A Humbling Trip

[live bait]

Dispite the forcast of rain & a possible thunder storm, decided to make a late afternoon trip to Plum Gut with the intention of harassing the bass. Arrived to find the place socked in with fog once again, which burned off in about an hour, only one other boat on the grounds. Started to make my drifts with a very slow pick of a few blue fish & one short bass. About an hour in, one of the local Orient boats arrived with two people aboard, first drift they each boated a bass. I adjusted my drift without much results while watching the other boat have a steady pick, never got close enough to see colors but they were fishing a three way. I changed buck tail colors, & pork rind colors, even tried a storm shad, ending the tide with two short bass & one over the slot, not much for the amount of time put in. Always good to get out, but a fustrating trip.
John

 

[MOJOE]

Dispite the forcast of rain & a possible thunder storm, decided to make a late afternoon trip to Plum Gut with the intention of harassing the bass. Arrived to find the place socked in with fog once again, which burned off in about an hour, only one other boat on the grounds. Started to make my drifts with a very slow pick of a few blue fish & one short bass. About an hour in, one of the local Orient boats arrived with two people aboard, first drift they each boated a bass. I adjusted my drift without much results while watching the other boat have a steady pick, never got close enough to see colors but they were fishing a three way. I changed buck tail colors, & pork rind colors, even tried a storm shad, ending the tide with two short bass & one over the slot, not much for the amount of time put in. Always good to get out, but a fustrating trip.
John

livebait like you said just being on the water is great ,, you will get them next time,,,,mite be a big one ><)))))))))))))))):>,,, thanks for the report,,,,
><))):>

 

[captmike28]

Just a few observations, John, from a guy who has fished the Gut for Bass for more decades than I care to admit. First, Orient has to be one of the foggiest places on all LI and it frequently moves in and out very rapidly where it can be "pea soup' at the point and clear as a bell only a 1/2 mile away,; not at all unusual.

Next, checking the tides it seems you were certainly fishing the correct stage in my mind. Were you fishing alone? Was the wind working with or against the tidal flow? Personally, I do not have stern controls so when I fish that area solo I must have wind and tide working together or I cannot present the bucktail properly. I don't know how your boat is set up but if you cannot overcome a wind vs. tide situation by motoring the boat into the rip it will be tough to catch. I guarantee you the Orient guys were doing that if there was a wind vs. tide situation because that is exactly what I do with customers aboard.

Finally, even though it is June yesterday was still close to the quarter phase moon. The best bite overall is almost always close to the new and full moon periods. Having said all that, 4 Bass with one over the slot on your own is still a pretty good outing, especially if the conditions were challenging,.