LONG unproductive day offshore on wednesday.... crew I was with were on a Marlin or bust trip... well it was a bust. Super slow on the troll (one mahi to show) enough Short period chop to make me sore the next day... dropped some squid on an inshore mark on the way in, and got some triggerfish for dinner. 5am to 9pm day....
I've often heard that bottomfishing has saved many a dull fishing trip. I might be bringing some mackerel this saturday on what possibly be my one and only inshore trip for '24.
Yes it has... and I always have to remind my buddy who's focus is on the troll 90% of the time (midsummer it's basically just bottom fishing offshore for us.... or livebait trolling for kingfish nearshore)
Strange day on the water. Calm seas and perfect weather made for great conditions. The 100 boats out there raining clams made the fishing really tough and on top of that, we had to come back to port early because some asswipe clogged the toilet pump and it started to back up into the septic tank/engine room. Upside: 9 Ling, 1 Seabass and a $45 discount on my next trip out. We did better than most. Will hold on to that discount until the fall run.
Saw a couple of guys get lucky this evening right outside Shinnecock Inlet. They were heading in and pretty much ran through a cloud of gulls that had just shown up over a mess of fish. The surface looked like chum slick so whatever was there was getting torn up pretty well by whatever was chasing them. Couldn't tell if anybody caught anything, it was over in about ten minutes.
Fished Thursday at Shark River Reef. Got a little beat up. Buoyweather said 3’ at 7 seconds more like 3 to 4 at 4 seconds. One keep on sea bass. Bergals stealing bait. in a tuna tournament next week. Got out to the AP yesterday. Saw draggers but no love from Charlie. Didn't see much life until we were on way home between Little Italy and the Glory Hole. Whales launching out of the water slapping the sea with their flippers. Stopped to jig still nothing. Heard they were further out 30 lb class. All kinds of bait out there squid sand eels bunker
Fishing has been off lately. We had flat seas yesterday but if it wasn't for the Ling bite, it would have been a total loss. At least 20-50 boats fishing the same area. The Sea Bass couldn't have been hungry as it must have been raining clams. 6/13 is my next Tile trip. Hopefully it will produce..
Hell, so much clam was in the water that the Conger Eels (which are untouchable of course) started coming over the rail. Big ones. I was waiting for the dogfish to make an appearance but the Eels ruled.
I know eels are a delicacy in Japan, but the idea of eating a 100 year old rope of muscle seems... funky.
The black/grey ones we catch are pretty good eating. Mostly flakey white meat. Congers are protected although I have no idea why.
