Sea bass... It should be sea bass. Limits of 'em.

It ain't.

Did have a few decent shots of 'em this week though. After last week's doom and despair report, written Sunday evening, we had two of the best days this fall. Yup, Monday and Tuesday some folks pushed into the upper teens.

Dogoned easterly winds keep pushing more warm water in. The water temp was 75 degrees outside the inlet and 73 degrees 20 miles out today.

Flounder continue to be the target species. I've tried focusing on sea bass with less than lukewarm results. Nick a few ~and they seem to be getting thicker on the sounder~ but derned if I can get a sustained bite.

Earlier in the week we had a fantastic run of tool boxes, spare parts, soiled rags and worn-out scrub brushes.

It's the yachting life. Bad weather -just on the edge- not a hurricane or even a decent Nor'easter, but a slightly too heavy flow of northerly wind kept us in for 5 days. Rats.

Still floundering about ~ Sea bass aren't in the picture.

No, I do not understand why the sea bass are AWOL.

All in all though, it strikes me that folks are pretty dogoned happy with flounder around the rail - and usually we get to go nick some hardheads too.

Thursday and Friday. Should'a been there. Nice.

Back to working for 'em on Saturday. Still, it really was awesome to see first time anglers bowed up on nice flatties ~ even keeper doubles.

Although there's still precious few sea bass to be had; contrarian anglers were rewarded this week. At least the ones that had agreeable weather! Wednesday Capt. Tucker had the helm and stopped on a nice mess of croakers (aka hardheads) before going offshore.

Suntan lotion retailers and fishers didn't do so hot last week. Moderate north-east winds, cloudy skies and occasional rain put a damper on the fishing nearly all week.

The mid-Atlantic in August ~ calm, serene, sun-drenched seas... Yeah not.

Easier to call the weather in February than what it's been here lately. Have to play the hand you're dealt I suppose. At least we don't have a hurricane Dean barreling up the coast ~ yet.

Left the dock this morning with high hopes. Calm, cooler finally, and some great regulars ~ pretty day & easily one of the worst days of fishing in my years!

Had I written this report Monday, I'd have told a tale of uncooperative sea bass but worthy of pursuit. Fish piled high on the screen that would bite for at least a few drops. Nice fish ~ make a superb dinner.

Still summer fishing though some of the weather has been oddly fall-like. Sea bass in the 6 to 12 keeper fish per-person range is 'it' with an occasional flounder.

High summer now, just had the first couple mahi today ~ warm water for that. Still haven't picked up a tuna on our 'coming and going' trolling lines. Seems like everyone that's targeting 'em is doing fine though. No worries, just fun when it happens.

We're catching some good sized sea bass but not a lot of 'em ~ at least not compared to a few years ago. Folks are mostly ending the day just getting into the teens or thereabouts. Workin' hard to get there too.

Judging by the boat traffic in the inlet this afternoon ~ summer's here. Same could be said of the fishing.

Still nicking away at sea bass. It's not too bad, occasionally quite good ~ sending folks home with dinner at least. Flounder soon I hope, and still the odd tog about.

As is common come summer, the fishing is more variable and the passengers occasionally sunburned.

Mostly working hard for our sea bass. Easy some days, like Saturday's limit-out and home early, but occasionally struggling to get folks into double digits.

A mixed week. Saturday's trip was among the best this year, other days we had to work harder. I believe that everyday saw at least one limit along the rail, but we also had some folks struggling to finally break into double digits. I even had a pair of fellows doing their utmost NOT to get into double digits.

The earlier parts of the week were far better than the weekend's fishing ~ lots of high teens to 25 fish limits decreasing to mid-teens around the rail. Today the bite came back around our favor. 'Why' will remain a mystery.

RED HOT! - No they aren't. Pretty good though.

Seeing a few limits most days; at least on the days we can get out. Windy. Pain in the neck windy. Every time the NE howls the water temp dips. Have yet to see 60 degrees.

Wheelhouse door shut; the boat's engine noise a dull thrum ~ front window hinged open; the shish of swells against the hull seem to echo. Sent to sea by distant flood waters, waterlogged timbers silently await an unwary mariner.