Author: Riley

Well the year started out terrible when MRC cancelled stripper spring season. Then I got word from Dave my boat guy that my lower unit is bad. He couldn’t find one anywhere so I took to the internet and finally found a group in Kansas that would rebuild mine. It is now June 8th and I don’t even have a boat to go fishing. Well hopefully it will be back soon and I can get out for Cobia and Spanish fishing.

All in all 2018 was a great year, we had pretty good success all year. I will add a paragraph for each type of fishing I did this year even though I may not have an entry. I really started this blog to help me remember from year to year. I am really hoping it helps me more next year as I look back on weather conditions and various aspects of sea conditions, etc. I’ll update you early 2020 to tell you how it went.

Spring striper season (Trophy) – I certainly didn’t catch one but I don’t remember getting out either. If I went at all it was only once or twice. This is the main reason for this blog. I plan to put out information even when I was unsuccesful. I do remember this was not a great weather season especially early. I have come to the point in my fishing lifetime to know that I have been running baits too big for some time. It is hard to come to grips with the fact that you don’t need a big bait to catch a big fish but once you see that truth it is completely obvious. Anyway hoping for better in 2019.

Spanish Mackerel – Had a good Spanish season this year. I did not add enough entries into the blog to represent the season. I did spend much less time spanish fishing because I went more cobia than normal. The one blog entry I did add was when Eddie came into town. That was his first spanish he actually brought it into the boat. He had obviously lost a bunch on the way in which is really easy to do. One change we incorportated this year was the speed at which we retrieved the fish. I think slowing down the retrieval actually helps keep the planner out of the water. Will validate next year.

Cobia – A very good cobia year even though we really didn’t catch any huge ones. The bite was constant and I don’t remember missing any, we brought over board every one we hooked up. The skates were a bigger problem this year than in previous years. I hooked them on every imaginable bait so I don’t know the best way around the skate problem.

Fall striper – By far the best year ever. I am sure going with Captain Ryan on the Midnight Sun last fall and seeing the gear and tactics he incorporates helped with this year. We ran smaller baits and tried some old favorites which turned out the be the best. The old white bucktail with a red neck adding a 4 inch white swim shad by far out fished every other bait. We did have a lot of success with a green and chartruse mojo as well. Basically fish tandems with one running at 10 ft and the other running 16 ft behind various inline weights. The weights ranged from 16 to 24 oz. Mostly let out the lines from 18 runs to 10 runs out.

Measurement controversy – Best part of the argument was how to properly measure a fish. I was completely wrong I guess mostly because during the tournaments I have been in they would not allow the tail to be pinched but I did swipe the contents of Measurements from the Va Marine Resources site. This method makes sense because it is the only way to take out any varible. So of course Scott lost his mind knowing that we did in fact push over some keepers. I don’t really care other than now knowing the truth because we caught tons of fish this year.

Measurements………………..Size limits are in total length. Total length means the length of a fish measured from the most forward projection of the snout, with the mouth closed, to the tip of the longer lobe of the tail (caudal) fin, measured with the tail compressed along the midline, using a straight-line measure, not measured over the curve of the body. Snout means the most forward projection from a fish’s head that includes the upper and lower jaw.

What a perfect day! Had Pop Pop, Virgil, Mitch on my boat and Scott had Bubba and Kenny on his. We set off at about 7:15 heading to 59a and Scott was going to 62. We had fog a bit this morning, Scott at 62 had it way worse.

Called Scott at about 8 because a big tanker was heading his way and thankfully so because it was heading right for him. He eventually came down to 59 area because we had a much more consistent bite than they were having this morning.

Fishing was great and we all had a great time. I put out the Dummy Line and of course Virgil and Mitch were like what in the world are you doing. All were a beliver by the end of the day.

Overall, we caught 8 keepers and maybe 40 fish overall. Could have had multiple more had we stayed but by 11:00 we were done for the day. The bait of choice again was the 1 oz white bucktail with a red ring around his neck and a 4 inch white swimshad. The stretch didn’t get a thing.

Weather
Air Temp 45 -> 60
Wind 1-> 0 from the NW
Sky Clear late, fog early
Pressure 30.12 rising
Moon Phase waning 55%.

Water
Waves 0> 0 later in the afternoon
Tide  LT 11:53 HT 17:50
Temp 42.0
Clear

Bait

All tandem rigs with 1 – 6 oz mojos. By far the best were a 1oz white red neck bucktail with a 4 inch white shad and green 2 oz with white on one and chartruse on the other bucktail. The story of the day will be the dummy line. It is a rope that you tie on the boat, a 5 lb weight, then to like 100# test line, then to a 20 oz weight, then to a big clip. You put on a any kind of bait, today I drug a big umbrella rigged with two 2oz mojos.

Today we had Mitch with us for the first time in a while. A good day all together, great weather and the fishing was good. We caught a bunch under and ended the day with a nice 27″ and a 22″. We mostly were down at 59a (Leroy) and really only on the west side. There were a bunch of marks so we just circled until we got them. Later in the day joined the fleet up around 62 saw a bunch of marks but nothing really biting.

Weather
Air Temp 29 -> 42
Wind 9 -> 0 from the NW
Sky Clear
Pressure 29.6 rising
Moon Phase waning 85%.

Water
Waves 1-> 0 later in the afternoon
Tide  LT 8:30 HT 14:50
Temp 42.0
Clear

Bait

All tandem rigs with 1 – 6 oz mojos. By far the best were a 1oz white red neck bucktail with a 4 inch white shad and green 2 oz with white on one and chartruse on the other bucktail. The stretch no matter what color has not produced much this year (it did catch the biggest 32in but other than that not much).

Today we had Pop Pop (Scotts father) and Charlie (Pop Pop’s) brother in law along with Mitch so a boat full but it worked out really well. Again as always caught a bunch of unders but ended the day with 5 keepers. All were about 22″ so a good day but no bigins. Water and weather were perfect a bunch of boats were fishing so it was a hectic day driving.

Weather
Air Temp 29 -> 50
Wind 4 -> 0 from the NW
Sky Clear
Pressure 29.6 rising
Moon Phase waning 85%.

Water
Waves 1-> 0 later in the afternoon
Tide  LT 9:39 HT 15:45
Temp 42.0
Clear

Bait

All tandem rigs with 1 – 6 oz mojos. By far the best were a 1oz white red neck bucktail with a 4 inch white shad and green 2 oz with white on one and chartruse on the other bucktail. The stretch no matter what color has not produced much this year (it did catch the biggest 32in but other than that not much).

Today was one of those days you dream about. We had Keates, Jeremy join Scott and I. We left the dock at 13:30 hoping to get a few fish before the gang went with Captain Ryan on Tuesday.  This has become a tradition with Keates. He sponsor a trip for work and comes the day before and we fish as much as we can. Today we knew we only had a few hours so our expectations were not great just going to have a few hours of fun before eating.

We set off for ole reliable 62 but saw a few boats well north of the NN Reef so we did what all great fisherman do we feel right in with the gang. Jeremy told us there were tons of birds and boy was he right. Put in and trolled with our reliable baits and everything we had picked up fish. One nice keeper right after the next. Had about as many keepers as we had throw backs which is extremely rare.

Could not have had a better day for 2 hours of fishing. Cleaned them all up and cut a bunch into chucks so Scott could fry them up. Ate great and had a great time.

Weather
Air Temp 62 -> 50
Wind 9 -> 0 from the NW
Sky Clear
Pressure 29.6 rising
Moon Phase last quarter waning.

Water
Waves 1-> 0 later in the afternoon
Tide  HT 9:00 LT 15:27
Temp 45.0
Clear

Bait
Same as we have been using. Started naming the baits which has been fun and actually helps. We have “Money”, “Colonial Heights”, “Pretty”, and “Green Eyed Lady”. Added a Black and Gold Stretch 25

Set out with Scott at 6:30, went to 62 and caught 3 very quickly. There was one close to keeper but as normal Scott threw it back before measuring. Virgil another friend gets all frustrated with Scott because in the action Scott gets too excited to go through the whole rigor of measuring.

Finally, it layed down and really nothing was happening so we called our buddy Dave. He was at the cut, told us there were tons of boats and tons of birds. He was correct, it was as we call it a Walmart parking lot. Very difficult to drive the boat so Scott was on his own fishing. Picked up a nice 28″ and a 22″. Both were in one hole.

Overall we caught tons of 18 -19 in but these were our only keepers.

Weather

• Air Temp 33 – 45
• Wind 5  – 10 from the Northwest
• Sky Clear very over cast
• Pressure 30.20 steady
• Moon Phase last quarter waning.

Water

• Waves  1+  to 2+ later in the afternoon from the north
• Tide LT  HT 7:00
• Temp 46.0
• Clear

Bait

Same as we have been using. Started naming the baits which has been fun and actually helps. We have “Money”, “Colonial Heights”, “Pretty”, and “Green Eyed Lady”.

By far the best is the small 1/2 oz white bucktail with a 2 inch white swim shad.

I went out by myself for the first time ever. I thought it was going to be a bit calmer than it turned out to be, not rough or dangerous just solid 1+ to 2+. I started off at 1GW, wish I had not seen the boats or the birds, there were a few but not in great quantity. I decided to pick up and go to old reliable 62. Set out 3 rods and started trolling towards the NNK Reef. Maybe half way to the reef I started to see tons of birds working and a few boats. As I got closer I started picking up so many dinks I couldn’t keep up and with the boat not going in the direction I needed it to go I moved back to two rods. Eventually, got a nice 26″ then lost another likely 26 at the boat. I thought it was a tandem but as it got closer I knew I was in trouble because I couldn’t get the net. I should have just yanked it over but I fumbled for the net and lost it. Got a bunch more dinks all day and got a couple at 20″ but let them go.

I have heard a ton of arguements about fishing during a full moon. If today was any indication I will be fishing all full moons from now on.

Weather

• Air Temp 33 – 45
• Wind 5  – 10 from the Northwest
• Sky Clear 95%
• Pressure 30.20 steady
• Moon Phase 95%

Water

• Waves  1+  to 2+ later in the afternoon from the north
• Tide LT  HT 10:00
• Temp 52.0
• Clear

Bait

Best was small 1/2 oz white red stripe bucktails

Various color combos and sizes

We ran tandems on the backs of 8,12,16,20 oz inlines

2.5 oz yellow, 2 oz white/green, 2 oz gold fleck, etc. and gold and black stretch 30

Headed out with Todd on my vacation week. Very overcast and cooler. Sea was a bit rougher and we had very little bird action. What bird action was around was very concentrated. We did catch one keeper on “Money”. I’ll add the video of a birdnado.

Birdnado