Fish Report 2/7/14
Short Report!!
Another Tautog Trip
Wind Conference
Tog Trip - Sunday, February 9th – 6:30AM to 4PM - $125.00 - 14 Anglers Sells Out.. Looks To Be An Extraordinary Calm. Expect A Very Long Run..
The fishing hasn't been all that, but its the best I can offer..
If you're looking for a lot of action – look elsewhere.
This heart of winter toggin & can be very tough. Skunks always possible.
Reservations For Tautog Trips at 410 - 520 - 2076 — They Answer 24/7.
LEAVE YOUR BEST POSSIBLE CONTACT NUMBER - Weather Cancelations Are Common - I Make Every Attempt To Let Clients Sleep In If The Weather's Not Going Our Way..
We provide green crabs. You're welcome to bring any kind of crab you like – even lobster, even plastic.
If You Book — BE SURE TO LEAVE A GOOD CONTACT NUMBER & DON'T TURN YOUR PHONE OFF!
No Live Fish Leave The Boat - Dead & Bled - Period. (I Believe The Live-Fish Black Market Has Hurt The Tog Fishery, But Not As Much As Bad Sea Bass Regulations)
Agreed With Or Not, All Regulations Observed – Maryland: 4 Tog @ 16 Inches – Sea Bass Are Closed.
Bring A (not terribly big) Fish Cooler With ICE (or fresh snow) For Your Party.. A 48 QT Cooler Is Good For 2 Guys. Even Now You Should ICE Fresh Fish..
Be A Half Hour Early - We Like To Leave Early.
Clients Arriving Late Will See The West End Of An East Bound Boat..
If You Won't Measure & Count Your Fish The State Will Provide A Man With A Gun To Do It For You. We Measure & Count — ALWAYS — No Exceptions!
8,412 "Oyster Castle" reef blocks by the rail – 2,452 at Jimmy's Reef – 1,588 at Ake's – 312 at Lindsey Power's Isle of Wight Reef..
See the Reef Foundation's Website ocreefs.org if you'd care to help fund our reef building. Or snailmail a check – any check!
Ocean City Reef Foundation
P.O. Box 1072Ocean City, MD 21843
My @mediacombb email address is a memory. Please use mhawkins@siteone.net for correspondence. Yes, its a very old address and fills w/spam occasionally..
Greetings All,
Had a science trip go south on me mid-week – snow. Ended up with 4 anglers and no scientists.
Lucky them.
Steady bite. Passenger limit.
I was personally able to tag & release 3 dandies to 14 pounds.
On today's shorter trip (Fri 2/7) there were no limits. However, we did have a couple fish over 10 pounds & a dandy of 17lbs 3oz.
I released a 11 or 12 pound female that seemed to swim away strong
..then she popped back up.
Rats.
I'd have rather had the release than dinner..
Made for a day.
If you're looking for a lot of action – look elsewhere.
This is heart of winter toggin & can be very tough. Skunks always possible.
Went up to the MAFMC's Wind Power conference Wed/Thurs.
They had invited 3 commercial fishermen from the UK who were deeply involved with the windmills there. We also heard from BOEM – Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
They're coming, wind power's on its way. Been working with MD's Coastal Management Program for 4 or 5 years seems like.. http://www.boem.gov/uploadedFiles/BOEM/Renewable_Energy_Program/State_Activities/MD%20Energy%20Administration%20Presentation.pdf
These things are already pushing 500 feet – They'll be bigger time they get here.
Towers are getting bigger, different designs are in consideration. Turbines are getting bigger too, with an accompanying increase in blade length.
Ones we were shown were massive.
Guys from the UK had a lot of info to offer.
Tales of rock being covered-over by sediment scour-plumes even miles away, but an escalating whelk fishery (what we call conch) tight to the windmills in a sort of de facto trawl-protected area.
Its going to be a big deal. A big pain in the neck too. Construction will disrupt fishing for years & years.
Said on the screen they were looking for ways to "minimize adverse impacts to fishing."
Looked to me like we ought to instead be looking for ways our new marine partner can help make fishing better than it's ever been.
That's where we need to look.
Big Industry & Big .guv..
Little fishing businesses.
I anticipate getting our new partner's attention won't be simple.
Will try.
Lots of irons in the fire. Too many really.
Most important for the moment is turning sea bass management back in the right direction.
No one at all believes NY Private boats caught more sea bass in two summer months that the entire East Coast's party/charter fleet caught all year.
But they're going to use that estimate & others to further restrict our season.
Plenty of work..
Going fishing when weather allows.
Regards,
Monty
Capt. Monty Hawkins
