Posted on January 18th, 2019
It has been a reely pleasant January day in and around Ocean City today. I spent the morning getting the new Fish in OC magazine out on the street….you can pick it up at Atlantic Tackle, Crabs to Go, Walmart and WaWa all in West Ocean City or at the WaWa north on 120th street. I hope you enjoy it!
Captain Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star wasn’t even sure he was going to go today and if he did it would be with a light rail. Well Captain Monty did get out today and he is certainly glad he did!!
Hi Scott,
Far and away the best toggin I’ve had in years..
Opened the day to reservations last week then cancelled on a forecast change. Forecast turned back! Made a super-short trip announcement, not even 24 hours notice, and sold a handful of spots.
So glad I did. Far and away the most fish over 10 pounds I’ve had in years. At least half of those jumbos, maybe more, went back — 22 tog over 10 lbs swam away sporting a yellow ALS tag.
The fish pool changed hands numerous times. A 26.5 incher took the early lead, upped to 27, 28, 28 3/8s.. Then just before the bell, Shannon Pickens of St. Michaels MD landed a 29 inch 18 pound dandy that we tried to tag, however the fish was too far gone to swim back down & was boated.
Derek Sigvarson of Middletown, DE wasn’t having it. He’d been in and out of the lead several times; his last-minute 30 incher took top honors and may put him in a very exclusive club – the twenty pound tog club..
Derek’s fish made the 20 pound mark on our boat scale at sea, but it’s very difficult to get a clean reading with even the least swell. We tried to release it also but to no avail.
Jo Jo of Brooklyn, NY, a fellow who’s put in decades of togging, broke his personal best 6 times.. Everyone on board set new personal bests – even me, and I only made two drops all day.
I’ve seen a few days this good, but not many. If Derek’s Fish is 20 pounds that’ll be my boat’s 8th.
Rounding up the rest of the anglers were Mike Harrison of Clayton, De – Gregory Stewart & Tommy Sengphachanh of New Castle, DE – Chris Powell of Hurlock, MD – & Mike Miller of Elkton, MD.
Cheers
Monty
