03/29/2008 - Winter Flounder Fishing Angela Rose II


Well boys and girls, I've been getting crushed at work and had no time to really write this report until now.
With trout season starting tomorrow, I figured I'd better get this one knocked out quick to make room in my head for this weekend's reports!

I have to admit, my picture taking skills are off...I was slacking big time, out of my game having not been on a trip in some time now!
Obviously I have to correct that immediately and start fishing far more often! :)

Alright...so this trip features yet another great crew, all day busting chops and having fun!


Team Flundie 2008:

Craig, aka Scrubby, aka Captain Batwing
Tom D, aka tdaly, aka Tom Drinks Daly in honor of his Friday night partying! :)
Tom E, aka telefante, aka Captain Takes Out An Entire Starboard Side with a Single Squeak
Doug, aka Schues, aka Captain Needs a Nickname
Steve, aka stevejar, aka Captain Looks Like He's Wearing Socks, aka Socks -n- The Magic Bus!
Captain Ant, the man, the myth, the legend of the Angela Rose II!
Mate Kevin, eats his own body weight per hour.
And yours truly!


Alright, let's move on to some pics and let them tell the story a little!

Tom, all smiles as always...ready to hit up some flundies!



Nice sunrise coming...



Moon still hangin around...



Tom showing Craig his sausage...note the beaming smile on Craig's face. Haha



Craig in total panic mode as he was running late and got there only 5 hours early instead of 8 hours early.
Word is, he LOST his corner due to tardiness and here is upset his rods aren't in his designated spot.



He refused the trademark Two-Handed Hi until we gave him a spot in the stern.



Ant's hangin loose and ready to go after some flundies!



Alright back to Steve's Magic Bus for some breakfast!
Doug...chillin



Oh boy...Tom Drinks Daly, little tipsiness lingering? Nah...he's always smiling! ;)



Of course, he must have thought we were going fluking in the dead of August wearing his standard loafers!!!



Tom E, apparently LOVES to show us his sausage!



In all seriousness, Tom's sausage patties and links are friggin awesome!
Those links are some of the best I've ever had, man...mixed with some sharp provolone in there...WOW!



Craig cookin up a storm! Good stuff!



Tom, wondering if someone put some extra cream in his coffee? Craig?



SOCKS!!! The owner of The Magic Bus!



Alright, here's where my lack of pictures skips a beat and we wind up back on the boat where Kev and Ant are mixing up the chum!
Don't forget the corn!



Mmmmmmmmm chum!
Those are actually little Italian meatballs we mix with some marinara sauce for lunch! Goooooood! Haha



Tom Knapp...errr I mean Daly...apparently thought there was a sporting clay event off the stern that day.



Wow, look at this sorry crew! Doug, Tom E, Steve, Craig licking Steve's ear aggressively, me, and Tom D!



Kev, doing what Kev does...eating!



Steve with a flundie!
Note Ant in the background observing the catch!
Now see...this is an important picture...because his standard mode of operation is to WAIT until someone catches a fish, before he himself starts fishing.
Where this becomes important is because I made the cardinal sin of all fishing mistakes and not so quietly EXCLAIMED a missed fish on the other side of the boat.
Ant was like a Roller Derby expert on performance skates...he was in on that fish and got him to bite before I blinked an eye and BAM nice one in the boat! MUGGER!!! Hahaha
C'mon I had to call him out on that...and again, SLACKIN...no pics of that event!!!
I could have had T-shirts made up and worn it on every ARII trip!!! Ant, muggin my fish!!! Ahhhhhh LOL
It's all good, I'm gonna break the 10# fluke mark on the ARII later this summer and have him stand next to it in a picture to see who's bigger! Haha, just kiddin Ant! :)



Oh, in case you missed Kev finishing HIS sandwich earlier...this is Ant's sandwich...in Kev's hands! :)



This guy looks cold, good thing he packed his beach towel for the winter flounder trip!
Craig's got competition for the Cape of the Year award!



In the meantime, apparently Steve was fishing near the chum bag...errr...no wait, he was fishing ON the chum bag.
Nice catch SOCKS!



Things began to slow down, so Tom Drinks Daly decided to take a nap...



And apparently had an affair with Minnie below deck!
Note the shooting glasses...still on!
And is it just me or does Minnie have one hell of a smile there? She looks pretty happy. Good job Tommy Boy!!! :)



Little later, Tom E brings in a flundie



Then I went into full slack mode, as we started to catch more fish, I was all into catching and not enough into taking pics.
Here's a final shot of our catch at the end of the day...on the table as the filleting begins!




Tom E also put a nice story together too, and I think it's well worth including in my own for a nice, joint report!


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What a day. I learned a few things.....

Capt. Anthony is a super guy with a tremendous work ethic and a great sense of humor. He will do anything to get fish in the boat....even if he has to mug you, after you miss a fish, and catch that fish right out from under you.

Kevin, the mate, is a fine young man who will be a great Captain himself one day....he just needs to watch where he puts his hose.

Scrubby is an awesome cook, a great fishermen, and he knows everybodys secrets. He is also flat out funny. In fact, he is surrounded by an aura of funny. Beyond that, he is a guy who likes to bring people together for good times. He always has both oars - and his line - in the water and can see 20/20 through anybodys BS. I have to believe that Craig has a fishing schedule around which he plans work.

Matt is another expert fishermen. This guy can actually smell fish through the water and catch them. It is like watching a squirrel dig an acorn out from under the snow. He casts, tightens up, and at the first indication of a bite he goes into a position that I call "The Mantis". Arms extended, elbows tucked in front of his chest....head slightly foward. He is feeling the water molecules colliding with the braid. At the next tap - bam - fish on. He caught 1/3 of the fish on the boat and was one of seven fishermen. When he is not hauling meat out of the sea he is going through some well oiled comedy routines with Scrubby. You just can't touch this.

Steve is a real good fisherman too. He is the builder, owner, and operator of the magic bus....a 4X4 camper van that is a hunting, fishing and tailgating paradise. He is also the nicest guy you'll ever meet. (Actually - he is tied with Shues) He handed off his spot at the chum pot after getting a fish. He will laugh at your lamest jokes so that you don't feel like a stooge. He is a true gentlemen.

You can see eye to eye with Doug....if you are standing on a step stool along side him. Shues can fish right along with the best. He is yet another "NJH" hunting and fishing machine. Wherever he is, he takes it all in....quietly....and does not miss anything. (He can find two rotting deer heads in a lagoon. ) He lives under the rule of a two year old son....that makes him both a subject and a King.

Tom Daly is like a Saturn Rocket - blasting through a nuclear explosion - leaving a trail of good wine and good times in his wake. This man has never done anything half way in his life....he is wide open - full blast - 24/7/365. There is no other way to put it. He will infuse any mission with pure, positive energy. One huge flounder got the best of him. It took him exactly 15 seconds to get over it. Quick wit - power naps - and a humming web phone keep him going...and going...and going.

It was a great day of schooling for me. I learned a lot - but not as much as "The Last Flundie" who watched, with periscoping eyes, as Capt. Ant filleted his comrads from the livewell - one at a time - until it was time for #15. He actually got nervous when Ant. reached #13. He really learned a lesson.

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Well that's all I got this time folks!
Until next time...tomorrow! ;)

Tight Lines!



Matt
mmateyak@hotmail.com