jenny lee 10/29/13 capt's blunder

[jenny lee sportfishing]

capt's dave bender and kevin gerrity took long time customer dan lubeck of brick and friends out for their annual tuna trip. dan had been blown out four or five years in a row and once already this season. the guys all grew up in south plainfield so i have to hear about how their wrestling team beat hunterdon central, ever year. there's always ball breaking and a good time, these guys stay up all night and can't do enough to lend a hand. when writing these reports i always, always list capt kevin first, well not this time, i must take full responsibility for this trip. we set up for chunking without trolling, due to the fact that it was late fall and two friends already in the canyon were not catching trolling. HERE"S THE BLUNDER, after checking out the southwest corner of the hudson i opted to stay there rather than venture to the east corner, where by the way i have been doing very well. i knew the water was pushing southwest and the headboats did very well here on saturday.......yea. over thinking, not one of my strong points.. thinking. at dark we had the fish come under and caught a longfin right away, ha great decision cap, my pals on the east also had bites, not great but more than us, and after a bit it shut down for both sides. we had the same water temp as them actually a bit warmer, well we had porpoise balling thousands of squid around the lights and the guys filled the livewell with all the squid you could want. we sent out the livies and had bites right away... yup for only the second time in twenty years we hooked and released not one, but two porpoise..unharmed i will add. then the blue sharks came, both sides of the canyon were experiencing the exact same stuff, blue sharks porpoise and no tuna bites. at about 11pm after a blue shark tangles all of our lines i said, for about the 500th time " i think we should run accross to the square, i'm not feeling this. after some discussion, we stuck it out........second blunder. well, after hours of blue sharks and tangles the guys on the east started to catch. the only numbskull on the west, nope! at false light i ran across to the east in 4-6 ' headsea, nice! and got right next to a friend who was catching, well it was awesome to see him catch, for us it was humbling. i must take 100% responsibility for this as i could have moved a dozen times, and anyone that knows me, knows i obsessed about moving every 30 seconds. i apologized 100 times, at the dock i offered a discount, but being the class act these fellas are " dave, we've had fantastic trips with you over the years, we'll see ya next year" there's not much more to say....truth in reporting, it doesn't taste any better writing this the next morning either.

[Fine Catch]

Appreciate the honest report, Capt Dave! I've been fishshing for a long time and I second guess myself all the time, but like yourself hate to bail on a spot I think should be fishy.

[Tenacious Sportfishing]

Been there-done that- Baby Bear. It happens to every one in the canyon fishing business. No need to apologize. You used the same input, judgments and thinking when you loaded the boat. By the way, it will happen again, usually when you think you can do no wrong.

[Ol Pedro]

Cap. Dave , as stated before you went with your gut. It could have just as easily gone the other way. Thank you for your honesty.

[capt74]

Could of would of should of. Thank you for your honesty. Your a class act all the way.

[Sharkyispy]

Dave, taking accountability for the trip, true class in my opinion. It's canyon fishing and sometimes you just can't be on the fish when others are. Have seen it many times, you use your best judgement and skills which you always do. Thank you for the honesty!

[shrimpman steve]

Classy report! We're fishermen, we understand.