Tagging Recapture Info

I've been tagging a couple of years now, won a few awards, and decided to check up on some recapture info.  It's really fascinating what we can learn so I thought I'd share.

First up is a double tag.  Doug Purcell put a tag in a 12" red drum in the Ware River, which is way up in the Mobjack bay area.  Then I caught it 15 days later at Lynnhaven, which is a considerable ways south.  It grew 1.25" in that short period of time.  Fun fact: I caught that same fish again later in the day.

I've had several spadefish recaptures over the last two years.  A few of them were caught by my fishing buddies (Jay Brooks, Matt Anderson and a few others probably) and they were usually in the same area I caught them earlier.  I've also recaptured my own tagged spadefish a few times. 

I've also caught my own tagged tautog as well.  They also are usually in the same area if not the exact same piling.

Black Sea Bass are also on the tagging list and I've had 3 recaptures.  Two of them were only a few days after I tagged them so not much info was gained.  The 3rd was caught by my friend Jay Brooks.  It was recaptured 118 days after I tagged it, in the same general area (CBBT 1st island) and it grew from 9.5" to 11.5".  

Jay also recaptured one of my tagged triggerfish as well.  Again it was in the same area (CBBT 1st island).  It grew from 12" to 12.25" in 19 days.  Cool fact: I wrote a note saying that my hook went through the eye and it as badly damaged.  Apparently it was still ok, found plently of food and kept growing without any problems.

Here's another red drum recapture.

It traveled a good ways north in 30 days and grew an inch and a half.

Flounder recapture.

I tagged it under Lesner.  6 days later it was caught in the same area with .5" more.  Then 21 days later, it was caught again in the same area.

Another flounder recapture.

This one was eatin' good!  Staying in the HRBT/Willoughby area, it grew 3" in 45 days!

On the other hand...

This flounder was tagged and caught within a mile's distance away after 61 days and it didn't grow at all.

One more flounder.

This one also didn't go too far and after 88 days it only grew half an inch.  

I did puncture it's eye though.

I've had several speckled trout recaptures, mostly caught and recaptured in the Elizabeth River, Hot Ditch area.  One however stood out.

This one was tagged in late September up in Poquoson and by mid December was caught in the Hot Ditch area.

Again, I just thought I'd share some fun stuff.  

Hope you got your learn on.

Hues and Saturation

I was on the water from sun up to sun down, hoping every moment in between that my quest for VA Saltwater Expert Angler status would come to an end with one last specie citation.  King Neptune graced me with a myriad of other species, but my trophy tautog still remains at large.

Photo Credit:  Jetski Brian

Keeping my frustrations at bay, I got to enjoy the many colors and shapes the CBBT had to offer.

Bergall aka Cunner from the wrasse family (same family as tautog)

I had several 12" Black Sea Bass and one right at 12.5" (keeper size).

Three puppy drum paid me a visit after falling for my tog intended fiddler crabs.

Oystertoad

Pigfish aka grunt

I tallied about 15 togs, most of them in the 15"-16" range with two going 17".   Chunks of blue crab and live fiddler crabs were the baits of the day.

 

Jetski Brian on his tricked out ride 

also did very good on vacuum packed frozen fiddlers.

 

At the end of the day, 

as the sun smeared breathtaking hues across the mirror calm bay, 

it was hard not to give thanks just for the opportunity to be there.

I soaked it all in...

...hoping my next adventure isn't too far off.

By the way, I saw decent numbers of light line stripers on the way in near the small boat channel.  I caught two in the lower-mid 20"range using a 1/4oz jighead and 3" white Gulp swimming mullet before calling it a (long) day.

Crazy Hotness and the Itty Bitties

It almost sounds like a band name, doesn't it?  "Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome The Crazy Hotness and the Itty Bitties with their hit single... Swamp Butt".  Seriously though, it was stupid hot.  But with hopes of catch up to Jay Brooks and Justin Mayer in the race to VA Saltwater Expert Angler, I braved the heat with several bottles of frozen water and ventured out under the CBBT.  Much to my surprise several other kayak anglers were out in search of that addictive tug.  It was nice to meet some new guys and see a few others that I recognized. 

The action was almost as hot...

Caught a few flounder up to 16.5" while jigging soft plastics.
Also met a guy who had a nice 20"er earlier in the day.

There were plenty of what Lee Williams likes to call "ChesaFreak bay Oyster Toads"

Dropped some fiddler crabs to the bottom and found a few tautog up to 15"

And you can't drop fiddlers in the summer without running into a few of these... Black Sea Bass.  Normally, they're extremely small. 
I was surprised to find some in the 10"-11" range.

I switched to clams and found the ever-so-fun spadefish.  Some friends went out earlier in the week and got into better class of fish, but the biggest for me was a mere 9".  At least there were lots of them to keep me entertained.

On a side note, I recaptured a spadefish that I tagged 6 hrs earlier.... it was still on the exact same piling!  I wonder if they'll send me a t-shirt for that.  I mean it was a tagged fish, right?

So in the end, it was a veritable buffet of itty bitties and no check off the citation list.  I did have one bite and hook up that still has my imagination running wild.  I was under the same piling that I caught a near citation tog at last summer.  It went on three absolutely amazing runs, then I used the remote to start recording on the GoPro... I get a little slack in the line and the fish gets off.  A boat near by gives me the "Aww man, that sucks... that really looked like a good one".  Pardon my language at the end of the video clip.  But notice the vein sticking out of my neck during the slow mode...

CBBT Critterpalooza

After waiting out a storm, and launching over an hour later than expected, the first thing I saw was a cobia thrashing on some bait.  I quickly grabbed the bucktail rod that I specifically brought just in case that scenario presented itself, but by the time I turned back around it was gone.  After searching a while, I switched to dropping mole crabs.

First up, a nice hard fighting 22" sheepshead.  

Next, a not-so-good looking schoolie striper.

Then, after a few croakers, I switched over to clams and tried for spades.  I didn't see any or get any bites at the usual spot and the current was brutal, so I took refuge on the down current side of the island.    It was a good opportunity to look for big black drum that sometimes hang out in the rocks near the surface, but that was also fruitless.  Next, I turned my efforts towards triggerfish and quickly hooked up to a bunch of baby black sea bass.  Normally, I'd be pretty irritated but after remembering that they were on the list, I got to tagging.  Eventually, I got a slightly different kind of hit and slowly reeled in to find a triggerfish chasing the empty jig head.  I rebaited and caught the aggressive little guy.  Sorry no pic.  He was only 11".  Tagged and released.

I kept at it and after a while, noticed an itty bitty little thing just under the surface... something I've never seen before.  

After doing some homework, I'm pretty sure it's a juvenile Banded Rudderfish.  It stayed under my kayak for quite some time, darting out every once in a while.

I love finding new species!

After eating a snack while watching my little buddy peek out from under me, I switched back to mole crabs and brought up something I've never caught before.

Bergall aka Cunner

Like tautog, it's a member of the wrasse family.   

I braved the current again to try jigging for flounder, but only became frustrated.  The water was just too fast.  After losing a few 2oz jigs and not getting any bites, I went back to the island.  Eventually the current slowed down, but only for a little while.  The incoming was also predicted to be very fast, so my window of opportunity was short.  I went back to find the spades.  They were little, but at least I got some.

Even the little ones put a bend in the rod

Wee lil' 8" spade

One right after another

Like predicted, the slack current didn't last long.  And after tagging several of the baby spades, and getting a serious work out from all the one arm paddling, I had to call it a day.

The paddle back seemed to take forever... giving me a chance to think about the tough but interesting day.

Got Line?

I wasn't sure what to expect when I pulled into the parking lot at ten minutes til three, but it quickly became apparent that I was about to get a glimpse into another subculture within the world of fishing.  There were massive coolers already in line waiting to get loaded on to the Rudee Angler.  Guys were sharing stories about the last time out and commiserating over how long the haul was going to be.  A small group of Korean men in their late 40s-early 50s were bragging about how superior their equipment was then pointed out "there's that old lady again... the one who caught all those citations last time" (not in English).  Several guys had sleeping bags or mats, neck pillows, folding lawn chairs and car batteries.  It was obvious that most of the people there were seasoned veterans of that scene.  As for me... I felt like.... well... a fish out of water.

We left the inlet a little before 4am and settled in for the 4 and half hour trek.  It didn't take me long to figure out why people brought sleeping bags and neck pillows.  The prime spots around the tables (booths) were taken up quick and before we knew it, guys were setting up to lay on the floor.  I squeezed into a small spot on a bench, sat down and passed out for a couple hours.  When I woke up the boat was headed straight for the rising sun, guys were snoring, mates were getting equipment ready, and I was thinking a neck pillow would have been a good idea.  Upon venturing to the upper deck I realized there was a lot more room up there.  A few guys had the right idea and set up camp up there in the open air.  One guy was even smart enough to bring a reclining camp chair. 

After the long awaited approval from the captain, I finally released my Lucanus jig into the dark abyss.  The first drop was into 300 feet and it seemed to take an eternity to reach the bottom.  

But when it finally did, it only took 2 slow cranks and I was hooked up.

Keeper Black Sea Bass

The jig worked great for most of the morning.  The long ascent didn't bother me with the lighter equipment.  I also tried what every one else was using... the double dropper rigs with squid.  I quickly realized that I liked working the jig much better.  The standard sinker for the boat was a whopping 24 ounces.  That's a pound and a half of lead.  Do you remember me mentioning car batteries in the beginning of the post?  Yeah... a bunch of guys had electric reels.  Some of them even made a little bracket that they attached to the rod so as soon as they hooked up, they would brace the rod on the rail using the bracket, then push the button on their electric reel and stand there.  I guess to some people that's what "fishing" means to them.  It's a little different for me, but to each their own.

Leroy with a decent little Blueline Tilefish

John the pirate first mate with one of my Sea Bass

At one point, I hooked into a nice fighting fish on the jig and worked him all the way to the surface pulling drag every once in a while.  It turned out to be a really nice Blueline Tilefish, but I pulled the hook trying to lift him out of the water with my rod.  I should have waited for the mate to get a net or gaff.  I'm definitely not used to needing other people to help me land a fish.  I'd rather grab the leader and leg kick the fish into my kayak :)

Cool colors

We ended up going to about 650 feet.  As you can imagine, the drop wore on my patience and reeling up was grueling.  I guess one of the fun parts of the this type of fishing is that you never know what you're going to find down there.  Any one of those drops is potential for a true monster of the depths.  Giant grouper, sharks, who knows...  I caught something I never seen before and had to ask the specie name...

Yellowfin Bass
Little thing turned out to be quite delicious

A veteran fishing just a few feet from me caught the biggest of the day.

Big ol' Tilefish

Almost back to Rudee

I have to admit, it wasn't my favorite type of fishing, but I'm very glad I got to try it.  I definitely can't complaint about the amount and quality of meat I brought home.  But honestly, I probably won't go again unless I win another trip for free or if a friend with a boat invites me for some help with gas.

Big thank you goes out to Pirates of Lynnhaven who put the gift certificate up as a tournament prize last year.  Here's the link to the day I won it.  This trip was a great chance for me to peek into a totally different side of fishing that I otherwise would have never tried.  

Spade. It's What's for Dinner.

About to land one
Photo by Justin Mayer

It was as if Mother Nature was apologetic for her excessive bitchiness on my last trip out to the CBBT.  I was granted a full 9+ hours on the water with almost no wind.  It was sexy.

The target for the day was spadefish.  It is the fish I probably curse at more than any other.  In the last three years, I've fed more spades than Asians eat rice.  Their ability to strip a hook clean is almost as uncanny as their strength once it's finally hooked.

My personal best has been stuck at 12" for a while, so I really hoped to break that on this trip.  But it started off with only a few the size of my hand and a bunch of little bait stealers.

Kevin says Hi

Baby Black Sea Bass
aka PunkassBait Stealer

I kinda think they're pretty cool looking though...

...but not as cool looking as these guys.

Pretty little thing

Kevin put on a show as Justin and I were swinging and missing with empty hooks.  He had several up to 17" with some amazing fights that took him in and out, zigzagging, through and around several pilings.  Justin had a few decent ones then eventually hooked into a real nice one, but dropped it at the boat.  I finally broke my personal best with a 13"er.  It put up a great fight for a relatively small fish.

Photo credit: Justin Mayer

But on my next to last clam strip I hooked into what I was really hoping for.  After watching Kevin's fights, I was dying hook one myself.  

15.5"er

Inch for inch, spadefish are definitely one of the strongest fish out there.  The second you hook one, there isn't that pause before it reacts like with some fish.  It's absolute pandemonium from the split second it's on there, and their brute strength is phenomenal.  They go completely spastic and ballistic at the same time.  I love 'em!  I can't wait to get back out and try again.

From what I understand, spadefish don't take forever to grow like big sheepshead, nor are they in serious decline like many other species, so I decided to take a few home.  I made a few spade nuggets for the wee one...

Natalie with the smile of approval

And I had my panko breaded yummy deliciousness with veggies and of course...

RICE!!!