04.09.2006 Fish Report

[Skylar]

Fish Report 4/9/06
Fish Stories & Toggin'


Hi All,
Toggin' along, almost to a wreck, when I had several mid-water marks on the machines.
Nicked a few of 'em too on Saturday. Mixed with small herring; it was the first time I'd personally bowed up on mackerel in many a year. It really wasn't what I'm looking for though. Just not enough to it.
Every fisher should experience the insanity of a hot mackerel bite and every mate should learn untangling skills in the thick of it too...
A couple favorite mackerel fishing tales:
Ol' Capt. Bill (Tuffy) Bunting was ill and Shorty, the parking lot guy at the "Angler," filled in selling tickets one fine Saturday morning. The bite was hot and word was out; folks were rolling in. Capt. Bill sold the boat out at 65(ish) which Shorty knew, but, things being hectic, he lost count and ended up with 91 people! Great Scott! A 65 foot boat with 91 fishermen, trash cans and coolers for fish, other coolers for the beer... I was working deck by myself and begged people to get off, "We're oversold!" No dice. Everyone held their ground. Still within CG regulations for passengers but beyond ridiculous for fishing - we got underway. I had everyone fish 'one man in, one man out'. As soon as a triple, quadruple or whatever came across the rail the other guy would make a drop. It worked too! Well, except in the stern; they all had to fish -right now- and didn't catch a tenth of what the rest did fishing cooperatively.
If you've wondered where the idea for my present operation came from, there's a clue!
Another day, pretty light rail - 'bout 35 head - and mackerel were hot. In one drift we loaded everything on the boat and wore everyone out. Headed home by 10:30AM; a mate's dream. Going around to announce our return, one guy was almost hysterical ~ he'd paid to go 'all day deep sea fishing' and we were not going in! Ummm... OK. Well, everyone has all the fish they could possibly want. How about we make a drift and they give you what they catch. Deal. I sold him a bunch of those plastic fish bags... When we got in the grumpy 'ol goat made a many trip down the dock with his fish and loaded his vehicle up. A Dodge Dart! A few bags in front but the trunk and backseat were jammed - I mean slam crammed in! Bottomed out on the suspension springs; he got stuck leaving the parking lot. A bunch of us had to give him a shove... No idea if he made it home or not: never saw him again!
Ah well, maybe there will be something to it yet, this year's mackerel run. I've heard from Lewes - still nicking and picking; working hard to make a catch of macks. Only takes one stop to change that though! Capt. Victor on the Ocean Princess should be fishing by the holiday too... We'll see...
I'm going toggin' right through Easter. But ~ we'll have gear ready just to try 'em - get a taste of it - should I see the macks stacked up. 1/2 hour of it - if at all. It really is a shame, but they'll come back. Maybe already have...
Tautog trips then: 7AM - 3PM(ish) everyday from the 11th until the 17th - 16 people sells out the rail - Crabs provided. If you make a reservation, leave the best phone number possible in case of a weather cancellation!
Tog fishing is not sea bass fishing! It's work, frustration, skill, luck and, most of all, patience! But, once you've caught the bug ~ Oh, it's a terrible thing; make you roll out of bed on frosty January mornings - I even have guys that cuss the summer! Can't wait for cold water again! Terrible, terrible affliction...
See you on the rail,
Monty

Capt. Monty Hawkins
mhawkins@siteone.net
Party Boat "Morning Star"
Reservations 410 520 2076
www.morningstarfishing.com

[Sam]

Those makeral heads make excellent shark bait! :up:

Good report.