# Lynnhaven Report 7/13 Evening



## tjmrpm04 (May 17, 2007)

I made it out on sunday (No weather fronts or other things getting in the way). I had just about finished loading my gear when Erie Warrior showed up at the launch. About the same time Agent_VA showed up as well with his new barge in tow (Albiet a bit crooked on his SUV). We load up and get on the water about 6:30. We immediatly head across the inlet to the treeline down from the Tennis Courts behind the big marsh. The trip across the inlet was fun as the winds seemed to be a bit stronger than 7kts. Agent_VA showed us his free styling moves as he performed a few 360's in the water. Well we finally get to where we are going and Erie anchors and begins to soak some bait. Agent_VA anchors and gets out of his barge and I anchor and get out. In about 30 seconds Agent and I both witness a rather ominous brownish fin type thing swim about 6 feet in front of us. While I was not concerned about Jaws being back there, I did not want my juju beads nibbled on by one of Jaws' smaller friends. We comfort ourselves by swearing it to be a ray and continue upon our way of fishing. Within a few minutes Erie has fish on. After a battle, he lands the first fish of the day and proudly presents it to us. It was a beautiful specimen. It was at least 6.................inches. I tried to get my camera, but he released the croaker before I could think about my camera. We fish for a while longer and decide to move to the oyster bar on the north side of the back channel. We anchor and prepare to do battle. Although the battle we ended up in was one with the white caps that the boats were dishing out to us. We did notice a very familiar green barge back by the back oyster bar and try to call out to Steve but he couldn't hear us. He was busy with the cast net. Anyway, we continue the battle when Agent gets fish on. He battles for a while and lands his first fish of the night. Although he was a bit disapointed with the placement of the black spot.










However two of the three of us at least had the skunk off. After a while I begin to cast behind us and at one point hook up with something that was pulling drag, however apearantly my knot tying was not up to par and I ended up having the knot pulled out of my rig and lost the fish. I was a bit disheartened because it was a nice pull (either red or ray but I think it was the later). OH yeah, leads me to think that maybe we should ahve a knot tying lesson at the next meeting for those of us who dont know a uni-uni from a bimini twist. Ok back to the fishing. After getting out butts pounded by the wake of the boats, we decide to head over to our buddy Steve. We anchor up and wade out ot the edge of the oyster bed. We soak bait after bait hoping and praying. Steve gets fish on after a while and proudly presents his prize of hte evening. A nice little (hell I can't remember, was it a croaker or spot?) Anyway, he is put away for later and we continue. I am thinking about heading home, because it was getting to be about 9:00ish and I had to get back to Crab Creek then back to Richmond and I had a presentation in the morning, when all of a sudden I get fish on and it starts pulling drag. I fight for a while with the beauty as I call for someone to bring a net. Erie brings his virgin net that he purchased earlier in the day and lends a hand on the assist. Each time he lunges for the fish, the fish turns away. After several attempts, we net the fish and Erie hands me the net and says "you take the net, I have to go find my rod". Fortunatly, he was able to recover his rod in no time and Erie, Agent, and myself go to work on extracting the hook from the gut of the fish. I have only caught 4 reds in my life and I believe 3 of them have been gut hooked. (And yes, I only use circle hooks, this one happened to be a 6/0 circle because I could not find my 3/0 or 4/0). Anyway, we get the fish unhooked and measure him up and he is about an 1/8" below 26. Onto the stringer he goes. 










We continue to soak bait when Agent decides to head back to the earlier ass kicking oyster bar (not so wavy now that the boats have gone in for the night). After a while I get a phone call and it is Agent reporting that he needs assistance because he has hooked up with something that was about to spool him. I bid good night to Steve and Erie and head over, since I had to go soon anyway or I would not be worth anything at my morning presentation. I make my way over and sure enough Agent's big boat rod is doubled over in a battle with a nice Ray. I pull out my net (like that is going to do anything), and get into battle possition. Then I realize that he has some work to do to get the Ray closer in before I can assist in anyway. So I put the net back (and realize that against the ray, my net wasn't worth crap anyway). So I cast out way away from where the Ray keeps swimming and put my rod in my holder. I go back to the assist and Agent gets the ray about 10' or less in front of us. At this point Agent has been in battle for about 30 minutes. We work to get the ray landed when all of a suddent, the line snaps. The ray swims away and Agent is bummed. I stick around for a few minutes then bid him goodnight and head out. I dont know what transpired after that but I can say that I did get a report from Steve that about an hour after I left, he landed this beauty.










So it was a slow night but at least it everyone hooked into something, so it was not a complete skunk fest.


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## baitslingin (Jul 31, 2005)

you damn drunken fish killer


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## SkunkApe (Dec 9, 2006)

Nice work guys. Those are some nice Pups. Glad to see they're hitting. You really don't want to see those Cow-nose Rays around as they run the Reds out, but looks like you guys did all right. 

Skunk


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## Rockstar (Jun 23, 2004)

nice work on them reds.


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

Great work and great report.


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## tjmrpm04 (May 17, 2007)

SkunkApe said:


> Nice work guys. Those are some nice Pups. Glad to see they're hitting. You really don't want to see those Cow-nose Rays around as they run the Reds out, but looks like you guys did all right.
> 
> Skunk


Yeah no lie Skunk. Good thing he was on a different oyster bar than the rest of us.  Sometimes we send Joe to Time Out.  Just kidding Joe.


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## Agent VA (May 3, 2007)

tjmrpm04 said:


> Yeah no lie Skunk. Good thing he was on a different oyster bar than the rest of us.  Sometimes we send Joe to Time Out.  Just kidding Joe.


It was great night out there. After hearing how the bulls fight like rays, I had my hopes up so I had to keep the fight going until I knew for sure. I've heard a few reports of large drum being caught in there recently. I don't think that I would have really wanted to try to get a ray into my barge anyway. Scratch that, I would want to try to get a ray OUT of my barge! 

As always, great fishing with you pirates.


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## tjmrpm04 (May 17, 2007)

Agent VA said:


> It was great night out there. After hearing how the bulls fight like rays, I had my hopes up so I had to keep the fight going until I knew for sure. I've heard a few reports of large drum being caught in there recently. I don't think that I would have really wanted to try to get a ray into my barge anyway. Scratch that, I would want to try to get a ray OUT of my barge!
> 
> As always, great fishing with you pirates.


Arrrrgggghhhhhhhh, tis always good to plunder with ye scalawags. 

Wait just a minute, you didn't want Chesapeake Scallops?


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## Agent VA (May 3, 2007)

tjmrpm04 said:


> Arrrrgggghhhhhhhh, tis always good to plunder with ye scalawags.
> 
> Wait just a minute, you didn't want Chesapeake Scallops?



I'm still waiting for someone to run with my RAY DAY BBQ PARTY idea. All we need is a bunch of us to go out and catch some rays that are doing sooooo much damage to our waters, someone that knows how to clean and prepare them, and then a place to have a bbq. It shouldn't be that hard really. We just need someone to run with it. My ignorant @ss doesn't know enough about rays and I've got a tiny 2nd story condo on chesapeake so I don't have much to offer there. How's this, I'll bring the bbq sauce and butter!


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