Dave
11-09-2009, 10:09 AM
It's 0430, I've been up for an hour, already had two cups of coffee, packed my lunch, and staged my fishing/boating gear for this day's trip. Gunnar (I'm certain) got up several hours ago and has been on the road for at least an hour already! Ed should be here directly, to load up his gear and ride with me to the Bft ramp where we will all three head out for a day on the big pond.
When I stepped up to the trailered skiff in my yard Saturday morning, I was surprised to see it coated with a heavy frost... the outside temp was reading only 39 degrees... musta got cold over night ;D With mid November approaching, I thought "it's about time" as I smiled to my wife, who always gets up with me to help load the boat and see me off.
Very little traffic at the ramp this morning as we launched and skirted around the corner to try and net some mullet... caught a few small ones then headed for the inlet, where we cast some metal at the schools of feeding bluefish to put in the live well.
We had a short (about 1-1/4 hour) ride out on the 2 foot following seas, to the first stop at the 240 rock. With no other boats in sight, I pulled the stick back, marked some fish, and we made our first drift. Ed brought in the first fish, a 1/2 pound yellow bass, which we saved for bait. Two or three more drifts, with nothing much more to show for the effort, so we headed for the second spot about 1/2 mile away.
With a light to non-existent wind, and favoring current, we struck pay dirt on this one... a spot that has yet to let us down this year. I guess it was about 0815 when we first dropped on the honey hole and each of us hooked up with bsb, with two big enough to make the short toss into the cooler. By 0830, with the bright sun reflecting off the water, we were forced to strip off our outer wear, down to long sleeves. By 1030, I was down to my t-shirt and wishing I had brought more cold drinks instead of the thermos of hot coffee ;D
In short order, we had 10 bass in the box, all but a couple over 13", and so we decided to keep no bsb short of 13". By mid morning, it looked like we would certainly catch our limit of 15 bsb each, so as the bite continued, we tossed a few 13 inchers back to grow up... still, our ratio of keeper bass was well over half the catch with several over 15" and a few nearing 18... but, no "knotty heads" on this trip. All fish were caught on cut Spanish Mackerel, fresh bluefish strips, and from a small "pinky" that Ed hauled in from an earlier drop. Some heavy fish were hooked by all of us (I always believe these to be groupers rotflmao ) but none that we could keep from getting back to structure or coming unbuttoned.
With our limit reached, lunch time was upon us and with a full box of bass, (and a dive boat wanting to anchor up) we eased off the spot, iced down the fish, took a picture, grabbed a sandwich, and prepared for a 20 mile run to the (recently discovered) AJ spot closer to shore.
Arriving on scene, we found two boats of fly fisherman and a small boat with 2 divers, right over the artificial reef. Still having plenty of time left in the day, I hovered around the area looking for the unmistakable sounder markings to let me know that the AJ's were still in the area. Didn't take long to find them. Gunnar was busy helping tie on some live bait rigs to two of the boat rods and then took his post on the bow so he could sling one of his top water plugs to some breaking fish. Within a few casts, he hooked up and landed an albert on his 6" surface plug! That one went into the cooler for bait on a future trip *thumbsup* Lots of fish in the area. We even saw a school of spadefish again but again, we didn't have anything in the boat to bait them *001* There was a big shark in the area, that surfaced not too far from the boat... and must have been, a few minutes earlier, swimming amonst the two divers!
We watched as one of the fly fisherman fought, but was unable to land, two separate catches he made over the reef. Soon, the two fishing boats and the dive boat left the area and Ed and I settled in to drift some live bait... Gunnar still throwing top water. With a live bluefish tethered and swimming near the surface, and the load chugging/popping sound of Gregg's lure, it was only a few short minutes before the AJ's came to investigate. Massive schools of glass minnows surrounded the reef, a 100 yard long slick smoothed the waters surface, spadefish made an appearance and large bronzed fish (AJ's) ghosted under and around the boat.
The tip of the posted rod made several short jerks as the sacrificial bait was getting nervous. Looking toward the bait, just in time to see a hungry reef donkeys take in a mouthful of bluefish, Ed picked up the rod as the AJ dove and casually stripped off line as the reel clicker started to talk. Expertly thumbing the spool, Ed let the fish have it's way until just the right moment when he locked up the reel and hung on for the heavy pull and to allow the #5 Gamakatsu circle hook to bury itself into the jaw of a 30+ pound freight train. Five minutes into the fight and two trips around the boat, I heard a grunt and look toward the bow and Gregg is hooked up with another on his top water offering... IT"S SHOW TIME with a double hookup *003* Now, Ed's fighting (I think the strongest fish of his life) and Gregg's reel is smoking as he's trying to keep his submarine from reaching the wreck... I'm thinking this is going to be interesting ;D
After a couple minutes of boat maneuvering and to see that both fisherman have their fish separated by some distance, I go for the camera and try and encourage Ed (who, at this time, is beginning to feel the strain *008*) to move toward the bow of the skiff so I can get a picture of the two of them hooked up. Unfortunately, just before both of them got together, Gregg's mighty fish made it to the reef, leaving him with an empty line and another tear for his beer. In the mean time, Ed continued on for several more minutes as the AJ put him to the test, diving then reluctantly giving line, and diving yet again, until finally, after something close to 20 minutes, the fish surfaced one last time as Gregg helped bring the mighty beast over the gunwale.
That was fun, and we had a few more bluefish in the livewell. I offered to bait one up for Gregg, but he held out, determined that, if he were going to land one today, it was going to be on his surface plug and spinning gear... but in the end it didn't happen on this day... maybe next time *thumbsup*
Gregg continued to work his surface plug as I put out another bluefish. As we watched the livie swim some 30 feet off the starboard side, a large wake appeared behind the bait as Ed asked "What is that", just as a dark fin broke the water, followed by the front third of this very large shark wallowing above the surface, taking the bait into its jaws and leisurely swam away. The drag was maxed out against the 80 pound braid. We all knew from the strike, (with the 80# fluorocarbon leader) this was not likely to result in a caught fish. It was a good hook set and did give Ed a good run for a minute or two, as it uncontrollably stripped off line until it apparently got tired of that drill and shook it's head to bring the leader into its mouth and sever the line... the best possible scenario under the circumstances ;D
Now time to call it a day, we fed the remaining live baits to the AJ's, buttoned up the hatches and made the short run in to log another fine day with friends to log into the books.
Dave
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/djerhart/GreggEd-BSBAJ_20091107_003.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/djerhart/GreggEd-BSBAJ_20091107_007.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/djerhart/GreggEd-BSBAJ_20091107_010.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/djerhart/GreggEd-BSBAJ_20091107_008.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/djerhart/GreggEd-BSBAJ_20091107_016.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/djerhart/GreggEd-BSBAJ_20091107_019.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/djerhart/GreggEd-BSBAJ_20091107_021.jpg
When I stepped up to the trailered skiff in my yard Saturday morning, I was surprised to see it coated with a heavy frost... the outside temp was reading only 39 degrees... musta got cold over night ;D With mid November approaching, I thought "it's about time" as I smiled to my wife, who always gets up with me to help load the boat and see me off.
Very little traffic at the ramp this morning as we launched and skirted around the corner to try and net some mullet... caught a few small ones then headed for the inlet, where we cast some metal at the schools of feeding bluefish to put in the live well.
We had a short (about 1-1/4 hour) ride out on the 2 foot following seas, to the first stop at the 240 rock. With no other boats in sight, I pulled the stick back, marked some fish, and we made our first drift. Ed brought in the first fish, a 1/2 pound yellow bass, which we saved for bait. Two or three more drifts, with nothing much more to show for the effort, so we headed for the second spot about 1/2 mile away.
With a light to non-existent wind, and favoring current, we struck pay dirt on this one... a spot that has yet to let us down this year. I guess it was about 0815 when we first dropped on the honey hole and each of us hooked up with bsb, with two big enough to make the short toss into the cooler. By 0830, with the bright sun reflecting off the water, we were forced to strip off our outer wear, down to long sleeves. By 1030, I was down to my t-shirt and wishing I had brought more cold drinks instead of the thermos of hot coffee ;D
In short order, we had 10 bass in the box, all but a couple over 13", and so we decided to keep no bsb short of 13". By mid morning, it looked like we would certainly catch our limit of 15 bsb each, so as the bite continued, we tossed a few 13 inchers back to grow up... still, our ratio of keeper bass was well over half the catch with several over 15" and a few nearing 18... but, no "knotty heads" on this trip. All fish were caught on cut Spanish Mackerel, fresh bluefish strips, and from a small "pinky" that Ed hauled in from an earlier drop. Some heavy fish were hooked by all of us (I always believe these to be groupers rotflmao ) but none that we could keep from getting back to structure or coming unbuttoned.
With our limit reached, lunch time was upon us and with a full box of bass, (and a dive boat wanting to anchor up) we eased off the spot, iced down the fish, took a picture, grabbed a sandwich, and prepared for a 20 mile run to the (recently discovered) AJ spot closer to shore.
Arriving on scene, we found two boats of fly fisherman and a small boat with 2 divers, right over the artificial reef. Still having plenty of time left in the day, I hovered around the area looking for the unmistakable sounder markings to let me know that the AJ's were still in the area. Didn't take long to find them. Gunnar was busy helping tie on some live bait rigs to two of the boat rods and then took his post on the bow so he could sling one of his top water plugs to some breaking fish. Within a few casts, he hooked up and landed an albert on his 6" surface plug! That one went into the cooler for bait on a future trip *thumbsup* Lots of fish in the area. We even saw a school of spadefish again but again, we didn't have anything in the boat to bait them *001* There was a big shark in the area, that surfaced not too far from the boat... and must have been, a few minutes earlier, swimming amonst the two divers!
We watched as one of the fly fisherman fought, but was unable to land, two separate catches he made over the reef. Soon, the two fishing boats and the dive boat left the area and Ed and I settled in to drift some live bait... Gunnar still throwing top water. With a live bluefish tethered and swimming near the surface, and the load chugging/popping sound of Gregg's lure, it was only a few short minutes before the AJ's came to investigate. Massive schools of glass minnows surrounded the reef, a 100 yard long slick smoothed the waters surface, spadefish made an appearance and large bronzed fish (AJ's) ghosted under and around the boat.
The tip of the posted rod made several short jerks as the sacrificial bait was getting nervous. Looking toward the bait, just in time to see a hungry reef donkeys take in a mouthful of bluefish, Ed picked up the rod as the AJ dove and casually stripped off line as the reel clicker started to talk. Expertly thumbing the spool, Ed let the fish have it's way until just the right moment when he locked up the reel and hung on for the heavy pull and to allow the #5 Gamakatsu circle hook to bury itself into the jaw of a 30+ pound freight train. Five minutes into the fight and two trips around the boat, I heard a grunt and look toward the bow and Gregg is hooked up with another on his top water offering... IT"S SHOW TIME with a double hookup *003* Now, Ed's fighting (I think the strongest fish of his life) and Gregg's reel is smoking as he's trying to keep his submarine from reaching the wreck... I'm thinking this is going to be interesting ;D
After a couple minutes of boat maneuvering and to see that both fisherman have their fish separated by some distance, I go for the camera and try and encourage Ed (who, at this time, is beginning to feel the strain *008*) to move toward the bow of the skiff so I can get a picture of the two of them hooked up. Unfortunately, just before both of them got together, Gregg's mighty fish made it to the reef, leaving him with an empty line and another tear for his beer. In the mean time, Ed continued on for several more minutes as the AJ put him to the test, diving then reluctantly giving line, and diving yet again, until finally, after something close to 20 minutes, the fish surfaced one last time as Gregg helped bring the mighty beast over the gunwale.
That was fun, and we had a few more bluefish in the livewell. I offered to bait one up for Gregg, but he held out, determined that, if he were going to land one today, it was going to be on his surface plug and spinning gear... but in the end it didn't happen on this day... maybe next time *thumbsup*
Gregg continued to work his surface plug as I put out another bluefish. As we watched the livie swim some 30 feet off the starboard side, a large wake appeared behind the bait as Ed asked "What is that", just as a dark fin broke the water, followed by the front third of this very large shark wallowing above the surface, taking the bait into its jaws and leisurely swam away. The drag was maxed out against the 80 pound braid. We all knew from the strike, (with the 80# fluorocarbon leader) this was not likely to result in a caught fish. It was a good hook set and did give Ed a good run for a minute or two, as it uncontrollably stripped off line until it apparently got tired of that drill and shook it's head to bring the leader into its mouth and sever the line... the best possible scenario under the circumstances ;D
Now time to call it a day, we fed the remaining live baits to the AJ's, buttoned up the hatches and made the short run in to log another fine day with friends to log into the books.
Dave
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/djerhart/GreggEd-BSBAJ_20091107_003.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/djerhart/GreggEd-BSBAJ_20091107_007.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/djerhart/GreggEd-BSBAJ_20091107_010.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/djerhart/GreggEd-BSBAJ_20091107_008.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/djerhart/GreggEd-BSBAJ_20091107_016.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/djerhart/GreggEd-BSBAJ_20091107_019.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/djerhart/GreggEd-BSBAJ_20091107_021.jpg