7-25 Severn Report

[elkfish2]

They don't want to be pet when they swim over and take your jig with them .

[Mark]

Stingray Point, VA, at the mouth of the Rappahannock River got its name from an incident in July, 1608 when English explorer Captain John Smith was stung on his wrist by a cownose ray after he speared it for food. A cownose ray's stinger is at the base of its tail, not the end. Smith was stung as he removed his spear. His entire arm swelled and he was in great pain for the day and evening. He thought he was going to die and even asked his men to prepare his grave at that spot. But he recovered and lived to make the first accurate maps of the Chesapeake Bay. Years later, he ventured to New England and mapped that coast too. In fact, the Pilgrims used his maps during their settlement at Plymouth.

Cause and effect -- It's quite possible that an angry cownose ray 412 years ago could have resulted in a situation where the Pilgrims became a lost colony like the one at Roanoke. That would mean no Thanksgiving today, no Macey's Parade, no Butterball Turkey and on it goes...

[HobieWanKenobie]

Nice Haul. I have been baking Rockfish that way for 20 years. I stuff the cavity with citrus and herbs. Doesn't get any better than that! A few years ago I was trotling from my kayak, mouth of the Severn. A commercial crabber motored up to me and told me to be careful, he thought his line was hung up on bottom, turned out to be a 6 foot bull shark taste testing his clam baits. They are out there!

[jsnyd86]

Doesn't get any better than that! A few years ago I was trotling from my kayak, mouth of the Severn.

Thanks! How difficult is trot-lining? I've been wanting to get into crabbing a little, but I have a Revo. I'm also originally from the great lakes area and dont know a thing about them other than they're tasty. Anyway, not much room for the two bushel set up Ive seen in Mach's videos so it's been a back-burner type idea.

[HobieWanKenobie]

Thanks! How difficult is trot-lining? I've been wanting to get into crabbing a little, but I have a Revo. I'm also originally from the great lakes area and dont know a thing about them other than they're tasty. Anyway, not much room for the two bushel set up Ive seen in Mach's videos so it's been a back-burner type idea.

It's not too difficult once you figure out how to manage running the line with different wind conditions. The trick is not to allow your bow to cross over your line. Using your rudder controls to instinctively steer against the weight of your chains and then every time you dip a crab. After that you can figure out how to manage the correct amount slack in your line and the rest of the mechanics of a good lay. Only comes by getting out there and doing it. I have a PA 12 but I have given tips to other crab yakers trotlining from their outbacks. Ive seen many different rigs and set ups. Here are a few pics of my set up.Set up 1.jpgset up 3.jpg