Message From the Cap’n/Oyster Season Begins
Posted by Jack Russell on October 10, 2019 · 1 Comment
“Oyster season in the months with R” used to be the norm, but conservation and disease dropped September out of the season decades ago. This year’s Oct. 1 start of oyster season, with the water temperature in the 70s, won’t have oysters as plump as they will become later when the water temperature falls.
Category Leader Exclusives, Leader Features · Tags arsters, cooked crabs, crab feast, crabbing, environmental education, Fins-claws, Fins+Claws, fishing charters, fresh fish, Interpretive Buoy System, Jack Russell, Message from the Cap’n, Message from the Captain, oysters, rental hall, smith island, smith island tours, St. George Island
Message From the Cap’n/Hummingbirds, Our Tiny Visiting Friends
Posted by Jack Russell on August 26, 2019 · Leave a Comment
The Cap’n welcomes tiny visiting guests with hummingbird feeders dangling around his St. George Island home.
Category Leader Exclusives, Leader Features · Tags arsters, cooked crabs, crab feast, crabbing, environmental education, Fins-claws, Fins+Claws, fishing charters, fresh fish, hummingbird feeders, hummingbirds, Interpretive Buoy System, Jack Russell, Message from the Cap’n, Message from the Captain, oysters, rental hall, smith island, smith island tours, St. George Island
Who’s Who on St. George Island/Paul Haskell
Posted by Jack Russell on August 19, 2019 · Leave a Comment
“I glory in the beauty and solitude, and basking of St. George Island and Piney Point, in the warmth of the wonderfully friendly people.” … Paul Haskell
Category Leader Exclusives, Leader Features, Lexi Leader · Tags arsters, cooked crabs, crab feast, crabbing, environmental education, Fins-claws, Fins+Claws, fishing charters, fresh fish, Gale Russell Adams, Interpretive Buoy System, Jack Russell, Message from the Cap’n, Message from the Captain, oysters, Paul Haskell, rental hall, smith island, Smith Island Tours Gale Adams, St. George Island, Who’s Who on St. George Island
Parasites Summer in St. George Marshes
Posted by Jack Russell on August 15, 2019 · Leave a Comment
Plant parasites, dodders, are increasingly invading the High Tide and Water bushes along the shoreline of St. George Island. Like the Cap’n, they send messages, too.
Category Leader Exclusives, Leader Features · Tags arsters, cooked crabs, crab feast, crabbing, Dodder, environmental education, Fins-claws, Fins+Claws, fishing charters, fresh fish, Interpretive Buoy System, Jack Russell, Message from the Cap’n, Message from the Captain, morning glories, oysters, parasitic plant, rental hall, smith island, smith island tours, St. George Island
Message From the Cap’n/What You Need to Know About Water Snakes
Posted by Jack Russell on August 6, 2019 · 1 Comment
A water snake might make you hurt yourself when surprised by them but they are not harmful or poisonous. They may bite as a defensive tactic.
Category Leader Exclusives, Leader Features · Tags arsters, cooked crabs, crab feast, crabbing, environmental education, Fins-claws, Fins+Claws, fishing charters, fresh fish, Interpretive Buoy System, Jack Russell, Message from the Cap’n, Message from the Captain, oysters, rental hall, smith island, smith island tours, St. George Island, water snakes
Purple Martins Leaving Their Nests
Posted by Jack Russell on July 29, 2019 · Leave a Comment
Purple Martins usually arrive between April 10-13, rest a bit, scout the area, and then begin nestbuilding. Now they’re leaving. Take heart, and look toward their return next year.
Category Leader Exclusives, Leader Features · Tags arsters, black snake, cooked crabs, crab feast, crabbing, Eastern ratsnake, environmental education, Fins-claws, Fins+Claws, fishing charters, fresh fish, Interpretive Buoy System, Jack Russell, martin houses, martins, Message from the Cap’n, Message from the Captain, oysters, Purple Martins, ratsnake, rental hall, smith island, smith island tours, St. George Island
Snapping Turtles Abound in the Chesapeake
Posted by Jack Russell on July 22, 2019 · 1 Comment
Message From the Captain: More snapping turtles are coming to the Chesapeake Bay — Stay away from them!
Category Leader Exclusives, Leader Features · Tags alligator snapping turtle, arsters, common snapping turtle, cooked crabs, crab feast, crabbing, environmental education, Fins-claws, Fins+Claws, fishing charters, fresh fish, Interpretive Buoy System, Jack Russell, Message from the Cap’n, Message from the Captain, oysters, rental hall, smith island, smith island tours, snapping turtles, St. George Island
Worth Repeating: Soft Crab Season Opens Ever So Quietly
Posted by Jack Russell on May 19, 2019 · Leave a Comment
It’s that time of year again, Message from the Cap’n has to address the great harbinger of the season, the soft crab. And, back in 2019, get your Smith Island Cruise information and reservations here.
Category Leader Exclusives, Leader Features · Tags arsters, cooked crabs, crab feast, crabbing, environmental education, Fins-claws, Fins+Claws, fishing charters, fresh fish, Interpretive Buoy System, Jack Russell, Message from the Cap’n, Message from the Captain, oysters, rental hall, smith island, smith island tours, St. George Island
Catfish Becoming Dominant Species in Lower Potomac
Posted by Jack Russell on May 10, 2019 · Leave a Comment
Message From the Cap’n is a compilation of history, fishing advice, waterman, and weather insights, Chesapeake lore, and ordinary malarkey. This season’s highlight: More catfish in the Potomac than we’ve ever seen!
Category Leader Exclusives, Leader Features · Tags arsters, catfish, cooked crabs, crab feast, crabbing, environmental education, Fins-claws, Fins+Claws, fishing charters, fresh fish, Interpretive Buoy System, Jack Russell, Message from the Cap’n, Message from the Captain, oysters, rental hall, Scotland MD, smith island, smith island tours, St. George Island, Willie Dean
An Old Cycle, Osprey Return, Spring Message From the Cap’n
Posted by Jack Russell on April 14, 2019 · Leave a Comment
Osprey observations from the nesting capital of the Chesapeake: St George Island with 60+ nesting pairs.
Category Leader Exclusives, Leader Features · Tags arsters, cooked crabs, crab feast, crabbing, environmental education, Fins-claws, Fins+Claws, fishing charters, fresh fish, Interpretive Buoy System, Jack Russell, Message from the Cap’n, Message from the Captain, oysters, rental hall, smith island, smith island tours, St. George Island