Carrs's Wharf yesterday

[mango]

Launched about 430 pm into somewhat rough water, enough to keep me shore bound behind some docks searching for the Perch. Found them like everywhere else, big and plentiful. Interesting note, land dweller had his soft shell crab holding table/tank running with the water pumped up into the table/tank from the river and a pvc pipe dumping it back beside the bulkhead. I scored very well in that one area alone. Better than anywhere else. I am thinking that the disturbance and areation effect from the return discharge could have been an attractant to the fish along with the possible smell in the water from all the crabs in the holding tank. I am just guessing here but it is note worthy, try to target some of these and see if you all get the same results as I did.

Hope everyone else is having a good summer, I am loving it! Now I need the Rockfish ferry to grant me a keeper.

[surfdog]

geez Mango you need to move closer to the bay

[Southerly]

i'm thinking the smell of shedder crabs may have something to do with it. as i understand, before shedding, the crab metabolizes a lot of the calcium and/or nutrients making up its old shell. after the shed, it re-metabolizes those nutrients to harden the new shell ASAP. because soft shells are so tasty and defenseless, it would not surprise me that every sea creature swimming or crawling knows the smell of the hormones involved in that process.

if you're near a commercial crab-steaming operation such as on hoopers island and smell commercial boats full of fresh crab from clean water, you will notice the pure and distinct smell of crab. i can't imagine fish don't know these smells and many others.

but i've also heard on several occasions how easily trained the fish are. maybe the land dweller tosses some sort of scraps out daily,..

who knows? but i like that tip!

[ictalurus]

Sounds like a fun trip. All the big perch around this year are spoiling me for future year.

As for the peeler scent, I've bought squid that was supposedly soaked in peeler oil. It wasn't a substitute for actual peelers, but some decent bluefish liked it well enough. I imagine the real thing would be pretty attractive to fish.

[surfdog]

ive been told the best peeler is female and the best part to use is the apron it had the most sent to trigger a bite. i usually cut it in half to get 2 baits and most times 2 fish from it

[kayak456]

the legs are really good for spot i caught 1 drum on the legs also but i catch most on cut spot

[mango]

the legs are really good for spot i caught 1 drum on the legs also but i catch most on cut spot

I watched your longboard clips, verry cool.

[Southerly]

ive been told the best peeler is female and the best part to use is the apron it had the most sent to trigger a bite. i usually cut it in half to get 2 baits and most times 2 fish from it

the crabs sex organs are under the apron. think about that the next time you're sitting down eating crabs, pull back the apron and rip those two things out!!!

a female becoming mature and shedding is an integral part of reproduction - they're only fertilized at that time by a male that doubles up and protects her during her time of being a soft shell.

[mango]

geez Mango you need to move closer to the bay

tried, love the area around Deale, kept a boat there for years but the wife won't make the drive in every day to work.

[nay_sayer]

tried, love the area around Deale, kept a boat there for years but the wife won't make the drive in every day to work.

I'm about 10 mins from Deale. If your wife works in DC she can do what the rest of us locals do and take the commuter bus. They are nice contracted tour buses and it is $31.50 a week for the ride. Takes about 45 mins to an hour depending on where you go in DC. Well worth it IMHO. I don't miss driving or the Metro and I save a ton of $$$.

[surfdog]

the crabs sex organs are under the apron. think about that the next time you're sitting down eating crabs, pull back the apron and rip those two things out!!!

a female becoming mature and shedding is an integral part of reproduction - they're only fertilized at that time by a male that doubles up and protects her during her time of being a soft shell.

i always have a laugh when going out to eat and they have crab balls on the menu.

[Southerly]

me too! but you really should check out my neighbor's crab balls - damdest thing!

[mango]

I'm about 10 mins from Deale. If your wife works in DC she can do what the rest of us locals do and take the commuter bus. They are nice contracted tour buses and it is $31.50 a week for the ride. Takes about 45 mins to an hour depending on where you go in DC. Well worth it IMHO. I don't miss driving or the Metro and I save a ton of $$$.

That commuter bus would be the way to go for sure. Wife and I both work out here in Fairfax (Merrifield) area though. 45 min +/- is not a bad ride. Takes me 75 minutes from my house on Sunday morning's without traffic to get to Deale, I go by cutting down South Capital street and suitland prkwy.