Posted on February 16th, 2023
We’ve had a very mild winter so far this year with many days seeing temps in the 50s and sometimes 60s and today was some more of that awesomeness. The wind also cooperated today so that some boats could get out on the ocean and there were some nice tautog coming up over the rail.
Captain Chase Eberle of Chasin’ Tides had a nice day with some big fish on board today. Captain Chase’s crew saw good fishing with the largest fish released at 30.5″ and over 18.5 pounds.
Captain Kane Bounds of the Fish Bound saw good fishing on his most recent trip as well with 25 keepers going in the box with fish up to as large as 13 pounds.
Captain Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star treated me to some awesome tog fishing a while back and today he did it for some more great clients.
We were at the dock waiting for my last reservation when the eastern sky began to color up. No answer – west end of an east bound boat it was.
Forecast had southerlies increasing to just about sporty but starting in a near calm.
Did too.
Dropped our twenty reef blocks at a reef in need of nourishment and got to fishing.
Those 10 & 11 foot swells a week ago or so sure messed up the fishing a while. The bite seemed back to a “pain in the neck but doable” sort of normal today though.
Some of my anglers had an exceptional day – lot of bites and put back a lot of keepers. As ever, its probable that our two best fish of the day, however, lived on; will spawn despite sporting a bit of gamagatsu octopus hook jewelry. (broke a hook off in their lip!) Bruce took everyone’s money, caught a several year old third fin rip; we took 3 tog of 20-some legal fish. Ah, we also had a small sheepshead where I’d never seen one.
Winds came dern near twenty knots early – but were switchy. When southerlies lock in on a compass point it can get right nautical in our small boats. If that same wind speed switches 10/15 degrees on the compass several times in a day? ..it just won’t build a wind swell worth worrying about..
The OC Reef Foundation will have it’s traditional booth at the Optimist’s Seaside Boat Show this weekend. We’ll be upstairs in the NE corner of Convention Hall on Feb 17-18-19..
Pretty sure we’ll have charts ready – cutting it close, but I think so! We’ll certainly have sunshirts, hats; & the roll out of my salt free Reef & Beef spice.
This winter we’ve deployed nearly 800 OCRF pyramids at Kinsley’s Reef and a small load of concrete pipe nearby. We’re working on several new reef projects too including a small tug coming in late March/early April – and a 500 ton bargeload of concrete pipe. Hopefully we can get some of that pipe made into units; elevation makes a huge difference in a reef’s success.
A few folks are trying to put together our first reef dinner since covid struck. We’re sure to have one – details need to be filled in. If you have items to contribute for auctions or raffle baskets – or want to work on the dinner – drop me an email at [email protected] ..
There’s amazing potential in our reef project – incredible – available funding drives every aspect of success.
Some may want to check out Scott’s Hooked on OC #369 Toggin on my rig in January.. Some regulars catching on a day I couldn’t cipher the anchoring – so we drifted!
Cheers!
Monty
