“Take it to the Limit” — Eagles 1975

The Last Hurrah has boxed Rockfish limits on 104 of its last 107 trips despite plenty of challenges.   We put the Rock-in-the-Box or break our backs trying!
Fall fishing is heating up but the calendar needs filling!  Come on people, it’s prime-time—-LET’S GO CATCHING!

Open Dates:

November:  1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
December:  1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Right, Tight and Outta’ Sight

Fall Fishing is NOW!  The bite is on fire and getting better every day.  We have our rig dialed in and the fish-box is getting packed with limits of nice fish on every trip.  We have openings in the calendar, so let’s book ’em up!

Open Dates

October:   24, 31
November:  1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
December:  1st through 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15

Yesterdays Catch:

Book ’em, Hook ’em & Cook ’em

Fall fishing is here.  We’re boxin’ limits every trip and the calendar has prime openings.  Let’s book ’em up and go fishing!  Here are current open dates for October & November (December is almost totally open).  The boat is covered and heated.  We can depart morning or afternoon.  From now till 12/15 can be some of the best fishing of the year!

October:  17, 18, 20, 23, 24, 25, 31 

November:  1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30.

Yesterday’s Group with their limit:

Fall Turnover on the Chesapeake Bay

Fall fishing can be some of the best of the year, but it can take some understanding of the Chesapeake Bay’s transition or “Fall Turnover” in order to put meat in the box.

Temperature, salinity and circulation determine the basic aspects of a given body of water.  Wind, rainfall, air temperature, snow melt, currents, tides, waves and even the Coriolis Effect shape these fundamentals.  The term “Fall Turnover” refers to the annual phenomenon that the Chesapeake’s water layers undergo.

During the Spring and Summer months, the Bay’s surface is heated by the sun and maintains a higher temperature than that of deeper depths.  The cooler, saltier water is denser and therefore sinks to the bottom during this time of year.  Two distinct layers of waters stratify with a thinner zone in between them.  This middle section of water is called the “pycnocline” and it is where water density increases abruptly with increasing depths due to changes in salinity and water temperature.  The thermocline, (a region of rapidly fluctuating water temperature with regard to depth) and the halocline, (a sudden salinity gradient), act as the causing forces behind the pycnocline.  The stratification of the Bay’s layers and a significant pycnocline can create barriers to nutrients mixing between layers and can void the bottom of dissolved oxygen.  This is why fish are often not found very deep in some areas during the Summer.

When Fall brings cooler temperatures and an abundance of wind, the Bay is stirred like a giant mixing bowl.  The fresher surface water cools the quickest and density becomes consistent throughout the water column.  This causes the top layer to sink and vertical mixing to occur.  As the water blends, it pushes nutrients up from the bottom and distributes oxygen deeper.  During much of the winter, water salinity and temperature are relatively constant from the surface to the bottom.  The turnover can happen overnight but will do so in different areas at different times depending on conditions.

So, who cares?  Fish do.  Striped Bass, the crown jewel of the Chesapeake, are greatly affected by this autumn changeover.  With dissolved oxygen more evenly dispersed, fish may be suspended anywhere from the bottom up to the surface of a post-turnover area.  It can be more challenging to target fish scattered through the depths, and extremely deep fish can be reluctant to bite.  However, post-turnover areas can provide large bait concentrations and schools of active, cooperative fish.  It is these areas that fishermen should canvass thoroughly.  Trolling spreads should cover the majority of the water column until sonar readings illustrate a definitive pattern.  If the fish-marks become consistent within a certain depth-range, it’s time to fine-tune your spread and re-set some gear at the appropriate depth.  In order to consistently catch late-season Stripers, it is imperative  to pay close attention to their environment and to have a basic comprehension of Fall Turnover.

Yesterday’s clients with their limit:

Open October Dates!

Fishing is good with a lot of fast action once the fish feed.  We still have prime October weekdays and weekend dates available.  Let’s Go Fishing!

Open October Dates:

11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 31

Fall Fishing

Fall is here and we are booking up dates from now until the season ends on December 15th.  Fishing has been a little tricky lately, but we’ve been boxing Rockfish limits regardless with fish up to 34″.     It’s only gonna’ get  better.  Here are some pics from the last week…

 

 

The Fish are Already Wet

Last Hurrah is currently booking up the month of October.  We also still have a few September dates available.
The weather has been wet to say the least, but we don’t worry about the rain…the fish are already wet!  In fact, a little rain can reduce the boat traffic and therefore improve fishing.  (Fish don’t mind rain, but they won’t tolerate hundreds of loud boats running through them.)  There have been some weather-related challenges though, namely Conowingo Dam.  The damn Dam’s open flood-gates cause very strong currents and can push logs into the trolling grounds.  Regardless, we persevere and overcome….86 Rockfish limits out of the last 88 trips!  Lately, when the tide gets right, the fishing can be outstanding.  We hooked over 20 fish at once yesterday!!
So grab your rain jacket, and let’s go fishing!!

 

Booking October Fishing Trips Now

Despite all of the ridiculous fear-mongering, there is NO hurricane anywhere near us and both the weather and the fishing on the Chesapeake Bay are just fine!  We are still catching Rockfish limits on every trip.  There are a few Bluefish around and some days, the White Perch fishing is very good.  We have a few holes left in the September schedule and we are booking up “Rocktober” very quickly.  Shoot us an email today to reserve your Fall Chesapeake Bay fishing excursion!

Booking September Trips Now

The Last Hurrah is back in Deale and currently booking September charters.  We’ve caught Rockfish limits on 82 out of our last 84 charter trips and we are enjoying good fishing right now.  Rockfish, Spot, and White Perch and abundant and some days, the Spanish Mackerel make an appearance.  We have prime September and October dates available.  We are dog-friendly if you want to bring your canine companion.  Let’s book trips and rip lips!


Hurrah Headed Home

It’s been a challenging summer season filled with weird weather, insane crowds and a Conowingo Dam disaster, but Last Hurrah Charter Fishing has still managed to boat Striped Bass (Rockfish) limits on 79 out of its last 81 trips!!  We pride ourselves on getting it done or breaking our backs trying.  After a three-month stay in Annapolis, The Last Hurrah is moving back down south to its primary marina at Herrington Harbour North in Tracy’s Landing (Deale).  We will be targeting Rockfish, bottom-fish and the Spanish Mackerel that are finally starting to make their way up the Bay.   During the next few weeks, we have:  August 29, 30, September 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9 available for charter.