Opening day!

[K-Cube]

Hi guys, just got back after around 3 hours of trolling. It was absolutely crazy out, at least 500 boats as far as the eye could see trolling back and forth across the shipping lanes. Me and my neighbor packed up his 17 foot boston whaler with so much gear you could barely walk across it, gased up, and headed out.

We ran 3 rods, one with a chartruese umbrella with a trailing ruby-lipped parachute, one tanden with a 9-inch holographic bunker combo'd with a 6-inch holographic purple like color, and lastly a completely holographic umbrella, which shines absolutely brilliantly, trailed by a 9-inch completely holographic shad.

We had the rods in the water by around 10:30-11:00, and trolled with no hits at all until 1 when we hooked up with a nice big cow. He hit on the holographic umbrella, and we got him in, trolled for another hour and then headed home.

The fish we boxed was 34 inches, with a 20 inch girth, around 15 pounds. When I checked the stomach, he had a half digested 7-inch fish (couldnt tell what it was) which was very skinny, Im guessing alewive by the looks of it. The holographic umbrella we hooked it on looks absolutely brilliant in real life, Ill have to use it more to determine whether or not its this seasons hot rig. Ill post some pictures of the fish up as soon as my camera batteries get done charging.

The water was very beautiful out, it was a great day out, and the water was especially crystal clear compared to last year. It was a comfortable 73 degrees with a calm ocean breeze, with no clouds to speak of. Great day in all, even though there was limited action. The radio waves were filled of chattering boredom of "wheres all the fishies???" but Im content. Anyone else fish on opening day? The biggest fish I heard caught on the radio was 43 inch's, not sure about the pounds.

-Kevin

[ckphelps]

Nice,It's good to hear someone hookin up and catching a decent fish.

[dawson584]

Went out and had no luck only had one pull down. It was a awsome day out though

[Fish-Aholic]

I know my cousin got out today, when I talked to him around 8:30 he'd already boated 3 fish and had one pulldown. I can't wait, I'll be out there at his dad's on wed night fired up to go on thur mornin, probably won't be able to sleep

[K-Cube]

Do you know where he was? I just talked to a boatload of people at work today so I know where most of the fish are (at least a good idea). The bites only good in the morning, and we couldnt get out early though, but hopefully next weekend we can. I weighed in a couple fish today, one guy caught 5 in 4 hours in the morning, two of them citation size, 45 and 48.5 pounds (both 47 inch's) at lookout point.

[K-Cube]

pictures



*cant get image to show, just copy and past, if someone can fix it, Id thank you!*

[Fish-Aholic]

Ok, the final report was 12 fish (only 4 kept) before noon. No, there was no culling, biggest was only 36" Yes I know where he was, but won't throw it out there because typically there aren't too many boats around. I will tell you that it is in the lower bay.

[K-Cube]

Well, I wont list the spots I heard because I try to maintain secrecy also, but I will tell you that where most of the boats (myself included) were didnt catch much. Probably because you gotta divide up all the fish. However everyone who did halfway decent had like less then 3 boats around them. I however got stuck in a sea of more then 500...

Your cousin come to Angler's at all? What did he catch em on. If he ever stops in or you do, check out the holographic/mylar shads we just got this year, they look great. (there's 8 or so inch holo teasers with eyes for hooking to umbrellas, and 9 inch holo shads with a single hook for better action, they change colors from green/blue/purple) We sold out of everything but the holographic teaser shads for umbrellas. Its what I caught the above fish on. They got great action but the hooked ones (you cant hook the teasers otherwise it screws up the action and the mylar stuff in the middle) are unusable after like 3 fish.

The major downside is the expense. However I've heard from a couple people that bought them that they work great since the water is so clear.

Usually when I head out I keep only 1 fish, as my neighbor that heads out with me is allergic to seafood, and so a 20 pound fish is dinner for my family for a night.

[Fish-Aholic]

His buddy actually went out on opening day and had a good morning, most fish were caught on Chartruese umbrellas, so that is what he rigged up yesterday. He was running 7 rod and 2 dummy lines. He said most fish fish came up on the Chartuese, but did catch a couple on white as well as one on a bucktail.

[fwarren]

I went out on the Bay early Saturday. This area is USUALLY hot and I always had good luck. Not this year! I trolled 10 lines with tandems, umbrellas, and a spinner for 6 hours. Not only did I not catch a thing, but of the 100 boats out there, I did not see a single fish landed. I am sure some were, but I didn't see one. It was a beautiful day on the Bay, but I had to get my son back by 1PM, so we didn't fish the afternoon. It's always good to hear these striper stories. I am just jealous of all you guys catching, not just boating, like me!

Don't be so secretive on locations; we are all striper buds!

/s/ Floyd