Posted on July 10th, 2021
Day two of the 34th Annual Ocean City Tuna Tournament is in the books and it was a busy one because there was no day one. What was left of Tropical Storm Elsa had things roughed up out there yesterday so zero boats fished. That left two fishing days for all 106 boats to fish both Saturday and Sunday. It was a busy day at the scales and there were some very nice fish weighed….none bigger than the first fish to hit the dock! Here’s who’s leading what after one day of fishing. Thanks to Jake W. and the Ocean City Fishing Center for the pics!
Junior Angler
3rd Place Following Sons. 39 Lbs
2nd Place. Hammer Down. 41 Lbs
1st Place. Boss Hogg. 59 Lbs
Lady Angler
1st Place. Myra HT. 42 Lbs
Heaviest Stringer
3rd Place. MARLI. 275 Lbs
2nd Place. Reel Fun. 292 Lbs
1st Place
Single Heaviest Fish
3rd Place MARLI. 104 Lbs
2nd Place Reel Fun. 139 Lbs
1st Place. Hydrosphere. 233 Lbs
Away from the tournament Captain Chase Eberle of Chasin’ Tides Charters was chasing tunas today and he caught them and some tilefish as well.
Captain Kane Bounds had to work a little harder after the stiff southwest wind, but he still put his guys on some awesome flounder fishing with some nice triggerfish and sea bass in the mix.
Anglers on the Angler with Captain Chris Mizurak had a great day with loads of nice flounder and sea bass coming over the rail.
The Judith M out of Bahia Marina had a great 1/2 day trip this morning with loads of nice fish including sea bass, flounder and triggerfish.
Captain Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star had some great fishing today in the calm seas.
A well behaved tropical system; Elsa made her fuss and racket then got the heck on up the beach.
Her hasty departure made for some pretty water off there today. Tiny bit of swell, some temperature drop; otherwise as fair a day as you might ask.
Young Owen and his Mom, Julie made their first tag-team venture seaward. They did a fine job launching 20 reef blocks by the rail &, later, catching two at a time. Owen landed a double on the spoon that would make most of my jigging clients jealous.
First limit went the the fellow fishing between Jigmaster Tom & Ray. Let’s see here.. Ted! Yes, Ted had the first limit.
Again.
And again..
And Again!
Ted’s boxed out first almost every trip this year.
His driving partner, Ray, has to relive the victory over and over on the way home!
James Hardy from Frederick had the big one though. A huge female; there have to be males at that reef even larger or she’d be transitioning to male.
Yes, I’m serious.
Sea bass change from female to male when a reef’s spawning population demands.
I have a paper in my head that’s going to get written soon.
I predicted the population surge we’re enjoying now in 2015/16/& 17.
Now spawning production is on the wane. Yes, we’ll enjoy as recent production grows through size limit where fishing pressure allows. But when there are few smalls backfilling our removals? I’ve been there twice before.
No fun.
I now predict the long cycle of sea bass production will strike rock bottom as wind power is getting built.
Easy ideas are fishermen’s strong suite. When sea bass are scarce and huge construction ships common? I can guarantee where the blame for sea bass’ absence will fall.
The truth will be so much more complex. It dates to 2002….
Be a hard one to write. Needs done though. I’m forever hopeful management will grasp spawning production’s very simple truth: We control spawning stock biomass by size limit.
Oyyyyy… It would be easier to convince NOAA our corals are important fish habitat.
Been working on that since 2000 or so.
Any day now!
Cheers!
Monty
Randy Swain, Randy Swain Jr., Loudon Swain, Rick kramer and Roland Hubbard had a great day of flounder fishing some offshore structure today.
Rich Daiker put his dad on this nice 34″ keeper rockfish at the route 50 bridge today on a live spot.
Captain Marc Spagnola of Dusk to Dawn Bowfishing found the clean water today and his shooters found their mark with cow nosed and southern rays.
Shawn Flaherty was fishing with Big Bird Cropper when he landed this 30” keeper rockfish.
