Saturday's Report on the Monger II

[Capt. JJ]

Once again I asked Capt. Jerry if we could do a canyon run at tuna for our Saturday charter...once again, Jerry said to me, "Sure thing. Lets do it. Be at the dock at 4:30am"....

Casting off I noticed we did not have any Penn Internationals, or spreader bars for trolling in the cockpit, but that did not concern me as Jerry yelled back from his captains chair, "Okkkkk......Hudson Canyon here we come"....

My excitement level abated even more as only a mile or so from the inlet I heard the powerful diesels of the new Monger II throttle down, and Nate the Mate quickly placed sliced clam strips around the rails.

"Clam for yellowfin?", I asked Jerry.

"Dude.....Its like the new gulp for Tuna!", he replied.

"And hi-low rigs with small green beads over sea bass hooks?", I once again queried.

"Smaller hooks make it easier to set the hook on the first run", the tenaciously-chain-smoking Captain calmly replied.

With growing concern and apprehension about my canyon trip quickly building, I nonetheless grabbed a rod and dropped the baits down to the bottom (Jerry had instructed us, "Im reading big tuna right on the bottom. Get ready... any second now"), where seconds later I felt the urgent tap-tap-tap of a hungry fish.

Setting the hook in the targets mouth, I braced myself for that amazingly powerful initial run by placing the butt of the rod in the holder affixed to my Braid Tuna belt.

Slowly...evenly....I fought the beast until Nate helped me hoist it over the rail, and I stared down at the jumping 14" sea bass lying on the deck.

"Sea bass, Jerry?!!!!", I hissed at the laughing-with-hysteria Captain in my Newman-esqe voice.....

"Dude.....sea bass ARE the yellowfin tuna of the reefs and wrecks I fish!"

"Oh REALLY!, "I yelled back at our Captain, "and I suppose ling are the BIGEYE tuna of your wrecks?!!"

"Noooooooo...that would be tog", our trusty Captain calmly explained, as he reached for yet another cigarette and returned to the dials and buttons of his brand-new stereo system, before selecting Air Supply's Greatest hits for our listening pleasure.

With further dreams of an offshore adventure quickly squashed I went to work with our plucky crew at hand, and proceeded to put ling and sea bass in the totes. (No stripers at all!!!!)

Rubber Band Pete, Evan, Birds-nest Pat, Dave, Rob, Steph, Gilles, Tebow (thats not how he spells his name but its close enough), and our new-comer to the Monger nation, Luke, worked hard all day in tough conditions ( the current was just stupid) to put together a catch.....about 40 moves and 10 hours later we had 90 keepers. We never saw bunker or bass like our results from the previous week, but we made the best out of plan B.

Steph showed up all the guys with the pool fish (a nasty-looking knucklehead), and 12-year-old Luke managed his first double-header of keeper biscuits in between devouring trays of brownies and Philly pretzels.

Pat, our most-experienced angler, once again showed why he is the bane of many charter Captains by creating a massive birds-nest in the first of several reels he used.

All-in-all, another typical, long day with the Monger crew: full bags of filets, lotsa-laughs, a great, new sled, and finally:

"STEREO FIT FOR KINGS!"

(If Jerry starts playing Flight of the Valkyries before he gets to the first drop we are all in trouble!)

Capt. JJ

[Papasown]

Good report, Capt.JJ. I often play 'Ride of the Valkyries" (Wagner) when leaving our inlet, as out fish fighting song. When I crank it up, prople on both shore's/jetty's jump and wave and yell. I guess they like "the smell of napom in the morning ".........lol'

Catch 'em up ...........Papa

Happy Father's Day to all you lucky guys

[MVP]

Nice

Next time he will tell you he is taking you to Cabo for white Marlin and giant yellowfin