VA Anglers Club Challenge - Report

[Honey Hole]

Hello gang,

Well, this is nowhere near "offshore", but fun regardless. For the past 18 years, Virginia has held the "Anglers Club Challenge" where every angling club in the state is invited to enter a 5 boat team that will target ~14 species. At the weigh in, the heaviest of each species is awarded 3 points, second heaviest 2 points and third gets one point. The Club that earns the most points wins... Pretty cool format huh? We won the thing last year, and were back to defend the "title". Here's how we (Honey Hole, Holwhachagot, and Rebel) did:

Crew: Ed (Rebel), Geoff (Holwatchagot), Al (Honey Hole)
Boat: Changes Made (Ed's beautifully restored 23 SeaOx)

Our tournament really started Thursday night/Friday morning amassing bait. When we finally pulled away from the dock @ 4:15 AM on Saturday, we were loaded with Peelers, Clams, Sand Fleas, Eels, Frozen Bluefish and Mullet, along with ~50 live spot/croaker/pin fish. From the team meeting, our boat was tasked with Gray Trout, Bluefish, Spot, Croaker, Spanish Mackeral and Kingfish as our target species... lol... big target huh?

We pulled up to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel's 4th Island ~5 and started live baiting to an outgoing current crossed with a SE wind. After a couple Stripers and Bluefish bite-offs, Ed comes tight with what ended up being the largest of only 4 Gray Trout weighed in the tournament. Quick high-5s and we're back at it. Next was Geoff with a nice Bluefish (it got knocked off the leader board as the last team weighed their fish). Then Ed does it again with the Gray that ended up placing 3rd.

The Bluefish moved in big time and we had multiple bite-offs, and not a bit of wire leader on the boat. Ed and I both lost LARGE Bluefish (30+ inches) boatside. During the bluefish attack, my rod bows hard and the drag starts zinging... I tell Ed, "You're going to need a bigger net"... which he slides under a nice Red Drum... gotta love them Reds!

As the tide slowed, Geoff started dropping cut baits and crab... and the first of our HOARSE Croakers came to the net. Everybody changed baits and we quickly landed the tournament's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place fish (weighing between 2.8 lbs and 2.3 lbs).

The sun started to peek over the horizon, and with two nice trout, a nice bluefish and three HUGE croakers in the box, we could have gone home (cuz we didn't catch another point scoring fish the rest of the day)... but, we trolled Clark Spoons around the islands for Spanish Mackeral with no love. So, we start motoring up the bay and bouy hop for Cobia. The third bouy we pull up to has a NICE cobia on it... it just wouldn't eat.

Next on the agenda was Kingfish. We headed to the Thimble Shoals flat and drifted bloodworms and sand fleas picking up a TON of spot/pinfish and croakers... along with two Micro-Kings (less than a 1/2 pound). Geoff hooks the "Oddest Fish" of the day: Ribbonfish... unbelievable. We finished the day inside the Little Creek jetties looking for a nice spot... again, no love.

At the scale, we ended up scoring 4 points with the first and third place Gray Trout, and 6 points for the first, second and third place Croaker... a total of 10 points for Changes Made. When the dust settled our team had WON the Club Challenge for the second year in a row with 22 total points! A big "atta-boy" to the whole team of misfits, to the Catchin' for Kids team for putting on one helluva tournament and feast, and my fishing partners on the Changes Made... the highest scoring single boat in the tournament.

Holwhachagot - good fishing with you again bud, glad to have you aboard.

[HOLWACHAGOT]

I am glad we defended the top boat title as well as the championship. I didn't take many pics but here are a few...At least I got the most interesting catch on camera. I have never seen or caught a live ribbonfish. I was astonished at how shiny it was. I know why they are so valuable to kingfisherman now. NEVER have I seen a fish that looked like a piece of polished aluminum. Thanks again for a fun day AL. Ed, it was a pleasure fishing with you.














Holwachagot

[BTH284]

Nice work boys defending the title. Those ribbons would fetch you $5.00 a pop!

[merry marlin]

Nice report fellas, that ribbon would be a winner on the king rig! We're lucky to be able to cast net these while catching shrimp in our area...
MM

[shore-power]

Pretty Work guys!!

[Squid]

As the tide slowed, Geoff started dropping cut baits and crab... and the first of our HOARSE Croakers came to the net. Everybody changed baits and we quickly landed the tournament's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place fish (weighing between 2.8 lbs and 2.3 lbs).

Why does this not surprise me?!?! You won't catch them unless you stay calm. I'm sure you made Bill Dance proud once again! Congratulations guys!

OH NO SQUID

[WAHOONBOX]

NOW THIS IS WHAT I CALL A REPORT! CONGRATS TO ALL ON THE DEFENDING TITLE!

ONE NEVER KNOWS WHAT GEOFF WILL CRANK UP....

YOU HAVE THE BEST KINGFISH BAIT RIGHT IN FRONT OF YA....IN FACT I HAVE SKIPPED THE RIBBONS FOR WHITES BEFORE....

THANKS FOR SHARING THE COOL PICTURES!

BOX

[BTH284]

Trying to think of a way to use a ribbon for a teaser. I have raised sails cranking up the ribbons from the depths while king fishing before. They follow it on the rise then into fade off when you get it right off the boat.

[Fish Dad]

Nice job team Tidal Fish.