Fish Report 5/28/06

Fish Report 5/28/06

Summer...

 

Hi All,

An interesting week.

Early on in the week fresh northerly winds had us boxed in but eased as the day went along. Improving sea conditions allowed a 'save' that day; most fishers were in the upper teens and a few were pushing a limit of cbass.

That particular day I saw something I'd never seen: Bluefish eating whole clam. Caught a 1/2 dozen that way... Really.

The next trip we came close to limiting the boat and the following day we were just 7 shy of a boat limit. There were a lot of throw-backs, probably 4 1/2 shorts to 1 keeper ~ The total caught, including throw-backs, had to have been close to 3,000 fish. Release mortality was nearly zero. Good work if you can find it.

Another average day followed with about 1/2 the boat limited and without as many shorts.

Saturdays long trip was wholly opposite. At roughly 1 throw-back per 7 or 8 keepers we were all done at 11:15. The pool was taken by a 5 1/2 pound bass and two 4 1/2 pounders split second. Nice day.

I keep meaning to revisit my 'friends don't let friends fish mono' mantra and Saturday offered a prime example. Spectra, the no stretch micro-braid, was in use around the rail save a few rods. One fellow had the heavy Carolina deep-drop amberjack jaw-buster rigs with 50 and 80 pound mono. It was really good equipment but ill suited for this fishery. He had 14 fish at 11:10...

A light graphite stick with backbone and a high-speed reel filled with 30 or 40 pound microbraid get the job done in fine style. Use lots of mono backing - reels are far slower if they are not nearly full and the braid will slip if it does not have backing.  

Anyway, all week we had maybe 15 dogfish. Then, today, anchored up on a little hang with nice bass coming around the rail; that changed. Starting in the stern, a school of spiney dogfish ruined the bite. Went from doubles of bass to doubles of dogs in a few minutes.

Just this once: it was a brutal reminder of May '05 ~ I don't miss it!

Almost limited the rail anyway; went to the 'shoot and scoot' method of dogfish evasion.

Everyday is different...

And so is every season!

While winter toggin' I'll scarcely ever see another boat save a few commercial rigs. Yesterday was the opening salvo of the summer season. In the fairway between sea buoy and the inlet there were 10 jet skis indulging in their high-speed mischief, a few mega-power boats cutting around, a para-sail boat having difficulty with landing customers, a scalloper new to the inlet that wanted info, a screaming ebb tide causing big standing waves and a guy with his wife and infant trolling for who knows what dead center of the inlet.

Nothing to do but go slow and make an easy target to miss...

Fall's coming!

'Till then we'll try to catch a few fish while the sun is in it's warmest position.

Regards,

Monty

 

Capt. Monty Hawkins
mhawkins@siteone.net
Party Boat "Morning Star"
Reservations 410 520 2076
www.morningstarfishing.com