Hi Folks,Its has been a hectic week with the bogus weather reports and trying to maintain my charter schedule. I still have bass charters scheduled and make up charters from previously bad weather cancelled dates, along with the tuna charters. It seems the weather reports are becoming more and more politically correct. Instead of the old 5 to 15, 10 to 20 or 15 to 25 wind velocity forecasts, that seemed to be accurate, we now have these ridiculous 5-15 and gusts to 25 or 30 reports. Its almost never happens and its just another indicator of political correctness in our government agencies of NOAA and NWS. I and many other charter Captains, lost two charters on Saturday due to this type of forecast, and the winds laid down to light and variable. Its better to be safe, but this has happened all year and that's my whine for the day.
The bass fishing has been a little off in my opinion, as they are mixed with bluefish, water temperatures have warmed, and the tides have been small. We still are getting the limits, but instead of catching them two and three a drift, we are catching only one. They seem to be biting short a lot and dropping off after the hookup, indicating a less excited "bite". The sand eels supply has dwindled as well, making it hard to have decent bait on board. I have managed to freeze a couple of pounds in advance of the decline, but I don't have enough to finish my striper charters. I may have to get some clams or squid to supplement my insufficient sand eels supply.
The tuna bite seems to be a steady pick, with the best bite in the mornings. East of Chatham, there seems to be a lot of smaller fish and jumpers. In fact, I saw a giant come clear out of the water by the old Pollock Rip channel buoy, yesterday. There is lots of bait to the east of the Crab Ledge, almost too much, but the whale show is incredible. Down by the Sword there is less of a show, but once you find the bait, the tuna are there. I heard a commercially legal fish was taken there last week on a squid rig. The hot colors seem to be green, brown and black. My girlfriend Kathy and I went out on Sunday even though we arrived a bit late, we managed to land 3 fish, one of which was a respectable 53 inches. I am guessing it was about 100 pounds. I have tuna trips scheduled for the next three days, so I will have more to report by the end of the week.
Good Luck,
Bruce & "Marilyn S"
