Morning Star Fish Report

Hi All,
One out of four. That was what we fished in that warm, but windy, January weather. Of course, scheduling fishing trips works so much better when using the correct calendar page and December wasn't it! Ah well... Slice of humble pie with that crow please...
We did get in Friday and, despite some wind concerns, managed to have a fair - not outstanding - day of it. Mostly limits, several 10+ pound fish and a really great tagged release. I give a rod away to the longest tagged tog of the year; that fish was a start. I haven't declared the '05 winner yet - it's going to be close! No more than a few more weeks.
And, just for a few weeks - I hope - we're shutting down for maintenance. The EPIRB is sent away, (emergency position indicating radio beacon); the 30 person inflatable raft is off for overhaul; fire systems looked over; cutlass bearings on the shafts; epoxy, paint -- associated tools and accompanying aches -- It's the yachting life!
We'll resume operations in mid-late February - especially if the water stays above 40 degrees!
I might even find time to write a "broadside" on marine habitat. It really is strange that every other management region in the US has lots of marine 'Essential Fish Habitat'. In the mid-Atlantic though we just have some aquatic vegetation in the bays that is important to flounder - a broad expanse of NOTHING - then some tilefish habitat on the canyon edges. Two species - flounder and tilefish. I'd near about swear I saw some coral down there with the cbass, tog, ling and lobster.
The May cbass run is slowly booking.
All for now.
Best Regards,
Monty