Fish Report 6/30/20
Sea Bass Fishing Remained Excellent Longer Into June Than I've Seen Since 2003. Now it's just "Good."
Morning Star sea turtle save off Maryland coast 6/29/20 ..
MIT Ryleigh Jo Hill - Video and Edits.
Mate Vic Hoffman - Gaff
Capt. Jeff Nottingham - Blademan..
In my forty years fishing sea bass off Maryland I've seen two sea turtles tangled near the surface in trap buoys (both leatherbacks.) For my first, over a decade ago, we were too late. Whether minutes, hours or a day late, that leatherback was lost—drowned.
Today while drift fishing I was watching a flag—making sure not to tangle clients' lines with it—when it suddenly laid down.
Well?
Promise - That isn't what flags do. They're weighted to stand upright for visibility. There'd be no reason for it to lay down unless the weight had come untied ..or something had lifted it. Just then a leatherback sea turtle, our largest turtle species, came up for a breath—was clearly fouled in rope, and it had just happened.
I carry a 13 foot safety blade, a special production "whale rescue knife" made by Spiderco. Last summer MD DNRP borrowed it (ran 4 miles further to where were fishing) & successfully freed a humpback whale.
Today that knife freed a leatherback sea turtle.
Think I'll keep it handy.
Coral is good for all sea creatures. Support reef building! Ocreefs.org
Cheers,
Sea Bass Fishing Remained Excellent Longer Into June Than I've Seen Since 2003. Now it's just "Good."
COVID conditions continue..
Opening to August 2 - All Trips for Sea Bass Are Now Sold Out at 18 Clients. Still not 25, but beats heck out of 8 & 10!
See Below For Trip Schedule.
Allowing 18 effective immediately — I'm now opening through August 2nd with the same "No Refund/Reschedule Only" policy as May & June. With Covid restrictions in place, my minimized cash flow cannot handle a string of refund days. It's virtually all regulars who are buying these trips anyway. If I cancel - Y'all know I'm good for a trip another day.
If you have a reschedule on the book you're welcome to book any spot that's open on any day.
IF YOU BOOK LEAVE YOUR BEST POSSIBLE CONTACT NUMBER & LISTEN TO YOUR MESSAGES -
Weather Cancellations Happen - I Make Every Attempt To Let Clients Sleep In If The Weather's Not Going Our Way..
Weather Cancellations Happen - I Make Every Attempt To Let Clients Sleep In If The Weather's Not Going Our Way..
COVID Regs Trips Are NonRefundable! Reschedule in event of bad weather? Of Course! But no refunds.. If you can't abide a reschedule - don't book!
Clients arriving late will see the west end of an east-bound boat.
With a limited number of reserved spots, I do not refund because you
overslept or had a flat. No Refund or Reschedule for a missed trip!
Trips Also Announced on Facebook at Morning Star Fishing
https://www.facebook.com/ocfishing/ & my personal FB page along with after action (or lack thereof) reports..
Bait is provided on all trips.
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!
It's Simple To Prevent Motion Sickness, Difficult To Cure. Bonine
seems best because it's non-drowsy. Truly cheap & effective insurance.
Honestly - If you get to go on the ocean once month, once a year, or
even less; why risk chumming all day? Similarly, if you howl at the
moon all night, chances are good you'll howl into a bucket all day.
Bring A Cooler With Ice For Your Fish – A 48 Quart Cooler Is Fine For
Two People. Do Not Bring A Very Large Cooler. We DO have a few
loaners - you'll still need ice.
No Galley! Bring Food & Beverages To Suit. A few beers in cans is fine for the ride home.
Opening to July 12th for NonRefundable sea bass trips. Size limit 12.5 inches - 15 sea bass per person.
Reservation Line 410-520-2076(emailing me does no good. The service will have real time info. Worse is FB messenger. I only check it once a week or so. Reservation info? Call em.)
If in the passenger salon - Mask Required. If you refuse a mask, BYO life jacket! (but seriously, not only do I not want anyone taking ill -- if one Partyboat anywhere sparks an outbreak we'll ALL get shut down again. With many states at new highs, it's anyone's guess.. Regardless DelMarVa's decline in corona, we must remain carefull!)
Sailing Daily (as weather allows!) - NonRefundable Saturdays 6:30 to 3:30 at $155.00 — NonRefundable Weekdays & Sundays 7 to 3 at $135 - Boat sells out way with clients spaced out somewhat more than usual until the "All Clear" is given. (4 across the stern with 7 clients going up the rails port/stb on a 55' boat..)
Be a half hour early! We always leave early!
..except when someone shows up right on time.Clients arriving late will see the west end of an east-bound boat.
With a limited number of reserved spots, I do not refund because you
overslept or had a flat. No Refund or Reschedule for a missed trip!
Trips Also Announced on Facebook at Morning Star Fishing
https://www.facebook.com/ocfishing/ & my personal FB page along with after action (or lack thereof) reports..
Bait is provided on all trips.
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!
It's Simple To Prevent Motion Sickness, Difficult To Cure. Bonine
seems best because it's non-drowsy. Truly cheap & effective insurance.
Honestly - If you get to go on the ocean once month, once a year, or
even less; why risk chumming all day? Similarly, if you howl at the
moon all night, chances are good you'll howl into a bucket all day.
Bring A Cooler With Ice For Your Fish – A 48 Quart Cooler Is Fine For
Two People. Do Not Bring A Very Large Cooler. We DO have a few
loaners - you'll still need ice.
No Galley! Bring Food & Beverages To Suit. A few beers in cans is fine for the ride home.
Wishbone doesn't replace backbone.. Have to keep a shoulder into reef building to make it happen.
Donations help too! Ocreefs.org
Sponsor the Ocean City Reef Foundation!
http://www.ocreefs.org
We're Nowhere Near Reef Building's True Potential.
http://www.ocreefs.org
We're Nowhere Near Reef Building's True Potential.
29,899 Reef Blocks + 153 Concrete Pyramids (170lb ea) have been deployed at numerous sites as of 6/27/20..
Here are sites currently being targeted: Capt. Jack Kaeufer's Reef 1,345 Blocks (+43 Reef Units) - Doug Ake's Reef 4,024 blocks (+16 Pyramid Reef Units) - St. Ann's 2,411 (+6 Reef Units) - Sue's Block Drop 1,490 (+20 Reef Units) - TwoTanks Reef 1,109 (+ 10 Reef Units) - Capt. Bob's Inshore Block Drop 900 - Benelli Reef 1,283 (+ 13 Pyramid Units) - Rudy's Reef 209 - Capt. Bob's Bass Grounds Reef
2,650 (+47 reef units) - Wolf & Daughters Reef 713 - Al Berger's Reef 403 (+2 Reef Unit) - Great Eastern Block Drop 513 (+6 Reef Units)..
**********
Here are sites currently being targeted: Capt. Jack Kaeufer's Reef 1,345 Blocks (+43 Reef Units) - Doug Ake's Reef 4,024 blocks (+16 Pyramid Reef Units) - St. Ann's 2,411 (+6 Reef Units) - Sue's Block Drop 1,490 (+20 Reef Units) - TwoTanks Reef 1,109 (+ 10 Reef Units) - Capt. Bob's Inshore Block Drop 900 - Benelli Reef 1,283 (+ 13 Pyramid Units) - Rudy's Reef 209 - Capt. Bob's Bass Grounds Reef
2,650 (+47 reef units) - Wolf & Daughters Reef 713 - Al Berger's Reef 403 (+2 Reef Unit) - Great Eastern Block Drop 513 (+6 Reef Units)..
**********
MIT Ryleigh Jo Hill - Video and Edits.
Mate Vic Hoffman - Gaff
Capt. Jeff Nottingham - Blademan..
In my forty years fishing sea bass off Maryland I've seen two sea turtles tangled near the surface in trap buoys (both leatherbacks.) For my first, over a decade ago, we were too late. Whether minutes, hours or a day late, that leatherback was lost—drowned.
Today while drift fishing I was watching a flag—making sure not to tangle clients' lines with it—when it suddenly laid down.
Well?
Promise - That isn't what flags do. They're weighted to stand upright for visibility. There'd be no reason for it to lay down unless the weight had come untied ..or something had lifted it. Just then a leatherback sea turtle, our largest turtle species, came up for a breath—was clearly fouled in rope, and it had just happened.
I carry a 13 foot safety blade, a special production "whale rescue knife" made by Spiderco. Last summer MD DNRP borrowed it (ran 4 miles further to where were fishing) & successfully freed a humpback whale.
Today that knife freed a leatherback sea turtle.
Think I'll keep it handy.
Coral is good for all sea creatures. Support reef building! Ocreefs.org
Cheers,
Capt Monty Hawkins
Mhawkins@morningstarfishing.com
