Headed out for our first "ocean" striper trip today. Crew was me, my brother, and my father-in-law, a big striper virgin. Headed to the Green can area and dropped lines. We were marking a ton of bait, seein a few birds scattered, and just a couple of boats--looked like the makings of a great day. We fished the area hard up to the cavalier, near shore and out almost 3 miles--nada, not even a knockdown. We had five lines out with the kitchen sink, mojos, daisy chains, umbrella rig, parachute rig, tomic and stretch. Finally, around 3 pm, heard of small fish being caught inside the bay in the Lynhaven/ 1st island area, so thought some pullage is better than none and headed around the cape.

We were greeted by diving gannets and pelicans and "fishy conditions". Immediately hit a 20 inch dink--but we were in the bay so in the box he went to get the stench of skunk off. (My brother was pissed we kept him as small as he was and we were doing the "big fish" thing today, but I just felt it was the right move karma wise to "pop the cherry"). It was slow for the next 45 minutes and he actually began pulling lines when the umbrella goes off. This one's taking drag--no dink. We get him in the boat and he goes a fat 37 1/2"--in the box with high fives all around. We double back and this time the parachute goes off. This one feels bigger--I go to clear the umbrella and it gets hit HARD. My brother's fish gets off (he's gonna hear about that for a while), but mine's pulling good. I put the rod in my father-in-law's hands and he's havin a tough time. Get's it to the boatside and two big fish on. 36.5 inch rock and 34 inch chopper blue on together. We manage to get them in without losing any fingers. As we are getting situated, the daisy chain goes off--this one's smaller at 27 inches--whew, the slot didn't come into play!! Made one more pass with nothing, and as the sun was getting closer to the horizon, we opened up the twin 150's and cruised back to Hampton at 35 mph on nearly flat seas. Final tally, 4 rocks and a chopper blue.

The pics are in my brother's cell phone--we'll try to get 'em up later.

Thanks for the report. Sounds like a pretty good Wednesday. I'm headed out tomorrow morning.

Thanks Naved

I'm going out tomorrow as well. Your's is the only current report I have seen.

I saw your report on (that other site) also.

Great Report!!! Way to pop the big striper cherry,and I bet he had a great big
smile too boot.

Nice report. I heard of a good bite there on Monday.

Good luck tomorrow Charlie. It really laid down in the afternoon and should stay that way for you guys tomorrow. I would hit the bayside of Cape Henry, just inside the lighthouse, not far off the beach, as you come out (bait was so thick my fishfinder kept thinking the bottom was 18 ft. in 40 ft. of water). Pull your bigger stuff--dinks on top, big fish underneath, and the pearl Ches. Bay umbrella rig was killer for us, so pull one of those if you can. We also marked a lot of bait ocean side of Cape Henry down to the Ramada, but I think we may have missed the am bite (if there was one). The guys that ran way south (Damn Neck, Golf Ball) didn't sound like they did anything.

By the way, my cell phone had been doing funny things lately--I got your voicemail after the striper tourney--but was out of town anyway--sorry for not calling back.

Thanks for the update Naved.

You didn't miss a lot in the tournament. They actually started it during Gale warnings. We waited several hours after the start to go out - it shortened our fishing time and we still got the snot beat out of us.

Nice job Naved!! thanks for the report!

Good luck Charlie and Pete...Catch 'em up!!

--Don

Here are the pics:

my 36.5 rock


38 incher

34 inch chopper bluefish

Naved,

That bluefish would look excellent smoked. Nice catch!

--Brett

Great pictures. Those are great fish

nice fish, your boat looks awesome too.

thanks rquez and gradyman for the compliments. Brett--I don't have a smoker, so I gave the filets from the blue to a coworker who's mom loves bluefish. I'm not sure how she makes it. I have a fridge that's fillin up with rock and already has a bunch of tuna, so I just couldn't justify putting bluefish in there with that stuff. (I wonder if that makes me a "fish-snob" LOL ).

I don't have a smoker either but I have had pretty good luck smoking them on the grill. It is excellent. I don't even mind them fried (meat is a little soft but pretty tasty). You are not a fish snob...you just have enhanced tastebuds.

--Brett