1st trip of the season

[Aquarius]

I got out today for the first trip of the year. I got lines in the water at about 7:30 and trolled for an hour and a half from Jones Inlet to the Pink Hotel in between 35 to 45 feet of water. I trolled a white bunker spoon and a green MoJo. I saw some nice marks on the screen but did not hook up. I moved over to the Hempstead Reef and tried several drops. I was using skimmer clams and got a lot of hits from small fish. I ended up with a 10 inch blackfish and an 18 inch cod. It was beautiful out on the water and I couldn’t care less about not bringing anything back for dinner. It was just nice to get out with all the BS that has been going on the last 5 weeks. I had figured on the fishing being better since there hasn’t been much fishing pressure with marinas and ramps being closed and the lousy weather the last few weeks.

There were more boats out there than I expected to see. There was even one head boat out there whose identity will remain nameless.

 

[Roccus7]

I got out today for the first trip of the year. I got lines in the water at about 7:30 and trolled for an hour and a half from Jones Inlet to the Pink Hotel in between 35 to 45 feet of water. I trolled a white bunker spoon and a green MoJo. I saw some nice marks on the screen but did not hook up. I moved over to the Hempstead Reef and tried several drops. I was using skimmer clams and got a lot of hits from small fish. I ended up with a 10 inch blackfish and an 18 inch cod. It was beautiful out on the water and I couldn’t care less about not bringing anything back for dinner. It was just nice to get out with all the BS that has been going on the last 5 weeks. I had figured on the fishing being better since there hasn’t been much fishing pressure with marinas and ramps being closed and the lousy weather the last few weeks.

There were more boats out there than I expected to see. There was even one head boat out there whose identity will remain nameless.

Isn't it great to be out on the water again???

A couple of "Just Out of Curiosity Questions", not that they matter...

1. Why target larger, now illegal, bass by trolling Mojos & Bunker spoons, the "big fish" catchers? Wouldn't smaller lures like umbrella rigs and medium-sized swimming plugs be a better choice for increasing your odds for a dinner fish and keep your catch on the smaller side, which increases successful, healthy fish releases? I know I speak heresy, but I think it's time we change our habits to avoid going through the angst of releasing a large fish.
   
   Maine had a 20-26" slot for a few years and even with keeping the lures small, it took every ounce of my being to make sure those mid30" were returned successfully revived back into the water.
   
   
2. Was the "unamed" for hire boat from NY or NJ?

 

[Aquarius]

Good questions. I have been fishing that area for about 40 years. Most of the bass that I take trolling in that area for the last several years have been less than 35 inches. I haven't trolled an umbrella rig since 1983. The bass I had taken with umbrella rigs years ago were really small, 20 inchers and even less. My MoJos are single hook but I still do keep the treble on the spoons.

The area that I was in would have been a long trip for a Jersey boat. She was local.

 

[pequa1]

Well with Nor'East all but dead I would be surprised if DEC didn't troll this website. Hope they think it was worth it when caught.

 

[Aquarius]

All they have to do is drive by the parking lot and look for the empty slip. No security was compromised in my post. Through the binoculars it didn't look like there were that many on board to begin with. Maybe they were pin hooking with no paying customers.

 

[BennyV]

All they have to do is drive by the parking lot and look for the empty slip. No security was compromised in my post. Through the binoculars it didn't look like there were that many on board to begin with. Maybe they were pin hooking with no paying customers.

I’m sure a lot more guys are going to start pin hooking. Everyone has bills from the winter, maintenance, and slip rent to pay for. If that’s the case I don’t blame them.