July
2005
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July
2005
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DockOar,
Tamshell and Miss Meagan Charters Provide Action & Entertainment Cheryl Shull of Pennsylvania was proud of the rockfish she caught while fishing aboard DockOar. |
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Maryland anglers are blessed to have so many charter opportunities for saltwater angling up and down the Chesapeake Bay and out on the ocean as well. As with the rest of the readership area, Maryland has a lot of variety and fishing locations that can cater to most any angler's taste. When it comes to the upper and mid- Bay area and fishing, the Chesapeake Beach area is not to be overlooked. The location lends itself well to good striper, croaker, spot, mackerel, and bluefish action. Chesapeake Beach and more specifically, Captain Lee Poore with his boat the DockOar and his associates that dock behind Abner's Crabhouse at the end of Harbor Dr. have a wealth of knowledge to put clients on fish. Captain Lee began fishing when he could walk. As he grew older he began mating for Tom Abner on the Tamshell I. Tom's brother, Frank, charters the Tamshell II. Both of the Abner boys got their fishing education from one of the upper/mid-Bay's best, Fred Abner, their father. Captain Fred Abner began plying the Chesapeake Bay waters in 1938. Until he retired recently, he was the oldest working charter captain on the east coast. Frank and Tom both learned well according to their clients who remain loyal and look forward to trips on the Bay with all of the captains year around. And, last, but not least, is Captain Jon Tkach on the Miss Meagan. Jon has also been fishing the Bay many years and has a very loyal following. Each one of the captains knows the Bay very well and keep up on the fishing even when they do not have a charter going out. I recently took a trip with Captain Lee and Captain Tom to see just what all the fuss was about. I had heard that the group of captains mix it up good and put clients on fish even when the going gets tough. One thing that impressed me right away was that Captain Lee was not afraid to make tough calls. The weather was due to be rough the morning we were to head out. He called me and told me he would like to hold off and see if the fishing would improve instead of just heading out. We ended up taking an afternoon trip instead of a morning trip which would later pay off. When talking to Captain Lee's customers I found out that they appreciated the flexibility of the captain and his judgment as well as I did. Sometimes it can be tough to pass up on an opportunity to make a few bucks. It was obvious the captains put the best interests of their clients first. When I met up with the charter group I found that they were repeat clients. Listening to their banter back and forth during the trip told me a few things about Captain Lee, Captain Frank, and Captain Tom. One of the comments was that the captains cut up and joked around so much a person could not help but have fun for the sheer entertainment provided. Cutting up was something that started the moment I stepped into Abner's Crabhouse to meet the captains. I knew within minutes the captains liked to make fun of each other, cut up and provide laughs. I was not to be disappointed. I had a grin plastered on my face most of the afternoon. Jokes about who was qualified to run the boat; which captain should be left at the dock because they were really bad luck; and stories about how terrible things would get if a certain captain was permitted to put out the lines--were just a few of the jabs tossed back and forth. Everyone on the boat was equally ready to get in on the entertainment and kept things just as lively as we pulled away from the dock and headed into the Bay. |
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As the DockOar plowed effortlessly through the placid waters of the Bay I nosed around the boat listening to the clients, looked at the gear on board and observed the captains as they worked. For this trip Captain Tom was piloting the DockOar for Captain Lee while Captain Lee rigged lines. The DockOar equipment is a variety of Okuma and Penn setups with a few other brands tossed in for good measure. I noticed that the gear was varied enough to accommodate any angler and pretty much any fishing situation. That was impressive. One of his clients also commented to me that one of the things he liked the most was the quality gear he had on board. Radio reports from other captains were rotten the day I was out to ride along with the trip on the DockOar. Most captains reported few if any fish to be caught. Captain Lee had warned me before we headed out that the fishing was tough. By the end of the trip the skill of the captains put the clients on many more fish than we heard being caught on other boats. It was not easy but the determination of Captain Lee and Captain Tom and their knowledge allowed their clients to take home a nice meal of rockfish. |
Mike Johnson and Dale Shull are here with the gang showing off the catch of the day. They were fishing at the Clay Bank Buoy on the DockOar with Capt. Lee Poore. |
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One of the rockfish measured 37 inches long! Another fish was over 30 inches long. The fish that were caught on the trip were fat and very healthy looking fish. If you visit their website you will notice right away from the photo gallery that these guys know how to fish-and know how to have fun. Each of them have placed in several tournaments and they regularly haul in large fish…and lots of them. My impression of the captains and the business they run from behind Abner's Crabhouse in Chesapeake Beach is as follows: The captains all like to have a good time. They make sure the best interests of their clients are taken care of and even when things are tough they keep trying until they succeed. I think it is a tough job to cater to different groups of people on a daily basis. These guys not only have fun, mess around and joke with each other and their clients but they pay attention to what is going on around them so that they never miss a trick as far as the fishing goes. I do not recall seeing one line being tangled despite the fact that 18 lines were in the water. The professionalism that the captains use to run their charters is evident in the clientele that they have and the increasing number of repeat customers. The charter captains all dock behind Abner's Crabhouse which is owned by Captains Tom and Frank's older brother, Bobby Abner. The family also owns the marina, and the parking area too. This makes the businesses run smoothly as they help each other out. Abners' Crabhouse even offers a 10% discount to all charter fishing groups the day that they fish. As this issue goes to press the fishing is good for rockfish and the bluefish action should be really good too. In fact, many readers may not realize it but July through September is a great time to visit the Bay for some fast and furious action. There are generally more openings at this time too. Most fish are biting well and anglers can expect heavy coolers to take home. Croaker, bluefish, rockfish, mackerel, spot and sometimes a drum can be had aboard any of the four boats. The
DockOar, Tamshell I & II and Miss Meagan Charter Boats are an easy
drive from much of the readership area. From Washington, DC the trip
averages 35 minutes (non-rush hour). From Baltimore the drive can be
a short 45 minutes. Annapolis anglers can reach the boat in 30 minutes
and from the Fredericksburg, Virginia region plan on about 90 minutes.
If you are in need of a charter--check out their websites at DockOar, Tamshell Charters or Miss Meagan and give any of the captains a call. Be sure to check out their Photo Galleries too! Set up a trip and plan on having a great time fishing while also being entertained. I think these guys could do stand up comedy if they had time for another job. Be sure to tell them you saw the story in Chesapeake Angler! Good fishing! |
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