Posted on January 24th, 2022
Our weather window stayed open for the second day in a row today and allowed some hearty fishermen to get on the ocean in search of tautog. There was a little puff of not forecast wind this morning, but by midday it had blown out and left the ocean looking like a mill pond. The tautog bite was good too and Captain Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star had some nice, big fish come over the rail.
Plenty calm. Plenty dark. When we tied her loose this morning I’d expected to crunch through ice departing the marina.
Didn’t happen.
Sunrise was dull, a cloudless pop-up swiftly changing the sky from black to orange to blue. Dawn revealed a north wind that had not been forecast. Was supposed to be west. Had 17.5 knots NNE soon after anchoring with a short steep chop developing as any mariner might imagine. Winds soon mellowed, however; 14.5 N at 11am and 10 knots NNE by noon. By 1 the ocean was like a lake.
Morning found a handful of OK fish in a lackluster bite. As current diminished, however, the bite improved. Around noon Ben released our biggest tog of 2022 at 26.0 inches.
OK, ok.. It’s only our second day out in this windy, snowy winter. Still, 26 is a great fish.
Then he did it again at 28.25 inches.. Couple others too – James’ 27.75? Oh yawn..
Sorry.
All comers were to no avail when Bruce tagged a 30 incher.
Dang Son!
Although we did tag some shorts today, I’d say the average tagged release was – huge.
Lot of skill on the rail; fellows who could have easily boxed the state’s 4 fish limit – more who could’ve taken the boat limit at 3 with only one female.
They didn’t.
Guys who have this fishery in their bones aren’t about limits, they want nice fish.
Lots of nice tags swam away – no limits.
Awesome.
Cheers
