Smith's Island or Jane's Island

[ILV2F5H]

In regards to scenery, fishery and good eats. Where would you stay for the weekend?

[Hemingway]

Jane's Is. I have stayed on Smiths years ago...worst night of my life. Only one restaurant, closed early, one hotel...buzzed all night long by ATV's. They want you to come on the boat, leave your money, and then leave on the boat again the same day. All smiles from the Islanders while the boat is there, but if you don't leave on it you will start hearing banjo music the only exception to this would be if you were the guest of an Islander. They are a great people, but they want to protect their Island from changing.

[Memory Maker]

....... but if you don't leave on it you will start hearing banjo music ............ as long as you don't here Pigs squeeling .......

[MetroMan]

Reminds me of when I flew into tangier island. Walked from the airport to a restaurant. Locals spoke in their dialect, but stopped talking when we approached, and continued their conversation when we passed. Weird kids randomly playing near cemeteries...by themselves. Dogs just laying on porches watching us as we walked by. Never need to go back there in my life ever again!

Oh, and smith island cake is overrated too lol

[dkwon]

Never been to Smith Iland, but I have to say that Jane's Island is GORGEOUS. I'm assuming you'd want to kayak there and they have a good amount of small marshy canals to paddle through. I was there a couple weeks ago and there were schools of 12-16'' rock chasing baitfish near the shores. Caught more than 20 of them on a 1/4 oz white jig with a 4'' white curly tail. They destroyed my pack of 10. Need to buy more for when I go back.

I personally stayed at the B loop in the park. Have no clue about hotels and what not surrounding.

[CAGE RATTLER]

Not to hi-jack your thread but i've been thinking about camping over at Janes Island but the more I read about how buggy it is, Im not so sure i want to deal with it.
Is there anytime of the year when the bugs arent to bad?? like maybe in the fall when the temps start dropping a bit?
Gonna be hard enough to get my GF to go camping and if we get ate up by flies & skeeters, It will probably be the last camping trip i get her on.

[dkwon]

Not to hi-jack your thread but i've been thinking about camping over at Janes Island but the more I read about how buggy it is, Im not so sure i want to deal with it.
Is there anytime of the year when the bugs arent to bad?? like maybe in the fall when the temps start dropping a bit?
Gonna be hard enough to get my GF to go camping and if we get ate up by flies & skeeters, It will probably be the last camping trip i get her on.

Ah, I almost forgot about the bugs. Mosquitoes are bad during hot weather. And horse flies are bad middle of summer. I went in the earlier spring and there were almost no bugs. Maybe some flies, but no mosquitoes or horse flies; it was cold though.

I think right now, mosquitoes are pretty bad. When I went a couple weeks ago, some friends got mauled. I came out pretty well with only 5-7 bites. Long sleeves and long pants = mosquito barrier!

[Fishinfool]

I went to Smith Island for a day trip on the ferry or whatever about 30 years ago with my soon to be wife (miraculously still married after three daughters and all these crazy years). It's a very interesting day trip (I am sure a lot more of it is underwater now), but I wouldn't stay there overnight. Too boring. You see the whole place in a couple of hours.

Janes Island has much more to offer for a kayaker staying a couple/three days. Great salt marsh trails just across the canal, great birding, great crabbing, lots of fish if you can find 'em (I didn't); as wild and isolated as any place you can go. They also have TWO rubberized kayak launches at their main pier near the rangers office. There's good crabbing on that pier BTW at slack tide when the fish aren't biting.

Unless you're a dedicated and experienced camper (meaning knowing how to deal with bugs of different types), I'd recommend the camp cabins if they're not booked. They cost under $60 a night, sleep three, and have a window a/c. There's electricity, but no running water. Bring charcoal and/or a camp stove. You can get cool and away from the bugs if they are bad. Bath house is a short walk. Crisfield or what's left of it is a mile or two drive away. I wonder if they have finally finished the Pier ( damaged in last fall's storm) at the end of Main Street? Let me know if you go.

I see your question as two separate trips; Smith Island being the afternoon trip, and Janes a two or three day or more extravaganza of the Lower Bay.

For Janes, just remember your long light weight pants, long sleeve light weight shirts, a broad brimmed hat, and plenty of Deep Woods deet!

[Hemingway]

I was down to Crisfield two weekends ago...the pier is still a long way from being completed.

[Fishinfool]

Check Hemingway on the Crisfield pier. What in the world is the hold-up? Reminds me of the one about the guy with the leaky roof.

Joe: Hey, fix your roof yesterday?
Tom: Nah, it was raining. Too dangerous.
Joe: What about today, it's sunny and dry?
Tom: Yea, but the roof don't leak when it ain't rainin'.

[RavensDfense]

The bugs vary depending on a lot of things. I havent had a problem in about 6 weeks or so. But in general, bugs are just part of fishing the ES. Maybe that's why you hardly see another soul and the fishing is better. Keeps all the sissies away. . Wear long sleeves, pants, a buff, and a hat and you'll be fine.

[ILV2F5H]

Thanks for all of the feedback. I think I'll try Jane's Island or the Crisfield area. Hopefully the bugs won't be too bad in mid Sept.