Hairball and I took the young’uns out to the jetties to see if we could get them into some fish. My youngest son has been wanting to catch something “big” for several weeks now. He landed the 28" red last Friday and that wasn’t “big” enough nor did it have the fight he was looking for. We caught some shrimp and a few pinfish and I had a dozen or so fingermullet. Rode out through the harbor in the confused seas and high wind gusts and was starting to re-think going on out to the rocks. We went searching for bait around Morris and had a hard time locating the menhaden with the wind whipping 15-20 mph. So we settled for what we had managed from the creeks, which turned out to be just about right.
We set up on the South jetty and after landing a few bait sized croaker, decided that this was NOT the spot to be for any keepers or “big” fish. So we cruised over to the North side and began reeling in the Endangered Black Sea Bass. Quite a few were close to the slot, but falling slightly short, with the only keeper coming from Hairball Jr. who brought in a nice 13" BSB. A few puppy drum were added to the catch and release program we had going on. But it was almost non-stop action with the small BSB hitting cut ladyfish, croaker and cut shrimp.
We finally were down to our last few croakers and one lone finger-mullet. We set up a drift over some structure and wham! Fish on. But it soon came un-buttoned. Drifted the same spot again and BAM! Fish on! Hairball hands the rod to my youngest son (15) and the fight is on. We played a little with the drag and Hairball gives some welcomed advice and in about 5 minutes he boats a nice bull red, just short of 36". Fish was released afte a couple of pictures and was revived successfully and swam away strong. Another couple of drifts ended with a hookup, but the fish came un-buttoned before getting too far off the bottom.
A great day on the water with good friends. The kids had fun and we all barely noticed the heat with the steady winds.
Got the boat