Not only is Chris a great host but he also shared with us his vast local knowledge of the bay area, it's watermen and it's bounty.
We talked at great length about the menhadden which are the main fish in the bay (also known as moss bacher, alewife or pogie). Chris informed us they are the perfect commercial fish. This bony, oily fish accounts for 40% of the fish export business. They are used to make animal protein meal, margarine, shortening and oil. Planes or helicopters are used to locate schools of menhadden in the bay. Once found, large steamer boats with 2 purse seine net boats on back are sent in pursuit. The 2 purse boats launch; they encircle the school with the seine net and tighten the circle. The fish are then vacuumed out - 300,000 per net!
Chris shared with us information on some of the different fishing methods in the bay: pound nets (fish); hand tonging (live oysters); trot line (crabs) and crab pots and seine net (menhadden).
We learned about some of the bay's boats: skip jack - sailing work boats - no engine - gather oysters under sail power; dead rise - booby cabin in front - flat bottom boat for workmen; buy boat - (cabin in the back) - used to buy fish from the workmen in the bay and transport them in to shore - now mostly used to haul oyster shells; purse (seine net) boats - 2 on board each larger steamer boat from menhadden fishery.
We learned about blue crab fishing. The minimum size to harvest is 5 and 1/4 inches. The crab pot was invented nearby Chris' home in Lotsburg, Virginia. It was fashioned out of chicken wire with openings so the smaller crabs can escape.
We learned about clam fishing. The soft shell (white) clam industry goes no further south than the mid-bay region. Razor clams are used for bait.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time as Chris' guests and found it extremely interesting to learn about the Northern Neck bay area and it's watermen.
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