Capt. Monty Hawkins continues to enjoy a winter fishery he never thought of before on his Morning Star out of Ocean City, Maryland, even though the bluefin tuna were too small on this week’s trip. Check out his report as follows:”
Thursday, January 22, 2025: had the best day of tuna fishing in my 45 years out of OC, MD..
(Keep in mind I’m JV with BFT! The Sea Bass/Tog/Fluke fisheries are, and will remain, my livelihood – but this fishing is perfect for a hard winter’s blues..)
Trolling today reminded me of bluefishing at Jackspot in the early 1980s at times..
The report..
Two-thirty AM; a quarter moon shone brightly on lightly ruffled seas as we cleared the inlet. Though just enough cloud cover to prevent seeing the planetary alignment; today’s forecast–the first offering a chance for me to slide far offshore in search of bluefin tuna in long weeks, was looking spot on.
An early AM reading showed 16 degree air and 36 degree water temps about 7 miles offshore.
Ocean’s a powerful force though. As we worked our way offshore, air & seawater temps climbed appreciably. By just 18 miles out air temp was 28 and water 42.5 – at 25 miles off air was 32 and water 45..
A convenient wreck lay perfectly on my course offshore. In an attempt to make bait we tried it for bluefish.
Ehh, that didn’t work.
Found plentiful sea bass, but they’re off limits because NOAA’s official recreational catch guesstimates from MRIP show, for instance, how Shore anglers (you know, jetty & bridge anglers) will sometimes catch more and larger cbass than their state’s offshore Party/Charter fleet.
Yup.
OK sure.
NOAA/Council/Commission: “Ah! You greedy recreational scoundrels! You’re over your sea bass quota again!”
..seasons get cut, bag limits shrink, size limits increase because of data no one believes. In many states sea bass are now almost entirely off limits because of MRIP’s cooked-up catch data.
Going to work on that again soon. Always do with a new administration. Always make progress too – and then it gets squashed, either at the top of NOAA or by the Secretary of Commerce (NOAA is under Commerce.) Not that it would ever sail into presidential orbit, but in the Biden administration NOAA announced rec catch estimates were going to be reduced 20 to 40% two years ago(ish) ..and then nothing happened.
In the previous Trump administration a genius, Admiral Gallaudet, (seriously – a genius!) was at the helm for NOAA. He saw my argument for rotten catch inputs at once. But when he kicked it upstairs the Sec of Commerce killed it straight away. “Have to use something. These will do.”
And that was that.
If rec catch estimates were repaired – if fisheries science was fed accurate catch information – fishery management would work incredibly well. So well, in fact, simple things like temperate coral reef’s value and spawning production’s incredible might could well spring to the fore.
One day they shall
..but not with pure baloney decorating catch columns on fishery managers’ computers.
Kept steaming off. When ten miles from the edge, air temps had climbed to a toasty 35 degrees – but sea water was 52 for quite some while. Once into the canyon, however, air temps climbed to 39 and sea water rose to 53.5 degrees.
Warmer air than much of the south, no?
Well, Shelly herself had told Joey: run a shelly lure long right and all would be well. No surprise – as we crossed the 100 fathom line, fish on!
Bit the shelly of course.
Though only 37inches, a tuna in hand beat thousands in the sea – we boxed it. We were now only allowed to keep one more; a giant over 73 inches.
Didn’t happen. Dern sure a lot of fun hunting it. Caught 12 altogether. The other 11 were netted and released. Lot of fun for my two anglers. They even let Joey & Jeff reel some in.
About noon I was right there – right where Sea Bass Bob had caught his pool winning golden tile years ago.
They’re open. Why not make a drop?
Eight hundred fifty feet down (no electrics allowed!) we found hungry
..sand sharks.
Devil.
Back to tuna fishing!
School bluefin seemed everywhere we went. Our last was in 80 fathoms and 51 degree water – at 25 inches it was the only sub-legal bft I’ve caught or even heard of this winter season.
Was hoping to see unusual life off there today.
Did.
A northern fulmar (thanks Zach!) – a puffin – scads of little auk/dovekie weren’t too unusual..
Then, while tile fishing a small white whale surfaced close abeam and didn’t go away for over an hour – followed us trolling!
Thankfully it didn’t have a Moby Dick complex. No ramming the boat TYVM.
Wasn’t all white. Mostly though. My first thought was beluga – and wouldn’t THAT be amazing.
A quick check of NOAA’s whale reference showed belugas have no dorsal to speak of though. This fellow’s was pronounced – much larger than any dolphin I’m familiar with.
Right now, before it gets in the hands of experts, I’m calling this mostly white marine mammal a Risso’s dolphin.
Only saw one once before. It was not white.
A mystery….
(Zach at Hillstar Nature confirms – Risso’s dolphin.)
I’ll be looking for another flat calm day, believe that. Still want to come tight on el grande.
Mate Vic is working in NC this season. Had a 111 inch/800+ pound bft take 8 hours to reel in and boat a few days ago.
Ouch.. �Well, hope we’re up to the task if given opportunity!
Cheers!”
The NY/NJ Bight forecast is a fine one for Saturday with northwest winds at just 10 knots before gusts to 20 in the afternoon.
Tight Lines 