Posted on April 29th, 2017
We had the warmest day of the year so far in Ocean City with temperatures climbing into the 80s. There was a pretty stiff breeze this morning, but that laid down after lunch and it was sunny and warm so there were lots of boats out on the water and lots of anglers bending their rods.
The first mako shark of the season was caught yesterday by the crew of the Nontypical with my friend Captain Terry Layton. Captain Terry found a crazy 16 degree break from 52 to 68 degrees northeast of the Rockpile and put angler Andy Smelter on a 147 pound mako which is the first of the year out of Ocean City. Captain Terry, mate David Peterson and Andy also released some blue sharks and lost another mako estimated at 250 pounds right at the boat. All of the shark action took place in foggy conditions in 55 fathoms. Congratulations to Captain Terry and the crew of Nontypical!
Photo courtesy of Captain Terry Layton
Captain Monty Hawkins on the party boat Morning Star had some luck with the elusive tautog today. Below Zig would have had his limit, but chose to release his females. Calvin, also pictured, had dinner to take home too.
The Fish in OC inshore charter fleet was out in force today with several of our inshore charter partners out on the bay. Captain John Prather of Ocean City Guide Service had a great day on the bay with one keeper flounder from the Thorofare and several large bluefish from the south bay.
Captain Jeff Coats of Pitboss Fishing had the Bad Influence out in the bay today and though it wasn’t exactly what he was looking for he put his party on some great bluefish action. Captain Jeff put his daughter Mollie, her not friend Charles and his fiancé Karen on some big bluefish. All of the fish were caught on spoons and the biggest was 34″.
The Lucky Break was in the south bay with Captain Jason Mumford at the helm and had a good day with some rock and bluefish. Captain Jason put his crew on one flounder that was released, three school sized rockfish and seven bluefish up to a whopping 41″. They caught their biggest fish while trolling back to the spot with a 2 oz jig head tipped with a 10″ swim shad.
I was able to get the Fish in OC Carolina Skiff out on the bay again today with my son Ryan and we had a decent day with the flounder in the Thorofare. We used 4″ gulp swimming mullets and live minnows to catch one throwback flounder and two keepers of 17 1/4″ and 21″.
The bluefish action all around the surf, inlet and back bays is really incredible right now. Anglers are catching 10+ pound bluefish like it’s the easiest thing in the world…..I haven’t seen a blitz like this in my 25 years of fishing in Ocean City. Chris Shamblin who is a regular at the Oceanic Pier sent me a couple of photos and a report from the pier and it is pretty remarkable. Chris reports, “the gator bluefish are hitting double drop rig blue fish rigs extremely well with cut bunker at the pier. Seems like bunker is outfishing mullet 3-1. Also it appears the bigger blues prefer cut bunker over any lure or jig thrown. I saw 57 bluefish being carried to the fillet station in a 2.5 hour time period. Guys are catching nice gators off the 611 boat ramp pier and beach to the left of it on cut bunker as well.” Below Scott Kemm of Severn, MD shows a nice fish that he caught on the pier.
Bear from the Oceanic Pier just sent in a couple of shots of his son Joshua with his first ever big bluefish that he caught at his dad’s favorite spot.
I’ve been getting some great Facebook submissions from lucky anglers who are showing that they love to Fish in OC! Four year old Reef Kukel caught this huge bluefish that is almost as big as he is on a Gotcha plug in the back bay of Ocean City with his dad Jeff.
Brandon Taylor said that he and his dad caught about 15 big bluefish like the one pictured below in the inlet on cut mullet.
Nate Pritchett submitted this photo of a 32″ blue that they caught on a Roy Rig on the back side of the inlet. Pictured are Mike Hayden and Nate’s son Charlie.
