Throw anchors overboard, it's boat show time again
It's boat show time once again with the opening of the first in a planned annual series of Annapolis Spring Boat Shows at Annapolis Yacht Basin and Harbor. Both new powerboats and sailboats in the water and on shore will be featured in this affair sponsored by the Marine Trades Association of Maryland.
The latest in marine gear also will be displayed. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Saturday; 10 to 6 Sunday. Admission is $6 for adults; $3 for children. Call 1-301-268-8828.
Following on May 2-5 is a new Annapolis Brokerage Boat Show sponsored by the Yacht Architects and Brokers Association. Scores of previously owned boats will be open for inspection. Call 1-301-268-8828.
Calendar ...
* Tonight: Trap doubles, 6 p.m., Loch Raven Skeet & Trap Club. Call John Stevens, 679-4199.
* Tonight: Striped Bass Advisory Board expected to make final recommendations for the October recreational rockfish season at a 6 to 9 open-to-the-public meeting in the Tawes State Office Building, Annapolis. Call Frances McFaden, 974-3365.
* Saturday: Spring gobbler season opens in Pennsylvania.
* Saturday: Vladislav Murnikov, project manager and skipper of Russia's Faziz, winner of the Whitbread Round the World Race, will discuss designing, building and campaigning a racing yacht Soviet style, 6 to 9 p.m., North Sails Loft, 231 Second St., in the Eastport sector of Annapolis. Public invited; $7. Call Mark Eustis, 1-301-552-0637.
* Saturday/Sunday: Twenty-second annual Red Rose Trap Shoot, 10 a.m., Mount Airy Izaak Walton Gun Club. Call John Stevens, 679-4199.
Planning ahead ...
* May 4/5: Annual Pro-Am Bluefish-Sea Trout Fishing Tournament, Chesapeake Beach. Call 1-301-257-2735.
* May 18/19: Eighth annual $200,000 MSSA Bluefish Tournament with 12 weighing stations on the Chesapeake. Call 768-8666.
Ongoing ...
* Avoid the last-minute rush; tackle shops now have the free permits necessary for participating in the May 11-27 spring trophy rockfish season. Call Frances McFaden, 974-3365.
What's new ...
* It's only fitting that a lure designed for big rock in the spring trophy season be designed locally -- and credit for the latest goes to Nick and Jeannie Ellingson, who make their increasingly popular line of Nick's Stix lures in Dundalk. The latest, designed exclusively for huge rock, is called the Stinger.
This lure is a 12-inch ribbon of soft plastic with a modified twister tail designed to wiggle like a live eel. It has a strong 7/0 hook, heavy lead head, and is available in white, yellow, chartreuse glitter, smoke, black and oil can. I chose the chartreuse, black and white -- and am partial to the white for big rock.
All should also be dynamite for blues. The existing world record for blues -- 31 3/4 pounds -- was set on a large soft plastic eel with lead shovel nose. The only trouble is soft plastics don't last long when mouthed by blues. But this lure is inexpensive enough at less than $2.50 to use on big blues. Call 477-0937.
Commentary ...
* For a change, a few nice words about police officers -- those of the Baltimore County COPE unit who on their own cleaned up Golden Ring Pond of about an acre behind Fontana Village near Golden Ring Mall. That accomplished Grant Soukup and some other faculty members of Stemmers Run Middle School formed a student fishing club, held classes, and in last Saturday's rain had about 75 students turn out for a tournament for Department of Natural Resources-stocked trout.
What a sight; all those youngsters -- more than half of them girls -- fishing in a downpour. Jeremy Gaynor won with a 13-inch trout; Jesse Lowers and Loleta Chase tied for second with 11-ounce trout, and Jesse got the most, eight fish in all. Most catches were made on Berkely Power Baits and spinners.
If you're interested, some trout could remain in that pond now administered by Baltimore County Recreation & Parks, but don't look for contest weighmaster Carol May to be on hand to check your fish. While weighing a trout for a youngster she got a No. 10 hook and salmon egg just over the eyebrow, and ended up in a hospital emergency room.
Names and places ...
* When 14-year-old Greg Stekli ran out of worms while fishing a Forest Hill pond he switched to straight marshmallows and caught a 17-inch rainbow trout. Also checked in at Outdoor Sportsman in Essex was a 15 1/4 -inch rainbow taken by Marshal Lightner at Deer Creek.
* Close, but not close enough. Charles Milburn of Hagerstown finished third in the WRANGLER/BASS National Amateur Championship at Smith Mountain Lake with a 25-pound, 1-ounce bass. First -- and earning the right to represent the Eastern Region in the BASS Masters Classic here in August -- was Edward Cowan of Pearl River, N.Y., with 31 3/4 pounds.
* The weather hasn't been good for wild turkey hunting in Garrett County, but fish remain hungry. Johnny's Bait House checked in a 10-pound, 9-ounce northern taken by Anthony Johnson of Jarretsville on a minnow. Other catches:
Clarence Moats, 26-inch walleye of 4 pounds 5 ounces on a minnow; Dale Allen, 18 3/4 -inch rainbow trout on a worm; Mark DeWitt, 17-inch brown trout on a worm; and Don Longsdale, a 14 3/4 -inch yellow perch on a worm.
* Between downpours yesterday morning, Gene Stover enjoyed his best catches ever in the Monocacy out of Forest & Stream Club near Westminster. Mostly on bright yellow Manns Baby O's he caught and released 21 bass, 15 of which were over 12 inches; 18 red-eye bass and a bluegill.
* Funeral services are being held today for Charlie Dangler, 54, well known among camping and RV circles as operator of Town & Country Winnebago of White Marsh. An avid boater and angler, he roamed the upper bay in his yacht Beats Workin, and was very active in both Baltimore and Bowley yacht clubs.
Question box ...
* Robin Myers is confused about Fort Smallwood and Smallwood state parks. Are they the same, and what fish are available, is the gist of his question.
Our answer: Confused? Join the club. They are two different parks. Fort Smallwood -- a Baltimore City-owned park -- is at the end of Fort Smallwood Road in northern Anne Arundel County. Smallwood State Park is on Matawoman Creek in Charles County off the Potomac.
At Fort Smallwood, bluefish, perch, catfish, spot, carp and sometimes rockfish are available. At Smallwood State Park, which is administered by the DNR, it is primarily bass, carp, catfish and perch. Smallwood State Park, a popular headquarters for bass tournaments off Indian Head Highway southeast of Washington, has many slip openings for small and large craft, also a fine launching facility, marina, picnic, hiking and nature trail areas. Call 743-3020.
* NOTE: To have an item or question included in the Outdoor Journal, write Bill Burton, The Evening Sun Sports Dept., 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, Md. 21278-0001.