I was supposed to go up and fish the 7am boat on Thursday with my dad and Eben and his daughter but we decided not to go up in the morning after hearing what they said on the phone. Turns out only the 1/2 day boat went. Well we decided to leave at noon because we were all bored sitting around and decided to hit the PM 1/2 day boat. When we arrived at the dock I ran into Capt Mike and he told me that we would be staying inside the harbor of refuge after taking a look around the boat and seeing the group of people on the boat. Well we actually did go outside for 1/2 of the trip and boy was it windy. It was pretty choppy as well. The seas were easily 4-7 feet just outside the wall. We caught a few short fluke and I dropped one that was about 3 pounds right as the net went into the water. I had 4 shorts and that one dropped keeper. My dad had 3 shorts so did Eben. His daughter Jenna had 5 shorts and a keeper. We only needed 5 ounces to hold bottom even with the heavy winds. We then moved inside because it got too rolly outside and the boat caught a few more shorts. Friday we did get to go out on the 7am boat. The winds had dropped a lot over night. When we left the harbor of refuge we were greeted be some really big rollers that we were headed into. When we reached our destination there was only the big rollers and 4 ounces was straight up and down. Eben hooked up and brought a double header keeper into the boat, a good start to the day. The day was a little on the slower side due to the ground swell and the bottom was a little stirred up. The wind picked up a bit as the day went on, which added a little chop onto the swells. My total for the day was 2 fluke a blue fish and a skate. My dad had a pretty good day 6 keepers a blue and a lot of skate. Eben also had a very good day with 6 keepers and a bunch of blues. Jenna had an off day as well with 1 keeper and a blue. Captain Rich told me that today was the roughest day they have had all year on the weather sea wise. He said we had a good 6 foot swell with chop on top. We had a great time, and the Captain and crew tried very hard to get the fish to bite but the fish just didn't want to cooperate. We look forward to going back next week.
My dad Eben and I went up for two days fluke fishing on the 7-4 boat on 7/12-7/13. We sailed with 29 people. When we got to our destination the wind was blowing pretty good and we needed to let a good amount of line out with 8 ounces. I was using a rig with a blue mylar teaser and that had very good results. I got 3 keepers on that with a few shorts and most of the shorts came up at 18.75 inches. Toward the end of the day the wind died down and I was able to use 2 ounces then the wind picked back up again. I got 2 more keepers one on a 3/8oz white spro and 1 on a green mylar teaser bringing me to 5, my best day of the season so far. Eben was tied with me for keepers. My dad didn't do so well it was his slowest day of the season with 2 keepers. I guess his hot hand cooled down a bit. Friday we sailed with 30 people. My dad bounced back and really let us know. He limited out and every time you would turn around he had a fish on. Eben and I didn't fair too well. I got a decent seabass on a 2oz bunker spro. I also lost what felt like a good fluke on a 3/8 oz white spro. My total for the day was a seabass and 2 fluke both taken on a white teaser. Eben also ended the day with 2 keeper fluke. It was a good day fishing just not for Eben and I. There were fish being caught all around the boat just not by the two of us because the Vacuum Cleaner (my dad) wouldn't let any fish get past him. There was also a lot of seabass on Friday, the most I've seen come up this season. We look forward to what next weeks trip brings for us.
I fished the Frances fleet Thursday and Friday with my dad and Eben. We went out on the 7am boat. We left dock Thursday with 47 people. The morning was a little slow for most but it happened to be best for me. I was using fresh shad that I had been catching off the back of the boat before we sailed. The rig I used had a pink mylar teaser then a chrome ball with a medium length leader with a 1/2oz blue shad spro at the bottom. I got 5 fish on the spro and the other 2 were on the pink teaser. Making this my best day fluking this season. Eben was using a small pink spro and a small bunker spro and got 9 keepers while my dad was a bit slower he was skate king of the day and got 5 keepers. We went off the boat maxed out with fluke. Captain Rich decided to stay out late because the bite didn't turn on until late in the day.
We pulled in at 5 when Cory Blount asked me if I could help out on the bass charter and I would be able to do some fishing as well. The charter was supposed to be 19 people but only 7 showed. When we got to the fishing grounds i dropped my rig in then helped some people bait up when that was all done picked up my rod and happen to be on. A couple minutes later I had my first striper in the boat. It was in the 20lb range. Funny thing I've been trying for 5 years now to get a 20lb cod and my first drop I get a 20lb bass. After mine was in the boat we also landed a bass in the upper 30's. We moved to another area to get away from this boat that kept trolling through our drift and they followed us to where we were so Capt. Paul quick shot back to where we had been and I drop down and my line starts screaming off the reel. Capt. Paul wanted to see my rod for a second then quick handed it back to me saying I had something big on and ordered everyone to bring lines in because he may have to back down on this fish because it was like a freight train just peeling drag. Then finally I was able to start gaining line. Then the fish made another run a little shorter and I could gain line again and Paul advised me to let him know if I needed him to back down on the fish because they like to wrap around the rocks but that wasn't necessary because I was slowly gaining line. While I was on there was also another bass on. When I got close to the boat the fish made another short run and then once back in range Cory sunk the gaff and I had brought a 38lb bass into the boat. The boat had 4 bass in before sunset. Later we picked up one more then it got slow on bass and we got a decent amount of blues. I luckily was only bothered by 2 of them. Late in the night I hooked up again and brought another bass in the boat this one went about 30lbs. Then about 5 minutes later I got another bass that was in the 20lb range. Then it was time to head in. Our total for the trip was 7 bass 25-30 blues and 1 smooth dogfish. I never would have thought that on my first bass trip that I would get a fish almost 40lbs let alone be high hook on on the striper's with 4 of the 7. All the bass were 20lb or better. I had given all my fish away. It was a great night on the water, good weather good group of guys, no spiny dogs and very very few tangles. Every one went off the boat happy. I would also like to add that my rod and reel combo was an Avet SX and a G.Loomis Pro Blue rated for 12-25line. What a blast I had with that set up.
Friday we left dock with 57 people. The same conditions as Thursday with no drift. I guess all my "spunk" had worn off. Friday was just not my day with what countless number of skate 3 short fluke and 1 keeper. My dad had to show me that he still had it after his show yesterday and had his limit getting most of his fish on the spro jigs. Eben was on fire again with a repeat performance with another 9 keepers all on his interesting spro rig. Can't wait to get back out there again.
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Looking forward to you report!
