Fishing Report

5/15/08

Hi gang,

After getting some emails and calls about fishing I figured I had better post a report.

Here's the scoop...apparently last fall before covering the boat for the winter I must have last filled with E10 (fuel with 10% ethanol) so I ended up with about 30 gal. left in my tank and even with Stabil and running the motor periodically over the winter the dreaded Ethanol managed to clean some gunk out of my 5yr. old tank while also accumulating condensation/moisture in the fuel tank over a few months. Long story short my motor for the past several weeks has gone from hardly starting/running to running very poorly and unreliable. After going through some filters, plugs and lots of fuel additive while trying to get out and burn off the last of the 30 gal. the end may be in sight and its now on the mend so hopefully with some fresh fuel, additive and another filter I'll be good to go. And on top of that my LCX15 sonar/plotter is dead.

Between the motor problems and the economy putting a damper on the guide business I've only managed to fish around the area (close to port for fear of motor quitting) about 4 times. There seem to be a fair number of small Rock invading the shallows around the islands and throughout the Little Annemessex river so fishing is picking up. Despite the effects of the last wind & rain storm, exceptionally high tides/flooding early this week I was out today for a couple hours and still found fish willing to hit some shad lures in 4-6' of water. The water is clearing though still stained in some areas and I noticed a bit of debris floating around. With tomorrow bringing more rain and what looks like a few days of winds 15-20 we may have a slight setback but once that moves out we should be back on track.

With the economy slumping and forcing a decline in trips being booked coupled with fuel being too costly for me fish recreationally much, I'm afraid my time on the water and updating fishing reports will be limited this season. I will try to keep reports up to date periodically as I'm on the water.

Tight lines...

Capt. Matt

I have been fishing with Capt. Matt for over six years now and keeping coming back for more. I have fished with him in his home waters of Crisfield, MD, to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel area for Stripers to Harkers Island, NC to chase Albies. Capt. Matt is one of the best guides I have ever fished with; he works hard and you catch fish, but as importantly Capt Matt teaches you about the places you are fishing and provides good conversation and company. I would recommend him in a heartbeat to anyone who is a light tackle or fly angler enthusiast and wants to have a great day on the water!

Brandon White

www.TidalFish.com Chief Angler

Fishing with Captain Matt Tawes has become one of my most eagerly anticipated annual Chesapeake Bay experiences. Capt Matt always gets me to fish, shows me new hot spots, and generously shares his knowledge of how and where to fish the Bay around Crisfield. On my last trip with him, we launched in the rain and wind, which appeared to promise a wipe out day. But based on the weather and tides, Capt Matt put together a plan that kept us protected from the brutal conditions out in Tangier Sound and introduced us to secluded guts and channels that produced almost nonstop striper action on flyrods. It was a very wet but wildly exciting and satisfying day. And Capt Matt did this all with his customary relaxed, easygoing, but focused and attentive manner, making sure he gave us the best day of fishing he could provide.

Joseph R. Silvio, MD

Bethesda, Maryland and Chincoteague Island, Virginia.