10.07.2008 Fishing for What Bites

[Skylar]

Fish Report 10/7/08
Fishing For What Bites
Ruts


Hi All,
Just had 5 very nice days of fishing, though neither one resembled another.
Right behind that big NE wind in the last of September there was one OK day and one brutal.
Last Thursday's forecast of west at 10 - 15 looked to be a nice day. Till they changed it that morning to 20 - 25 NW. I know some gusts went 30. Surely just a coincidence that Hurricane Murray was on the roster.. I forewarned customers that it wouldn't be a sea bass trip; had a good time with some decent toggin' and croakers.
Friday we had an OK catch of large bass and a powerful many throwbacks, some small & medium blues, plus a few of those flat fish that I hadn't seen since tropical storm Hanna back in early September.
Thought Saturday was an excellent trip. Good sized bass, lots of throwbacks, some flounder, and a few tog - one of which was easily in the 12-13 pound range. Odd really, not everyone caught. 2 guys in the stern just didn't have 'it' that day. I'm sure one of these fellows has won more fish-pools on my boat than anyone else. When its not your turn...
Sunday we had one of the best shots of medium croaker I've ever seen. Stayed on 'em before heading off to... a LOT of throwback bass, some small & medium blues and a few good fluke.
Monday we picked a few croaks before moving to a slow but steady fluke/sea bass bite. Had flatties up to 7 1/2 pounds or so. Nice day.
Don't usually try to give a blow-by-blow account, my point is that this is fishing for what bites. It's not what we want, whether sea bass, fluke, tog or croaker, its what we find willing.
This year that will have to do!
Fall of 2010 we'll be limiting out on sea bass - provided we get lucky with their survival. We aren't getting anywhere near limits of bass now.
Booking-up occasionally, often light crowds, so light we don't even sell out the stern some days.
Going though!
Be OK soon as I figure out where to apply for my bail-out check........

Epiphany: 1) A sudden intuitive leap of understanding.
Now I know what one feels like.
That seafloor habitat is vital to the fisheries is without question.
However, I now think that there is a greater problem.
It'll be a while before I can make my case. Lot of data to sift through. Some of it I can't access. Yet.....

Caught some keeper sea-trout (weakies) this week. Used to be you'd have had a riot if you wanted to target sea bass this time of year. Folks wanted trout in the fall.
Also caught some scup. Back before my time they were THE spring fishery; probably made up more than half of the bottom-fishing catch in Ocean City through the late 60's. Though mostly tiny right now, we did tag 3 over 9 inches.
Back in August I had a fellow catch a double header of ling. A double.. Last time I regularly saw doubles of ling was in the late 80's.
Most every fish is under management. Doesn't seem like a lot of success except where there is 100% focus. I think there's an 800 pound gorilla right here somewhere, probably a couple of 'em.
To me its as if we were standing in the deep, muddy ruts of logging trucks pondering where the squirrels had gone.
Regards,
Monty

Capt. Monty Hawkins
mhawkins@siteone.net
Party Boat "Morning Star"
Reservation Line 410 520 2076
The Morning Star