Old Top O' the Mast S Seaside Park/Seaside Park 9/9

[Pfishingruven]

Hit the suds this afternoon at high tide around 1530 hours.  Started in S Seaside Park at the old Top of the Mast and worked north into Seaside Park.  Weather was horrible, raining and downpouring at times, wind out of the SSE 10-15 mph with some pretty good gusts higher than that, waves 3-5 feet with a really rough undertoe.  Suprisingly, there were a few people on the beach and about 4 or 5 people fishing.  Most of them were south of where I was down into IBSP.  Hit the hole there, which has gotten a little bigger and shifted more to the north than it used to be.  Worked a variety of lures, including my favorite the Gibbs casting swimmer in black, AVA, and a Fin-S.  Had a hit when I first started fishing and then nothing for almost 2 more hours until I worked my way back south towards the hole.  About 15 casts after I stopped walking, had a good hit right off the surface after my lure landed.  I saw the fish come up and get it.  Thought for sure it was a bass, even if it was small b/c my pole was not all that bent.  Got the fish up on the beach...a huge sea robin.  Had to be 3 or 4 pounds.  It definitely hit the lure on the surface and it was hooked good in the upper lure.  So Paul, I am with you on the sea robin hitting surface lures.  They must be really hungry .

Spoke to the other gentleman fly fishing as he passed me.  He started somewhere in IBSP and had walked a few miles at this point and he only had 2 small blues.

It was a rough day out there, but I knew that.  Figured it would be less crowded and I was going to be getting wet anyway.  It was a good couple hours.  Can someone school me in the proper way to handle a sea robin??  I picked it up the way I always have picked them up and this sucker swung his head around and jabbed me with his spine, right in my right index finger.  I bled so much, that it looked like jaws had attacked someone on the beach.  The robin looked like I had cut him up and then threw him back in the water.  That *!#$% got me good!!  Decided to call it quits on the beach after my battle wound, so I headed towards Point Pleasant.  I will post my reports in the Inlet and Canal.

 

[fishon42]

yeah those sea robins are something else, i catch them on my 5 inch spoons i throw way out from the surf sometimes, confusing sometimes haha.. nice report though, good to be out there 

[Luna Sea 5]

 

[Bucktail]

Great effort P-man!   I think this topwater sea robin thing could catch on!

BTW, I have found that the best way to handle a sea robin is to lip them with your thumb and forefinger just like a striper or largemouth bass.

[Pfishingruven]

Thanks Bucktail!  I am definitely trying the lip thing next time!  I've never had an aggressive sea robin...as soon as I grabbed him in his mid section and by his tail, he swung around and jabbed me with a spine right in my finger.  Sort of like what catfish do sometimes.  Usually they just lay there and make some frog like noises.  Not this one!  I am a catch and release guy, but he almost became sea robin strips.

[Bob]

Just let them hang from your hook and crab the lower lip like a bass.  If they don't open their mouth, rub their stomach and they will respond with their croaking sound and open.  Hope you washed the wound good as they carry some nasty stuff on those spikes which usually shows itself the next day.  If they are lower lip hooked and the hooks are in the way, just throw a towel over the spikes and hold them that way.

[IrishAyes]

Nice report and great effort. You put some distance in looking for the fish.

Get em next trip. 

[kezsr]

you gave it all,putting in a complete effort t^as for the sea robin,I always grab them with a rag.

[ped579]

Good try P-man.  As far as gripping those things I use my boga grip thingies I carry with me.  It is great to have when the blues are around as well.

I tried ti lip mine on Monday and it flipped and got me with the hook.  I should of known better.

I am hoping to get out later today and see what happens but for now the honey do list is staring me in the face.  The two biggies are Branch Brook to pick up a pool cover and Costco to do some shopping.   

[Pfishingruven]

Thanks for all the replies!  I need to invest in a Boga.  I can only imagine what germs and crap he stuck me with.  I did clean it out, so I just have to keep an eye on it.  Go figure, battle wounds from a sea robin.

 

[adesai73]

Hey Rod!

Are you giving out t-shirts for sea robins?  Is that a category? 

Nice report, thanks for sharing!

[gymrat987654321]

Anyone know the world record for searobbins? I heard that it was only 3.5lbs, but I cant find it online. 

[Pfishingruven]

World Record is 15lbs 3oz caught by a Brena Palage.  No more info.  NJ does not have a category for sea robins.

 

[PeggyLee]

Nice report P FISH, You gave it a shot,thats what counts.
Triple antibiotic worked on my thumb (after the blue fish thought it was a Pnut).

[Pfishingruven]

Nice report P FISH, You gave it a shot,thats what counts.
Triple antibiotic worked on my thumb (after the blue fish thought it was a Pnut).

Thanks!  It was a good time out there yesterday in the rain.  Was hoping for some better fishing, but it was a good couple hours out surf fishing.  Really hoping for some nice bluefish and bass, although, I know it is still just a bit early for stripers.  I want a full out bluefish blitz!!  That would make up for all the days out with nothing!!  So, I will try and keep hitting the beach.  This weekend tides look good for some dawn fishing.

 

[Bucktail]

Nice try P-man!