[digiRAMbo]

Very windy day.

9pm-12am: Bill Burton Fishing Pier. Saw 10-15 people but cleared fairly quickly - probably due to high wind and slow action. I asked a few people and they all said they caught nothing. Got my fishing license checked. Caught 2 white perches. Released one and gave the other one to a fellow fisherman on the pier.

On the way back home, decided to stop by Matapeake. Been here since 1am. Looks like I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. So was the game warden/DNR. We should have been at Matapeake. There were a handful of people and one of the guys was excited to tell me about the crazy night. He broke his line 5 times 'cause the fish were too heavy. Said he'll be back with 100lb mono tom. I caught a 20" right away and another as I was writing this. The guy told me that several people took 7-8 rock fish and left. I was upset that I missed the main run and upset that people were poaching. I won't give further details about the group of poachers that the guy described (that'll open up another can of worms).

If you go later today, please have the DNR # handy. Best of luck!

The pic that the guy showed me of the one he landed was a beast. Didn't know you could catch those on piers.

 

[digiRAMbo]

Lol, it's 5:20am. Caught a 19" and a 24.5". Going home now. Got my fix for the week, but my wife's gonna kill me.

 

[CaliYellowtail]

Great report! Thanks for posting.

 

[digiRAMbo]

No problem! I know that some people don't like the idea of sharing 'hot spots of the moment,' because it may draw too much attention and people. But the word is out (probably by the poachers as well) and I think it would be better to have people from this community filling the spot up and following regulations and monitoring for poachers.

Man, people don't like to clean up after themselves. There was trash (empty bags, containers, and cans). I picked a couple of them up, but was too tired and ready to go home.

 

[Twinkies]

Lets all go there now.

 

[digiRAMbo]

Lets all go there now.

Lol, I hope that I don't regret reporting it (or get other members upset).

 

[CaliYellowtail]

It's mandatory at Matapeake to bring in as much trash as you can and leave it behind you when leave......mandatory

 

[catman]

It's mandatory at Matapeake to bring in as much trash as you can and leave it behind you when leave......mandatory

And that's why I never fish there - too many 2 legged pier rats!! If it was up to me those SOB's would get an mandatory $500.00 fine. Repeat offenders would get fined $500.00 and 30 days in the county slammer.

 

[John81]

Haven't fished matapeake in a while but there is one spot that out performs all on the pier if you can get that certain spot and cast to it your usually golden this time of the year

 

[Twinkies]

I was just kidding. I went FW fishing today.

 

[CaliYellowtail]

And that's why I never fish there - too many 2 legged pier rats!! If it was up to me those SOB's would get an mandatory $500.00 fine. Repeat offenders would get fined $500.00 and 30 days in the county slammer.

Sorry Catman, no penalties for leaving all your trash behind. Just a way of life for shore fisherman here in MD.
Seems like nobody gives a "rats ass".

 

[digiRAMbo]

Yea, several times I picked up trash on the way back to my car. Luckily, it was off-season so it was relatively clean for the last few months. I think that'll change.

Trash is one thing, but man, there are people who openly urinate into the waters. A few weeks ago, there was a family of three. Dad and his two kids I think. The dad must have been drinking on the pier, because he urinated a few times within a couple of hours and his kids took turns urinating into the water at the end of the pier. At least do it more discreetly, but there was none of that. Way to set an example for your kids, dad! As a father of two, I try to be on my best behavior around them. Another reason I won't eat fish that I catch on piers!

So there are supposedly security cams monitoring people on the pier, but is anyone actually paying attention?

 

[John81]

I have pissed off many of piers in my time.... I'm not leaving my kids or gear unattended on a pier full of people I don't trust.

 

[digiRAMbo]

I think it's disgusting (just my opinion) when I see someone pulling down his pants and pissing into the water. It's a public pier. Then again, when I go with the kids, I go with my wife so we can take turns watching kids/fishing gear.

And like I said, they were openly pissing into the water at the end of the pier. Nothing discrete about it. I'm not going to lie, I've done it before, but discreetly. But if you and your kids openly piss into the water for everyone to see, good for you. I'm sure everyone around you appreciates it.

With all the $ they make on parking, They should put a porta-potty on the pier like Bill Burton.

 

[catman]

Sorry Catman, no penalties for leaving all your trash behind. Just a way of life for shore fisherman here in MD.
Seems like nobody gives a "rats ass".

Cali it's not just Maryland that spawns that Trailer Trash culture. I see the same thing whenever I visit San Francisco. San Diego on the other hand is the cleanest place I've been. Even the street people living along the water kept the area clean.

 

[andypat]

Sorry Catman, no penalties for leaving all your trash behind. Just a way of life for shore fisherman here in MD.
Seems like nobody gives a "rats ass".

Not all shore fisherman.

 

[wildawes]

I used to fish Matapeake during catch and release season, but the drama of dealing with undesirable behaviours made it a negative experience.

I've witnessed fish over 50" come out of the water at Matapeake during the catch and release season and they were not released.

Drunkeness, ignoring dnr regulations, cramming multiple persons into spots meant for two rods, it's not worth the hassle.

Having to call the police is not something every fishing trip should have to include. Dnr knows about the problem as do the police yet they rarely patrol the area.

Poaching at Matapeake is prevalent. I've seen peole of all races and cultures doing it. When DNR starts banning people from fishing instead of fining them, the problem might get better.

 

[CoolDude]

DNR is always undermanned. They have to cover a large area...to large to do it properly so they tend to hit the hot spots once a day. It would be nice if poachers have thier pics taken when ticketed, posted online and in the area they got caught poaching in. Automatic, fine and 30 day suspension. Then, if they are noted fishing while suspended...they can be reported by vigilent fishermen...another fine assessed and a "tip fee" goes to said fisherman for turning the poacher in.

They also need to get tough on the trash problem, starting with themselves. They charge a lot for licenses, underpay summer workers...they should at least be able to pickup trash in certain areas more often. They should also come up with a creative trash system that deter pest and "bulk dumpers" from doing so. They also need to start nailing offenders in the bunghole too. Sure, it's windy and your plastic bag or soda can got away from you. It happens to all of us...but there's always the guy with excess crap...fishing line, bait boxes, fast food trash...that he just piles up or abandons. That's BS. They should fine them and suspend their fishing privies for 30 days too.

 

[digiRAMbo]

I got checked last week when there were only three people on the pier and the only fish being caught were white perches and smallies. They waited until I got to my car and searched the car. They were there a week early.

Last night though, people were catching like crazy and releasing. Best action I've seen at Matapeake. Didn't see any poachers. 43" was the biggest one landed (by someone else).

 

[ESRob]

Sadly, poaching by shore fishermen is rampant this time of year.
I took an early season skiff ride up the Choptank from Cambridge a couple years ago, and the number of jumpy bank fishermen was astonishing.