Fish Report 8/7/2006

High Summer Picking

Hi All,

Just a pick. Couple decent shots of fish in the last week but mostly working hard to get something going on.

We did have an 8 1/2 pound flounder and a few 5s and 6s but the catch rate has decreased of late. I hope it rebounds! Might have even set a new state record for winter flounder, a black back. Jury's still out s'far as I know.

Sea bass too are tough to keep coming. A slow but steady pick is all I can ask of it. There are a few over 4 lbs now and again.

A really good angler might end the day with 10 - 12 keeper cbass and a few flounder. It's a mess for dinner; maybe even a couple nights worth.

C'mon fall!

And c'mon croakers!

The waters off our coast are above 80 degrees. One small pocket of water I went through was 88. Great Scott.

Flying fish, manta rays, a school of amberjack and lots of immature sharks are all signs of high summer.  

As is the White Marlin Open Tournament which began today. A lot of boats went out in what seemed a favorable forecast; it was certainly calm in the morning. I was thinking of them as we got a proper thrashing on the way home though. Just a short, sharp, slap you around kind of sea but building rapidly. Hope all made it home safely.

I have spoken at length with many fellows that worked as mates full time back in the 1950s. Mostly they worked on Talbot Street aboard the charter boats. Since most of the guys in the tournament this week are running more than 60 miles, some 80 or 90, off to waters so deep a fathometer can't read bottom ~ and that before they even get a line wet ~ I thought I'd pass along this tale.

Everyone 'knows' about the Jackspot. It's 20 miles to the SE and has several well defined edges. The fishing there was legendary; that's how Ocean City became the "White Marlin Capitol of the World". 

The Sugar Lump and Winter Quarter Shoal are 16 to 20 NMs south of OC. and were not fished often. But sometimes they were; the charters would catch white marlin and dolphin(mahi) right on top of the hills; they could see the bottom. 

Twenty three feet's a long way from a thousand fathoms.

Plenty of work to do before that fishery is recreated. It could be done.

Water quality, target species management, and prey base restoration ought to do it.

We'll get right on it.

Or ought to.

Regards,

Monty

Capt. Monty Hawkins
mhawkins@siteone.net
Party Boat "Morning Star"
Reservations 410 520 2076
www.morningstarfishing.com