08/03/2007 - Fluking Raritan Bay
OK, sorry for the delayed report here, I was away all weekend and work has been kicking my butt this week, so I'm just getting to it now.
Tom was nice enough to invite myself, Craig, and Ting out for some fluking in the bay last Friday. The conditions looked promising and given my trip earlier in the week, I was expecting big things. But as these things tend to work out, expectations exceeded the results...at least in respect to keepers...but there was no shortage of fun as the ribbing was in full effect with non stop laughter all day long...and well into the evening.
We planned on meeting up at Tom's boat at 6AM, but happened to run into each other at the Tackle Box a little earlier to pick up some last minute essentials, bait, and ice. There was also a police dispatch regarding two men who raided and abused the bathroom at the Quick Chek...of course, I'm not sure how that could possibly be relevant to this post...I'm really just throwing it out there...but apparently Hazmat had to come out to quell the disturbance! Haha
OK, so we head over to the boat, I snap a few pics to start my traditional annoyance and we head out to the deep channels with big fish on our mind. We come around the hook to find we are catching the first bit of incoming but with wind against tide conditions and virtually sitting still...definitely not ideal by any stretch. The waters are devoid of fluke...and sea robins even, as we struggle to even get a hit! Unreal really, considering we caught a number of fish in the same area a couple days earlier. Interestingly, we didn't see nearly as much bait as we had the other day. We fished the area for about 45 minutes before moving off to another spot.
Here the drifting was better, but the fishing wasn't...although we did manage to catch a few fish, with a few keeps for the box. The head boats were moving all around with the regular trailers...obviously also having difficulty finding any decent patch of fish. The channel was getting crushed with tanker traffic, so we moved off heading inland to some other areas where we've had success previously.
First, we decide to stop in a smaller section of a channel to give it a go, but with limited success. I think we picked up one more keeper and a bunch of shorts. At the same time, I received a call from Mike (MS22) about fishing on Reel Class with Captain Allen...and they were BEATING on the flatties...I think they had 31 keepers in the box by like 10AM...it was silly. So now the hunt is on, we have to find some fish because they are biting...but just not anywhere we've tried yet.
We head into a nice section off the beach where we've caught a number of keepers this year, and sure enough the fish were there...not in great numbers, but a decent bite with some close fish mixed in with some keeps. I'm itching to fish the deeper water for bigger fish given Mike's 13.8#er from a few days back, so Captain Impatient is in full effect nudging Tom to move on to deeper, bigger fish laden waters. Eventually he gives in, and we leave keeper size fish to look for some big ones. Unfortunately we can't find them, and I take the Asshat of the Day Award for moving us off keepers to find bigger fish. Good job Matt!
We hit the deeper water but now have absolutely DEAD drift conditions on slack tide with not a breath of wind...I mean it is straight up stagnant and HOT...I mean like, you just stepped into a 120 degree sauna and someone is pouring gallons on the rocks...it is F'in smokin! We are all just dripping in sweat and catching little shorties. Frustrating to say the least. We spend about an hour cruising around picking at shorts and sea robins before Tom makes a move to head out to some of his old haunts.
Well it turns out to be a good move, albeit it VERY different conditions. The wind is cranking offshore as the waves are building from 2-4s to 3-5s to 4-6s with a few 7s+ mixed in. How do I know they were 7+? Well, while Tom was studying the electronics to narrow down on a spot in 4-6s...a wave came over the side of the stern knocking his 31' boat on it's side...with rods, coolers, and all kinds of stuff going vertically DOWN fast...along with CRAIG practically standing on the SIDE of the gunnel...totally sick moment...on second rolling a little, next second on our side. Fortunately the boat immediately checked back and no one got seriously hurt...not a fun situation.
We fished various areas in the relatively manageable seas with a Mach 10 drift...but we were picking up keepers...covering a ton of ground, picking at fish and adding keeps to the cooler. We also had the pleasure of seeing Craig, aka Captain Net Agility, practice his netting mastery! OK, he didn't pull off any Tomahawk chops on top of the heads of keepers, but he did miss not one, but two keepers in a row...and those two events were worth their weight in GOLD allowing us to incessantly bust on Craig for the remainder of the trip, all through dinner, and well into the night!
So we fished for a little while longer and started working our way back in to calmer waters as the seas were getting a little rough. As we headed inland, the land blocked the wind and it was virtually calm in the bay's channels. We setup a few more drifts but the fishing was slow, lots of sea robins with a few shorts. We fished our way back to the marina, but no more keeps for the box.
We get to the dock, Tom is adamant about filleting the fish...I'm not arguing! Craig joins in on the filleting fun...but we've learned the Craig likes to include embedded toothpicks (aka bones) in his fillets to assist with flossing while eating...so he's being demoted to teaser and bucktail tying! Haha
So after all the gear and boat is cleaned up, and the fish are filleted and on ice...we decide to hit up the Original Oyster for some much needed dinner. My sister joins the crowd because we have to leave for a 2.5 hour drive to PA shortly afterwards. Needless to say, Craig and Tom start tapping into the alcohol supply and the party begins! We have a great time, order up some grub, chow down, and BS for a few hours. John from Bordy's joins us and the conversation for a little while. Eventually my sister and I have to head out, but from what I hear the party continued well into the night with Lou (wingshooter) and Lou (Woodruff Lou) showing up. Word on the street is Tom and Craig had a sleep over on Tom's boat...no word on if the No Wake Zone was violated or not though...and I really don't want to know! Hahaha
OK onto some pics!
Craig...camera friendly at the Tackle Box!
Tom, ready to go!
The Daly Double...fired up!
Ting and Craig on the cruise out...
Uh oh...accessory battery DEAD! BOAT DOWN, BOAT DOWN!!! Just kidding, just no AC all day in the cabin!
I'm not sure what happened here...but I'm guessing Craig SCRUBBED IT and dropped a fish! Rook!!!
Look at him, he's sweating bullets...dropping fish like a mofo, the pressure is on!
Tom has a nice refreshing drink to get him started! Maybe Craig needs a sip?
OK, OK...so Craig occassionally hooks a fish! Haha
And lands a keeper even! Woohoo! Nice job dude!
Tom's in to one...but I think he dropped it...no after pic!
Ting and Craig with two fluke...
Tom, bailing sea robins like a champ!
And a fluke here and there...well when they actually make it into the net! No thanks to Captain Net Agility!
Speaking of Captain Net Agility...this just ain't right...
Hahahaha, NICE FACE...a little teeth action there buddy?
Craig...despite catching probably 100s of fluke this year...still has not figured out how to hold them properly...he's a definite candidate for losing a keeper over the rail! Of course after the abuse that fish just took...I suspect it's dead already. I should call PETA...or PETF (A=Animals, F=Fish)!
Captain Net Agility, hard at work...well actually someone else netted his fish for him...since it's actually in the boat! Haha
Final fish pic on the table before filleting...Tom spent countless hours rinsing them off and aligning them on the table!
The boys after a hard day on the water!
Them filleting mofos! Hey Craig, you missed half the skeltal structure...it's still on the fillet! Haha
Ummm...no comment...
Ummmmmm...no comment ^2...just remember these two slept together on the same boat that night...and this was EARLY in the consumption stage.
Hrm...nice...girly drink there Grasshopper!
And the highlight of the entire dinner...Craig busting on Tom's calves...Captain Popeye, Captain Spinach...hilarious!
So what did we decide...is that a canned ham, a beer keg, or Tom's calves?
Wait a minute...is that Popeye?
Craig has the most awesome Popeye impression...had me ROLLING...hahaha
Well that's all folks! Wow, what an insanely good time...as always with this crew. It's too bad I had to head out to PA, I would have liked to hang for a few more hours and continue the fun...Craig and Tom had us all rolling day and night. Fishing could have been better, but the crew was as good as it gets! Great time and thanks again Tom for taking us all out buddy!
Next up, annual Mateyak fishing trip on the Mimi VI on Sunday...and maybe a 1/2 morning in Point on Saturday...we'll see!
Until next time......
