Boating the Chesapeake

[Clarence Fullard]

Hi all,

I'm new to the area and infinitely curious of the Potomac and greater Chesapeake Bays. I've been considering joining a boat club to be able to get out on the water, but I don't really want to get stuck launching out of the same place all the time. So I'm looking into used boats. So far I've found boston whalers and power cats to be to my liking and within (not really) my price range. I'm looking to fly fish from it and just explore the bay in general. Anyone ever do a boat share with another person? Thoughts on good crafts for these waters? I've only ever motored small fishing boats in the Great Lakes, so not sure what kind of boats work out here.

Thanks!

[HeaveToo]

I grew up on the lower Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay.  I spent some time as a first mate on a charter boat that berthed in Reedsville in the little Wycomico River. 

The Chesapeake and lower Potomac are nice places.  There are a good amount of places to fish and some areas with very little flyfishing exploration.  There are also a fair amount of public boat ramps in the area.

For a powerboat in the area a center console is a good boat.  You want it to be able to handle some rough stuff because the Bay can go from calm to 4-5 foot waves quickly.  In the summer storms can blow up quickly and they often run from West to East.  The waves in the Chesapeake Bay can get really nasty and I have met sailors who have sailed all over the world who claim that the stretch of the bay between Smith Point, VA and Point Lookout, MD (where the mouth of the Potomac River is) is the worst places in the world during bad weather.  When the waves are wind blown and go against the strong current in the area they get steep and nasty.

If you get a boat get a VHF radio, a chart plotter, and back up paper charts.  Watch the weather when you go out.

One last interesting thing that I will tell you is that an amazing trip would be to Smith Island, MD.  I went there some time ago and I found a pattern where I was catching stripers in the evenings during the summer.  That area was like being on a flat and they Stripers were hanging out in a channel and feeding.  I was catching them on a clowsers on a sink tip line.  It was amazing.  Nothing huge, but a lot of fun.

[Ernie]

Clarence,

Heave Ho's advice is spot on.

I had a 19' CC for the bay (and Potomac) and it was great in 2 footers or less. I then went to a 21' Hydra Sports CC and it was even better. But frankly, no matter what boat you are in, you are going to rock and roll with 3 footers or more. So...we watch our days.

I now have a 17' deep V Tracker Targa. I use it from DC to the bay (pick good days) and many area rivers and lakes. It is easy to trailer and launch. Plus it gets good gas mileage. The heavier the boat, the better the ride and the deeper hole it will burn in your pocket. If I want to cross the bay now, I generaly hire a guide with 2-3 friends. It all comes out in the wash.

I have a friend who uses Carefree Boat Club and loves it. He kayaks a lot and when he needs a boat, he makes a reservation.

Feel free to reach out if you need more info.

Ernie

[Jeffrey Silvan]

Clarence, 

Just adding a little more color to the already solid advice... Long story short, you CAN fly fish from basically any boat. That being said, some are far more easily done than others. 

As far as the boat club thing... I looked into joining a local boat club for leisure rather than fishing (I'll avoid mentioning the name, but there aren't many so feel free to email me directly if you have specific questions about it). The majority of the boats this particular one had were cruisers and bow riders, with one or two fishing boats thrown in the mix. The benefit was the ability to use boats out of 4 DC/Anapolis areas. The fishing boats were center consoles, but were designed mainly for spin fishing. Some things you'll want to look for if you investigate this option further are how many exposed handles and snags there are. All of those can make your fly fishing experience very frustrating and will absolutely require a stripping basket to keep your sanity. Even every flats boat I've been on for guided trips had either a stripping basket or mat. 

If you share a boat with someone (a friend, etc.), be VERY clear on terms up front. Things like how maintenance costs are shared, usage schedules, who pays if you bust the prop while using it, how does one party get out if they don't want the boat anymore, etc. Not having that well defined can quickly sour a friendship...

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[HeaveToo]

A little more information.  I own a 30 foot sailboat currently.  I have cruised her all over the bay.  I pull an 8 foot hard fiberglass dingy behind me. 

I have anchored in some nice areas.  I sometimes take my dingy with the 2.5hp outboard out to fish from.  It does a good job in most areas of protected water.

One place that I have wanted to sail to and fish was Kiptopeake State Park.  You can anchor behind the ships there and fish around them.  It is deep water with a bit of current.  I am guess you need sinking line to get down deep. 

There is also a lot of people who fish the bay bridge.  That would be a neat trip and some people even fish them in fair weather in kayaks.

None the less I have my 30 foot sailboat for sale.  I will probably downsize to a smaller boat that I can put up on a trailer.  I will still be able to stay aboard her for weeks at a time and cruise to different areas. 

I have hit a full gale at Smith Point, VA.  This was the most fear that I have ever felt.  There were 8 foot waves coming out of the Potomac River (the direction I was going) and they were steep against the current.  I took breakers over the bow of my boat (some went to my cabin roof).  I beat into this for 5 hours before getting into the Coan River (the Coan may have some really neat fishing in it but I haven't explored it much). 

Get a boat that you will be safe in but you will still need to watch the weather and constantly monitor it.  Get familiar with what the clouds look like before a storm or a front.  The fronts in the spring and fall are really powerful.