A few dandies amid the pain..
Luvs you some misery? C'mon Then, We're Going Toggin!
Reef Report 1/10/21 below...
Greetings All,
I keep telling folks this is a brutal fishery. Had long time client George catch a personal best at 18lb7oz a couple days back; Chesapeake legend, Scott, boated two lifetime best jumbos as well. Yet, despite incredible talent along my rail, very few others were kept & at least three long experienced clients goose egged.
This fishery is tough getting tougher. Skunks are going to happen on a daily basis.
But here we go.. The tug is the drug.
Released Tog Count In Our Pool. We go by LENGTH.
No Live Tog Leave The Boat.
I've always run Tog Trips light so anglers could move to the bite - or try too! Now with covid... Oyyyy! Even fewer.
For those in need of the blow-by-blow catch reports, I post after every trip to facebook.
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..
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: green crabs for tog. (Whites Are USUALLY available from crew for a reasonable cost...)
No Live Tog Leave The Boat - Dead & Bled - Period. (I Believe The Live Tog Black Market Has Hurt This Fishery ..But Nowhere Near As Much As Bad Sea Bass Regulation) As recently as 12/20 a fellow was busted with 40-some live tog in OC..
Agreed With Or Not, All Regulations Observed – Maryland: 4 Tog @ 16 Inches. I will likely cut that in a boat regulation soon. I have always encouraged releasing females and any keeper, really, that's in good shape. Those who respect the fishery know what they need to do.
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
A Few 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.
Except in high-summer, waterproof boots are almost a necessity unless fishing the bow - sneakers will ruin your day when the water is cold! While some rarely, or never, wear gloves for fishing, you'd not likely see me fishing this time of year w/o at least the half-finger wool gloves. Tuck a "hot hands" warmer in the palm and life is good..
Layers are best because, believe it or not, sometimes it can be very
pleasant offshore--especially when the wind lays down. In winter it's
warmer offshore owing to warmer waters. In summer it's cooler..
Reservations Required at 443-235-5577
Tog (Blackfish) Trips Only - Allowed zero sea bass. They're closed now.
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..
Tog (Blackfish) Trips Only - Allowed zero sea bass. They're closed now.
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..
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..
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: green crabs for tog. (Whites Are USUALLY available from crew for a reasonable cost...)
Our Tog Pool Is By Length: A Tog That's Been Released Counts The Same As One In The Boat.
No Live Tog Leave The Boat - Dead & Bled - Period. (I Believe The Live Tog Black Market Has Hurt This Fishery ..But Nowhere Near As Much As Bad Sea Bass Regulation) As recently as 12/20 a fellow was busted with 40-some live tog in OC..
Agreed With Or Not, All Regulations Observed – Maryland: 4 Tog @ 16 Inches. I will likely cut that in a boat regulation soon. I have always encouraged releasing females and any keeper, really, that's in good shape. Those who respect the fishery know what they need to do.
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
A Few 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.
Except in high-summer, waterproof boots are almost a necessity unless fishing the bow - sneakers will ruin your day when the water is cold! While some rarely, or never, wear gloves for fishing, you'd not likely see me fishing this time of year w/o at least the half-finger wool gloves. Tuck a "hot hands" warmer in the palm and life is good..
Layers are best because, believe it or not, sometimes it can be very
pleasant offshore--especially when the wind lays down. In winter it's
warmer offshore owing to warmer waters. In summer it's cooler..
Covid is spiking like crazy. We cannot fish with perfect safety but I am cutting back to 12 anglers. Masks MUST be worn in the salon but not at the rail.
Expect Long Runs!
Tog Fishing Tuesday 1/12/21 - Wednesday 1/13/21 - Thursday 1/14/21 from 6am to 4pm - $175.00..
Tog Fishing Friday 1/15/21 from 7:30 to 3:30 - $120
For Covid All Trips Sell Out at Twelve Anglers.
Cheers
Monty
********
Reef Report 1/10/21
Greetings Reef Sponsors!
High winds sent clients and I back ashore this morning. Tautog trip cancelled, forecasts held hope of a calmer afternoon - perfect for reef building. We scrambled to line up a tow and assemble a mooring: PJ Aldridge's Memorial Reef sank to the bottom in perfect position.
Once an abandoned cement sailboat that was used as a dumpster, soon it will be overgrown with mussels; which, in their slow succession, will give way to hard star coral & sea whip, a soft coral. Volunteers put in well over 120 man hours cleaning & ridding the hull of wood, then ballasting it with about 8 tons of cement block (most of which was donated by York Building Products!)..
Departing at 2pm, we deployed a double anchor mooring as Tow Boat US Ocean City brought her in and made it fast. The concrete block-laden sailboat sank atop an older section of reef built in the early 2000s. If storms don't move it too much before it sands in tight, (& it is still double anchored,) the new reef will be an incredible multi-story lair for sea bass, triggerfish, sheepshead, lobster, summer flounder, and especially tautog.
The Ocean City Reef Foundation is 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to growing corals off Maryland's coast.
Please visit ocreefs.org if you'd care to help with our work.
In our immediate lineup is a 200' barge located at the McLean Yard in Baltimore. With all we have planned for that big boy, I'm supremely confident this will be one of our most productive reefs ever.
Once an abandoned cement sailboat that was used as a dumpster, soon it will be overgrown with mussels; which, in their slow succession, will give way to hard star coral & sea whip, a soft coral. Volunteers put in well over 120 man hours cleaning & ridding the hull of wood, then ballasting it with about 8 tons of cement block (most of which was donated by York Building Products!)..
Departing at 2pm, we deployed a double anchor mooring as Tow Boat US Ocean City brought her in and made it fast. The concrete block-laden sailboat sank atop an older section of reef built in the early 2000s. If storms don't move it too much before it sands in tight, (& it is still double anchored,) the new reef will be an incredible multi-story lair for sea bass, triggerfish, sheepshead, lobster, summer flounder, and especially tautog.
The Ocean City Reef Foundation is 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to growing corals off Maryland's coast.
Please visit ocreefs.org if you'd care to help with our work.
In our immediate lineup is a 200' barge located at the McLean Yard in Baltimore. With all we have planned for that big boy, I'm supremely confident this will be one of our most productive reefs ever.
Before that's on the bottom, however, we'll have sunk another bulkheader's barge donated by Doug Whittington. Same drill -cut holes, load a bunch of concrete, maybe a load of short pipe & lots of our pyramids..
I also had word from Randy Orr, Benelli USA's top gunsmith, that they are donating their top of the line 828U, a beautiful o/u, for our 2021 Benelli Reef Raffle.
No tax money here, no MD State Reef Program. All OCRF work is by donation. Visit ocreefs.org & donate if you'd like to see Maryland's coastal fishing improve..
Cheers All!
Monty
I also had word from Randy Orr, Benelli USA's top gunsmith, that they are donating their top of the line 828U, a beautiful o/u, for our 2021 Benelli Reef Raffle.
No tax money here, no MD State Reef Program. All OCRF work is by donation. Visit ocreefs.org & donate if you'd like to see Maryland's coastal fishing improve..
Cheers All!
Monty
Capt. Monty Hawkins
Mhawkins@morningstarfishing.com
