Headed out this morning with a plan to do something different.... was looking forward to that southwest wind with 9 sec intervals. I figured it would be pretty flat so I packed a cigar, a 4lb bag of sardines that's been in my freezer for a year, 2 chum blocks and a bag of bonito chunks. I was planning to anchor and just relax.
I cleared the inlet just past 9 am to a southeast wind and beautiful blue water. So I figured let me troll just for an hour or so; besides it's a faster way to find the fish.... Big mistake!!!!!!!
I find myself 5-6 miles out in 700'-800' on the most beautiful edge I've seen in a long time... thick and tight and as long as the eye can see. I worked it for three hours from the pier to Ocean Ridge. Back and forth a couple of times - inside, outside.....and only one fin to show.
Here's the weedline when I found it - nice and calm in the morning...
By noon time, it was blowing hard from the south / southeast and I found myself getting beat up in 5' seas with 3 sec intervals that were breaking over the bow. So I decided to head back inside. On the way back, the water just looked beautiful deep blue and I was wondering where the blackfins had been, so I added a feather to my spread and shortly after I picked one up in 550'. I headed in towards the martini glass, did a few passes inside and picked up a couple of bullets.
So back to the original plan..... no way - too rough now inside to anchor on my own....so I pulled all my lines in, put out two chum bags, started chunking like crazy and within 10 minutes I had all sorts of fish around the boat including a 5'-6' hammerhead... and then here comes brownie........ I toss a dead sardine in front him and the fight is on..... with the bumpy seas, I had to gaff him twice. He went crazy on the first gaff so he needed a second shot.
All in all - not a bad day.... but got pretty rough mid day - and no cigar till tonight!
Good luck out there... looking forward to your weekend reports.
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