The Washington times., 1938-08-10
FRANCIS DAW
Lifelong Angler. Northern Chesapeake
Bay Sector

Lifelong Angler. Northern Chesapeake
! Bay Sector
Marlin fishing at Ocean City
and nearby shores has given
impetus to the present activ.
ities Of the anglers and those
who follow the piscatorial sport.
And here's an interesting story:
Headed by G. Walter Mapp,
commissioner of the Commis-
sion of Fisheries, members of
the deep-sea sport fishing COM
mittee of the Virginia State
Chamber Of Commerce and the
president of the Virginia Salt
water Fishing Association, the
long projected expedition to
explore the ocean for big game
fish off Virginia has been ten
tatively set to start August II.
The expedition will get under
way with the official sanction
Of the Commission on Fisheries
and with the cooperation Of all
concerned.
Skipper Of the expedition will
be DR.. o. T. Amory, of New
port News, who already has
done some exploration of the
ocean area off the Virginia
Capes. Experts on bait and
tackle for the catching of mar
lin, dolphin, and possibly other
types of sport fish now caught
off States on both sides of Vir-
ginia, will be Kent Darling,
William B. Thalhimer and
Huntley Gibson, deep-sea sports
men, of Richmond. They will
supplement the special equip
ment the commission and DR..
Amory are collecting for the
venture.
The expedition will go to sea
with the intention of possibly
spending a couple of days or
more in exploring for the fish.
The original plan, as developed
by the saltwater fishing COM
mittee, called for a thorough
search by a professional fisher
man. The State chamber COM
mittee pointed out that diScov.
cry of the fish off Virginia
waters and the training of Vir-
ginia fishermen in this type Of
fishing will mean hundreds of
thousands of dollars of addi-
tional revenue to Virginia fish
ermen every year.
Following the failure of legis-
lation proposed which would
finance the necessary investi-
cation, Mr.. Mapp made an in.
vestigation on behalf of the
fisheries commission, and dis
covered that five Chincoteague
fishermen are now engaged in
marlin fishing, but, due to the
advertising given Ocean City
tor its success in the sport, they
are fishing from that base, but
off the coast of Virginia, and
are catching these fish. He also
discovered that Senator Town
send of Maryland is considering
moving his yacht to a Chinco-
league base for marlin fishing.
Through the cooperation of Mr..
Mapp, fishermen all along the
Virginia coast are on the look.
out for marlin. A private expe-
dition also is being organized by
Cape Charles guides for an in
veStigation off Cape Charles,
while, under the direction of
DR.. Amory, boat from New
port News reports recently hav-
ing sighted two marlin, but in
weather too rough to fish for
them.
The projected trip of August
II will be subject to weather
conditions, Mr.. Mapp stated. It
will be an exploration trip, of
which several may be essential
before the definite groups on
which fishing can begin off Vir-
ginia are established.
j. w. Portch and party went
fishing last Friday at Kenwood
Beach, Md, in Capt. Edward
Phillips boat. One hundred and
fifty hardheadS were caught,
largest AZ pounds. Fish were
biting on shrimp and crab.
One of Sundays best catches
off Sharp's Island went to Ed
Peoples, Willie Dorsey, Bill Cady,
Henry Mullen and Percy Sut-
ton. Big hardheads seemed to
be in order on the far side of
the bay on the Sabbath, with
Norfolk spot and King william
perch biting between times.
Dorsey lost two monster fish,
we are told, but they were never
identified. as the fish were far
below the surface. Willie gave
as his alibi for the fish that got
away, the weather-beaten, rot
ten-line story.