DAMERON, Md. - Today's opening of the four-day statewide Pennsylvania bear season and the following Monday, Dec. 1, opening of the two-week firearms deer season represents the highlight of the hunting calendar for many.

Then, it all comes to a crashing halt for all, other than the flintlock muzzleloader and late season bowhunters. There is an option, however, who want to restart their hunting adventures and enjoy the potential of catching a trophy fish as well.Depending on the weather, the window from mid-December to mid-January is the perfect time for a cast-and-blast trip on the Chesapeake Bay for big, trophy rockfish - as striped bass are called in Maryland and sea and inland ducks. For six area sportsmen these trips with Capt. Phil Langley of Fish the Bay Charters are one of the highlights of the year.In late December, the duck hunting improves as more flocks fill the Chesapeake and additional species are legal to hunt, but the rockfish move south on their migration run off the Carolinas. During the special season for sea ducks established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, scoter, old squaw and eider ducks may be hunted by shooting from a boat or floating blind which is anchored.Langley hunts one the prime locations on the Chesapeake, departing from lodging just steps from his private dock in St. Mary's County to open water a few miles from east of the Maryland Western Shore. When necessary, he also hunts portions of the open waters of the Potomac River in St. Mary's and Charles counties.By 6 a.m., Langley has his 12-passenger "Chesapeake Charm" underway, and - when the ducks are flying - there are times when the decoy lines have been laid and the boat anchored within 30 minutes. When the hunting winds down later in the morning, it is time to pull the decoys, set the rods and troll for rockfish - which have a two per-angler limit, with an 18-inch minimum, including one of 28 inches or longer.These early departures make finding hunter/angler-friendly lodging a must, and one of the more unique places is Island Inn and Suites, located on a narrow strip of land on St. George Island that is bordered on both sides by the Potomac River, which has special sportsmen's rates and a complimentary breakfast beginning at 5 a.m. for early departure. In addition, an outstanding crab house is located on the property."To hunt sea ducks, we have to be a minimum of 400 yards off shore, but some areas or consistently productive," Langley said. "We look for beds of oyster, mussels and clams because that's where the ducks are going to return to feed."On a good day, even the best shooters often go through three boxes of 25 shells to get their five-duck limit, of which only four can be scooters. Later in the season, we also hunt buffle heads, black heads, canvas backs and - occasionally - pick up a few mallards."It sure can be humbling because of the speed that sea ducks fly, and out here there's no blaming the gun. When the shot hits the water behind a duck there's no question about a miss."Knowing the speed of sea ducks on the wing, the group used the hunt to field test two of the best waterfowl loads on the market, Federal Premium Black Cloud and Remington Nitro Steel High-Velocity Magnum. Suffice to say, even with these shells, none of the hunters have ever come close to bagging a limit.Black Cloud shells feature the patented FLITECONTROL Wad that stays with the shot longer to keep patterns tight and velocity high. Shells are loaded with the new patented FLITESTOPPER Steel, which is designed to maintain ultimate patterns for dropping ducks.Nitro-Steel shells have a larger hull capacity to deliver heavier charges and larger pellets, which makes even 12-gauge loads ideal for large waterfowl. Nitro-Steel shells have denser patterns than standard shells to provide greater knock-down power and the shot is zinc plated to prevent corrosion.There is no better way to sample the best of what the Chesapeake Bay has to offer than a cast-and-blast trip. For many, that sample is all they need to return for individual full courses of fishing and hunting.For information about fishing and hunting packages, including lodging, on the Chesapeake Bay with Capt. Phil Langley, contact Fish the Bay Charters at 301-872-4041 or 301-904-0935, email

langley@olg.com or access the website at www.prosites-fishthebay.homestead.com.