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On this week’s Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, host Luke Barton talks with Ava Bourne about the Tight Lines for Tiny Fighters Fishing Tournament, then heads offshore with Capt. Bill Pappas of Playin Hookey Charters for a wide-ranging report on early mahi action, blackfin tuna, tog fishing, seasickness prevention, and what it takes to “be the report” before everyone else knows what is happening.
Ava Bourne shares the mission behind Tight Lines for Tiny Fighters, a fishing tournament built around raising money and awareness for families dealing with pediatric cancer. Then Capt. Bill Pappas breaks down a long offshore run that produced an early-season mahi bite, plus a strong tog report helped by his new Yamaha 350s and Helm Master spot-lock setup.
Conditions Recap
Spring conditions are opening up several different options across the Lower Chesapeake Bay and offshore waters. Inshore and nearshore, tog fishing remains strong around ocean structure, with blue crab continuing to be a productive bait. Offshore, Capt. Bill found a productive edge where warmer water met cooler water, with birds, bait, sharks, manta rays, mahi, and a blackfin tuna all pointing to an active early-season pattern.
The biggest takeaway from Bill’s report is that this is still exploratory fishing. Instead of waiting for perfect dock talk, he leaned on temperature breaks, bait, birds, and gut instinct. His advice was simple: sometimes you have to stop chasing secondhand information, settle in where the signs look right, and fish.
Tight Lines for Tiny Fighters Fishing Tournament
Ava Bourne joined the show to talk about the second Tight Lines for Tiny Fighters Fishing Tournament, taking place Saturday, April 25. The event grew out of Ava’s work around pediatric cancer awareness and her experience seeing families go through diagnosis, treatment, remission, and loss through the fishing community.
The tournament benefits the AES Cancer Foundation, which helps blood cancer patients and families with practical life needs that often get overlooked. Ava explained that many cancer fundraisers focus on research or treatment, but families may also need help with everyday expenses like transportation, home repairs, or the bills that keep coming while a child is in treatment.
Anglers can fish the event three ways. Boat entry is $150 and covers any legal number of anglers on the boat. Kayak entry is for paddle kayaks only, while motorized kayaks fall under the boat division. Land-based anglers can enter for $25 per person, making the tournament accessible for people who want to support the cause even without a boat.
The captain’s meeting is Friday, April 24 at 5 p.m. at Long Bay Pointe Bait & Tackle. Registration can be handled through the Google form linked on the Tight Lines for Tiny Fighters Instagram and Ava Bourne’s Facebook page, with payment available through Venmo, card, or cash at the captain’s meeting.
There are also three $25 Calcuttas: biggest stringer, biggest single fish, and most spots. Main tournament prizes are non-cash prizes so more money can go back to the cause, while Calcutta winners receive cash payouts. Ocean’s East is sponsoring the first-place prize package, which includes a $200 certificate and additional gear and swag.
The after party will be held at Ballyhoos, with awards, raffles, food, a private bartender, games, sponsor support, and a family-friendly setup. Ava said raffle items include lures, a custom leather plier sheath, and a family photography shoot valued at $500. The event is still looking for food and drink sponsors for the after party, and anyone interested can reach Ava through the tournament’s social pages.
For Ava, the point is bigger than puppy drum, prize tables, or bragging rights. She wants the event to give anglers a way to help, learn something, and better understand what pediatric cancer families are walking through.
Offshore Report With Capt. Bill Pappas
Capt. Bill Pappas of Playin Hookey Charters has been putting his new Yamaha 350s and Helm Master system to work, and the early results have been impressive. Bill said the spot-lock function has changed how he fishes, especially when holding over structure or managing anglers around the boat.
The new motors have also improved efficiency. Bill said he is getting better fuel economy with the larger motors because the boat can achieve the same work with lower RPMs. On one long offshore run, Playin Hookey covered roughly 260 miles in a day, including a long trolling stretch, and burned far less fuel than he expected for that kind of trip.
The offshore trip was built around tuna, but Bill and the crew found a productive temperature break with birds, bait, sharks, manta rays, and enough life to make them stay. Instead of chasing every rumor or radio report, Bill trusted the signs in front of him. That decision paid off when a school of mahi charged the spread.
The crew put several mahi in the boat, including a standout bull around 20 pounds. Bill said they were pulling tuna gear and Sterling Tackle Tracker Bars, which made the bite exciting but chaotic once multiple fish piled on. They also caught a blackfin tuna and had a mako shark near the boat before losing it after it bit through the stinger on the spread.
Bill’s gear lesson from that trip was to use the tools that help you make good decisions, but not let outside reports override what you are seeing on the water. Birds, bait, water temperature, current edges, and fish behavior still matter. His line for the week was, “Don’t read the report, be the report.”
Tog Fishing Still Strong
Capt. Bill also reported that the tog bite has been very good, especially on ocean structure. The new spot-lock setup has allowed him to hold the boat directly over fish and give anglers more room to fish out of the side windows and around the boat.
Bill said blue crab has been his bait of choice, especially back pieces, knuckles, and larger pieces when targeting better fish. He also talked about using white crabs, which some local captains favor, but he still likes the reliability of blue crab that he works hard to save and freeze for tog season.
The key is patience and feel. Tog will steal bait quickly if anglers do not commit to the hookset, and Bill said part of the job is helping everyone on the boat understand when to wait, when to pull, and how to get in rhythm. When everyone starts catching, the whole boat changes.
Seasickness Tips From Capt. Bill
A major part of Bill’s segment turned into a practical offshore seasickness discussion. He said lack of sleep, drinking too much the night before, acidic food, and anxiety can all make seasickness worse. His recommendation was to get rest, eat clean the day before, hydrate, and avoid heavy acidic meals before a long offshore run.
Bill and Luke also talked about where to put someone who starts feeling bad. The best place is usually low and toward the stern, especially on the non-wave side of the boat, where there is less up-and-down motion. A bean bag can help because it takes pressure off the body and lets the person settle down instead of fighting the boat’s movement.
Bill’s strongest product recommendation was the MQ Motion Patch, which he said can be placed behind the ear and may help even after someone starts feeling sick. He still recommends that serious seasickness sufferers talk with a doctor about prescription options, but he said the over-the-counter patch has been the most effective non-prescription option he has seen on his boat.
Capt. Bill’s Tog Sandwich
Bill also shared a quick tog sandwich recipe built around a properly fried tog fillet. He likes using the second half of the fillet as the perfect sandwich-sized piece, then breading it with flour, egg, and Panko. He fries it in peanut oil, salts it as soon as it comes out, and serves it on a toasted brioche bun with mayonnaise, provolone, and a thick beefsteak tomato.
His tip is to dry the tomato with a paper towel before building the sandwich so the breading stays crisp. Salt and pepper the tomato, put it on the fried tog, and you have what Bill described as one of the best ways to eat fresh tog.
Final Takeaway
This week’s Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report mixed a meaningful local tournament with a strong early offshore report and a solid tog update. Ava Bourne’s Tight Lines for Tiny Fighters Tournament gives the fishing community a way to support pediatric cancer families, while Capt. Bill Pappas reminded anglers that some of the best reports come from trusting your read, making the run, and finding the fish before the crowd does.
To follow the tournament, visit Tight Lines for Tiny Fighters on Instagram or Ava Bourne on Facebook. To follow Capt. Bill Pappas, visit Bill Pappas on Facebook or Playin Hookey Charters.
