Family searching for father missing in southern Maryland after leaving on solo fishing trip

Family searches for missing father

While many families were spending the holidays together, the Sigmon family in southern Maryland was spending their time searching for their missing father.

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It has been a week since Ernie Sigmon left on a solo fishing trip from his boat dock at his home in Mechanicsville.

"He’s owned a boat for quite a while; he goes fishing by himself quite often," said Sigmon’s daughter Isabella Sigmon.

The 44-year-old was last seen on Dec. 29 as he made his way north on the river with promises to be back in time for dinner. When he didn’t arrive, his family reported him missing.

"If anyone knew the waters, it was my father," said Ernest Sigmon. "Where he was, was about an hour and a half boat ride. The confidence you have to have to make a boat trip like that in open water is something that only a skilled fisherman could do."

The family believes Sigmon is still alive and that he may have fallen overboard while setting up his fishing gear and planar boards.

"We’re presuming it was a complete accident or mishap situation for sure," said Bella Sigmon.

Authorities say his cell phone pinged about a mile off of Dares Beach in Calvert County. That's where they found his phone on board, his empty boat circling 4 miles from the shore.

"From a realistic standpoint as well as a personal standpoint, we know our dad, anyone who knows him knows that he’s a fighter and very capable. If anyone could do it through this situation it would be him," Bella Sigmon said.

At the end of each long day, the nights’ at home without him are seemingly more difficult.

"I can’t really wrap my head around it. I go to lay my head down at night and it doesn’t seem real to me," said Ernest Sigmon.

The family says they've taken to social media, gathering more than 8,000 volunteers who have searched 20 miles of shoreline, as far out as 5 miles.

While the state has provided support in the air and on the water, the family says they’d like to see more effort to find their father.

"My family as a whole has felt unsatisfied to say the least. They are using more resources than we ourselves have… but at the same time, we understand that they are the state. They have the resources of the entire state at their fingertips," said Ernest Sigmon.

Maryland’s Department of Natural Resource police is leading the investigation to find Sigmon.

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In a statement to FOX 5, a spokesperson said they’ve been searching every day since Ernie Sigmon’s disappearance and have dedicated all available resources to the cause.