Evening star., 1961-10-27
"TRIP TO BLAKIsTON ISLAND
Big Rock Found Over Grass Beds
BY CHARLES COVELL
Outdoor Editor


Nearly everyone has seen
mention recently of Blakiston
Island, that partially-wooded
40-acre bit of land about two
thirds of the way down the
Potomac.
Blakiston is the spelling on
Coast and Geodetic charts, al
though it has been called every
thing from Blackiston to Black
stone. 1t is to Maryland much
as Plymouth Rock is to Mas
Sachusetts. A cross marks the
landing Of Calvert's hardy
band.
Lately in Navy hands, the
island has been declared sur
plus and Maryland may make
it a shrine. Although it is
separated from Cotton Point
by the half mile of Dukeharts
Channel, it would have definite
recreational possibilities as a
State park, particularly for the
boating-camping- fishing clan.
Rock Off Island
AS a matter of fact. the
waters Just off BlakiSton Is
land have been serving Mary
land recreationally for a long
time. They usually TEEN with
rockfiSh.
A sand bar jutS out toward
Cotton Point and just inside
the bar there is a sharp drop
off, Fishermen with heavy
sinkers and bucktails would
troll over the bar, then into
the deep hole and close along
the shoreline near the old pier.
1t is the favorite fishing
place of Bob NungesSer, who
needs no introduction to any,
one who goes rockfishing. To-
gether, we've caught a lot of
rock in that hole.
Not so the past summer. No
one could turn up so much
as fin.
Fish on Grass Beds
Lately, though, the rock have
moved onto the grass beds
on two sides of the little is
land. When the wind is from
the south. you concentrate on
the lee shore. When it's from
the north, you do the opposite
These are not the throw
backs you can find breaking
all over the ship channel but
baking size fish-three to five
pounds or better. Nungesser
says they bite best when the
tide has just turned to ebb.
especially in the early morn
ing or late afternoon.
To catch them he has de-
veloped a special method. You
tie 10 gold spoon with yell
low saran tail to monofilament
line, using no swivel. and then
troll it over the grass without
any sinker. 1t doesn't matter
whether the spoon has his new
filters" finish so long as it's
gold. Silver doesn't seem to
work.
Catches IL in Two Hours
Bob knows the waters so
we'll because he has a summer
cottage and 23-foot cabin
cruiser at Cotton Point.
We joined him the other
day after he called to announce
that he had picked up IT of .
the big rock in a couple Of
hours fishing. Unfortunately.
stormy weather arrived before
we could get there.
Though the winds calmed
down. there remained tides 2l2
feet above normal and Bob
was dubious. Nevertheless, we
set out shortly after dawn of a
cold, quiet morning.
You have no lack OF company
in these waters. Oyster tongers
chugged out of St. Clement 1
Bay to work the edges of the
Potomac. Clam dredges were
beginning their clanking.
Osprey Nests in Trees
BlakiSton Island was out
lined eerily in the light of a
ball Of fire rising in the haze
Of the lower Potomac. Osprey
nests perched crafty on its
treetops. The cross glared
Whitley at the far end.
The tide had been ebbing
little more than an hour and
gulls we're clustered on the
sand bar as we crossed it in
deep water. There we're no
other fishermen.
Rigging up. we started TROLL
ing just beyond the bar and
along the shoreline about 100
yards off the island.
We each used a rod with
single spoon and let out about
$50 Ieet of monofilment. Bob
also rigged a dummy" that
is, stout hand line tied to a
Nnil cyO,.iy1n ,Y,lNfoh ic 70