OK boys and girls, sorry for the long delay in getting around to the NJH Striper-a-thon trip report, but here it is...finally!
Well, this trip features a phenomenal crew: Tom, Doug, Doug's Dad Art, and your's truly!
We all decided to meet up at IHOP for breakfast before heading out for a fun filled day of striper fishing.
Little shot of the crew chowing down...
Then they boys had to load up on some last minute food, drinks, and fishing gear...way to be prepared! Haha just kiddin!
Tom looking to hitch a ride, his bodyguard behind him scouring for any suspect drivers...
OK, on the boat...the boys getting ready for some fishin!
Tom making up a few rigs, practicing his knots...
Then we were off to net and snag some live bunker for live lining...
Tom fishing hard...
Doug giving it a go...
Doug's Dad showing us all how it's done!
The rest of the Spanish Armada out there netting and snagging bunker...
Short run out to the bay and we're ready to do some striper fishing...Doug and his dad getting ready for action...
Tom being his usual crazy self...
The other half of the Spanish Armada out on the bay...
Doug putting the hook into one...
And his first one is in the boat...keeper to boot!
And Doug...with ANOTHER one...meanwhile Tom, Doug's Dad and I are carrying the skunk!
Tom, hookin up! Turned out to be a slob blue that broke the line at the boat.
Doug's Dad, chillin...
Tom...can't seem to put that damn thing down! Haha
Doug, after we told him he had to sit out the rest of the day since he already caught his limit of stripers!
Also, possibly the funniest picture I have of him to date...of course he kept fishing!
Tom hooking into another blue!
Yellow eyed devil!!!
The captain thinking to himself..."Man, I'm glad I have this dehooker"
Doug getting beat up by a bluefish...note the vein popping out of his neck...I thought he was going to have to hand the rod off I tell ya!
Doug's dad putting the hook to one, which I think spit the hook on him.
And Doug hooking into another blue...
Nice blue!!!
Doug's dad hooking up...nice heavy pull...what could it be??!!? Captain is ready with the net!!!
Wait a minute...that's no striper! Look at the size of that skate!!!
Tom in action
RUNOFF!!!!!!!
GET EM!!! Ugh, spit again or was a blue.
OK...so now we reach the part of the trip where Doug is in between sleeping on a cooler in the bow and fishing cut up bunker chunks for bluefish on his light setup, since we haven't seen a striper since morning. Doug decides to go bluefishing with a nice wire leader to guard against those razor sharp teeth...and a bluefish hook. Cool deal, he mixes it up with a live bunker or two. Meanwhile, myself, Tom, and Doug's Dad are fishing fluoro-carbon leaders with 9/0 Gamis and live lining bunker in the stern.
So what happens you ask? Oh, but of course...Doug hooks up again!
We figure big ol' slob blue running him around like a little girl...then this is what surfaces!
Geezus...look at that **** eatin grin!
Doug's 3rd striper...to our (Tom, Doug's Dad, and myself) skunk!
Doug is officially my idol, I have printed this shot full size and now have it hanging on my living room wall.
He's the only guy I know that can handicap himself fishing a wire leader and a bluefish hook, and somehow beat out...not one, not two, but THREE other guys all fishing fluoro..he's the man!
Awesome fish dude!
But I have to admit...Doug doesn't hold a candle to Tom's ability to catch bunker out of the livewell. This one is a MONSTER, nice size buddy!
Little comic relief for myself, Tom, and Doug's Dad.
Final pic at the NJH check-in, Craig had the biggest fish of the day, with Doug's the second biggest. Close one, 2# difference or so.
Great fish guys!
So that's the trip in a nutshell. So what did we learn that day? Well, for one...I couldn't catch a striper to save my life...and Doug, probably didn't step in **** before the trip...I think he dove in head first. I really think it's a toss up between Doug and my buddy Ting for who can catch fish under the most ridiculous conditions. In fact, I am going to host a heads-up duel at the IHOP parking lot after the next rain to see who can catch more stripers in the parking lot...I'm really not sure who will win, but I assure you...both of them will find some way to catch a damn striper or two!
What a great day on the water with an awesome group of guys. Hats off to Tom for booking the charter for us on such short notice, given the problems with his boat. Fishing was definitely tough, but good friends make up for the down time, and thankfully Doug was there to show us all how it's done...with a wire leader even. Catching the bunker and blues was fun for the rest of us! No shortage of humor on the trip, we all had a bunch of laughs. Definitely can't wait to get out again!
Up next...Striper-a-thon #2!!!
