The Keys

We were lucky enough to get down to the Florida Keys this year and stay at the Hawks Cay resort and marina.  "Into the Blue" and "Saltwater Experience", two of my favorite fishing shows are regularly filmed there. We figured our quickly why this was an angler's destination.  In four days, we took out a flats charter on the "Soc-eh tu-em" with Captain Billy, fished a bridge and caught 40 fish and rented a center console and took it out to a reef where we got into another 50 fish.  I estimated that we caught almost 20 species of fish, which all fought HARD and were beautiful.  We even got to stop in the famous World Wide Sportsman full of great saltwater fishing gear and nothing else!  On the last day we even saw both captains from the two fishing shows and Captain Rich Tutor was filming.  I'm excited to see the episode and get down to the Keys again.

Spring 2012 Heavy Metal

 It took a while to get this up but these are pictures from our first attempt at the spring trophy rockfish season in the Spring of 2012.  We bought some new gear and got out on the water 3-4 times.  Unfortunately, we didn't come home with the big one but we did catch some fat 25-26 inchers and a couple of Cownose rays that fouled up our lines.  Hopefully we'll come home with a big boy next spring...can't wait.

Rocking night

It was a great Friday night on Seth's boat. We went out south of the flats after work on Friday and got our limit. The fish were snagged on 1/2 and 3/4 inch silver sided, black topped rattle traps.

Great way to put the boat away

In mid October you hope to catch a nice fall day to get out in the water. You also hope to catch some fish before the boat gets wrapped up for the season. The day started with rain as we left the dock below blue sky's. We looked and sure enough there was a beautiful full spectrum rainbow. "I hope that's a good sign", I said as we traveled to the inlet. Once there we anchored at the end of the south Jett. Hoping for Tog we cast sand fleas towards the rocks. Gary was the first on the board with a nice pulling, Tautog. I a while later I added a 14+ inch Tog short of the 16 inch limit. Gary then added a keeper Sheepshead and a Citation 18 inch Redfish! Shown here getting his picture at Oyster Bay. What a way to end the season.

A Coastal Fisherman?

Took Noah fishing on Saturday and he caught a black sea bass and this spot. While talking to Amy on my cell phone I ended up getting a hit. I hung up set the hook and knew it was a big one. Gary got the next on scooped up this big boy in the second pass. I caught him on live spot in the West channel. I took the flatfish to Oyster Bay tackle shop to be officially weighed. It ended up being 21 and a half inches and 3.8 lbs, my biggest flounder yet! Sue foster put my picture and description on her fishing report. Now well see if I make the Coastal Fisherman.

Noah's Big Fishing Adventure

Noah got the invite for a fishing adventure on his Uncle Greg's boat. He did a great job hanging with the big boys. Catching over 15 fish, he reeled in 4 at once. He got most of his fish on bloodworms but jigged up a few as well. He even tried his hand reeling in some soft plastics and topwater lures. It was a great trip for the big boys as well as they landed their first live-lined striper (16 inches) and Matt landed his first several fish on topwater.

DNR Report: Stargazing

What is this fish? A Stargazer.


Type: Ocean

Region: Eastern

Location: Bayside at Ocean City





While fishing with my friend captain Matt on HAPPY OURS and his father-in-law this past Sunday I caught this fish. It hit on a spot and at first I thought I was snagged. We were drifting and I thought it might be a fish when the drag starting going faster then the drift. Wonderful feeling! I have no clue what it is? We were bayside at Ocean City. It was a great day of fishing and while no keepers we landed some flounder, different types of crabs, some spot we ended up live lining, some small fish that may have been ocean perch.



DNR Response: It is a stargazer. The fish is unique. It is called a stargazer because its eyes are on top of its head and look skyward. It supposedly has electrical capabilities and can shock you if you put your hand right between its eyes, although I have never witnessed this first hand. They are common In the bay and near shore waters.

Adventure on Horseshoe Crab Island

Here are some pictures of Noah with the first flounder he ever reeled in. We later stopped for a side trip adventure to a small sandy cove that Noah appropriately named Horseshoe Crab Island.

Taste's like Stingray

On Memorial Day weekend I had my favorite two little angler buddies with me on the Happy Ours. Noah and I fished high tide in the Thoroughfare with no flounder. We were in the channel when my rod doubled over. My reel was pushed to the max as I pulled the ray from 30 feet down. Noah helped by clearing his rod in a hurry. I was told rays were tasty so I decided to give it a try. I filleted him up and took out the grill the next day. We beached the boat on a sandbar and had a beach picnic complete with hotdogs and lime Cajun grilled ray. Below is a picture of Tyler and I enjoying the fish on my birthday. It was pretty good!