2021-03-21 21:53:43
Monty Hawkins
Nice to get out fishing again. Took Joe to celebrate surviving a month of covid’s worst; & took Courtney’s uncle JoJo on his birthday too.
Wish the forecast had been on point. Even ENE at 19.2 knots it didn’t get too bad. Was supposed to be under 10.. That would have been nice.
Paddled on off just before sunrise in our only calm of the day. Hailey Kim of Long Island dropped a mess of blocks and terra-cotta tog condos at Taylor Thornton’s Memorial Reef and we pressed on.
Tog bite wasn’t horrible considering the absence of current most of the day. Dagone east winds – current either rips ..or stays slack.
In some areas slack tide is best for tog. Not here. Our fish like moving water to feed in.
All told we released 35 & killed 1.
It was a tagging trip, after all. Clients were allowed one. Didn’t.
Lots of good fish went back. A fair many short females too. I find that encouraging.
We’re going to have to tighten up on this fishery. Many of my clients see it plain and are willing to take action.
Another course we take to better our reef fisheries is to build reef. Did some of that in grand fashion a short while back when we sank Crocker’s Reef – a 200’ barge loaded with 220 tons of large precast pipe. Deployed about 9 miles out at the Bass Grounds; Crocker’s will host all of our reef species – but especially tog. All that pipe inside a barge? Tog paradise…
Cheers
Monty
Capt Monty Hawkins
Mhawkins@morningstarfishing.com
Info@ocreefs.org
#Nice #fishing #Joe #celebrate #surviving #month #covid
