 832 907 9.0 1,876 1,852 -‐1.3 2,708 2,759 1.9 sika 1,073 1,058 -‐1.4 1,226 1,497 22.1 2,299 2,555 11.1 Frederick 2,660 2,738 2.9 4,974 5,302 6.6 7,634 8,040 5.3 Garrett 2,324 2,133 -‐8.2 1,811 1,735 -‐4.2 4,135 3,868 -‐6.5 Harford 1,101 1,085 -‐1.5 2,473 2,677 8.2 3,574 3,762 5.3 Aberdeen 164 178 8.5 410 414 1.0 574 592 3.1 Prv. Grds. Howard 830 878 5.8 1,961 2,221 13.3 2,791 3,099 11.0 Kent 1,132 1,148 1.4 2,333 2,232 -‐4.3 3,465 3,380 -‐2.5 Montgomery 1,746 1,705 -‐2.3 3,852 4,184 8.6 5,598 5,889 5.2 Prince 861 1,018 18.2 1,670 2,219 32.9 2,531 3,237 27.9 George’s Queen 1,091 1,201 10.1 2,585 2,657 2.8 3,676 3,858 5.0 Anne’s Saint Mary’s 934 1,116 19.5 1,748 2,487 42.3 2,682 3,603 34.3 Somerset whitetail 656 679 3.5 1,547 1,754 13.4 2,203 2,433 10.4 sika 2 4 * 2 6 * 4 10 * Talbot 821 872 6.2 1,937 2,036 5.1 2,758 2,908 5.4 Washington 2,480 2,673 7.8 3,282 3,703 12.8 5,762 6,376 10.7 Wicomico whitetail 868 878 1.2 2,234 2,301 3.0 3,102 3,179 2.5 sika 29 36 24.1 24 40 66.7 53 76 43.4 Worcester whitetail 1,012 957 -‐5.4 2,501 2,759 10.3 3,513 3,716 5.8 sika 21 17 -‐19.0 30 40 33.3 51 57 11.8 Total 30,493 32,114 5.3 57,048 63,749 11.7 87,541 95,863 9.5 11 *Small www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com sample size “Fishin’ Back east” SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE… GRASS SHRIMP JIGS By Jim Gronaw I am sure that most anglers today have a favorite bait, lure or presentation that has put many, many fish in the boat for them over the years. To the bass angler, it could be a favorite plastic worm or trailer that keeps the fish coming. For the trout fisherman, perhaps a particular wet fly that just knocks ‘em out. And for the avid ice-fisherman, I imagine a particular spoon is the main ticket to tasty walleye and perch fillets. Over the past 15 years, I have experimented with tying hair jigs of various sizes for bass and panfish, often with admirable results and mixed in have been some real winners and some real duds as well. Jig tying, unlike fly tying, is not quite as precise and complicated as trying to imitate the tiny creatures that trout feed on. A basic gameplan would have a simple body/ tail/ collar or head combination to try and resemble various species of minnows, crayfish or, as I have found lately, grass shrimp. Grass shrimp are exactly that… small 1 to 1.5 inch long translucent shrimp that inhabit many of our East Coast and tidal tributary waters as well as some inland environs and are found around grassy areas of the shorelines and weedbeds. Known more specifically as the daggerblade grass shrimp, they are a huge food source for not just panfish species like crappies and bluegills, but serve as a high number forage for bass, anadromous white and yellow perch and other species as well. Where they are naturally found, they can be tremendous ‘tipping’ bait for small jigs or work very well on a small # 8 Aberdeen hook by themselves. In the spring, Chesapeake area baitshops sell them in boxed containers and they are a hot item for spring fishing. The biggest problem with the delicate grass shrimp is that they are fragile and tend to die quickly once the temperature warm up to 70 degrees or more, making them tough to keep alive, and thus effective, on those increasingly warm spring days when we are all hoping for sun and fun. It was out of this desire to keep them alive, and to see if they could be a year round hit, that led me to tying the most simple, but effective, of jig patterns…the grass shrimp jig. Colors for the grass shrimp vary slightly from one estuary to the next, but patterns from white to beige to olive or pink tend to cover most of the bases. I use a simple, unpainted ball head jig of 1/32 ounce with either a nickel or gold plated head and hook. Hook size can be #6 or #8. Body material can be either 12 White River Sparkle Braid or core braid of various brands. Lighter colored dubbing makes a good body wrap as well. Tail material can be either craft hair, marabou, or…more recently, I have experimented with filament legs made from spinnerbait skirts from bass lures. All work, but sometimes fish show a preference for one pattern or another. I have This bull gill fell for a tipped GS jig. made them in olive, beige, silver, white and pink hues. Pink and olive seem to be the fan favorite so far, especially in the dark waters of Dixie and in local ponds in the Mid-Atlantic. You do not have to be an expert jig or fly tier to make and imitate these very simple but effective lures. A basic tying vise, sparkle braid and chennel and various tail material like bucktail, crafthair, flashabou, or marabou will serve you well. He reported to me back in July that he had caught over 400 fish, mostly bluegills, on a single 1/32 ounce pink grass shrimp jig that I had tied, to include cats over 10 pounds, bowfin up to 10 and several 3 to 4 pound largemouths along the way. Finally, a big cattie snapped the gold hook after a ton of fish. That is unbelievable! His best colors were pink, but silver and olive took a ton of fish as well. And just for variety, to date I have taken these species on the grass shrimp jigs… largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill, crappie white and yellow perch, carp, channel catfish, white and hickory shad, trout, pickerel and other sunfish species to include fliers, redbreasts, red ear sunfish and rock bass. They are indeed versatile, proving the abundance of the daggerblade grass shrimp in most of our waters. Tipping these jigs can enhance their effectiveness, but some days they do damage fished just plain on a hot bite. He fishes them below bobbers in and around cypress, overhangs, boat slips, seawalls and any tapering banks that have grassy or wooded area nearby. I have never caught 400 fish on any single lure I have ever owned. But it is cool to hear that someone has had that much success with a small piece of lead made to resemble a tiny but very abundant species of forage. For more info on how-to and success rates these lures have been for many anglers, check out www. bigbluegill.com and read Abneys’ amazing chronicles of his fishing under his blog… ’The Phenomena of the Color Pink In Brackish Waters’. Trust me…it’s a ‘eye-opener’. Tipped GS jigs led to this fine batch of bluegills and a follow-up fish fry! TROPHY BAIT AND TACKLE Rockfish Rigs and Bait Live Bait • Fishing Licenses All Crabbing Clam Bags 24 hour bait machine Supplies 805 Eastern Blvd. • Baltimore, MD 21211 410-238-3825 A filament legged grass shrimp jig ready for action. Just to see if it wasn’t just me, I sent a batch of the grass shrimp jigs to Jeffrey D. Abney down in Elizabeth City, North Carolina to give them a good test drive in his local waters. Abney fishes any number of tidal, blackwater rivers off of the Albermarle Sound in the north east portion of the state. The Paskotank, Chowan and Perquemans are just a few of his haunts. A panfish expert, Abney sits on the doorstep of one of the greatest public systems in the nation, as huge but lightly fished bluegill, perch and crappie populations get bypassed for the sake of a 2 pound bass. He catches hundreds of 10 to 11 inch coppernose bluegills every season and wards off marauding channel catfish, muscled bowfin and gar along with the bounty of fillets and fun. He works at it, but the results are consistently high quality. Eichler Charter Services Sailing out “southpaw” of Kentmoor Marina Kent Island, MD 5 minutes from Bay Bridge Capt. Jeffrey Eichler USCG Licensed 50 ton Master Captain Booking now for Spring! Call for More Information Mention a 410-490-1485 or 410-827-6676 this ad for www.fishingsouthpaw.com FREE Breakfast info@fishingsouthpaw.com www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com April 2014 Maryland’s Midwinter Waterfowl Survey Results Announced Albino Catfish Tim Linton, caught this Albino Catfish on live nightcrawler last month. The Catfish fought very hard and he thought it was a snapping turtle. The Catfish was released shortly after. Photo Courtesy of MD DNR Anglers Log Each winter, aerial survey teams of pilots and biologists from The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources make visual estimates of ducks, swans and geese along Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay shoreline and Atlantic coast. This year the teams witnessed more than 905,000 waterfowl, 22 percent higher than those observed in January 2013 (739,600). Biologists attribute the higher count to the fact many species flocked to Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay due to severe winter conditions to the north. Additionally, large areas of the Bay and tributaries were ice covered during the survey period, concentrating waterfowl in ice-free, open waters where they were more easily counted. The survey estimates for mallards, black ducks and canvasbacks were the highest they have been since the mid-1970s. Overall, dabbling ducks were more abundant this time around (128,000) compared to last winter (72,800). There were nearly twice as many diving ducks this survey (190,300) over last year (98,100). The canvasback count (68,400) was the highest since the mid-1960s, and far greater than the January 2013 estimate (18,400). Survey teams also observed large numbers of wintering Canada geese (512,100) along the upper Chesapeake Bay. The extensive snow and ice in northern latitudes pushed large numbers of geese south to the Chesapeake from their normal wintering areas in southern Ontario and the Finger Lakes region of New York. The Midwinter Waterfowl Survey has been conducted annually throughout the United States since the early 1950s. The Maryland survey results (see chart below) are ultimately pooled with other states’ results to provide a measure of the distribution and population size of waterfowl wintering in the Atlantic Flyway, as well as information on long-term trends. The final Midwinter Waterfowl Survey numbers for other Atlantic flyway states may be viewed here. January Midwinter Waterfowl Survey for Maryland, 2010 – 2014 2010 2011 2012 2013 34,200 55,100 57,400 33,100 22,500 23,000 27,700 22,500 2,000 6,400 5,000 7,400 300 200 1,400 500 600 600 3,700 6,300 100 100 200 1,700 500 1,200 1,200 1,300 60,100 86,600 96,600 72,800 2014 75,900 39,300 4,000 800 3,900 100 4,000 128,000 Long-‐tailed Duck 3,400 26,400 43,500 900 600 13,700 13,400 102,000 900 200 4,700 46,100 37,100 1,600 300 7,800 17,500 115,100 200 300 4,500 14,300 69,200 1,300 900 19,800 15,300 125,300 5,100 800 16,700 18,400 27,500 1,900 800 15,600 17,200 98,100 2,000 600 15,900 68,400 47,100 1,600 1,500 21,800 34,000 190,300 7,600 200 Mergansers Total Ducks Brant Snow Goose Canada Goose 10,600 173,700 1,000 78,600 519,500 7,800 210,000 1,500 28,200 397,700 2,800 230,600 500 43,400 342,600 2,000 175,500 1,500 83,300 462,000 6,200 332,400 600 44,200 512,100 Tundra Swan 14,000 14,400 16,600 17,300 16,100 651,800 633,700 739,600 905,500 Species Mallard Black Duck Gadwall Widgeon G-‐W Teal Shoveler Pintail Total Dabblers Redhead Canvasback Scaup Ring-‐neck Goldeneye Bufflehead Ruddy Duck Total Divers Scoters Total Waterfowl 787,100 April 2014 www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com 13 Feisty Catfish Cakes YIELD: 6 Servings Thank you to Sally K. from Newbury OH for sharing your recipe with us. You can also make these delicious cakes an appetizer. This recipe makes about 14 bite-size catfish cakes. The Outdoor Enthusiast's Resource for Preparing and Serving Fish & Game with Style http://recipes. sportsmanstable.com Ingredients 1 lb. catfish fillets 1 medium onion chopped 1 tsp. dry mustard 1 tbs. mayonaise add more if they need to stick together better 2 tsp. Feisty Fish Rub Sportsman's Table Item #MG105 2 1/2 cups coarsely crushed round butter crackers 1 egg 1 tbs. canola oil or your desired amount for frying Instructions Place catfish in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and then simmer until fish flakes easily with a fork. Drain off water and pat dry. Mash up with a fork and place in a bowl. Add chopped onion, mustard, mayo, Feisty Fish Rub, cracker crumbs and egg. Mix well until blended. Heat enough canola oil to a depth of 1/4 inches. Form mixture into small patties for appetizers or larger ones for entree portions. Form and roll as if a cookie. Flatten and fry in hot oil until golden brown and then flip and fry until golden brown. Drain on towels. Serve with red pepper sauce or your own remoulade sauce if desired. Book of the Month Advanced Custom Rod Building by Dale P. Clemens Sometimes a certain book becomes so important in its field that it is considered to be the bible of the subject. So it is with Dale P. Clemens’s Advanced Custom Rod Building, the book that sent American fishermen back to their workshops. Noting practically and philosophically that a rod is an “extension of the angler’s hand,” Clemens encourages every fisherman to have a rod that is customized for his or her grip and casting style. Clemens explains all of the general principles necessary for making tackle that is superior to anything off the rack, and provides exhaustive figures, illustrations, and tables for the experienced custom builder who wants to fish the perfect rod for his own hand. He shares invaluable advice on how to build rods of every kind, from ultra-light to heavy surf, how to choose (and make) the best blanks, seats, handles, grips, and guides, and how to finish and seal rods to make them as handsome and durable as possible. Stunningly detailed and thorough, Advanced Custom Rod Building is a complete guide to building a fisherman’s most essential tool and an indispensable companion for any serious angler. Sometimes a certain book becomes so important in its field that it is considered to be the bible of the subject. So it is with Dale P. Clemens’s Advanced Custom Rod Building, the book that sent American fishermen back to their workshops. Noting practically and philosophically that a rod is an “extension of the angler’s hand,” Clemens encourages every fisherman to have a rod that is customized for his or her grip and casting style. Clemens explains all of the general principles necessary for making tackle that is superior to anything off the rack, and provides exhaustive figures, illustrations, and tables for the experienced custom builder who wants to fish the perfect rod for his own hand. He shares invaluable advice on how to build rods of every kind, from ultra-light to heavy surf, how to choose (and make) the best blanks, seats, handles, grips, and guides, and how to finish and seal rods to make them as handsome and durable as possible. Stunningly detailed and thorough, Advanced Custom Rod Building is a complete guide to building a fisherman’s most essential tool and an indispensable companion for any serious angler. Public Rifle Range 7 Days Per Week Rain or Shine 24 Covered Benches $20 Shoot All Day Discounts for Seniors - Police - Military Sight In Pistols, Muzzleloaders & Rifles Gun Rentals Available Berms @ 25-50-100-200-300 Yards Shoot Your Own Ammo or Buy Ours 65 Miles East Of Bay Bridge 9 am to Sunset • 55 Stations • N.S.C.A. Certified Instructors Instruction Available Don’t Wait - Sight in Your Deer Rifle Now 410-742-2023 • 1-800-310-2023 US Rt 50, 23501 Marsh Rd. Mardela Springs, MD 21837 14 www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com April 2014 “World’s Largest Striped Bass Tournament” Register Online Now www.mssa.net 410-255-5535 8461 Ft. Smallwood Rd., Pasadena, MD 21122 Special Thanks to Our Sponsors April 2014 www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com 15 Welcome to Schrader's Outdoors * Thousands of acres of prime Eastern Shore hunting properties * Maryland white tail deer hunting * Maryland waterfowl hunting * Maryland upland hunting * Maryland turkey hunting * Maryland dove hunting * Maryland small game hunting * Pond bass fishing * Bay and tributary fishing * Maryland sporting clays * Five Stand and Wobble Trap * Maryland 3-D archery * Archery Service Center * Dart video archery system * Professional shooting instruction * B & B lodging and meals * Corporate events and weddings * Youth outdoor camps Councell Charters 410-708-4241 Book Now for Spring 2014 We Follow the FISH! Captain Brian Councell www.councellcharters.com brian@councellcharters.com To advertise in the Fishing & Hunting Journal e-mail driftrock@verizon.net GUN SHACK / CROSSWINDS FULL PRO SHOP SALES AND SERVICE 3D archery and Sporting Clays course that is open 7 days a week! Arrows by Beman, Easton, Gold Tip and Carbon Express • Crossbows & Accessories Bows & Accessories from: Schrader's Outdoors 16090 Oakland Road Henderson, MD. 21640 A Turn of The Century Store: 101 S. Main St. - Mt. Airy, MD 21771 301-829-0122 • www.gunshackinc.com (410) 758-1824 www.schradersoutdoors.com OUTPOST 544 Rt. #544 & 290 Crossroads Crumton, MD 21628 410-778-4200 One Stop Store for all Your Daily Needs! Open Early Every Morning! Hot & Cold Foods Beer, Wine & Liquor Groceries & Cigarettes Gasoline, Diesel & Kerosene Bill Payment, Check Cashing Dump Tickets, QA Co. Ramp Stickers Race Trax, Lottery, Keno, ATM, Fishing Bait, Air Pumps Prepaid Cell Phone Cards Very Fresh Hot Morning Coffee! 16 SUNRISE & SUNSET AT BALTIMORE, MD EASTERN STANDARD TIME APRIL DAY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 RISE 6:51 6:49 6:48 6:46 6:45 6:43 6:42 6:40 6:39 6:37 6:36 6:34 6:33 6:31 6:30 6:28 6:27 6:25 6:24 6:22 6:21 6:20 6:18 6:17 6:16 6:14 6:13 6:12 6:10 6:09 MAY SET 7:30 7:31 7:32 7:33 7:34 7:35 7:36 7:37 7:38 7:39 7:40 7:41 7:42 7:43 7:44 7:45 7:46 7:47 7:48 7:49 7:50 7:51 7:52 7:53 7:54 7:55 7:56 7:57 7:58 7:59 RISE 6:08 6:07 6:06 6:04 6:03 6:02 6:01 6:00 5:59 5:58 5:57 5:56 5:55 5:54 5:53 5:52 5:51 5:50 5:50 5:49 5:48 5:47 5:47 5:46 5:45 5:45 5:44 5:44 5:43 5:43 5:42 SET 8:00 8:01 8:02 8:03 8:04 8:05 8:06 8:07 8:08 8:08 8:09 8:10 8:11 8:12 8:13 8:14 8:15 8:16 8:17 8:18 8:18 8:19 8:20 8:21 8:22 8:23 8:23 8:24 8:25 8:26 8:26 www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com Fishing for a special deal? We’ve got a Sportsman Special! $69.95 Per Night - Plus Tax FREE Continental Breakfast Pets Welcomed (Pet Fee Applies) Walking distance to great seafood restaurants & dock bars! PRESENT THIS AD AT CHECK-IN Offer good Sunday-Thursday 2014 Call for weekend availability and rates. Not valid with any other offers or discounts. May be required to present valid hunting or fishing license to receive discount. KENT NARROWS INN We Our Guests! 3101 Main St. • Grasonville, MD 410-827-6767 or 800-828-3361 April 2014 MD Wild Turkey Records / Top Ten Best Overall Eastern in Maryland, USA 1 TERRY PRAJSNER (M) MD 154.7500 Apr 21, 1999 CALVERT, MD, USA M Firearm ATYPICAL 2 CHRISTOPHER HOPKINS (M) MD 125.0000 Apr 19, 2007 WICOMICO, MD, USA M Firearm ATYPICAL 3 TIM GEBHARDT (M) MD 115.0000 May 3, 2007 WORCHESTER, MD, USA M Firearm ATYPICAL 4 DALE GILBERT (M) MD 104.6250 May 4, 2005 CALVERT, MD, USA M Firearm ATYPICAL 5 THOMAS L. KELLER (M) PA 99.0000 May 14, 1994 WASHINGTON, MD, USA M Firearm ATYPICAL 6 ANTHONY ALLEN (M) MD 94.9375 May 4, 2012 Adam Crum and his dad, Rock, at Lake Guntersville in Alabama during spring break March 2014. Stringer of 5 Largemouth Bass came to about 26 lbs. All were released back into the lake which is the local custom. Swim bait was the lure that got nearly all the attention of the bass. Southern hospitality was equally as good as the fishing. HARFORD, MD, USA Bow ATYPICAL 7 SHANE SMITH (M) MD 94.0000 May 11, 2000 WORCHESTER, MD, USA M Firearm ATYPICAL 8 JAMES AUKAMP (M) PA 91.1250 Apr 19, 2013 DORCHESTER, MD, USA M Firearm ATYPICAL 9 GARY MUSSELMAN (M) PA 88.5000 Apr 20, 2012 WASHINGTON, MD, USA M Firearm ATYPICAL 10 GRIFF HANCE (M) MD 87.4950 Apr 19, 1990 CALVERT, MD, USA M Firearm ATYPICAL “Stop in here before you head out there” 8232 Ocean Gateway Easton, Maryland Next to West Marine on Rt. 50 410-820-5599 • 800-263-2027 source - http://www.nwtf.org/all_about_turkeys/turkey_records.php Chesapeake Bay Fishing Aboard Karen Ray II Call Us Today for All YOUR Auto Parts Needs! Wink’s Sporting Goods 410-621-0400 - Princess Anne, MD - gwink222@aol.com April 2014 Captain Curtis Johns and his mate, son Curt will take you out on their 50-foot "Karen Ray II," on a memorable, private fishing charter. Trophy rockfish, rockfish, blues, flounder, croaker spot. Whatever fish are in season, you and your party will have a great day out on the Bay. Small or large parties - 6-49 Passengers Crisfield, MD. Captain Curtis Johns (410) 623-2310 www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com www.facebook.com/chesapeakefishing 17 “Montana Grant” “Troutabout” By Grant Soukup Trout season is here again! There is something special about trout fishing. Trout live in beautiful places and are great fighters. If you enjoy eating fish, trout are also wonderful for the table. Maryland is a place where trout fishing ranges from the Eastern Shore to the mountains of Western Maryland. You can trout fish in an urban setting , fish a limestone stream or explore remote brook trout streams in Garrett County. Our local Trout waters are generally clean and healthy watersheds. Most stocked waters are easily accessible and located near public parks. If you prefer to Catch and Release, there are many regulated and protected waters for this purpose. Trout can be caught and released multiple times. Some Trout waters are reserved for kids or senior citizens. Curt Soukup with a Big Brown from the N. Fork of the Potomac River. Trout Opening Days mean waters crowded with fish and fishermen. For some Trout Fishing Purists it’s about Peace, Privacy and Prudeness. For others it’s about Fishing , Friends and Fun! After all, it’s just fishing. Don’t be intimidated by other fishermen. Show respect to get respect. Good manners go a long way toward avoiding an argument and making new fishing buddies. Experienced Trout fishermen are often willing to teach and share information. Many “Anglers” are just “Tanglers”. Most trout fishermen just go through the motions of “Fishing”. Very few actually go “Catching”. 10% of the trout fishermen catch 90% of the trout. This is true in Maryland, Montana and everywhere else I have observed trout fishermen. With experience and patience, your success will improve. Trout fishing is a perfect opportunity to teach a kid or friend how to fish. The gift of trout fishing is shared every season for years to come. The greatest Trout Fishermen are the ones that can teach others how to be true Sportsmen. Filling our trout fishing ranks with ethical and honest sportsmen protects and preserves our resource. 18 Gear and licenses are relatively cheap. For me, it’s like giving money to the church. The fees pay for access and conservation of our natural resources. At the end of the day, you enjoy the outdoors with family and friends and take home a healthy dinner on the cheap. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources publishes a list of all Designated Trout Waters and the stocking schedule. Search Maryland DNR to discover the website. You can purchase your license on-line and retrieve list of trout streams, stocking schedules and maps for the fishing Hot Spots near to you. Opening days and closures are clearly identified. There is also a Trout Fishing Log site where you can post photos of your special catch. Maryland has an excellent stocking program. Several species of trout are raised and distributed throughout Maryland’s waterways each spring and fall. Rainbow trout are the primary “stockers”, but you can also catch Brown, Brook, Cutthroat and Golden trout in our state. The Golden trout or “Paliminos”, are actually a hybrid rainbow trout. They grow big, strong and are wonderful to catch. It is always harder to catch a fish that you can easily see. The only true “Native” trout in our state are the “Brookies”. Most stocked trout are about a foot in length but larger “PIGS” are also distributed throughout the states Trout Waters. 1012 lb. monster trout are more common than you think. Trout fishing involves minimal tackle. I suggest using a 5-6 foot light action rod with a small ultra- light reel. You can purchase combo kits ready to go at many local fishing shops. Load your reel with 2-6 lb. test line. The lighter lines require some experience to use. Kids would do better with heavier lines. Try using colored lines such as Berkley Trilene Solar Green or Golden Stren. Seeing your fishing line is a huge advantage when casting and seeing light bites. Tie an 18 inch tippet of clear line to the colored line so that the trout can’t see the line. Drift your bait so it appears to not be attached to a line. Use minimal weight or a small bobber. Use small size #8-12 hooks when bait fishing for trout. Worms, corn, cheese and Power Bait are popular choices for catching trout. Small spinners such as Panther Martins, Rooster Tails, Joe Flies and Blue Foxes are great choices. Fly Fishermen can enjoy all seasons of flies. Whether using dry flies during spring hatches, terrestrials during hotter days or streamers and nymphs when fishing deep, fly fishing is a wonderful celebration of trout fishing. Trout Fishing is a great activity for everyone. Even Soccer Moms can load up the minivan and haul a bank full of kids to the pond or stream. Fishing is about rules, limits and problem solving. It is also just plain FUN! We need to train the next generation of fishermen. Kids that love to hunt, fish and enjoy the outdoors choose to stay out of trouble. Fishing takes them away from the TV video games and being bored so they can enjoy the great outdoors with friends. I have never met a fisherman that did not smile when catching a trout. Kids also tend to scream and yell in excitement. Opening Days can be crowded. Golden Trout from Deer Creek on opening day Think about the crowds as a Big Trout Fishing Party. What a great way to celebrate something good, fun and safe together. Most fishermen are pretty friendly and will share knowledge and tips as long as you show manners and respect. Once the crowds clear, you can still find an abundance of trout to catch. Tailgating when trout fishing is a perfect way to enjoy the days catch. Some fresh buns, trout fillets and tartar sauce makes a super sandwich. Mac n Cheese or potato salad adds to the meal. For dessert, throw in some Berger Cookies and enjoy. You can also kick it up a notch to make the Tailgate buddies and new friends are also a great source of information. The one important thing is to present your fly, lure or bait as if it is not attached to a fishing line. Think about a natural drift where your bait or fly is not being dragged by the current. Hunt for trout using good Polaroid Sunglasses. You will find them near structure such as trees, rocks and deeper safer pools. Learn how to use your gear properly and tie a decent knot. After decades of guiding “Expert Fishermen”, I am still amazed how many “fishermen” are dressed head to toe in the best gear but don’t have a clue of how to use it correctly. Sharpen your hooks and your skills whenever you can. Birthday and holiday gifts are easy to find for a trout fisherman. There is always a new lure, hat or gear that they can enjoy. Don’t forget that trout fishing is supposed to be Fun. Many of our trout waters are near other fun destinations. You can Trout fish along Antietam Creek and then tour the Albert Powell Trout Hatchery or Antietam Battlefield. Hunting Creek, near Thurmont, is near Camp David and some great hiking trails to Wolf or Chimney rocks. The Gunpowder River in Baltimore County, are bordered by miles of hiking and biking trails. Garrett County offers miles of remote streams and rivers to explore near Harpers Ferry. Plan your day to include other activities and adventures. Heather Soukup and Montana Grant, 20 in Brown from a small stream. diner even more gourmet. Trout taste best fresh from the water with good company and stories of the day. Trout catching comes down to your skill with your gear and knowledge of the sport. Learn to be a Student of Trout Fishing. There are a ton of books, videos and websites that you can explore. Try my website at www. montanagrantfishing.com for current stories, tips and recipes. Your fishing Whether you are sitting along a cool flowing stream or boating in a lake, Trout fishing is peaceful and relaxing. You will never be a perfect Trout Fisherman. There is always something new to learn, visit or share. If you encounter a crowded opening day, join the party, celebrate our sport and have fun. It’s just what Trout is About! Tight Lines, Montana Grant McGinnity Marine Art Fish Mounts are our Specialty! Visit our website to see all - www.mcginnitymarineart.com 19717 Five Forks Road | New Freedom, PA 17349 Phone: 717-993-2373 | george@mcginnitymarineart.com www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com April 2014 Coastal Report By Capt. Mark Sampson My first boat was an 8’ plastic dingy that looked more like a bathtub than the fishing machine a nine-year-old imagined it to be. My second boat was a 14’ skiff, then I moved to a 19’ center consol, after that I took a quantum leap to the 40’ sportfishing boat I now use to run my offshore fishing charters. I guess I’ve fit right into the mold for the typical fisherman who works his way up from little - to big boat. But after many years of making a living in the boating business (before I started chartering I was in the marina business including boat sales and service) I’ve come to know one thing for sure, contrary to popular buying trends, bigger is NOT always better. What happened to a friend of mine (I’ll call him Jack) a few years ago demonstrates my point. His story is certainly not unique and should be taken into consideration by anyone thinking of moving up to a larger boat. Jack owned one of the popular walk-around cuddy cabin type boats. It was 22 feet long and powered by a single outboard. Jack had a condo with a dock on the bay and kept his boat tied up behind his place. Every weekend he enjoyed time with friends and family out on the boat – usually fishing, but sometimes clamming, crabbing, skiing, or just cruising the bay for the shear joy of being April 2014 on the water. Most of Jack’s fishing was directed at inshore opportunities like flounder, trout, rockfish, and bluefish. But when the weather was right and the fishing good Jack would run his boat offshore for tuna, dolphin, sharks, marlin, king mackerel or whatever was biting at the time. For safety sake, Jack stuck to a policy of not going any more than 40 miles out. Big fish or little fish, it didn’t really matter, the main thing was, Jack just liked to fish. For three years Jack had a lot of fun times with his boat, but then he began to think that the grass might be a little greener in a bigger boat. He remembered the times when he was offshore and the wind and seas kicked up making the ride home a long, wet, and bumpy ordeal. He also started thinking about the windy weekends when he had to abort his offshore plans altogether and stay within the sheltered bay waters. One fall Jack started thinking about a bigger boat and what it might be able to do for his fishing career. It didn’t take much time before Jack had himself convinced that a 28 - 32 foot sportfishing boat was just what he needed. He figured that, aside from a boat that could safely and more comfortably take larger seas and worse weather, a larger boat would also have more storage space for his ever growing assortment of tackle, it could carry more passengers, and the larger cabin would offer decent overnight accommodations if his family ever decided to take extended cruises. Jack eventually found a 31-footer with twin inboard motors. He settled on the boat in the early spring and was one proud captain as he motored it up the bay towards his condominium for the first time. Unfortunately, the tide wasn’t quite full and as soon as he left the main channel and headed for his dock he ran aground. In his old boat he could easily tilt the motor up and push his way off a sandbar. But when an inboard boat of this size gets stuck it usually requires a tow. Jack called the local boat towing company who (for a fee) came out and pulled him back into deeper water. Jack waited for high tide and eventually made it to his condo only to find that the boat was too long www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com and wide to properly fit in his slip. He knew that even if he had the pilings moved to enlarge the slip, he would still only be able to come and go when the tide was high. Instead Jack decided to rent a slip down at one of the local marinas. Jack wasn’t very happy about paying for a slip when he had one in his own back yard, and he hated the inconvenience of having to drive downtown, find a place to park, then carry all his stuff from vehicle to vessel and back again every time he wanted to use or work on the boat. As the spring turned to summer Jack began to look very forward to running his new boat offshore. Usually by then he would have already fished a dozen or more times, but he quickly realized that the new boat was too large to drift for flounder through the narrow channels of the bay or for maneuvering around the inlet jetties while casting for bluefish and stripers. Jack missed bay fishing, especially the trips when his wife and two young children would go along. The four of them would often take a break from fishing and pull the boat up on Assateague Island to eat lunch and look for shells. The new rig was way too much boat for beaching. Jack said that one morning he noticed the water skis leaning against the back wall of the shed. “I realized skiing was out too.” Jack also came to recognize that the new boat was so much to handle (and clean) that he wouldn’t likely be making many of the little “hop in and go” kind of cruises he and his family were accustomed to in the past, and the boat was definitely too big for him to run solo. As the season progressed Jack finally managed to get offshore and actually had some very good fishing days. He quickly learned, however, that just having a larger boat didn’t mean he would no longer be affected by the weather. Strong winds and rough seas would occasionally still keep him inside the inlet. Only now when Jack couldn’t get offshore he knew that he couldn’t fish the bay either. Poor Jack! I think the final blow came in September when Jack hit a log with one of his propellers. The damaged prop vibrated so bad it had to be taken off and sent to a prop shop to be reconditioned. Jack knew with his old boat he could simply tilt up the motor and remove the prop. But now he was faced with either hiring a diver to go under the boat and take it off, or have the entire boat hauled out on a travellift at one of the local boat yards. Either alternative was going to take a lot more time and money than Jack cared to spend and it was then that he decided to sell the boat. Jack now has a 20-foot outboard and couldn’t be happier. He fishes more than ever, trailers his boat to the Chesapeake Bay in the spring, and even pulled it down to Florida for a few weeks last winter. Jack confessed that he never stopped to think about the downside of owning a big boat before buying the one he did, and that he never realized how fun and versatile a small boat was until he was without one. Owning a boat of any size requires a fair measure of time, effort, and money on behalf of the boat owner. The larger the boat – the more attention it requires. When someone makes the jump from a twenty-some foot outboard to decent size inboard boat they had better be ready for a substantial jump in the amount of maintenance and money it will require to keep that boat in safe and reliable operating condition. They must also realize that, while moving up to a big boat will allow them a few more creature comforts offshore, they will also be giving up so much of the versatility they’ve probably been taking for granted in their small boat. For those who need and can take full advantage of them, big sportfishing boats are marvelous machines to own and a joy to operate. I wouldn’t be without mine, but then need it to run the offshore charters I make my living from. Weekend fishermen and recreational boaters should really consider whether the advantages of moving up to a big boat is worth giving up so many of the activities they currently enjoy. 19 New and Used ARGO Sales Full Line of Parts & Service! 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Innovative triple differential ADMIRAL steering transmission provides even torque to all 8 of the big 25” ARGO tires. Beckwith Equipment 3447 Ocean Gateway • Corner of Route 50 & Chateau Road East New Market, MD 21631 410.901.2750 www.beckwithequipment.com Billy Beckwith Jr., Owner • beckwitheqpt@comcast.net Tuckahoe Sportsman We Have YOUR Spring Rockfish Supplies! “Your Outdoor Adventure Store” BUY LOCAL! All the Turkey Supplies Are In Stock and Ready To Go! Large Selection of Bows In Stock! Muck Boots In Stock! Photo courtesy of NWTF Tuckahoe Sportsman provides the highest quality outdoor sporting gear to the Eastern Shore area. For over 9 years, our family owned and operated shop has specialized in providing superior customer service to all our clients in Caroline and the surrounding counties. Stop by today to check out our extensive selection of hunting and fishing supplies. 22145 Shore Highway - Denton, MD. - Corner of Route 404 & Route 480 410-364-9005 20 www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com April 2014 water discharge at Calvert Cliffs; but that’s mostly just an excuse to get out of the house before the better half finds something else for The Cruelest Month you to do. Trout fisherman anxiously await sixty degree weather. Immediately the opening of season checking the hunter begins to think about stocking schedules, and hoping the upcoming turkey season (it’s there secret spot is still a secret come only a few weeks away you say to opening day. March though likes yourself). You head downstairs and to make it interesting with plenty try to remember where you stashed of t rain and snow melt that turn all the turkey gear after last spring. their favorite trout stream into class You may even begin to practice four rapids that not even the most with the new mouth call you got for daring kayaker would do battle Christmas, hoping it will lure in the with. There’s i big gobti ar M that sinking us Id (Latin: bler that The Ides of March feeling like an the Rom hung up or Idus Martiae) is a day on arch. heading out o n y o u calendar that corresponds to 15 M in hip boots gious ob- and realizing li re l last year. ra ve se by d as marke e M a r c h It w me notorious as th that you will ca be d an s, ce an rv sar need a wet will crush se ation of Julius Cae t h o s e date of the assassin aesar made the suit to fish dreams in in 44 BC. The death of C Roman your favorite a second, Ides of March a turning point in ked hole. ar m at th ts en it will drop ev e Bay fishory, as one of th riod erman curse pe al 12 inches hist ic or st hi e th on from o f s n o w the transiti March for Republic to the an om R e th as n know and keep all 31 days Roman Empire. the mercuof the calry south of e n da r. 20 degrees More often for a week. than not the boat is on dry dock, It’s tough to get excited for turkeys covered in shrink wrap with the when you are busy shoveling snow. memories from last season trapped For those that like to wet a line underneath. The bay is covered (both fresh and saltwater) March in ice, debris from winter storms can feel like you are caught in some (offshore duck blinds seem to time warp where you are running be floating everywhere), and the but not getting anywhere. I know Chesapeake is the color of cowboy my license says when I can start coffee. If by some chance your boat fishing but it doesn’t seem that is not wrapped up like a mummy opening day is getting any closer. you might try and sneak out for a There are some true diehard few hours since the weather is gofishermen that will hope for a nice ing to be fine, just to see if the fish day or two to wet a line perhaps for are in the bay yet. Hopefully you yellow perch or jigging the warm remembered to drain your gas as we “The last word” By Steve Huettner Beware the Ides of March was the soothsayers warning to Julius Caesar in the play written by William Shakespeare. While I’m quite sure old Bill was not a hunter or fisherman, he was dead on about the month of March; it is the cruelest month of the year. For the hunter and fisherman, March seems to last forever, well past its allotted 31 days. As I sit typing this story I come to the realization that March is a month that is a tease. It is month that is cruel and brutal for those who enjoy the outdoors. March toys with your emotions like the girl you had a crush on in high school but she considered you a friend. For many hunters, the end of hunting season usually ceases at the end of January (although a few diehards hunt rabbit, squirrel and snow geese). Come March just about everything is closed and the hunter starts to go through a bit of a withdrawal. Phone calls from hunting buddies dry up, texting photos of trophies cease, the endless checking of weather apps slows down, and the ever growing to do list at the home increases in size, scope, and expense. March will toy with the hunter by giving you a glorious day of sun and all know how much ethanol in gas loves carburetors. After breaking skim ice to get out and looking for your lures (it only took an hour) you head out only to have your hopes dashed by a quick moving front that brings wind, rain, and sleet to what was supposed to be a sunny and fifty degrees with light wind. By the time you make it home (what was I thinking) you look like Yukon Cornelius from Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. Honestly, if a hunter or fisherman were to take the month of March to court, I am confident that a judge what find March constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. So as you read this, the calendar will have turned and April will be the month to enjoy. All I can say to March is goodbye and good riddance. 9 yr old Ryan Whittington finally scores after a few disappointing trips to the woods. Perseverance does pay off. Now Booking for Chesapeake Bay Fishing! 410-708-1616 410-708-1616 April 2014 www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com 21 2014 Classifieds are FREE 2014 Classifieds are FREE 20 words or less 20 words Classifieds or less Mail your classified to driftrock@verizon.net - Sell your boat, gun dog, truck, equipment or anything in the garage! FOR SALE Crab/Fishing Guide License Call Captain Bill (410)479-9362 LvMsg. Benelli super black eagle almost new in box - $999.00 - 410761-6381 GHG Lesser Canadas - 1 dozen new - with Field Bag $300 - 860262-4055 Reefer Truck - 15 foot insulated side door and rear roll up door with 3 phase cooling system $1100.00 301 643 1615 15 HP MERCURY OUTBOARD , new never used two stroke standard shaft length asking $ 1,300 call 410-591-3439 Pick-up Truck Camper Bed, stove, refrigerator, water, heater. Good condition. Asking price $3000. 410255-0720. Ask for Herb. 2003 Carolina Classic 28ft Volvo 300s Diesel 900hrs, Tower, 5KW Generator, Air Conditioning, $100,000 contact Ronnie Hall 443510-0792 99 Legacy Sea-Era 23 ft. W/A, 150 H. P. Johnson, Fully Equiped and trailer.$11,300.00....... Call Frank for more information 443-223-0156 1994 Gradywhite Sailfish 272 sportbridge Twin Yamaha 200hp low compression in 1 motor rebuild or repower $10500 OBO John 410827-8722 Used commercial Sporting clay traps. Call 410-758-1824 for details. MISC. 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Call our archery tech Andrew at 410-758-1824 Hunting lease available-Eastern Shore Virginia, Northampton County, seaside, 300 acres, waterfowl, deer, turkey, dock access to Barrier Islands. 202-359-5818. Hunting camp bordering Oswayo Creek for lease. Excellent trout fishing, turkey, bear, deer. ATV trails nearby, minutes from state park 410-357-5458 kprice794@ gmail.com bers. Visit our website www.rockhallgunningclub.com Illinois deer & turkey hunting in Adams County. Meals and lodging incl. www.McKeeCreekWhitetails. com. Private hunting club Memberships available. 1200 acres Talbot, QA Counties. Deer, turkey & waterfowl. Impoundments, ponds, offshore and shore blinds, and flooded timber. 410-708-9851. GOOSE PIT FOR LEASE, Church Hill, 443-282-4141 Outfitters, guides, gun clubs, and hunt clubs – looking for affordable and accurate insurance? Call Kiser Commercial Agency for a quick quote at 410-439-8110 or 800-4335473. Waterfowl Hunt Club Membership available in 10 member Kent County club. 5 blinds and 5 pits, Guest privileges, Lodging and more. Contact George@chescoat.com 410-703-3018 Hunting Club Membership – Equity membership for 10 person hunt club available on Asquith Island, Dorchester County. Great duck, whitetail, sika hunting. 250+ acres, lodge, impoundments, woods, marsh, 6 deer towers, deer stands, shore blinds, boat ramp. $74,500. Reduced to $69,950 deckrod@ yahoo.com, 703-462-2360 Farm For Sale 303 acres Chaptico, MD 5 bedroom main house, 2 tenant houses, pond, 3 tobacco barns. $1,250,000 Chris Holland, Addison Herring, Inc. 301-627-4655 Eastern Shore,Virginia; building lot along Occonannock creek,Exmore. 5 miutes to public boat ramp.35k; possible owner financing. (717)6323864 Dorchester county on tedious creek 29 acres great sika and waterfowl. Two story house can be renovated. $149,900.00 410490-0084 FOR LEASE EXCLUSIVE DEER HUNTING RIGHTS 77ac. farm in Northern Caroline Co.MD 3 hunters max. call Jim 410-482-6716 Waterfront Farm for Sale by Owner Eastern Shore,Dorchester County MD, 330 acres, great deer, turkey, waterfowl hunting. Call 410-9434620. Mountain retreat/hunting lodge top of mountain in Western Maryland (Cumberland). Sleeps 10. 7 Acres & several out buildings. Call 410-760-2474. $199,000 24 acres on Mattawoman Creek and Old Federal Railroad. Woods fields and water $99000.00 or OBO. - 301 643 1615 Waterfront home for sale 3 bedroom 2 bath rancher with canal access to the Big Choptank river. Call Edward 410.330.1600 Now Offering Towing & Roll Back Service Waterfowl hunting club in Kent Co, MD is looking for new mem- www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com April 2014 NWTF— Turkey Hunter’s Checklist While you will not need every item on this list to kill a turkey, any given situation can make you wish you had packed your bag a little more completely. The following turkey hunter’s checklist will help you prepare for the most rugged to the simplest of adventures. 3rd Annual Northern Queen Anne’s County Catfish Tournament 6:00 AM - 1:00 PM Registration Opens at 5:00 AM - Check Ins begin at 12:00 at Deep Landing Adults 25.00 Per Person - Kids 15 and under $15.00 Per Person Price Includes 1 Rod Per Person - Each Person can use up to 2 more rods for $5.00 Each For Complete Rules & details got o www.SVFC6.com or friend us on facebook at Sudlersville Vol. Fire Co. For more information call - Brooke 443-480-1928 or Greg 410-310-8239 One day ramp pass required - Available at 544 Out Post Presented by Presented by Trophy Season Opens April 19th! ROCKFISH BLITZ! NWTF—Turkey Hunter’s Checklist PENN REELS PENN can 330GTI While you will not need every item on this list to kill a turkey, any given situation make you wish you had packed your bag a little more completely. The following turkeyon hunter’s checklist Special will help you prepare for the most rugged to the simplest of adventures. 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CLYDE’S SPORT SHOP 2307 Hammonds Ferry Road • Baltimore, MD 21227 410 -242-6108 • www.clydessports.com • GUNS • AMMO • CLOTHING • HUNTING LICENSES • BOOTS • KNIVES 1957-2014 “57 Years Serving Maryland’s Fishermen & Hunters” 24 HOUR FISHING HOTLINE 410-247-FISH www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com 23 Your Turkey Hunting Headquarters! Come check out our ammo supply. Largest in Kent County! 12503 Augustine Herman Hwy, Kennedyville, MD 21645 410-348-9160 24 www.fishingandhuntingjournal.com April 2014