zero to hero
 

No lie. This has been the WORST start to fishing I have ever had in years. Four Trophy trips netted zero keepers in the box (or released). We did manage a few under <35 but that doesn't count:eek:
I couldn't wait until May 16th for the size change. Went out thursday with high expectations. Myself and 5 other boats, skunked:eek::mad:

Finally had word where the fish were located and made the long run today. It paid off:D We had our 6 in the box in less that an hour. What a change:)
Fish ranged fro 22-31 inches.

On our run back to the barn, I ran shallow water looking for working birds and breaking fish. You heard me right, we have caught fish breaking during spring trophy season. I've never seen breaking fish this early in the season. They were not trophy's but lots of fun catching on light tackle.

My hope was to find them again, now that they were legal.

We found them:D:D
Breaking fish 20-26 inches. Topwater worked as well as BKD's. We had a ball releasing fish for over an hour.

I've been hesitant to even ask other anglers to go with me, because my success rate (zero) was so dismal. I needed a day like today just to JUSTIFY my fuel costs from 2019:mad:

I'll try to post a couple of photo's from my phone. Bear with me, I hope I'm successful.
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Our nicest trolling fish of 31 inches.

http://www.cbangler.com/attachment.p...1&d=1559161514

Downscan view of our breaking fish. So thick, even I could jig them :):):)

http://www.cbangler.com/attachment.p...1&d=1559161256

Capt John with a nice fish, jigging.

[EDIT: I got yer pic all cleaned up nice - Scott]

http://www.cbangler.com/attachment.p...1&d=1559161682

Two nice fish that avoided the box; jigging :)

Sorry about the photos that came out sideways:) Don't know how that happened.

Maybe Scott or Mike (Garlien) can turn them for me:D
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Mr C,
I wouldn’t say you were a “zero”, just a guy, like many other guys this year, that hadn’t caught a fish yet. Now that you’ve kicked the skunk off your boat, I’m sure it realizes it is no longer welcome! I’m just hoping he didn’t leave your boat only to find mine!!! Barely any fuel burnt here yet :mad: Got out for shakedown cruise ALL the way to Swan Point. Everything seemed fine at least. Maybe schedule and weather will allow some boating this weekend...

I did the important one; the downscan!!!

It was kind of a pain in the ass and I'm feeling lazy; I'll do the other ones soon. :cool:

All done.....Nice fish!

Thanks Scott. I knew you could fix the photo's:D

The sad part is that we haven't been able to reproduce that day:mad: We have found some nice schools of fish and pulled fish out of them trolling, but once the word is out on their location, the charters are running two a days over them and siphoning off the keepers. When we return a few days later, it's mostly links left.

We pull two or four keepers out of the area and that's it:eek: Constantly on the move looking for another slug of fish seems to be the norm. I've been putting close to 50 miles on the boat each time I'm out:mad:

Reports north of the bridge are pretty scarce. We have some guys ready to check out Eastern Bay and West River areas as soon as June 1st opens the fishing to rivers and tributaries.

Next couple of days look to be good winds (low), so get out there and find me some fish:)
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So far this year has been "meh" for me as well. During trophy season I caught a 20" about 200 yards off the beach at Silver Swan/Queen Anne Marina when out in my kayak and that's really been about it. Caught lots of undersized fish in Eastern Bay this week while out Perch fishing. Been throwing out a catfish rod off the pier in the evenings and hooking up with at least one a night though. At least it's SOMETHING pulling back.

No real bait seen in E-Bay yet and no birds at all. Been looking far and wide with binos and not seeing anything.

The spawn looks to have gone well though; again this year I have millions of little baby fish swimming around my pier. Yesterday was the first day I saw them. Can't remember when they appeared last year.

Hopefully a week from now we'll be posting reports about how unbelievably awesome the fishing is.

Either that or I become a crabber.

Time to load the boat and head to the ocean hon! If your running 50 miles to find fish in the bay may as well trailer down the beach and hit the off shore wrecks for big flounder, sea bass, togs and have a shot at cobias. Hell once things heat up you even have a shot at mahis on the inshore grounds. I have a book full of good numbers if anyone wants to broaden their horizons. Hell im thinking about running the tiara around to the beach to fish once I’m off the sofa. Speaking of which I’m now walking with a cane and without for short distances around the house. Sure it hurts but legs not going to heal sitting on my ass!

Glad to hear you are up and walking Mike:D
Keep up the good spirits and I may get a ride on that new boat sooner than I thought.
I'm staying in Deale another two weeks. I'll be back in my main slip mid June.
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You aren’t the only one thinking about going to the beach....

Glad to hear you are getting around a bit

Everyone I know except for the Judge owners that I know that have fished and kept there boats on the bay have already left for the ocean and are doing very well. They gave up on the bay midway through the trophy season, got their boats ready and hauled ass! Think it’s going to be quite a few years to bring the bay back. I know where the Mako would already be if I still had it!

We never claimed to be a bright bunch!!! :rolleyes: :p :p

Hey, I resemble that:D
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Not name calling just trying to give you guys some options to catch fish rather than support OPEC. Keep hearing from from my daily that have been on the offshore wrecks and they have been on fire catching sea bass to 4#, nice tog, spade fish, and the cobias have shown up, beats going for a long boat ride for nothing of staying close to home and catch catfish. Oh, and did I mention there is plent of places in west OC with on trailer storage so you don’t have to keep crossing the shore with boat in tow.

Had a good day yesterday. Mike we would have invited you, but knew the winds were going to make yesterday less than perfect conditions. We didn't want to "rock and roll" that new leg of yours too much.
Looking forward to getting you out soon.
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