Posted on June 6th, 2020
Get your stuff for Dad at Atlantic Tackle in West Ocean City. See that stuff in the vid above.
June 6, 2020
It was a beautiful weather day both on and off the water and it was a crowded one on the bay. The wife and I went for a little cruise this afternoon and it looked like the fourth of July out there with all of the boats. I for one am glad to see all of the activity! I also found these two mini flounder in the minnow pot so that was cool.
Offshore fishing was hit or miss for the tunas again today with some boats having and others having not. Thankfully there are some more marlin showing up and some more mahi so hopefully that will keep anglers occupied waiting for the tuna bites. The crew of the Boss Hogg out of Sunset Marina had two first time white marlin anglers on today’s trip and also added some mahi for a great day on the water. If you catch your first white marlin out of Ocean City this summer you can fill out our form for a certificate from the Town of Ocean City Mayor’s office and Fish in OC. First white marlin form.
Captain Joe Drosey had a group of lovely ladies on board Rhonda’s Osprey today and he also put them on a white marlin release. The ladies also put a nice yellowfin tuna in the box.
The Reel Chaos with Captain Anthony Matarese Jr. got it’s shot at some tuna today and the crew took full advantage of it and piled some up in the cockpit.
Captain Franky Pettolina of Last Call out of the Ocean City Fishing Center had a shot at a white marlin in the coldest water he’s seen one in at 59 degrees today. They missed their shot at the white, but did put the hook in some nice mahi on the warm side of the break in 69 degrees.
Sea bass fishing continues to be excellently fantastic…if that’s a thing…..with lots of fish coming over the rail for ocean bottom fishermen. Today Captain Kane Bounds of Fish Bound had two trips that limited out on sea bass and added a couple of bonus flounder. One angler landed a jumbo fish over 5 pounds that mate Kevin Twilley displays.
Captain Chris Mizurak of the Angler reported that they had to work just a bit harder today for their sea bass, but they did end up with a great day and some nice fish.
Captain Victor Bunting and the crew of Ocean Princess had a great day of sea bass fishing as well putting anglers on lots of fat, tasty sea bass.
Captain Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star reported another very strong day of sea bass fishing today….and a very strong beginner angler that owes him a gaff.
Little drizzle first thing; calm seas awaited as we cleared the inlet. Dropped a pyramid and the last of our monster blocks (dang things must’a been 90lbs apiece) at Doug Ake’s Memorial Reef just 4.5 miles from the entrance buoys. Used to be Jimmy Jackson’s Reef was my highest count at 3,000 – now Doug’s has 4007 blocks, 15 reef pyramids, and we’re still counting. (along with several small barge loads of pipe and CG buoy weights plus a steel Baltimore Harbor water taxi at Doug’s.) Have built some great bottom in this fashion.
We did not catch our first cbass on a bare hook today. Did catch numerous double keepers, however. Works for me.
Though I carry some of the most accomplished anglers on the coast, there will invariably be several a week – a day – who’ve never been at sea nor developed any angling skill from the sweetwater sport either.
This usually isn’t a worry. Not at all. We have first-timers who benefit from mates’ coaching and the quality of our rental gear all the time. Fishing for cbass ain’t fisheries science (which, I believe, is more complex than rocket science. In engineering, after all, you can determine what is true/correct before using data. In marine fisheries science & management they have no such luxury, I’ll promise.)
Oh man.. Ten minutes into today’s fishing I was wondering where the hidden cameras were. Had to be an episode of Candid Camera or some YouTube shenanigans going on somehow. First timer on the bow, despite being well instructed, managed to backlash a rental reel loaded with braid to unrepairable—a 2x a decade event; then he stumbles to the fwd wheelhouse ladder where he grabs a gaff for support and shears it off at rod-holder height. Soon afterward he snagged bottom and dern-near broke one of my ‘wreck series’ Tica rentals.
Ahhh.. Adventures in partyboat angling.
My good rental rod quickly seized and substituted with a stout UglyStick, he caught several more keepers before succumbing to mal-de-mer..
Truthfully, I think what was in his canteen at 6:30 this morning more so than any lack of experience which altered his experience today. At least he wasn’t a loudmouth….
Meanwhile, the rest of my anglers were on it. At 10:40 Mike Zeigler of WOC (Zig!) was first to limit out. Not far behind were Jigmaster Tom & Ryan tying for second. Keith Baucum took everyone’s pool money with a fine sea bass.
At precisely noon the deed was done—everyone was bagged-out save our celebratory friends on the bow. Though they certainly had dinner in the box, they’d gone to sleep hours before.
Was a fine bite on a gorgeous day – headed for home early.
Demetrius Wills from DC & Ron Bulizak of Seaford DE also show off some good ones – with Bernie O’Brien included in the group snap.
Bay flounder fishing has been tough for the past few days, but there have still been a couple of fish caught. The Happy Hooker out of the Talbot Street Pier had a couple of fish caught on today’s trips.
Captain Chase Eberle of Chasin’ Tides Charters had an angler catch this beautiful 25″ weakfish on a casting trip today.
My buddy Eric Sexton traveled over to the Chesapeake Bay today with John Neimic where they found some keeper sized rockfish and some speckled trout.
Ray fishing has picked up nicely for Captain Marc Spagnola of Dusk to Dawn Bowfishing with the warmer temperatures. Today Captain Marc’s shooters were thwacking away with good shooting for both cow nosed and southern rays.
