Thoughts on sea bass fishing 10/9/18

[bulletbob]

Reading through some reports from tues here with interest, I thought I would share my experience from yesterday..
left at 1 am from Spencer NY with my son to try and get into some sea bass.

LONG ride for us..
We got on a well respected bottom fishing boat that I visit once or twice a year, and have always liked.. No names/no ports.. lets just say it was a boat north of Atlantic City. and south of Staten Island..

Hour and 45 minute ride to the grounds, 90 FOW which I thought was a bit deep for this time of year, but I imagine they were trying to avoid small porgies, and tiny sea bass..

We squeezed in among a sizable fleet of 4 other party boats, several charters and a lot of private boats in the 25 ft and up size range..

As we got positioned i kept looking at the other head boats and saw NOTHING coming up, not even shorts... getting nervous by this time.. when the anchor came tight it was the same for us.. Nothing but the rapid fire madness of hits from 5 inch bergalls.. Finally after a pretty long period a small scattering of short sea bass and a porgy here and there started to develop.. After an hour or so, a few smallish keepers started coming up, ... It then developed into a pretty slow pick of porgies, and some keepers.. My son and myself fished hard all day never leaving the rail, and were able to combine for 7 keeper sea bass and 7 keeper porgies.. Thrill of the day was my catching a NICE fluke about 22 inches with big thick shoulders.. it made me sick to throw it back on such a slow day, but the law is the law..

There were some pelagics around as the mate kept looking around and throwing a Deadly dick looking lure at something he saw out there, and he trolled a plastic squid on the way back to port, and boated what looked like a False albacore.. I was sleeping, and didn't get a good look, I actually woke up when the captain stopped the boat so he could fight/boat the fish..
Never thought a tuna like fish would hit a lure in the big wake of a party boat traveling at full speed, but of course, they knew better...

Wherever we were fishing it was out of sight of land, and the captain said it was 23 miles from port..

my son and I actually did better than most, with several guys boating NO keeper sea bass, only shorts, and only a porgy or two,,.. There was one guy in the stern where the bite was a bit better, that had 6 by himself, and he won the pool beating my biggest fish by a tiny bit..

What was interesting to me is this .. despite a really slow bite, all those boats sat out there.. Our boat never tried another area staying there all day , as did most of the other in the fleet..

The captain did reposition a few times, but never moved more than 100 yards in that fishing area...

Not sure why, but benefit of the doubt must prevail.. Could be because the fishing elsewhere might not have been much better...

I knew it was going to be slow when the fish would not touch a jig, and everyone on the boat that was set up to jig[ myself included] had to switch to bait rigs or catch nothing.. later on just before we left for home, I did finally get a short and a porgy on the jig..

This is NOT a "bitch fest".. Its just the fact that this has been the "new normal" for me past 5 or so years... Never really on a hot bite, and happy that i didn't get the skunk like a few fishermen just a few feet away..

Yesterdays trip with fare/gas/lunch/coffee cost us $260..

I dunno not sure, but my long time passion for salt water fishing is really starting to fade,, Last week, I drove to skaneateles lake and fishing with garden worms from my 14 footer. I was boating big yellow perch, various big hard fighting sunfish , foot long rock bass, and a bunch of really nice Smallmouths, that were being swarmed by several other smallmouths while being reeled in.. I went home from that short trip relaxed and satisfied, and got some nice eating fish..

Yesterday I came home totally exhausted, somewhat in disarray and confusion over the notion of- "is it me, or is this what salt water fishing is really like in 2018"...

just once I'd like to be on a boat that was really in the right place at the right time as it was a LOT when I was a younger man living in Union Beach, and then in Forked River... Might still happen, but in my mid 60's it seems less likely all the time...bob

[Gobigblue]

Just a thought if you are traveling all that way, why not hop on a six pack? For a couple of more sheckles, it allows you to get on smaller pieces of bottom, thus 40 guys are not competing for real estate. By doing this you are upping your chances of having a better experience. I am not putting down party boats, I'm just saying if you don't fish all the time and have travel long distances to do it, why not try to make a better day of it. You are obviously basing your day on the fish you bring home. You are comparing the money spent to how much you catch, IMHO is the wrong way to look at it. However if it's your goal is to fill a cooler then a party boat may not be your best choice. There a lot of smaller boats that do open boats on this website, I would look into that if you cant find others to fill your charter.

Just My Two Cents

[Joey Dah Fish]

I agree with go big blue. Also if there were that many boat there it would be safe to assume they had been catching fish there prior. Perhaps they just weren’t on the bite.

[bulletbob]

Just a thought if you are traveling all that way, why not hop on a six pack? For a couple of more sheckles, it allows you to get on smaller pieces of bottom, thus 40 guys are not competing for real estate. By doing this you are upping your chances of having a better experience. I am not putting down party boats, I'm just saying if you don't fish all the time and have travel long distances to do it, why not try to make a better day of it. You are obviously basing your day on the fish you bring home. You are comparing the money spent to how much you catch, IMHO is the wrong way to look at it. However if it's your goal is to fill a cooler then a party boat may not be your best choice. There a lot of smaller boats that do open boats on this website, I would look into that if you cant find others to fill your charter.

Just My Two Cents

Yeah, not really looking to "fill a cooler".. I like fish my wife doesn't, and our kids are all gone, so no i don't need a cooler full.. However, it is nice to have some nice fishing, and not feed the bergals all day .. As I said, my post is not a bitch fest, if it seems that way, my apologies..

its just that when I see the pictures here, read the reports from boats both for hire and private , I think perhaps that THIS is the trip i've been waiting for.. Good solid bite, some good size fish, and a decent steady pick.. It happens daily, I realize that, but man, not on the trips I have been on for a bunch of years... 6 packs are a good idea, but I have to just run down there when I can, and trip planning/reserving a spot is not something I can do with any certainty.. Typically, with my life as it is, I have to throw my stuff in the truck, and make the drive on a spur of the moment basis,...

It is what it is... I am considering just trailering my own 17 CC boat down a few times a year as I used to do,, always had better, more productive trips doing that, but its not always practical, especially in the fall... i think its simply the fact that party boat fishing is not what it was 30 years ago,and I am just having trouble accepting that fact, especially as I grow older and a bit more cranky... bob

[Capt Joe]

? Must not have been out of Belmar or Manasquan?:confused:

[frugalfisherman]

? Must not have been out of Belmar or Manasquan?:confused:

Yes they were Captain Joe, except they weren't on the good boat like I was. Same reef with different results. What could it be?

[bulletbob]

Yes they were Captain Joe, except they weren't on the good boat like I was. Same reef with different results. What could it be?

Interesting...

there were a few pretty well known boats in our area, all within a stone's throw.. thats why I mentioned that perhaps fishing was slow everywhere.. All the party boats there stayed there all day, except to reposition/re anchor..
I was hoping the captain would bail out and find a piece we were alone on, but he didn't...

I am probably just old fashioned and don't really 'get" it, but i have never been a fan of sitting in a dead or almost dead zone..

years ago i was on the old Sea Fox for weakfish, back when party boats actually targeted them.. It was a slow bite first few stops, although the fish were there, according to the screen..

the captain got pissed off, and announced over the boat PA system..
that these fish just didn't want to eat, and said, "lets go find some fish that are eating"... Actually he did, and we wound up with 14, my 2 sons and I, and others had even more.. For whatever reason, that really stuck with me, that that captain took it personally, and made it his business to find active fish..

The late great Capt Dom Vitolo years ago did the same thing many times on his little 40 footer the Skipper.. Never sat on dead pieces, and took it personally when the fishing was poor, which didn't happen often.. He refused to give up and never just sat long on hot bergal or pout bites.. The more I think about it, i'm probably just an old crab that longs for the good old days...

I guess i just miss the fishing the way it was when I was a younger man, and need to adjust to the modern day ...bob

[AndyS]

http://www.njfishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105600

[catsmeow]

Yes as i lamented in my ephitah of an old fisherman i'm not sure when salt water fishing became a fun catch and release sport. Bringing home something for the table was really expected. As us older fisherman dwindle and no young folks taking up the sport it only a matter of time before the head boats and charters are doomed. Sad but i believe its only a matter of time. Bob your thoughts are spot on

[Capt Joe]

Yes they were Captain Joe, except they weren't on the good boat like I was. Same reef with different results. What could it be?

Not possible, frugal. had to be someplace else!:eek: Would be interesting to know where.

[bulletbob]

Capt joe, check your PM...

[drummer2120]

I agree with my fellow fisherman for a few dollars more get on a reputable 6 pack trip, if the captain doesn't mine burning fuel u will do much better, just my opinion. Quick story I fished on a very well known charter boat here, the captain spent almost 2 hours hoping around to get a boat limit of sea bass, we were only 5 short but he wanted that limit, because that's who he is, then we went after more fish on the way in as he got a call that there was a bite on, worth every penny. Got home and came on the site and read how fishing sucked that day on the party boats, not for us again worth every penny! Whenever I get a chance to fish with that captain I go!!

[bulletbob]

drummer, please check your PM...bob

[Capt Joe]

drummer, please check your PM...bob

Gotcha!

[Honger]

https://media.giphy.com/media/YF6yWJUu4St9e/giphy.gif
http://www.njfishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105573

[tombanjo]

Reading your posts for years now it seems like you been around the block Bob, probably a couple of times. Opening week of sea bass you should know where they're all going and that relatively small piece is going to be crowded with boats of all kind. So you go on a boat that leaves at the normal time and is slow to boot.

Pelagic? Duh! That's also where the blues/albie boats go for that stuff. You should also know that. The bottom fishing is slow? Put on a jig and at least bring in some albies, bonito or even a healthy 40lb bluefin like one of the other bottom boats did. They've been breaking water out there. Maybe not what you're there for lots of fun nonetheless.

[dakota560]

bb you've exceeded your pm capacity.

[bulletbob]

Reading your posts for years now it seems like you been around the block Bob, probably a couple of times. Opening week of sea bass you should know where they're all going and that relatively small piece is going to be crowded with boats of all kind. So you go on a boat that leaves at the normal time and is slow to boot.

Pelagic? Duh! That's also where the blues/albie boats go for that stuff. You should also know that. The bottom fishing is slow? Put on a jig and at least bring in some albies, bonito or even a healthy 40lb bluefin like one of the other bottom boats did. They've been breaking water out there. Maybe not what you're there for lots of fun nonetheless.

Well the mate is a better fishermen than me, and he didn't get any pelagics casting while we were anchored , so I just stuck with the slow pick.. I did have a jig set up with a small ava and teaser that has caught me a lot of fish in the past , and it went untouched, so i just used bait as did everyone else that tried jigging..

We were just not on good life from what I gather..

Think about it.. a man made reef has several fishable sites where fish congregate,, Some HAVE to hold better numbers than others.. If all the good captains both private and for hire, know the best numbers in a given area, they will be on those numbers first, and the boats arriving later would get lesser pieces.. Your theory has credibility..
No problem, we have a few months to go before winter sets in hard, and I am going to give it another shot or two , but I am thinking hard about foregoing head boats in favor of smaller 6 pack or "charter size"arrangements.. Gotta be a better way to go. Money is a consideration, but not deal killer for me.

I'd rather have more fewer and more expensive , but more rewarding fishing experiences I think

I have been in contact with several of our friends her on NJF that fished the same grounds , including captains,and their boats did a lot better..

Yes, I probably went to the wrong port/boat this time, but I'll have my day before too long.. Thanks to all those that PM'd me about this thread.. Great conversation, and well thought out suggestions... bob