A BIG THANKS TO "O-SEA-D"

[KEY-LIME-PIE]

ON 8/2 I WAS INVITED TO FISH ABOARD THE "O-SEA-D" WITH CAPT JOHN MCGINITY. SINCE YOU ALL KNOW THAT MY BOAT IS O/S, THIS WAS A NICE INVITE. THE PROBLEM IS....HE IS 7 HOURS AWAY AND HE IS FISHING THE NEXT DAY.

ON A SPERR OF THE MOMENT I DECIDE TO PACK A BAG, MAKE A RESERVATION FOR TWO NIGHTS IN MHC AND GO FOR IT! THE LAST MINUTE PLANS ALWAYS SEEM TO WORK OUT BEST!

I LEAVE MARYLAND @ 1645hrs, STOP AT THE DISEL STATION, GRAB 2 RED BULLS AND HIT THE ROAD....RT97S TO 301S TO I95S TO 64E TO 17S TO 17BYS TO 17S AGAIN TO 70E ....SEEMS EASY ENOUGH!

ACTUALLY THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS AND I DID'NT SEE ONE POLICE OFFICER...THAT IS UNTILL I ARRIVED IN NOREHEAD CITY @ MIDNIGHT ON THE NOSE...HE WAS VERY FRIENDLY!

I FOUND JOHN THE NEXT MORNING @ 5AM AS PROMISED! NOAA REPORTS THAT THE WINDS WILL BE 10-15 W/ 2-4 FT SEAS...FLAT BY MOST FISHERMENS STANDARDS. HOWEVER AT THE DOCK THERE WAS A STEADY 25MPH WIND. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT IT IS GOING TO BE LIKE OUT ON THE OCEAN.

JOHN AND THE REST OF THE CREW OF THE "O-SEA-D" WERE VERY NICE AND ASTONISHED THAT I MADE THE TRIP ALL THE WAY FROM MD. SOON AFTER BREAKING THE INLET, JOHN STOPED THE BOAT AND OFFERED FOR US TO DECIDE "GO OR TURN BACK"! WELL MOST FOLKS WHO HAVE FISHED WITH ME KNOW I AM VERY SAFETY CONSCIOUS. BUT THIS TRIP FELT OK. OH YEAH REMEMBER THE 2-4FT SEAS.....THEY ARE NOW 5-8.

SO WE PRESSED ON & ON & ON & ON. NOW BATTERED AND WET WE SET TO FISHING, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE CAME FOR. DID'NT TAKE LONG TO HOOK UP ON TWO SMALL DOLPHIN. NEXT WE BROUGHT IN SOME REAL NICE WAHOO AND A KINGFISH.

SLOWED DOWN IN THE FISHING AREA FOR A SHORT TIME SO WE HEADED OUT TO THE BIGROCK, WHICH WAS A GREAT IDEA. JOHN WAS TALKING TO ME, AS I WAS LISTENING I WAS ALSO WATCHING THE BAITS. AND YOU KNOW THAT FEELING YOU GET JUST BEFORE SOMETHING BIG HAPPENS? WELL AS HE IS TALKING TO ME I THOUGHT I SAW A BILL COME UP ON THE PORT SHORT! SO AS HE THOUGHT I WAS IGNORING HIM I SAY "YOU KNOW THEY SAY THAT IF YOU THINK YOU SAW IT...YOU PROBALLY DID"

WELL JUST AFTER THAT JOHN TURNED AND SAW A BOIL BEHIND THE SAME BAIT. TEN SECONDS OR SO LATER WE ARE HOOKED UP WITH A LARGE SAIL. THIS THING WENT CRAZY...GAVE US A 8 SECOND AERIAL ACROBATIC SHOW AND THEN SPIT THE HOOK!

BUT THATS OK! IT WAS A GREAT SHOW. AFTER SHAGGING GRASS OFF THE HOOKS FOR WHAT SEEMED TO BE AN ETURNITY, WE PACKED UP AND HEADED FOR PORT. THE RIDE BACK YOU ASK????? JUST AS HARD AND WET AS THE RIDE OUT BUT ALL WENT WELL AND THE TRIP WAS A SUCCESS, AND IT GOT THE MONKEY OFF MY BACK,...TWO DAYS OUT OF OC W/O A PULL.

SO A SPECIAL THANKS TO CAPT JOHN MCGINTY AND THE REST OF THE CREW FROM THE O-SEA-D. I MADE IT BACK TO MD SAFE. IF ANY OF YOU GET A CHANCE TO FISH WITH CAPT JOHN...JUST REMEMBER THE NAME OF HIS BOAT HES EARNED IT, A GREAT FISHERMEN. THANKS AGAIN JOHN....TOM

[Crazy Eyes]

AWESOME REPORT!!!!

[jbhockeyfan]

Hey Tom Glad to hear you got rid of that monkey. One heck of a report. any news on the KLP?

[gaffer]

Good job everyone!!!

[O-SEA-D]

Hey Tom, thanks for making the trip. I hope I get to come up to your neck of the woods for some fishing soon. It was such a pleasure to meet you and fish with you. I really enjoyed it.

BTW...how was the Wahoo?

Thanks