Thursday, December 21, 2006
Stripers on the rampage
Bill Cochran
Recent field reports
It was the kind of weekend that striped bass anglers dream about. The weather turned balmy, the wind cooperated, and big stripers gathered in massive schools to gorge on baitfish under thousands of swooping seabirds. Mixed in with the stripers were jumbo-size bluefish. And you didn’t have to go far to find action.
“Fishing was outstanding; lots of fish inside the Chesapeake Bay at Cape Henry,” said Claude Bain, director of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. “I saw thousands of birds from top of Lynnhaven Bridge Saturday, and the fleet working the fish just off the end of the Lynnhaven Pier. In fact, there probably were more big bluefish than stripers at most locations in the ocean and at Cape Henry, with lots of bluefish citations.”
In the Bay, from Cape Charles southward, anglers were tangling with trophy stripers while drifting eels and trolling.
Chris and Mark Snook, of Chris’ Bait & Tackle, located three miles north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, got writer’s cramp filling out citation forms.
“Chris called Monday to report more than 50 citations being mailed to us,” said Bain.
Big fish have been hitting well at night at the bridge-tunnel high rise, said Bain, who reported there were impressive numbers of fish over 50 pounds.
The Bay striped bass season continues through Dec. 31. After that, the action will switch to the ocean.
BILL
A DISMAL TURKEY SEASON IN WEST VIRGINIA
Hunters in West Virginia reported killing 1,010 turkeys during the recent fall season, which represented an 11 percent decline from the previous season and the poorest kill in 40 years. In summary, it was a dismal season that casts a bleak outlook for the future.
What’s happening to fall turkey hunting in West Virginia? Poor brood years have lowered the base population in many areas of the state, said Paul Johansen, assistant chief of game management in the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Compounding the problem, sever winter weather, especially during 2002-03, reduced the population.
Officials have reacted by reducing fall hunting opportunities. In areas where hunting was legal this fall, the mast crop often was abundant, and that kept the birds scattered, making them less vulnerable to predators, including hunters.
Officials say they are researching the gobbler population in an effort to better manage wild turkey resources. In the meanwhile, hunters ponder the role that poaching, coyotes, habitat, hunter interest and brood success play.
West Virginia’s turkey population is estimated to be 110,000. The spring kill in 2006 was 11,869.
Virginia’s general fall turkey season continues through Jan. 6. Last year, hunters in Virginia reported killing 4,428 turkeys during the fall season. That was just 60 percent of the 10-year average, which means Virginia is tracking some of the same problems that face West Virginia.
BILL
DEER HUNTERS SURVEY
Sunday hunting was the big topic of the recent Virginia Deer Hunters Association survey (see the Dec. 21 Bill Cochran Column), but other issues were addressed. Here are some of the findings:
>55 percent of the participants said they hunted during the special bowhunting season.
>21 percent used archery equipment outside the special bow season.
>54 percent used compound bows; 25 percent crossbows and 8 percent recurved or long bows.
>23 percent spent 17 or more days hunting.
>84 percent hunted during the special muzzleloading season.
>37 percent said they used black-powder equipment outside the special muzzleloading season.
>70 percent said they hunted east of the Blue Ridge.
>32 percent hunt public land, and 55 percent of them said they had noticed a decline in public-land deer populations. Some 63 percent blamed that on loss of habitat.
>49 percent said they would support a $5 to $10 habitat permit for public land use.
>46 percent said they were involved in quality deer management, 64 percent of them planting food plots; 11 percent saying their expenditures exceeding $2,500.
>51 percent hunt deer with dogs; 46 percent hunt in shotgun-only counties.
>65 percent hunt with a center-fire rifle during the general firearm’s season.
>99 percent said they were satisfied with the association’s Whitetail Times Magazine and 83 percent said the association was above average.
BILL
STATE DUCK STAMP AID WETLANDS
During the 2005 General Assembly, legislation was passed requiring duck and goose hunters to purchase a $10 Migratory Waterfowl Conservation Stamp. How is the money collected being spent?
The first batch went to South Boston to restore 30 acres of flood plan on the Dan River owned by the South Boston Industrial Development Authority. The site was named Biggy Hunt Memorial Wetland Area, after F.W. “Biggy” Hunt, a long-time supporter of wildlife in Virginia.
The area previously was used for row crop agriculture. It not only will provide enhanced habitat and food for a variety of wildlife, but also it will be used for educational purposes. It is the first of many wetland restoration projects the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries hopes to complete to benefit wildlife and those who enjoy it.
BILL
OUTDOOR NOTES
>Ward Burton has signed a one-year contract to drive the No. 4 Chevrolet for Morgan-McClure next year. That has left the South Boston outdoorsmen/NASCAR driver pondering whether he should give up his position on the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board.
>Maybe a Pro Bass Shops or Cabela’s super store would have been first choice, but this ain’t bad. Gander Mountain is building a 58,000-square-foot store at the Hollins exit of Interstate 81 in Roanoke County. In comparison, the Bass Pro Shops in Hampton is 105,000-square feet. Gander Mountain has a store in Greensboro, N.C., and opened one in Charleston, W.Va. this fall. It calls itself the nation’s largest retail network of stores for hunting, fishing, camping, marine and outdoor lifestyle products.
>Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., finished the 2006 professional bass fishing season ranked No. 1 in the world according to Bass Fan.com standings. This is the fifth time in six years he has ranked at the top.
>Leonard Adkins received the West Virginia Division of Tourism’s Stars of the Industry Award for his article “New River Gorge Trails,” in Blue Ridge County Magazine. Adkins, who lives in Botetourt County, is author and photographer of the magazine’s column titled “The Hike.”
>Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. has added Thompson/Center Arms, Inc. to its portfolio at an announced cash purchase of $102 million. Thompson/Center has more than 50 percent of the popular black powder shooting market.
BILL
SALTWATER FISHING TOURNAMENT
Who could blame Barclay Shepard for celebrating? Way back on Jan. 30, the Poquoson angler reeled in a huge 12-pound, 1-ounce specked trout from the Elizabeth River.
All season long, during one of the best speck-fishing years in memory, anglers tried to top it. Nearly 275 citations were entered.
Still, Shepard continued to lead the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament going into December.
With the year-long contest just weeks from completion, Shepard luck ran out. Jerry Doughten Sr. of Chesapeake entered a 13-pound, 4-ounce trout. It also came from the Elizabeth River.
Here are the standings in the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament for catch and keep citations:
BLACK DRUM: 83 pounds, 13 ounces, Charles Porter, Birdsnest, caught at Oyster Bay.
BLUEFISH: 19 pounds, 2 ounces, Lyle Bayer, Mechanicsville, off Virginia Beach.
COBIA: 109 pound pending state record, Joseph Berberich II, Hayes, lower-western Chesapeake Bay.
CROAKER: 5 pounds, 4 ounces, William Bull, Jr., Poquoson, lower-western Chesapeake Bay.
DOLPHIN: 56 pounds, 6 ounces, Richard Koch, Virginia Beach, off Virginia Beach.
FLOUNDER: 13 pounds, 13 ounces, Lewis Graves, Sr., Fredericksburg, lower-eastern Chesapeake Bay.
GRAY TRIGGERFISH: 5 pounds, 13 ounces, Earl Sari, Chesapeake, ocean off Virginia Beach.
GRAY TROUT: 12 pounds, 4 ounces, Marvin Williams III, Virginia Beach, off Virginia Beach.
KING MACKEREL: 39 pounds, David Worton, Norfolk, off Virginia Beach.
KINGFISH: 2 pounds, 3 ounces, Robert Vick, Virginia Beach, off Virginia Beach.
POMPANO: 2 pounds, Bruce Williams, Virginia Beach off Eastern Shore.
SEA BASS: 7 pounds, 2 ounces, Steve Harding, Norfolk, off Virginia Beach.
SHEEPSHEAD: 17 pounds, 13 ounces, Arun Nhek, Newport News, lower western Chesapeake Bay.
SPADEFISH: 14 pound state record, Austin Edwards, Powhatan, Cell in the Chesapeake Bay.
SPANISH MACKEREL: 6 pounds, 13 ounces, Charles Quann, King George, upper western Chesapeake Bay.
SPECKLED TROUT: 13 pounds, 4 ounce, Jerry Doughten, Sr., Chesapeake, Elizabeth River.
SPOT: 1 pound, 7 ounces, Herman Jones, Norfolk, lower-western Chesapeake Bay.
STRIPED BASS: 68 pounds, 1 ounce state record, Clay Armstrong, Mechanicsville, off Virginia Beach.
TAUTOG: 18 pounds, 1 ounce, Paul Hurtubise, McGaheysville, off Virginia Beach.
TRUE ALBACORE: 40 pounds, John Hanna, Seaford, ocean off Virginia Beach.
TUNA, BLUEFIN: 207 pounds, 8 ounces Warren Howard, Virginia Beach, off Virginia Beach.
TUNA: 260 pounds, John Travers, Damascus, Md., off Eastern Shore.
WAHOO: 91 pounds, Aurelio Diaz, Jr., Glen Allen, off Virginia Beach.
BILL
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Final portion of the dove season, Dec. 28-Jan. 15.
“Lore and Tracking Weekend, learn how our ancestors tracked animals that provided food and clothing, Jan. 12-14, Twin Falls Resort State Park near Mullens, W.Va.; twinfallsresort@wvdnr.gov.
Western Virginia Sports Show, Augusta Expoland, Fisherville, Feb. 16-18.
CITGO Bassmaster Classic, Feb. 23-25, Birmingham, Ala.
The National Wild Turkey Federation’s 2007 National Convention and Sport Show, Feb. 22-25, Gaylord Opryland Resort, Nashville, Tenn.
Dixie Deer Classic, March 2-4, North Carolina State Fairgrounds, Raleigh, N.C.; info form dixiedeerclassic.org.
Shenandoh Valley Sportsmaj’s Alliance banquet, March 3, details from Myron Reedy.
BASS Elite Series, June 7-10, 2007, Smith Mountain Lake, information from bassmaster.com.
Outdoor Writers Association of America conference, June 16-19, Hotel Roanoke.
Got an event? Let us know: xrtails@earthlink.net.
