Boat Limit of Sea Bass and A 12+ Pound Flounder

By Scott Lenox

Posted on November 16th, 2023

Hit the vid for the Daily Catch at the Ocean City Fishing Center!!

Had to drive across the Chesapeake Bay today and it was so calm I was wishin’ I was fishin’!! Flat calm, sunny and pretty warm, but honey-dos called so I’ll have to live vicariously through tonight’s report.

John Russell was fishing with Steve Schad today in 90 feet of water using a 3 ounce bucktail with a bluefish strip when he locked into this beautiful 32″, 12 pound 6 ounce flounder. They also had a limit of sea bass and 5 other keeper flounder.

Captain Chase Eberle of Chasin’ Tides Charters had a nice day of deep dropping with some real big golden tilefish coming on board.

Captain Chris Mizurak of the Angler reported having to weed through some shorts today, but his anglers boxed up a bunch of nice sea bass and some keeper flounder.

Captain Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star reported another boat limit of sea bass from today’s trip and some happy customers.

Hmmm.. Weatherman spoke with forked tongue? Well, WSW winds were spot-on compass wise, if wind speed was a tad higher than forecast. Thankfully it didn’t become an issue – pretty day..

Brett launched today’s reef blocks off the stern down onto Rambler Reef 80-some feet below.

We started hunting keepers.

Cathy had her brand new non-skunk replacement rod rigged and ready. It had somehow grown a new level wind reel overnight. Never know what will happen if you leave a bunch of tackle in a dark place. Shoot, let em go unsupervised long enough and suddenly there’s no room on the boat or in the garage. Wish fishery managers would similarly consider means of increasing sea bass spawning production (if perhaps from a more fact based perspective!)

No more room on our reefs – our sea bass at habitat capacity- is something I’ve not seen since 2003..

Ah, today’s catching was about normal; best of it midday. Some were doing well right out of the gate, others not as well but OK at least. One angler, however, and I’ll randomly call him “Stogie Joe,” was certainly having his turn in the penalty box. Though first to limit on a recent trip, our intrepid angler went 42 throwbacks before boxing his first keeper today.

Oh Man..

Ouch!

A hard case. Even our 10-hook Hurricane Murray Emergency Anti-Skunk Rig didn’t help. Short of an exorcism? There was nothing to do but await his devils to clear the premises in search of greater mischief

..and, coming about noon as the bite reached a crescendo, they finally did.

Sheesh.

First limit? Cathy (albeit with Vic’s help!) Second limit? Stogie Joe!

Whuuut?

How do you figure..

Tim, doing just fine next to Joe, boxed the pool winner.

Just as we got in spittin distance of a boat limit the keeper bite slowed to a crawl. Doubles of cbass around the rail – all throwbacks save the odd keeper. It’s a curious situation – fantastic catching that’s painful.

By and by, a trying pace amid a bail of doubles, we bagged our last legal fish ..kept a few too for reef block storage rent.

Works.

How spoiled is that though? A skipper whining about doubles..

Have no doubt of this – they are our future. Sea bass fishing without smalls, especially this time of year as they begin to march off to the deep before winter? Catching few smalls – even tiny months old cbass – spells big trouble for coming seasons.

Instead? We’re looking good!!

Forecast fell my favor – opened tomorrow with super short notice. Incredibly it sold OK – still spots left though.

See morningstarfishing.com under the ‘Fish Report’ tab or my previous post on FB for booking info. Email me at [email protected] if after 8. I’ll pull this part if it sells out – very doubtful!

Cheers,

Monty