Posted on December 21st, 2020
There is still time to catch the 12 Days of Christmas at Atlantic Tackle in West Ocean City!
It was F. O. G. G. Y. this morning! Dreary kind of day that was perfect for what I ended up doing….making Christmas cookies. I had no idea that anyone would be fishing today looking at the weather, but sure enough the phone buzzed this afternoon and a couple of guys were on them good.
Captain Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star has had to go a little deeper lately to find the sea bass, but go he went and find he did.
Ahhh.. Sunny, calm winds, 45 degrees: had only any of it been so!
Winds north at 17 knots, 38degrees, sun popped out but once – that was our reality.
Made a double anchor set where I thought we’d do fine. Dogfish! Then some throw back sea bass. Slowwwww..
Pondering my situation—my next move—when here come a double keeper. Made a small anchor adjustment, just 7 feet to stb.
Here they come, a bit better anyway. Thought maybe we’d get an hour out of it.
Instead? Limits. Bite kept improving. All limited.
Nice fish too.
Even had a couple pollock. Were those pollock here or did they come south I wonder..
December 12th fish and birds—mammals; all were as if mid-October or so.
Snowstorm Gail rolls on up through the Gulf of Maine and suddenly, 300-some miles south, we have seals, dovekie in large number, flights of razorbills, even a pair of puffins. Sea bass seem to have said “Aw Heck No!” to some shot of cold water on the bottom – have moved en masse off the beach.
Still nice fishing though. Just isn’t where it was.
Dianna Grasso of Salisbury & Mackenzie Lynch of Port Deposit MD were today’s guest Reef builders.
Jim Marvin from Laurel DE had our first limit, while Lee Solomon took everyone’s pool money.
Have another trip Wednesday. Plenty of room. Weatherman says it’s a go.
Hope so. There’s only a few more days before sea bass close.
Tomorrow the boys and I are putting in a half day on the cement sailboat – PJ Aldridge’s Reef. Take out some more wood, clean the bilges sort of work. Maybe start ballasting. Glad to have an extra hand. Start at 9:30.
Merry Christmas All,
Monty
Captain Chase Eberle of Chasin’ Tides Charters had some good fishing today as well that ended with a limit of sea bass for his crew along with some keeper bluefish and tautog.
