7-1-07 Sharking

Time: 5:30am-5:30pm
Crew: Tim, Rick, Bobbie, Bob Bradley, Chris
Water Temp: 64.5-66.5
Tide: Unknown
Wind: West 10-20 knots
Conditions: A few clouds and 3-4 foot seas
Fish Caught: Four Blue Sharks

We meet at Galeferry and left in the light at 5:30am.

(Click To Enlarge)

We stopped at the race and Montauk for a short try at bluefish, but I had a few frozen and plenty of other bait.
Today NOAA was wrong and a day like today would of been a small boat (20' to 22') nightmare.

It was scheduled 2-4 with 5-10knot winds.... it was blowing 15-20 and the sea period was close.

With the promise of calmer seas later in the day we plowed to the horns.

We made it to the horns for 8am and put the tuna spread out. Ten rods trolls very nicely.No knock downs by 9am so we set out the drift.A short period into the drift and we release a small blue.

We drift for a few hours with sharks appearing but very hook shy.

I suspected it was becaus of all of the chum in the water due to a tourny on friday and saturday. Bill Brown confirmed this later in the evening.

(Click To Enlarge)

We did manage to catch a few blue sharks.

(Click To Enlarge)

And everyone on board had a shot as reeling in a fish, here is Bobbie looking like a true fisher woman!

(Click To Enlarge)

NOW HERE IS WERE IT GETS INTERESTING

Bob Bradley is checking the deep bait while I am sleeping in the chair.

He puts the bait down and I half here him say"Uh Oh, we have a problem"

The ballon is moving out from the boat pretty fast.

We wait a few seconds, put the boots to the fish, and the fight begins.

We all know this is a good solid fish....

The pole is bent right over and then we hear "CRASH" about 15 feet in front of the boat.

We look and there is a hole in the water the size of small car. I yelled "Big Thresher"... the fish goes down again and screams to the opposite side of the boat peeling line out and rubbing against the bottom of the boat.

The line could not take all of the punishment of the heavy drag coupled with peeling off the spool and broke rubbing the painted boat bottom.

It was over as quickly as it began.Came back in some nice seas.

We did see tuna chasing bait, but couldnt get them to hook up.

Can wait for the next trip scheduled for Wednesday!