08/12/2007 - Mateyak Family Fluking Aboard the Mimi VI
Alright, it's the trip the Mateyaks have been waiting for all summer...I know I certainly was looking forward to getting out with my family for our annual fluking trip aboard the Mimi VI out of Point Pleasant. Captain Kenny was at the helm, with Chris and his son Ryan working the deck! Doug and Doug's dad joined in last minute to fill in a couple spots on the charter as well! With seas settling down after some rough conditions the previous two days, the plan was to head to deep, rock laden water in search of some big flatties. So off we went, family catching up and reminiscing about previous trips as we traveled North, everyone ripe with anticipation for the day ahead!
The conditions were good, really good for fishing deep and slow...but little to no drift made covering ground and locating fish difficult. Kenny worked hard, really hard, moving around constantly in search of the fish, definitely no shortage of effort on his part. Things started off slow, but picked up once we narrowed down on a good flat of fish as some good sized keeper fluke and sea bass started coming over the side. Everyone was hooking up fish across the boat, albeit not a mad dog bite, but relatively steady action for pretty much everyone but me. It literally took me about 3 hours to catch my first fluke...I think I had 2 sundials and 3 skates in that timeframe...nothing else...it was like my bucktails were soaked in fluke repellant! Meanwhile Doug and his dad are hooking up fluke, and my dad is hooking up double header seabass, seabass+fluke, etc...while I'm sucking wind and carrying the skunk. Eventually I was able to hit a couple fluke in the head and agitate them enough to bite my bucktails out of spite and land a couple nice flatties, one around 5lb 5oz, and another 4lb 10oz on my handheld digital Rapala scale. My cousin Stephen also landed a nice 5lb 10oz fluke around the same time back in the stern of the boat, and a little while later his buddy Jeff also landed a nice fish but I didn't get to weigh it.
The bite remained decent for most of the late morning and into early afternoon as everyone landed a mixture of seabass and fluke. I never did get a boat total keeper count, but I know everyone caught fish and took fillets home. I don't think we had any limits...a few of us with 5 keeper fluke and a bunch with 4...then working the way down...and all of us with some sea bass mixed in. The best part is everyone had a great time out there, and we all had a beautiful day on the water to spend with family and friends!
OK...now the fun part...on to the pics!
Alright, I was there pretty early...
The day beginning...
The conditions heading out...nice, very nice!
Steve in the background, with Charlie and his son Paul...they're pumped for some fishing!
Stevie...already telling big fish tales, with my dad and Steve listening in!
Stevie, where's the Bobber with a Brain rig? Haha
Ryan...being a nut...his usual self!
Doug...pretty upset he didn't make it to the 8th round of tryouts for the next Marlboro Man! Haha
Josh and his friend Pat...ready to fish!
So the stern of the Mimi is renown for being WET...Charlie learned this a long time ago...so now he comes prepared!
Right Charlie!
Alright, on to some fishing...Doug's Dad hooked up!
My dad with a double header fluke and sea bass catch! The tree doesn't grow too far from the apple that fell I tell ya!
Doug looks tired...of course it was about 120 degrees out there...so his brain might have been a little cooked by the time I took this pic.
Doug's dad...relaxing as we change spots...
Back on the fish...dad with a double header seabass...at this point I haven't caught a keeper fish yet...I was contemplating cutting his line on his next hookup as I couldn't take the abuse much longer! I was offering Ryan monetary incentive to Tomahawk my dad's next keeper fish after he started busting my chops!!! Hahaha
Ryan...chomping into some old school mate grub...a good old Chimichanga!
Philip with an out of focus seabass...sorry dude, bad camera man!
My dad with yet another keeper fluke...look at that grin!
Then we hit a lull and I took the opportunity to capture the lazy fisherman lounging...Oh...Hi Dad! Haha
And this is what happens when you let too much line out on the other side, get tangled, and let prankster mates untangle your line! Haha
Jeff Can't Believe It's Not Butter! GET THE GAFF!!!
Doug's dad, whippin a fluke in!
My dad with his "this is a BIG fish" scene...which really turned into a giant tanglefest and was my only chance to bust his chops all day!
Paulie, Steve, and Charlie
Stevie, loving the Gulp Shrimp and squid combo! Told you that stuff works!
Doug's dad with another fluke...I think that one was gaffed with a bucktail!
See now...I saw my dad sneaking into the bathroom and he came out looking a little like this...you know, Dave Chapelle's crack-head character! Haha
He'll probably say he was eating one of my powdered donuts instead...but we all know the truth!
Dad,
I've pre-registered you for the drug clinic...I'll take you tomorrow OK?
Love,
your son Matt.
OK, let's get back to the fish pics.
Here's a few left in a cooler when I came back to see Ryan filleting em up...
Mmmm seabass and fluke...goooood!
Ryan...the man with the knife...
Paul enjoying a nice sandwich on the way in...as I head back up to the bow...
My Dad, Steve, and Charlie on the way in...
Doug, getting some beauty rest on the way in...
Stevie...hijacking one of my chocolate donuts! I think he wanted a powdered donut, but my dad took care of those! Haha!
Oh...and I missed the action shot of this beauty...last fish as the boat was leaving, I swung a fluke caught on a teaser over the side and as it came down...the fishless bucktail came right down on my forearm with the weight of the fish behind it...OUCH! I saw it coming so I dipped my arm just as it caught and buried almost to the barb. Needless to say when I pulled it out...the blood flowed freely. Here you see what hit my shorts right away...the rest was on a fish rag...nice and hygenic huh!
OK, some final fish pics...
Stephen and Jeff with two nice flatties!
Final fish pic from Doug, Doug's Dad, my dad, and I.
I think we had 13 keeper fluke, and 7 keeper sea bass.
I'll tell you one thing we did was bleed out all our fish this time.
I had some last night and again tonight...and I noticed a difference.
The fillet meat when cooked is BRIGHT white...just awesome!
Couple of flatties I caught...
Well that's all folks! A big thanks to Stevie for organizing the trip again...definitely one I know we all look forward every summer! Also a big thanks to Captain Kenny for having us out, and his mates Ryan and Chris for working the deck hard and adding some humor to the trip! Man I miss working on the boats...much better than sitting in a damn office!
As always, a great time on the water with family and friends...really what more can you ask for? It seems like we wait all year for it to get here as it comes and goes so quickly! Sunday was really as good as it gets, and I hope everyone can come out and join us again next year for another Mateyak fluking adventure!
Until next time...
