Irish Ayes Bassing 6/7/08

[IrishAyes]

Left the dock at about 830 this morning. Broke the inlet and headed south. The intention was to try to find some keeper fluke at the Sea Girt Reef. On the way we spotted about a half dozen birds diving. We headed over to them to find a small pod of bunker. Tossed the snag hooks and put a few bunker in the boat.

I loaded up my bass rod with a lively freshly caught bunker and set it out. I was rewarded with a fierce run off. Fishing with an Avet reel I let the fish take off some line before setting the reel to strike. The fish was now hooked and was still peeling line off the reel. The pressure exerted was too much for the fish as I started to win the war. After many minutes the fish came to the surface. Definately a striped one and of good length.

Finally got the bass to boatside and into the net (barely). Unhooked, measured out at 44 1/2 inches and stuffed into the a ninty-six quart? cooler, with it's tail bending out.

Didn't get any more hits for a while and decided to try for the fluke. Moved off shore a bit further and picked up some smooth dogfish. Kept one for bait and several for Lou who claims that they are delicious. Picked up several short fluke and some skates.

Thinking of the bass caught earlier we decided to try to get back on some bunker. Which we did.

I hooked up with two more bass and lost both, pulling the hook near the boat just shy of netting distance. Was using 8/0 circle hooks and they pulled both times. 

Andy and John both got into a bass each. These fish were in the mid to high twenties range. 

It was a beautiful day on the water. Nice ten knot south breeze blowing off of 56 degree water kept the air temperature down.

Here are some pics of today's catch. The fish hanging out of the cooler makes up for the last catch of zilch and an empty cooler.  The fish pulled the scale down to 36 pounds.

[Capt. Mike]

Nice Capt. WOW I have to get out and get me some of that. Well done guys! 

[mboy]

NIce, Fish.

If using true inline circles, you need to go to 10/0 for the big adult bunker.

[wink_man]

Congrats, sounds like a great day on the water, although I see a little sunburn on that arm in the middle pic, LOL.

Great catch, beautiful fish, and you have to love those Parker 25 sport cabins, there's not another boat in the world like em.

Congrats again to all of you on the fine stripers.

Garry

[gymrat987654321]

Nice Catch!

[hareball]

Nice job Capt!! Way to drown the skunk

[IrishAyes]

Mike, I had no trouble hooking up with the fish. The one I boated, the hook pulled a lot of lip away from the bone. I don't know, possibly the no stretch of the braid line has something to do with that. You know, something has to give and it ain't the line.

Wink, man, I do feel the arm stinging a little about now.  But it was worth it and they will be tan tomorrow. 

BTW. When the fish were cleaned, there was no roe in any of the fish. My fish had two sea robins in it's belly, each about ten-twelve inches long. It also had another fish about the same size, but unable to tell what it was because of the decomposition. Andy's fish had the whole bunker in it that Andy had on for bait. When it went down the hatch, it went down tail first. Kinda shoots the theory that they always turn the fish to swallow head first.

[Hotrod]

Nice job guys.. that hat looks good on you Joe

[Still Running]

Nice Job Joe, glad to see something in the cooler and it doesn't even fit! 

[IrishAyes]

Yeah Rick, that certainly made up for last week's pic.   

[Ramtough]

Great catch Joe,was out earlier then you and bunker right outside inlet, boats all over them,Did the snagging to load up live-well then went a hunting ,no luck..saw one picked up I guess about 25lbs by Bradley Beach but that was it.Finally gave fluking ashot,abooout a dozen little guys and one that went171/2..Again Congrats on the great catch!!!!!!

[Bob]

Nice report and trip.  If you are using braid and are planning on keeping the fish you might try backing off the drag and let the fish wear itself down.  Braid is great but a big fish pulling on a tight drag causes the skin to give since it is the weakest point.  Less drag equals less tearing. If you are releasing the fish then, of course, you want to get it in as soon as possible.  Your report of the bunker being swallowed tail first is the same as the one I found in a recent bass I caught. Guess the big fish do it their way!  Congrats again.

[Reel Class]

Nice job Joe not a lot of people came home with the pajamas today 

[IrishAyes]

Bob, I was thinking of the no stretch possibly being a part of the problem. And I do remember reading your report on the fish going down tail first. I guess if the bass is big enough it doesn't matter how it goes down.  

Mboy, I know you like the Avet reel alot. Is the dial on the side for adjusting the fighting drag or just the freeline aspect of the reel? I thought I read somewhere where the Avet drag was preset.  

[fishon42]

that is awesome.. seems like you had a great day, glad to hear someone is hittin those dam stripers... nice job joe 

[Pops Soul]

Hey Now, Bout time the Capt him self was able to score a nice fish  Way to go guys, you all look good in Stripes  Joe I'll be out tomorrow I'll give you a shout on 10 when I break the inlet 

[Luna Sea 5]

sweet catch..

[IrishAyes]

Skip, lately I've been monitoring 68, catch me there.

I went south out of the inlet today. About a mile or two south and out about a mile and a half and hooked up with the first fish. In the afternoon we were closer to the beach, maybe a half mile or so out.

Find the bunker, hook up with one and send it down near the bottom.

[PeggyLee]

Joe and Crew, Great catch, Great pics!The Best catch of the Day. Congrads!           AJ. 

[Fishin Dude]

Thanks for the positive report. Nice fish, I could not get out today, but I'm going out of Manasquan Inlet Sunday Morning. <'((((><