Healthy Grin Sport Fishing

www.saltwatersportsman.com/news/old-tautog

Yesterday, I went looking for cobia with Capt. Jorj Head, (757) 262-9004. We saw some nice little cobia that Jorj tagged and released. The one decent cobia we saw, Jorj hooked it on a really light casting rod that he was using to play with the little cobia. This fish promptly broke him off. Lately, there are a lot of small cobia around with just the occasional large fish.

Today, I ran over to the Eastern Shore where I got to watch tarpon rolling all around. A couple just missed hitting the boat. What I caught were sharks. I did have one tarpon blow up on mullet. Impressive explosion and it killed the mullet but no hookup.

Charles and Hunter Southall met me at the boat early Independence Day to help with scheduled maintenance on the Healthy Grin. When we were done, we ran out and looked for some cobia around the Baltimore Channel. We found some cobia and several schools of drum near the Baltimore Channel. We could not get the drum to bite but we did catch a couple cobia. Small fish. We did not fish long. Ran back in to do the 4th things with our families.

That is Charles Southall on the cover.  http://www.chesapeake-angler.com/anglerJuly2012webred.pdf

Hunter Southall and I went sight fishing for cobia for a few hours. We saw a ton of rays, crabs and a handful of cobia. We spooked 3 schools of red drum. Hunter caught our single cobia. We were between the Baltimore Channel and the Concrete Ships. Pretty out there today.

Flounder Bowl 2012

This was the 4th Flounder Bowl and there are now four different Flounder Bowl Champions.

The event began on Friday evening with a captains meeting and a barbecue. It finished Saturday evening with the awards presentations and a seafood party.

In between these two, there was a lot of action and it was not all flounder fishing. It takes a lot of work by a lot of volunteers to set up for this event each year. A line of storms came through Friday night and wiped out everything. All of the tents were not just knocked over, they were destroyed. All of the tables and chairs were blown all over the place. It looked like a disaster area. The word “heartbreaking” was used many times. The volunteers fishing wished those staying behind, the best of luck and just hoped something could be done in time for the party. When we got back in, we were amazed at what those people were able to do. I do not know all that helped out but some are: Charles Southall, John Hunt, Mike and Christy Hanna and some very fast, emergency deliveries and set up by ABZ Rentals. It looked like nothing had happened at all.

117 boats fished this year’s event. Boats were greeted by rough seas left over from the storm front. It calmed down as the day progressed and it turned out to be a very nice day on the water. Large flounder proved to be hard to come by for most of the fleet. Boats using wire-line to work hard structure had the most success.

This year’s Flounder Bowl Champion is the “Wired Out” captained by Jim Davis. Their 3-fish stringer weighed 18.43 pounds. They received the Flounder Bowl trophy and $5,000.

Second Place is the “Fatty Flatty” captained by Barry Bradley. They weighed in 16.97 pounds. They won $2,000.

Bryan Cockrell and the “T-Mo Express” came in third place with a weight of 16.05 pounds. They won $1,500.

Fourth Place is the “Tip Top” captained by Glen West. They weighed in 16.03 pounds. They won $1,000.

The “Albemarle 24”, captained by Alan Hall, came in Fifth Place with a weight of 15.34 pounds. They won $500.

Sixth Place is the “Miss Janet II” captained by Neil Taylor with a weight of 14.79 pounds. They won $250.

59 boats entered into the Big Fish Calcutta. The winner is the “Tip Top” with an 8.5 pound flounder. The Calcutta win was $5,900 bringing the “Tip Top’s” winnings to $6,900.

The Top Lady Angler is Jennifer Hall, fishing on the “Albemarle 24”, with a 5.23 pound fish. She won $100 and a pair of Costa sunglasses.

The Top Youth Angler is James Dearnley, fishing on the “Out Numbered”, with a 3.66 pound flounder. He won $100 and a pair of Costa sunglasses.

The Sponsors Challenge was won by Capt. Craig Paige of “Paige II Charters” with a stringer weight of 13.35 pounds.

Teams not placing in the top six were placed into a drawing for a “Lucky Dog” award. This year’s winner is “Reel Tease II” captained by Randy Richardson. They won $500.

The Flounder Bowl is made possible through the hard work of many volunteers and it is only possible with the support of the amazing sponsors.

2012 Flounder Bowl Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Thomas E Wilson Insurance Agency, Mercury Mulch, Inc., The Goose Creek Rockfish Tournament, Yorktown Materials, Harbor Mechanical, Pomoco Auto Group, Dare Marina & Yacht Sales, Multi-Print Inc., Virginia Beach Sport Fishing.net, Douglas Aquatics, York River Electric, Inc., Comfort Technology Heating & Air Conditioning, Randy Blanchard, MD Plastic Surgery Center of Hampton Roads, Green Top Sporting Goods, M and M Custom Painting, Michael Surveying & Mapping, P. C., Boat U.S., C. A. Barrs Contractor, The Bush Companies, Wanchese Fish Company, Atlantic Marine Service, Parks Orthodontics, Tidewater Family Dentistry, Seaford Scallop Company, Bay Propeller, Portsmouth Trailer Supply, Ferguson Enterprises, Inc.

Sponsors

Drucker & Falk Real Estate, Tidal Fish, Lateral Line, Richmond Scale, Holland Corp., Ace Peninsula Hardware, Rudees Inlet Station Marina, Grafton Fishing Supply, Sinkerman’s Wholesale Sinkers & Lures, VooDoo Tackle, Pig Out BBQ, Beachcomber Restaurant, Sea Tow Lower Chesapeake, Aero Colours Auto Body & Paint, Just Plumbing, Charlie’s Auto Repair, Amory Funeral Home, Hunt Smile Design, Costa Sunglasses, The Pizza Shop, Mountain Breeze Taxidermy, Bishop Fishing Supply, Chesapeake Angler, Wayne Harbin Builder, Inc., Dr. K. E. Neill, Yorktown Pub, Paige II Charters, Oyster Cove Boatworks & Yacht Brokerage, Williams Facility Service, Coca Cola Refreshments, Southern Plumbing & Heating Supply, Pop’s Drive In, Parker Piano Outlet, True Value Hardware, Fishing Tidewater with Don Lancaster, Geary Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, Lila Nicolls, Inc., Mark’s Glass, Back River Rods, Auto Haus, Dock 2 Sea, Teagle Insurance Agency, Ayers Marine Electronics, Bill’s Seafood House, Firefly Sweat Tea Vodka, Mount Gay Rum, Goslings Rum, Evan Williams Bourbon, Skyy Vodka, Svedka Vodka, CFE Equipment Corporation, Cactus Restaurant, Hibbard’s Iron Works, Dr. Guy Harvey, Wallace’s Bait & Tackle, West Marine, James Frasor Coastal Art.

Congratulation to this year’s Flounder Bowl Champion, “Wired Out” captained by Jim Davis!

Previous Flounder Bowl Champions are: Capt. Craig Paige of “Paige II Charters”, Brian Hogg-team “Hogchoker”, and Capt. Kenny Jarvis of “Reelentless Charters”.

The Virginia record tog, 24lb 3oz, has been aged. It was a 19-year-old female. That is old but the oldest togs they have aged have been smaller fish, weighing in the teens.

I was called to Wallace’s yesterday for a possible state-record cobia coming in. Actually, I was called a number of times during the 4.5 hour fight. The fish was not as big as thought but was still an impressive, 95 pounds. The day before, Wes Blow caught 6 cobia by chumming. He weighed in a 75-pound fish and released the rest including a 57-incher.

It is finally Flounder Bowl time, www.pswsfa.com/FlounderBowl_12.htm . Early forecast is for heat, temperatures in the mid-90s with winds, SW 10-15. It is looking like another great Flounder Bowl as it is not only the temperatures that are hot. Flounder fishing is very good with limits of fish and multiple citation flounder caught this week with some weighing in the double digits.

The captains’ meeting is Friday. Registration and the food begin at 6 PM at Dare Marina. The actual meeting, where we go over the rules and any last-minute changes, will be at 7 PM. At least one team member must attend. In addition to rule updates and other announcements, this is where you will get your team tags to place in your fish to weigh.

There will be representatives from the Virginia Marine Resource Commission and the York County Sheriff’s Department at this event. We want everyone to have fun time and everyone to be safe and legal. If you are partaking of the adult beverages, have somebody else operating the boat or automobile. Give yourself plenty of time to get to Dare Marina. It is in a No Wake zone by water and by land, it is reached by a small, curvy road through cow pastures and residential areas.

This event is run by a great bunch of volunteers and is only possible through the tremendous support of the tournament sponsors. These businesses have stepped up to support recreational fishing and to provide you with a great event:

2012 Flounder Bowl Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Thomas E Wilson Insurance Agency
(757) 283-6351

Mercury Mulch, Inc.
www.mercurymulch.com

The Goose Creek Rockfish Tournament
(757) 871-2250

Yorktown Materials
www.yorktownmaterials.com

Harbor Mechanical
(757) 872-4166

Pomoco Auto Group
www.pomoco.com

Dare Marina & Yacht Sales
www.daremarina.com

Multi-Print Inc
www.multiprintinc.com

Virginia Beach Sport Fishing
www.VBSF.net

Douglas Aquatics
(in memory of Eric Arnold)
www.dapoolsandspas.com

York River Electric, Inc.
www.yorkriverelectric.com

Comfort Technology Heating & Air Conditioning
www.comforttechnologyinc.com

Randy Blanchard, MD
Plastic Surgery Center of Hampton Roads
www.pschr.com

Green Top Sporting Goods
www.greentophuntfish.com

M and M Custom Painting
(757) 879-9860

Michael Surveying & Mapping, P. C.
www.msmva.com

Boat U.S.
www.boatus.com

C. A. Barrs Contractor
www.cabarrs.com

The Bush Companies
(757) 220-2874

Wanchese Fish Company
www.wanchese.com

Atlantic Marine Service
www.atlanticgearcase.com

Parks Orthodontics
www.parksorthodontics.com

Tidewater Family Dentistry
www.tidewatersmiles.com

Seaford Scallop Company
(757) 898-8512

Bay Propeller
www.baypropeller.com

Portsmouth Trailer Supply
www.ptrailerusa.com

Ferguson Enterprises, Inc.
www.ferguson.com

Sponsors

Drucker & Falk Real Estate
(757) 873-1401

Tidal Fish
www.tidalfish.com

Lateral Line
www.laterallineco.com

Richmond Scale
(804) 321-7903

Holland Corp.
www.jhenryholland.com

Ace Peninsula Hardware
www.acehardware.com

Rudees Inlet Station Marina
www.rudeesmarina.com

Grafton Fishing Supply
www.graftonfishingsupply.com

Sinkerman’s Wholesale Sinkers & Lures
(757) 898-3845

VooDoo Tackle
www.voodootackleonline.com

Pig Out BBQ
(757) 879-9100

Beachcomber Restaurant
(757) 874-9420

Sea Tow Lower Chesapeake
www.seatow.com

Aero Colours Auto Body & Paint
www.aerocoloursautobody.net

Just Plumbing
www.calljustplumbing.com

Charlie’s Auto Repair
(757) 890-2623

Amory Funeral Home
(757) 898-5722

Hunt Smile Design
www.huntsmiledesign.com

Costa Sunglasses
www.costadelmar.com

The Pizza Shop
(757) 898-4301

Mountain Breeze Taxidermy
(757) 726-2225

Bishop Fishing Supply
(757) 591-9300

Chesapeake Angler
www.chesapeake-angler.com

Wayne Harbin Builder, Inc.
www.harbinbuilder.com

Dr. K. E. Neill
(757) 898-6832

Yorktown Pub
(757) 886-9964

Paige II Charters
www.paige2charters.com

Oyster Cove Boatworks & Yacht Brokerage
www.oystercoveboatworks.com

Williams Facility Service
(757) 592-1073

Coca Cola Refreshments
www.cokecce.com

Southern Plumbing & Heating Supply
(757) 595-7231

Pop’s Drive In
(757) 898-6870

Parker Piano Outlet
www.pianooutlet.net

True Value Hardware
www.truevalue.com

Fishing Tidewater with Don Lancaster
WHKT 1650 AM

Geary Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
(757) 898-4661

Lila Nicolls, Inc.
RE/MAX Peninsula
www.LilaNicolls.com

Mark’s Glass
(804) 815-2784

Back River Rods
www.backriverrods.com

Auto Haus
www.autohausva.com

Dock 2 Sea
(804) 240-3199

Teagle Insurance Agency
www.teagleinsurance.com

Ayers Marine Electronics
(757) 549-7477

Bill’s Seafood House
www.billsseafoodhouse.com

Firefly Sweat Tea Vodka
www.fireflyvodka.com

Mount Gay Rum
www.mountgayrum.com

Goslings Rum
www.goslings.com

Evan Williams Bourbon
www.evanwilliams.com

Skyy Vodka
www.skyy.com

Svedka Vodka
www.svedka.com

CFE Equipment Corporation
www.cfeequipment.com

Cactus Restaurant
(757) 898-8500

Hibbard’s Iron Works
(757) 826-5611

Dr. Guy Harvey
www.guyharveymagazine.com

Wallace’s Bait & Tackle
(757) 851-5451

West Marine
www.westmarine.com

James Frasor Coastal Art
(757) 912-6311

We ran out into a beautifully calm ocean yesterday to catch some tuna. We found them south of the Triple 0s in about 50 fathoms. Catching was another matter. We went 0 for our first 8 bites. Interesting day. It was not red hot but we should have had a box of tuna. We ended up with a single yellowfin and a couple of dolphin. My dock neighbor did better with 4 tuna and a half-dozen nice dolphin. The top boat I know of fishing around the same area had 11 tuna another had 8 so it waas actually decent fishing if you just held onto your fish better than we did. Great day on the ocean. Now it will back inshore for the Flounder Bowl.