THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, May 22, 1995 TAG: 9505220131
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB HUTCHINSON, OUTDOORS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
Big black drum are hitting off Cape Charles and around the islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, although it's not like the halcyon days of 20 years ago.
Still, several big fish were boated off Cape Charles over the weekend, including an 82-pounder, biggest of the year for the annual Virginia Salt Water Fishing Tournament. It was caught from the boat The Judge by Linda Thornton of Rising Sun, Md.
However, it was only the largest by eight ounces.
An 81 1/2-pounder was caught in the same area by Daniel McKenzie of New Windsor, Md., fishing on the Miss Jennifer.
Twenty years ago it wan't unusual for individual boats to claim six or more drum a day. It often took something over 100 pounds to win the species trophy in the Virginia tournament.
As for the bridge-tunnel fishery, a relatively new development, three blacks were released there Saturday by anglers on the Marbil. The fishermen were Bill Sugg and Bill Sugg Jr. of Suffolk and Buddy Rogers of Norfolk.
Elsewhere, largemouth bass played hard-to-get for many anglers, although Harold McDonald of Virginia Beach pulled a 9-4 trophy from Lake Bradford on Little Creek Amphibious Base.
A rundown of recent catches:
VIRGINIA BEACH INSHORE: No outstanding catches reported.
VIRGINIA BEACH OFFSHORE: Tautog: L.W. Brandon, Suffolk, 17-0, caught from the boat Old Joe; Vincent Carlson, Virginia Beach, 14-8, and John Baker III, Virginia Beach, 12-7, both Big Time; and Levene Bright, Portmouth, 12-2, no name on boat. Sea bass: Chris Whitney, Rockville, Va., 5-4, Southwind.
CHESAPEAKE BAY BRIDGE-TUNNEL: Black drum release: David Arris, Virginia Beach, Thalia Pointer. Black drum: Joseph Palmer Jr., Virginia Beach, 70-0, no name. Striped bass release: Buck Grissom, Virginia Beach, Miss Terry. Tautog: Marvin Schaffer, Portsmouth, 12-8, no name; and George Abernathy, Norfolk, 9-3, Capt. Mac. Flounder: Gregory Ailstock, Virginia Beach, 6-0, no name.
EASTERN SHORE SEASIDE: Red drum release: Bill Hall Jr., Bloxom, Va., and Jack Tatem and Jim Karnitz, both of Salisbury, Md., Nako. Flounder: John Poore, Smyrna, Del., 6-12, Sea Wolf.
EASTERN SHORE BAYSIDE: Red drum: David Rew, Accomac, 45-8, and Alice Rew, Accomac, 43-0, both Rew Sters. Black drum release: Robert E. Hurlihy, Onancock, no name. Black drum: Bart Hayman, Cape Charles, 77-0, no name.
OUTER BANKS INSHORE; Red drum release: Steve Hissey, Frisco, N.C., surf; Robert Burns, Charlotte, surf; and Eston "Doc'' Holladay, Rapidan, Va., no name. Cobia release: Diana Quidley, Hatteras, surf. Cobia: Howard Cator, Buxton, N.C., 58-0, surf.
OUTER BANKS OFFSHORE: Blue marlin release: Rachael Gray, Buxton, Bullfrog; Shaun Hayman, Nags Head, Sea Witch; John Shwartz, Stuart's Draft, Va., Fight-N-Lady; Carlton Jenkins, Gloucester, Hatteraser; Dallas B. Maw, Chesapeake, Lucky Chip; Bernard Mancuso, Corolla, N.C., Tuna Fever; and Henry Fitzgerald, Lyndhurst, Va., Sea Creature. White marlin release: Manley Higgins, Arlington, Obsession; and Bobby Gates, Grottoes, Va., Capt. B. Sailfish release: David Ellis, Danville, Hatteras Blue. Bigeye tuna: Butch Bull, Chesapeake, 192-0, Reel Bull. Wahoo: Michael Bruce, Greensboro, N.C., 47-0, Citation; Matthew Thomas, Charlotte, 45-0, Flying Fisherman; James Bowen, Hampton, 44-8, no name; James Lipscomb, West Point, Va., 42-0, Chapin; and Jeffrey Johnson, Chester, Va., 42-0 Marlin Mania. Dolphin: Richard Fitzgerald, Spotsylvania, Va., 54-0, Gambler; Nelson Glovier, Hopewell, 48-0, Marlin Mania; Kelly Lam, Elkton, Va., 43-0, First Crack; Robert Nesser, Newport News, 40-0, and Ricky Cook, Toano, Va., 39-0, both Sun Down; Mary Drennan, Chesapeake, 35-0, Lucky Chip; and Allen Nolette, Chesapeake, 35-0, Harper's Folly. Sea bas: Maggie Connelley, Virginia Beach, 5-4, Ray Marton, Covesville, Va., 4-9, Kimberly Martin, Covesville, 4-6, Danny Thornton, Portsmouth, 4-5, and Homer Martin, Arlington, 4-4, all Country Girl.
FRESH WATER: Largemouth bass: Greg Vick, Chesapeake, 7-6, caught at Western Branch Reservoir; and Robert Piatt, Virginia Beach, 6-4, Lake Prince. Pickerel release: Ken Church, Virginia Beach, private pond; and Collin Collins, Virginia Beach, private pond. Pickerel: John Mentus, Virginia Beach, Lake Smith. Channel catfish: Bruce Smith, Virginia Beach, 13-4, Lake Whitehurst. Yellow perch: Anthony Brown, Portsmouth, 1-4, Western Branch. Bream: Mel Atkins, Chesapeake, 1-0, Western Branch. White perch: Guy Puttman, Norfolk. 1-5, Prince. Shellcracker: Fred Reed, Portsmouth, 1-5, Prince; Ricky Shelton, Yorktown, 1-4, Western Branch; Sharon Decker, Portsmouth, 1-3, Prince; J.A. Johnson, Virginia Beach, 1-3, Prince; Billy Quattlebaum, Portsmouth, 1-3, Prince; Brandon Bowen, Chesapeake, 1-1, Western Branch; Robert Cox, Portsmouth, 1-1, Western Branch; Calton Mitchell, Norfolk, 1-0, Prince; and Tiffany Cotton, Virginia Beach, 1-0, Smith.
TOURNAMENTS: Laura Hansen of Suffolk won a largemouth tournament staged out of Helen's Hideaway on the Chickahominy River by the Tidewater Bass-N-Babes with a catch weighing 3-13. Second went to Susan Owens of Chesapeake at 3-9, third to Cathy Worrell of Chesapeake at 1-10. Worrell had the lunker at 1-10. by CNB