2019 Western Sound Spring Bass run...

[huckleberry]

Chunked this evening's incoming City Island area with only one large sea robin for my efforts. First fish of the year in three outings.

 

[ag3]

Really good chunk bite fishing shallow today.
17 bass to 24 pounds. All in 1.5 hours around sunset.

Also had the 1st couple bluefish of the season.

 

[UNCFISH]

Ag3, what general area of the sound are you?

 

[JoeBfishing]

I was out last night, mouth of Hempstead I got temps between ...

 

[BennyV]

I was out last night, mouth of Hempstead I got temps between ...View attachment 6845View attachment 6846

Any fish

 

[JoeBfishing]

Not a touch Benny,

 

[george]

A friend sent me this form Sunday. Taken off New Rochelle on a spoon.

 

[Day9297]

Water was 62 where I fished last night. Absolute slaughter 17 fish to 24 lbs in 2 hours maybe it’s finally starting

 

[george]

Water was 62 where I fished last night. Absolute slaughter 17 fish to 24 lbs in 2 hours maybe it’s finally starting

Sounds like some crazy fishing! Hopefully you're right! Thanks for posting.

 

[ag3]

Ag3, what general area of the sound are you?

Western sound.

 

[UNCFISH]

Western sound.

Trying to figure out if you are east or west of execution rocks.

 

[ag3]

Trying to figure out if you are east or west of execution rocks.

We fish from LNB to Matinecock.

 

[ag3]

Sounds like some crazy fishing! Hopefully you're right! Thanks for posting.

I was with him. It was great. Had a triple hook up of 20+ pound fish on chunks with 2 of us. Landed all 3. Fun.

 

[JoeBfishing]

Thanks for calling me in!?

 

[BlueMarlin478]

Finally splashed the boat in Friday, new risers done. Sat AM leave around 520, calamity ensues. Immediately seize up the port prop in the channel on someones hanging spring line, but manage to put-put out to my spot by 645 on the starboard. Then realize the solenoid on the windlass went. The anchor line is locked in place and naturally we dont have the correct allan wrench on board. Cut both ends of the anchor line and had to macgyver splice the two back together, cause we sure as hell we'rent turning around.

So lines in around 7 and we're fishing. The unimaginable happens. My buddy Nick sees the fabled tap tap tap and grabs the pole, waits for the run, cranks down on the circle and off to the races. BOOM, hooked up. Fish is suction cupped to the bottom, peeling drag on the Fathom, and its set fairly tight already. Stays deep, couple more runs. Lamiglass TFX is bent like a goddamn pretzel.

Im thinking a giant skate, but I know better by those huge tail strokes....I say nothing. Fish now swings starboard side, tangles up another line, then swings back port side and tries to run up to the anchor line - my buddy JP has to cut the second line and let Nick reel it on because its mayhem at this point, fish is now diving back under the boat. She's gotta run out of gas soon, right?

We finally get her within leader distance, still no visual....then she turns the afterburners back on. WHAM, back down another 20/30 feet. Crank by crank, we're back within striking distance - and a ghost grey of a shape appears. Holy fish. Its a bus. 6 feet out she finally gives up and slides into the net, and um, she doesnt really fit. JP and I both have to lift her over the gunnel.

51" length x 29" girth - thats with a conservative, quick measurement on my part so we can get a few pics and release. And of course, the 100lb scale is at home. We all know it, shes over 50. Best guess is 55, but man, the shoulders on this fish. She looks like a submarine. I'll let the pictures do the talking (I'm 6'3' 205 for reference). Kept water on her gills with the saltwater wash prior to pics - spent 15 minutes reviving her, and thank god we had the tagging needle because she needed a long vent. Clamped up on my thumb real good, dorsal went straight up, and she was ready to swim. Forgot to tag her in the process, but did wind up with a scale - it looks like that of a tarpon.

Never really though we'd get it done in the Western, but for the first fish of the year, its the fish of a lifetime.

Finished the day with another 3 nice fish to 22lbs, missed a whole mess more with wind against tide - what a day.

 

[george]

That is a great fish and kudos on the release! Congrats on a beauty! There are some great shots there.

 

[buddha162]

View attachment 7053

Saw your post on IG...what an amazing fish and release!!

 

[ag3]

Amazing story and report. Congrats on the release of a great fish.

 

[dsedy]

Awesome!! Kudos all around!

 

[Fluke Whisperer]

Nice catch, not to steal your glory, I caught a 52 inch bass that went 53.4 lbs, weighed on a spring scale and released. so I'm thinking yea, your fish is probably 50+ lbs, congrats on a great catch and release.