Posted on August 27th, 2022
Check out our tour of Atlantic Tackle in West Ocean City!
Wow…what a finish!! I just got back from the 5th and final day of scales action for the 2022 MidAtlantic Tournament and it was an absolute doozie of a day! I get to see everything live before it goes to the broadcast and I have to tell you it was super impressive. We saw a new leader in the white marlin category, we saw a big 657 pound blue marlin take over the blue marlin category as the last fish weighed for the tournament and my buddy, and God’s Gift to Fishing, Captain Tucker Colquhoun and crew dropped a new tournament record wahoo on the dock. It was an awesome finish to another awesome event. Congratulations to Rick Weber, Aaron Hoffman and all of the folks from the MidAtlantic Tournament for a terrific event. Here’s who won in the fish categories. Many thanks to The MidAtlantic, Sunset Marina, Jeff Merrill and our Hooked on OC crew for the photos!!
White Marlin
1st Place Kaarmaa 75 Lbs $871,404
2nd Place Catch 23 73 Lbs $693,615
3rd Place Random Chaos 66 Lbs $192,165
Blue Marlin
1st Place Low Profile 657 Lbs $576,209
2nd Place Lucky 7 619 Lbs $168,625
3rd Place Kilo Charlie 607 Lbs $580,119
Tuna
1st Place Lucky Duck 210 Lbs $290,050
2nd Place The Right Place 193 Lbs
3rd Place The Right Place 152 Lbs $793,014
Dolphin
1st Place Valentine 43 Lbs $78,231
2nd Place Lovin’ Life 39 Lbs $34,874
3rd Place Sea Wolf 33 Lbs $24,722
Wahoo
1st Place Special Situation 104 Lbs *New Tournament Record $65,729
2nd Place Craftmanship 72 Lbs $57,538
3rd Place Oil Slick 46 Lbs $26,038
Away from the tournament Captain Joe Drosey of Rhonda’s Osprey put his group on a great day of trolling with a blue marlin and two white marlin releases.
Captain Marc Spagnola of Dusk to Dawn Bowfishing had two great trips in a row with rays during the day and snakehead and gar at night.
These folks all caught keepers while fishing on the Tortuga out of Bahia Marina.
Captain Chris Mizurak of the Angler reported a slow pick today, but some sea bass and flounder still found their way on deck.
Captain Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star had a nice day today with sea bass, some mahi and a lonely flounder.
Looked as though it would be a facebook sunrise, the kind the makes all who witness take note of morning’s artwork.
Almost – but not quite. Sun couldn’t get beneath the canopy to light the understory. I’d rate it an eight. Was a fine way to illuminate the inlet on our way out, for sure.
Took the long steam to Rambler Reef, a new block-drop project at an offshore reef we’ve begun work on. Along the way we caught a false albacore for bait, then discovered a square marker that had broken off. There was lots of growth on the short piece of line beneath it ..and a triple tail, a fish commonly caught in the Gulf of Mexico.
I’d only seen a few. Never caught one. Now we’ll get to taste one — mate Brian reached down with our long gaff and popped him up into the boat.. He claims their gill plates are razor sharp – can’t say as I’d doubt him.
Joyce from Felton and OC local, Lisa, dropped our mega-block trash can holder (just a few left.) That was followed by a sweet terracotta unit that locals David & Susan brought from their home improvement project.
Terracotta is incredible. Life takes hold swiftly. Someone needs to check oyster spat on it. Likely already have. I just need to find the work.
It’s lighter than cement though still plenty heavy. It comes in a variety of shapes, some more than a strong man can pick up alone; and shapes easily lashed together too. I’m telling any who will read – terracotta pieces and small private boats—even canoes!—could swiftly restore oysters in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays.
In the Facebook post I’ll include a terracotta pipe bundle pic of a unit about ten weeks on the bottom.
Our pieces deployed – we pressed on.
Began by fishing for mahi. One spot then another then another – no joy.
At All.
Went to bottom dropping for sea bass & maybe a fluke – nicked a few bass but only one throwback flounder.
Moved.
Moved again.
Tried some more mahi drops.
Oyyyyy…
Then?
Pandemonium.
Mahi. (Really nice mahi considering this is Junior Varsity nearshore mahi fishing.) And not just on one side of the boat – had em biting around the rail.
Nice.
Even I had to work deck. My anglers did well bobbing and weaving to stay clear of each other. I was swinging our tuna net. (I insist on netting nice tuna and mahi. A net will never destroy a loin. Offshore species are much easier than large summer flounder to net. Fluke can come full speed astern in a heartbeat whereas tuna keep coming ahead. Mahi can be plenty acrobatic too, but they can’t go straight back!) Brian & Vic swiftly culled through tangles and re-rigs while netting plenty of others and capturing those fresh-caught colors on their phones.
Was a busy time. The majority of our hookups were landed.
And then, after just two shots at the school?
It Was Over.
Almost always is.
Done.
Back to the grind..
Found mad big schools of sea bass not the least interested in our numerous types of offerings.
Was the worst sea bassing I’ve had in forever. Best mahi bite yet.. Yesterday was super tough on mahi and sort or tough on sea bass but the flounder bit! Day before? Sea bass owned the show..
So Alright.. Back to mahi fishing!
And No.
And then?
Perseverance often has its reward.
Yeah, not always.
I returned to the scene of the crime hoping enough time had elapsed that they might have forgotten our carnage. At our very best mahi spot – could still see em.
Caught 3.
Next drift?
Goose egg.
They learn.
Sometimes they’re just fussy too.
Thank goodness they have short memories or I’d never put a catch together.
A huge move to shallower water didn’t help the sea bass bite. Great big schools of fish – dern few nibbles.
Caught just five or six more keepers. Pete from Taneytown was happy with that last spot though. Caught the right one. Seeing the sea bass pool change hands at the last stop is par for our fishery.
That’s why you have to Keep Fishing!
Cheers
