Captain Larry Simns
21308 Lee Street
P.O. Box 235
Rock Hall, Maryland
21661
410-639-2966
Fax 410-639-7356
Boat 410-456-8065
MWA 410-268-7722   

Captain Larry Simns
President, Maryland Watermen's Association

Skipjacks, Maryland Skipjacks, Chesapeake Bay Skipjacks

Skipjack sailing dredge boats are the last of the working sail boats that harvest seafood. There are about twelve skipjacks that dredge the oyster bars in the state of Maryland with a crew of six to handle the dredges cull the oysters and take care of the sails.

Skipjacks have a daily limit of one hundred and fifty bushels a day but very rarely catch their limit. On Mon. and Tues. they are allowed to push their boat with the small yawl boat that has a large motor, this has the effect of making the Skipjack a power boat and help to guarantee that they get a couple days work even if the wind does not blow.

The dredge season starts Nov. first and runs through March.  Skipjacks are restricted to certain oyster bars in the bay and tributaries.

The harvest time limit is the same for all oystermen except Mon and Tues for skipjacks and that is from sun up till sun down.

SKIPJACKS OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY 
Less then 12 remain in the world