BY BILL HALL, Eastern Shore Post, Oct. 24, 2025
Vernon Merritt, the harbor master of Curtis Merritt Harbor, with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC), and members and spouses of the Chincoteague Charter Boat Association, conducted a Kids’ Fishing Day at the Curtis Merritt Harbor on Sunday, Oct. 19.
Supplies for the day were donated by the Sea Hawk Sports Center, with Elton Reed supplying the live bait.
The event attracted 58 participants who landed a total of 57 flounder. Katie Brady reeled in the heaviest flatfish of the day, a doormat-sized flounder weighing 5 pounds, 8 ounces.
Upper Shore
The staff at the Sea Hawk Sports Center is anticipating that once the weather conditions settle down following last week’s nor’easter and the windy days immediately following it, the fishing will pick up where it left off. That includes off-and-on casting action in the shallows of the Pocomoke and Tangier sounds for speckled trout and rockfish and the great perch fishing action from Pitts Creek north into the Pocomoke River and its tributaries.
Stripers and bluefish had just arrived in the waters around Ocean City, Md., as the storm approached. Hopefully the rough conditions will push a portion of those fish south into our waters. As the seas subside, look for flounder, black sea bass, and some tautog action to return over the coastal ocean wrecks.
Wachapreague
Captain Lindsay Paul, aboard the Almost Persuaded, said that there are still flounder around in the waters off Wachapreague, as long as you can get some decent weather and find the clear water. He added that most of the better catches have come on Berkley Gulp, combined with live minnows or silversides. Most of the flounder remain on the smaller side, but persistent anglers are finding a few keeper-sized fish.
Captain Paul had not heard of any speckled trout or puppy drum catches, but he added that a few large red drum have been caught and released in the surf. The recent span of windy weather has kept the offshore fleet in port.
Lower Shore
Tyler Nestor, at Oceans East — Eastern Shore, told me that the puppy drum and speckled trout numbers continue to show a slight increase. The shop has received reports of catches coming from inside of both the seaside and bayside creeks, with most of the fish hitting Mirrolures or soft plastics. Action on the soft plastics can be increased when fished under a popping cork, according to Nestor.
Catches of spot and croaker are still occurring in the waters off Kiptopeke. These panfish have been have been hitting bloodworms, Fish Bites, strips of squid, and pieces of shrimp.
Flounder catches have improved, especially with the numbers of keeper-sized fish. Jigging large Berkley Gulp or using tandem rigs have both been effective methods on the flatfish.
The writer was the first Eastern Shore resident to achieve Virginia Saltwater Master Angler status. He has been named Virginia Saltwater Angler of the Year and Virginia Saltwater Release Angler of the Year. He has won numerous Virginia Press Association awards for his columns.
