Winner's Circle (please send me photos of past winners with their fish)
1996 Amy Hise
1995 Jerry Saltzberg
1992 Charlie Crump
1991 Mike Bova
1990 Larry Pratt
1989 Frank McGhee Jr
1988 Frank McGhee Jr.
Other Photos (here are some photos I found in my album)
Tom Bova from 1993 (not quite big enough)
(or check out the following)
Fishing Trip rantings and boasts
Date: Thu, 01 May 1997 20:01:34 -0400
From: "D,J,&A" <femiano@erols.com>
Don't even bother trying to win...here is the face of a natural born
flounder fisherman.
bye.
Jen
Date: Fri, 02 May 1997 14:14:33 -0500
From: Mary Pratt <MPratt@hcfa.gov>
Don't start dusting off that mantel yet. . . . Not only have we got an experienced angler, we've got the bait! Larry always says "it takes big bait to catch big fish."
Subject: Re: flounder finder 1997
Date: Thu, 08 May 1997 13:26:55 PDT
From: "Max Kukoy" <kukoy@hotmail.com>
Ok Folks,
It is all over with. I am done kowtowing to the rank fisherman in this family. I have sat by all these years waiting for a "more experienced" fisherman (i.e. Dave) to win the trophy so they can feel good about themselves and their fishing ability. Sadly, this has not happened, all that consistently happens in this family is the feeders vacate their respective boats, not voluntarily I might add. There always seems to some sort of an emergency, such as "Help, I fell overboard," or "could you please get out and push us off the sand bar."
The time has come to enlighten the Crump family to what real fishing results in. To this end, I, yes I, am going to Captain a boat this year. I am going to sheperd three poor inexperienced fisherman into the art of flounder fishing. I expect to win the trophy, but I just may sacrifice and pass the glory of such a victory on to a shipmate. I enjoy making their lives a little more fulfilling.
So don't bother getting your hopes up Crumpians, you will be spending another year without the trophy in your desperately grasping hands. It will be returning to it's roots, a Kukoy.
Subject: Re: flounder finder 1997 -Reply
Date: Thu, 08 May 1997 16:44:12 -0500
From: Larry Pratt <LPratt@hcfa.gov>
Max.........Ahh Max, I've tutored you well. As I recall you had quite a rep as an angler of the non-catching variety when I took you under guidance. Over the last few years, as we have motored about the flounder hotspots together, your catch as indeed gradually grew in number. It is time. Go grasshopper, quickly as you can. Catch the elusive 'Big Fish' trophy. Bring it back to Herald Harbor where it belongs, even if its not exactly the right house. Have you selected your 'poor experience' anglers? <.......>. Good Luck!
Subject: Re: flounder finder 1997 -Reply
Date: Fri, 09 May 1997 08:27:52 PDT
From: "Max Kukoy" <kukoy@hotmail.com>
Greetings to all you non big fish anglers. There is one person in this family with the audacity to flaunt his past successes with much fanfare. Too bad, this keeps them from fading from memory, which is good since no success has emerged from Frank for a few years.
But there are the memories.
When I win the trophy you can bet I will be just as annoying as Frank.
Subject: 20 years of Flounder -- A retrospective
Date: Tue, 13 May 1997 11:23:09 -0500
From: Mary Pratt <MPratt@hcfa.gov>
Hey everyone -- A photographer from the Chincoteague Beacon will be at Capt Bob's at 6 to shoot the weigh in for a feature article. I could use some help drafting a piece to go with the photos. Spread the word. If people could send me their descriptions/ recollections of our event, I will edit it into a whole piece for the feature.
From: Frank McGhee
Hello Flounder Feeders:
Hello Flounder Nobles:
The Price for boats this year has not changed from last year, $54.00 for the white boats and $44.0 for yellow boats. All boats have the 8hp engine. There is a deposit required for the larger engine (25hp), that is new this year. If you wich a larger engine this year go to Capt. Bob's Friday and put in your request and deposit. I have ordered 12 large white and 3 yellow boats, all with 8hp engines for this year. Boat captians that have state they want boats are George, David, Charlie, Frank, Danny, Mike, Tom, Ralph, Larry, and BJ. If I have missed anyone please call me at (540)937-5965. I always over order boats.
If you didn't get a flounder within the last year limits you will have to try harder this year. The 1997 flounder must be 14 1/2" long. Don't give your stick to someone else. The law was at the pier last year and he could be there this year. We draw a lot of attention. The only fishing report I have to date is for 4 mouths in Deep Hole.
George and a crew have been to the island recently and we have housese to put hour heads down . Don't forget the wet weather gear and maybe some Skin so Soft.
Thips and Triks for this year that I will be using are: First and formost is the keep the bait on the bottom - flounder stay on the bottom! Because of the fast moving water due to the winds and tide, you will have to really put some weight on your line. You could try and slow up the movement of the boad by draging a sea anker. Flounder Feeder George tried this last year. I going to use a large buck tail with a stinger on the end. Because the water is not so clear I will use a silber or white bate. The largest Virignia flounder caught last year was with a bucktail.
This year has to be warmer than the last two years!!! The 1997 Almanac claims that the weather will be: May 1997 Temp. 61.5 degrees (5 degrees below average) precip. 3.5" (0.5" below agerage)- - May 1-3 warm, then cloudy & cool, the 4th - 6th sunny & warmer, 7th - 10th thunderstorms & cool, 11th - 13th showers, 14th - 16th sunny & cool, 17th - 25th periods of rain, 26th - 31st sunny & seasonable. Best fishing days for 1997 May moon between new & full, May 6th - 22nd, Oct. 31st - Nov. 14th. May 24th, sun rise 4:15AM sun set 7:08PM, Length of day 14.53 hours.
Don't forget any old pictures and stories from fishing trips of the past.
THE KING
Frank R. McGhee Jr.
346 Hinsons Ford Rd.
Amissville, VA 20106
(540)937-5965
From Amy
Dear Clan,
I'm not sure if it was the thirty six hours that I had just spent flitting from room to room, drawing blood, listening for that elusive murmur, writing orders, and fielding pages from night nurses on 5 different floors or the dreary overcast typical Cleveland winter day or perhaps it was that I had just found the one interest in common with my 88 year old somewhat cranky patient (we both enjoyed spending a day in a boat with a line and pole in our hands that led me to daydream about that special day last May. How clearly it all comes back, the details still clear in my mind. The anticipation broke through the fog of sleep that chilly May early morning as we loaded up our gear into my spunky little Tercel (the one with all the bumper stickers on the back - look for it again this year!) and drove to the familiar dock. What a disappointment when we got there (the sun had barely blushed the sky) to find that all the 15 HP engines were taken. It would take forever to putter to xxxxxx (the secret source of fierce, floppy flounder) with a wimpy 8! As we were knocked left and right by the bay currents I took stock of my supplies; fresh minnows in the pail looking mightily appetizing (to a trophy winning flatfish), still-frozen squid not yet starting to reek, my favorite rigs all lined up on the extra seat (perhaps to be filled this year??) and my trusty $10 pole all ready for the battle ahead. Once at our destination (finally!) with nothing worse to show for the journey except for a sore bum, I cast out my line with great anticipation. Wait! Was that a nibble??! I eagerly yanked back on my line and frantically reeled in a large, most impressive.......clump of seaweed! Ok, ok, take a deep breath, this can't be as hard, say, as starting an I.V. or tying a suture. With steadier hands the result improved. Who could say what was the magic, winning combination of factors that afternoon. Was it the location (just head left out of Bob's, hang a right a little later on, keep going for a while, pass the osprey (not too close, she might dive-bomb you) and out where few dare to troll), or perhaps that extra large feisty minnow (or the extra bit of squid thrown on for good measure), or the way I gently let out a little line when I first felt that delicate nibble before steadily setting the hook, or the weather (a little drizzly and overcast) or perhaps, might it have been, Frank's HAT!! Whatever the etiology, the joy was still the same as my hefty catch was hoisted into the (I'm confident) accurate scale with much cermony and pomp. As the girders strained and the crowd gasped, the winning (yet not yet record setting) weight was recorded. I jubilantly rode the shoulders of my fans into the sunset....oh, perhaps the on-call hours awake have taken their toll and resulted in blatant hallucinosis. Or perhaps this is a vision of things to come, of bigger, better fish to be caught this May! Looking forward to seeing my friends, family and competitors again this year.
With condolences,
Amy 19th Annual Noble
Subject: Flash!! Chincotegue Beacon covers Crump Family Fishing Tournament.
Date: Mon, 19 May 1997 16:03:27 -0500
From: Larry Pratt <LPratt@hcfa.gov>
OK you guys, its Monday, T-minus 5 days and counting. Mary, my dear beloved Crump, has arranged for the Chincoteague Beacon to cover the 20th Annual Crump Family Flounder Fishing Tournament. Pretty cool, huh? Fact is, the Beacon will be at Capt. Bob's at 6pm Saturday to immortalize this year's winner of the The Big Fish trophy. Being a small town paper, they will photograph, but WILL NOT WRITE a story. We need your paragraphs. Send them to MPratt@hcfa.gov OR LPratt@hcfa.gov right away. We will craft a work of art for all of us to be proud of. Submissions will be accepted up until COB Wednesday. We will not be at work to get anything on Thursday or Friday. So take a break and jot down your favorite vinette. Nothing too wordy. Just a paragraph or two. Do it now.
Subject: Re: Flash!! Chincotegue Beacon covers Crump Family Fishing
Tournament.
Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 08:01:19 -0400 (EDT)
From: FRANKMCIII@aol.com
Dear Fellow Fish Lords and Feeders, I am sorry to announce that due to prior commitments, I will not be attending this years fishing trip. I'm glad to hear that the press will be taking somewhat of an interest in the event and I'm lookin forward to a copy of the periodical. I could just read MY OWN HEADLINE NOW .... <<<<<< Begin Dream Sequence>>>>>>>
.... Among the fish feeders is the son of the Flounder King, Frank III, who to this date, and unfortunantly due to job commitments cannot attend this years event, can however boast as being the only participant to never, ever, catch anything worth bringin' in. To date Frank III's records stands at Flounders - 0, and the following notations: 1 sand shark - returned because of it's size, and he likes sharks 1 MD Blue Crab - returned because it too was just too small to keep 1 UGLY Spider Crab - returned because you just don't keep those things, plus it scared his kids in the boat. and finally ... several, and I mean SEVERAL varities of skates, all of which according to Frank III, were cleverly disquised as flounders until they were netted. Yes, this is definetily a blow to Frank III, even his wife Julie can pride herself by saying "I caught a flounder the first time I went on a fishing trip". Yes, if there was a trophy for the best Flounder Feeder, Frank III would have more trophies than the Flounder King himself. <<<<<<<<<<<<<< End Nightmare Sequence >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Well, there you have it folks, my story. It may not get me a Heneiken but hey, it's all true so far. I wish to extend the best of luck to all the fishermen and women this year and give my congratulations to the Victor in advance. I want to remind everyone to be very careful out there. I'm on watch this weekend and I got friends working at the Coast Guard in Chincoteague so I may check in on ya'll. Have fun and I truly will be thinking of each of you and missing ya'll at the same time. Have Fun!! C-Ya!
Frank III
P.S. I got pictures from previous trips if anyone's interested. Let's see .... Larry with ... WOW the prize catch(s), Mary and Larr.....what?! Sleeping???? How'd he win then???? Mike and Alex ... loungin' ???? Tony's .... only catch .... ??? Frank III's MD Blue Crab .. prior to releasing, I needed proof ... just to name a few.......
Date: Mon, 19 May 1997 16:57:02 -0500
From: <ccrump@nectech.com>
Subject: Re: Flash!! Chincotegue Beacon covers Crump Family Fishing
One of my recollections: In the early years of Chinconteque when the fish caught seemed to be more plentiful and the weather much warmer, we see little kids running amuck. With all of this exertion from fishing and the hot sun we needed to quench our thirsts. Being well under aged of course, sneaking around all of the trailers with Mike Bova in the middle of the night to look in all of the open or available coolers and sneak out beer.(Here we made our biggest catches) Most of the time it would be quality brews like Black Label, Meister Brau, Milwaukee's Best Light or the good stuff like Bud. Chad
Subject: Mercy
Date: Sat, 07 Jun 1997 10:16:05 -0400
From: Tony Bova <abova@jagunet.com>
I have once again held back the Bova Fishing Power House (although I permited the use of my equipment). Enjoy. Next year I may not be so merciful.
Captain Bob's
Mailing Address:
4258 Pension St.
Chincoteague, VA 23336
(757)336-6654
Chincoteague
Island Chamber of Commerce
Last Revised: 4 October 1997
