Took my boy and bro in law out to the HRBT for our first night of striper fishing this season, what a blast got out about 6pm and from the minute we got there till around 1130 we were on the fish, caught our limit from 19' to 23', caught so many fish my arms were tired and thats about when we called it a night.

Do have a few questions and concerns that many may not care to hear but im gonna throw them out there anyway,

1st is a question, my son was throwing a swim shad and a seagull took it before it hit the water and got all tangled up in it now this was a first for me and I really wasnt sure what to do other than try to cut the thing loose, now I know im not the only one this has happened to so what are you supposed to do in this situation?

Now to my complaint and some may say shut the heck up but I gotta say this cause I was none to happy when this happened, as any of you that were out at the HRBT last night well know it was like a parking lot out there, so we idled up to a cozy little spot with a boat on both sides of us (about a 100 yards to either side of us) and we anchor up and get comfy and start fishing when out of the blue another boat pulls in between us and basically takes away any chance we have at fishing the area that we want to fish I mean these guys got close enough to us that I could have spit from my boat to theirs and of course they arent anchoring up they are driftin back and forth and just basically being a neusance, to top it off they dont give a wave dont say hi nothing, I guess my question would be was I in the wrong thinking that these guys were out of line? I try to be nice enough to give people there space and not crowd them I mean its a big bridge out there and its not like there wasnt plenty of real estate out there to be had as far as I am concerned they were in the wrong but aI would like to get your opinions on this so I know that my frustration was justified or do I need to just suck it up and quit whining???

anyway overall a great night not too cold and the fish bite was great I would have to say we boated at least 40 fish and brought home our limit of nice healthy looking fish, looking forward to the cold water and the bigger fish.

Chilli

Hello, sorry but i do not know any of the answers to your questions but was the only bait you were using was the swim shad or did you use other bait. I so what kind. By the way good job on the successful trip. Bet it was a blast. Thanks.

No you are not wrong complaining. we all have seen these guys out there that just don't have enough sense to share the water and not mess up your fishing. I have had then drive right up and park over the school and completly turn off the bite. Makes you mad enough to throw your anchor at them. But then since I normally have my 6 y/o with me I just explain how rude they are and try to go on fishing.

As for the sea gull I just try to cut the line as close to the bird as I can unless the lure is expensive or the last one of that kind in the box then i have to get it back.

Congrats on the great night I will be going out again this week out of lynnhaven to get some.

Great night of fishing!! Congrats!!

To your questions...

Birds...I was out about a week ago and we got into several birds. we reeled them back to the boat and I picked them up carefully, holding their wings agianst me and had a hand on their neck to help stop them from biting while Mike would either cut the line or try untangling the line from the bird. Cutting the line is totally fine, it will probably loosen itself and the bird will be free of it. Only problem is if the lure gets into the bird...then its up to you whether you want to get the lure back or not. I know a year ago they (CBBT authorities) were shooting seagulls to reduce the population and the hazard they pose to drivers...with all the birds we saw out there, they didn't shot enough!!

Other Fishermen...you're always going to have one in the bunch that does stupid stuff. Unfortunatley some don't share the same courtesies as we may have and just don't care. I just keep in mind that Karma is a great thing...he'll get his one day...you should just hope you're around to see it when he does!!!

Catch 'em Up!!!

--Don

I've caught a few gulls in my day and I always reel them in and untangle them. If they're hooked I unhook them. They don't like it one bit but look pretty happy when they fly off. As far as being crowded out of a space, join the club. I wish I knew what to do but when you tell most of these people what they've done, they just get mad. Too many boats, too little water.

Thanks for the replies guys I thought I might be a little crazy in my thinking that everyone on the water was there for the same reasons and might pass on the same courtesies but I found out real quik I was wrong. Pilot you and I are in the same boat, I had my 12 year old with me and I really had to bite my tongue when the guys pulled up, what made it worse is right before they did that my son snagged the anchor line so I had just got done re setting the anchor threw my line in the water started to retrive and my cell rings so my wife is yacking my ear off about not being able to get a dvd to start for her and my daughter who stayed out of the cold and then this guy rolls up and really sets me off all the while im trying not to blow my top in front of my son.

The birds, im not sure what I will do if it happens agian im not to keen on the idea of pulling a bird into the boat I know that thing was pissed when we reeled him in and of course all of this is happening shortly after my above mentioned fiasco, my son looks at me and says dad that bird took my bait, I look at his reel and the bail is still open and this thing is rippin line off like its cool and I say son did you close the bail and he's like oh I was supposed to do that lol, and even after all of this we still had a great night of fishing.

As far as the bait we were using we had the most luck on 6 inch eels, we also used bucktails and an assortment of spoons That I had in my t-box, hell they were so agressive they were hitting almost anything we threw at them.

We are planning on going thur night and any other night we can try to make it out there.

Good luck to all of you.

Chilli

Just so you guys know...if you see me out there in my 21' Seaswirl...let me know if I'm doing something wrong...I won't get upset. You may think I am when I cuss at you in my jersey accent...but that's just me!

Seriously though, think about it, those guys that run up on you and run over the feeding fish are the same guys that cut you off at the ramp or run up and almost swamp you with their wake. They don't give two hoots about anyone but themselves...but like was said earlier...what goes around, comes around...and they will eventually get theirs...

See you out there Thursday night!

Yep, there's one in every bunch. There was one at the CBBT last night that my friend and I nicknamed Capt Jack@$$. Went right down the light line where the birds were working and broke up the school. Wait until the big ones show up. It's going to really irratate you then...Anyway, we caught about 50, but only 2 were in the slot one at 19" and one at 20". We threw them back hoping to get some higher up in the slot, but never did.

do what we always do when you have a jacka close by,throw a bs lure at his line and keep snagin his line until it pisses him off they ulually move pretty quick or get his line in your boat and cut his line.

100 yards between two anchored boat seems like enough room to drift through. You're about 150 feet from the nearest boat. The fact is the CBBT is a popular spot. My rule of thumb is not to get closer than twice the nearest boat's maximum casting area, approach slowly and be safe. If that's not reasonable, guys, what is the appropriate distance from an anchored boat?

Rebel I couldnt agree with you more if the guy would have split the boats but he was right on top of us like I said I could have literally spit on him from my boat it was ridiculous, I dont mind drifting but when everyone around you is achored up and there is plenty of bridge were there really isnt anyone at then there is just no reason for it, we are all out there after the same thing and a little bit of courtesy goes a long way.

As far as a hundred yards between boats, if we are casting the same direction (which at times we were) then that cuts the area to 50 yards then throw in boat #3 and you are at about 20 yards a throw, when throwing to the shadows to retreive through the light that does not give one a hell of a lot of room to fish when there is plenty of room elsewhere along the span, but its the same old thing if your on the fish there are people out there that will run to your spot, then if your catching and they arent they will try to get close enough for a look to see what your throwing, I figured when I bought my boat the peir fishing B.S would be gone but as I found out this weekend thats not the case.

anyway I really dont care just wanted to get a few opinions on this so I wouldnt feel that I was in the wrong.

So how many out here in the internet land will be out thur night???? I know a lot of us are off on friday so seems like a good night for fishing might have to hook up with a few people meet at the willoughby boat launch and go out together?? that is for those that are going to the HRBT or MMBT not to sure if I am going to make the run out to the CBBT as the fishing was real good and barely used any gas on the way out.

Good luck on the water.

Chilli

Thurs Night is going to be absolute Parking lot out there...West Wind at 10, gonna be beautiful.....

With the birds...I've hooked everything from Pelicans to Tuna Peckin Birds (Little guys).....If you can get them close to the boat, put something over there head to cover their eyes, hold their wings tight against their body and hold the bird against yours. have somebody cut as much of the line off as possible and try and get the lure out or at least cut the hook.

As far as people drifting over your fishing spot, well, not much you can do espicially with your son in the boat, kind of limits your reaction capability. Just keep throwing your baits where you want them, they'll eventually get the hint. I don't fish the Bridge Tunnel this time of year specifically for that reason. Just wait for the cows to come down the ocean front, little more room for me out there...Bob