Best of Fishing of 2015

[Gerry Zagorski]

Put your photos and or stories here. I'll start.

I was wanting in the worst way to get out to the Mudhole and fish for some Mahi and an get a shot at a stray Bluefin Tuna if they happened to be around. Week after week I'd plan a date and weather or work would get in the way and I'd end up staring at all the gear I had in my office

After months of waiting and the season coming to close, in mid September, all the stars aligned and the day finally came. I took great pleasure in changing my voice mail the night before to "leave a message, I'm out fishing Went down to the boat the night before to hang out and sleep and as luck would have it, there were tons on real nice Mullet that Arty and I threw the net on.

Me, Billy, Art and Mike set out early that morning... A slow jog out of the bay in the dark but as soon as we had false light it was gitty up and go to the grounds. A few days before, I was watching reports and satellite services like it was my job and had a plan in mind.... We'd run SE to the northern tip of the Mudhole, look for clean water and if we didn't find any, keep on running to the more usual haunts.

First stop was the Monster ledge, nice clean water and lots'o pots so we trolled around there for an hour and a half or so without a touch. So, lines up and we take a run a bit further south to the Glory Hole. Lines in there and still nothing but a few Skippies after giving that area an hour or two trolling...

Now we are running out of time so we make a new game plan... Pick the lines up, make a bee line back to the Monster where we had lots'o pots and good clean water and lets do some potting with the Mullet we netted instead of trolling.

First pot we pulled up to, threw some mullet at it and one of the guys sees a flash. Put a Mullet on the hook and WHAM!! First Mahi on board.. Very fun on light tackle spinning out fits We worked the pots in that area for a while and had another 7 or 8 Mahi and then the afternoon breeze came up and put the cabash on things.

The biggest Mahi we had that day was only 10 pounds so not like we killed them but what a day we had...

Good friends, hot sun, cold beer, blue water and some light tackle Mahi in the cooler. Where you going after that??

[Captain Rich]

You didn't say where !

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by Captain Rich

You didn't say where !

All is fair in love, war and fishing Rich

[hartattack]

It was my end-of-June birthday & my son & I were eager to get out on Open Boat we reserved months in advance. Arrived at boat at 6am but due to mechanical troubles the trip was canceled. We hopped on half-day Gambler morning trip since we were already in Pt.Pleasant and had the day off.

I knew we were flukin' the sticky stuff so I suggested we pickup some clams since Sea Bass season was still open. "Nah dad, you're nuts - this is a fluke boat". So I only bought 1/2 dozen for myself.

Flukin' was slow so when I saw some Sea Bass coming up near us, I switched over to a hi-low rig and baited up with 2 clams. My rod doubles over on the first drop and starts shaking violently. Mates come over, learn I was using Clams and agreed that I probably had a big out-of-season Blackfish.

Much to everyone's surprise and delight, up comes a nice Knucklehead on the top hook, followed by a decent Cod on the lower hook. Mate does a superb job grabbing them both in one swoop of the net. When Captain Bob learns of this rare catch on a FLuke trip, he agrees that we traveled 54 miles too far East when I was on the Gambler RFA Cod trip a few weeks earlier

It wasn't the greatest fishing trip of 2015, but memorable because my son joined me on my birthday and we made Lemonade out of a Lemon start to the day

[Leif]

Six of us fought this one on the Mushin.

[Man Workin]

Best of 2015 for me was the trips I was able to make to the Point Pleasant Canal for non stop tog action with my daughter. Not to sound corny but teaching her how to cut crabs and hold a rod and reel was just amazing. In the canal this year the water stayed warm and fishing the tide produces a fish every cast. You need this when trying to keep a three year olds attention. We would take the weight off and let her reel them without the extra lead. Bogans would let us dress in their inside bathroom because she was a trooper when she had to be there at six. He would also give her a pink grub jig in the morning. So next year she is aloud on the boat for fishing in shark river and maybe some flaking with her new bogans girl stick.
Hope springs eternal right.
A safe 2016 to all
Brian

[BCinerie]

Was a good day!

[Blackfish Doug]

The best day of the year was a trip I did on the paramount. I had 58 Ling, 6 real nice fat winter Flounder biggest going 4lbs orl & a 35LB. COD. I was fishing light tackle for the Flounder using very small hooks size 1 & very light line 20 lb. test. That's not a very easy feat from a party boat in those debts. Plus this fish put on quite a battle I Had's no idea what it was when I first hooked it was not a dead weight fight on that fish.

[Tognut]

My best fishing experience was with my son...who is autistic, catching his first legal Blackfish on my friends boat. With no coaching, I looked over to see his rod bent, and the telltale sign of a nice tog on his line. I was very proud of him, and I made a big deal, but he just told me to calm down..!!
Great day...!!

RB

[Togman316]

I was able to catch my pb fluke and tog in 2015