Distraction
Registered
Launched at Ft. Monroe at 2:00 on Saturday. Went up the James River to the first inlet where all the headboats come out, and found some Peanut Bunker to throw a net over. Loaded the livewell with those, then went out to the Hampton Bar. Great drift, but no bites. Managed to dodge the storms for the most part
a little drizzle isnt going to stop the fish from biting.
Went to the Fourth Island. Too rough to see any spades on the surface. Dropped some flounder rigs and drifted along the fourth, with no takers.
At that point we noticed a boat flying a dive flag the Lucky Charms. We noticed one snorkler in the water, so we hailed and asked if that was the only diver. They said yes. We asked if we could approach as long as we stayed away from the diver. They said yes. (Just mentioning that so people dont think you can just motor on up to a boat flying a dive flag!)
We talked a little and they said the island was covered with spades and tautog. He held up the biggest spadefish Ive ever seen in my life. He also said that there were some 80-100 lb black drum.
After a few more inquiries about visibility, current, depth and temperature, I donned my diveskin to protect from stinging jellies, put on my mask, fins, and snorkel, grabbed my pole spear and jumped in. The water was fine on the surface, but viz was low like 3 feet or less. I swam toward the rocks to get a little shallower, and started diving. The thermocline was about 5 feet down, and it was pretty chilly, but nothing I couldnt handle. The viz also cleared up once I got down through the thermocline. It was about 5-8 feet. I started diving in about 20 feet of water. Id get to the bottom and exhale a little to keep from floating up, then just sit on the bottom as still as I could. Once I was still, the togs came out. Lots of them. Mostly small, but some bigger ones. The big ones always came out just as I was getting air hungry. Eventually I figured out what I was doing and managed to put 4 togs in the cooler. I didnt see any spades, and when I got close enough to the other diver I asked him about it, and he said they had moved on he wasnt seeing any either now.
The cool thing was just how much life is down there. I saw starfish! I saw sea anemones and small sea bass and a bunch of sook crabs big ones! And bunches of tog. I mean, even if I could only see 5 feet in one direction, I was seeing up to half a dozen togs at a time. (I think they just dont bite on hooks well this time of year because theyre full on mussels and arent hungry for crab.)
It was enlightening to see all the fish, and to see that viz isnt as bad as I thought it was going to be.
Later we went to the HRBT and tried to fish under the lights. But even with the tide moving in, we never saw birds really working. Dont know what that was all about . Usually with the ripping current and the lights there are tons of fish and birds. I know there was a lot of bait out there because during the day we saw very scattered breaking fish everywhere at the mouth of the James. I think they were small Macks, because they were arcing through the air. When we cast stingsilvers, tiny baitfish were jumping out of the way of our lures.
Got off the water at 11:00PM.
Thats my report.
Went to the Fourth Island. Too rough to see any spades on the surface. Dropped some flounder rigs and drifted along the fourth, with no takers.
At that point we noticed a boat flying a dive flag the Lucky Charms. We noticed one snorkler in the water, so we hailed and asked if that was the only diver. They said yes. We asked if we could approach as long as we stayed away from the diver. They said yes. (Just mentioning that so people dont think you can just motor on up to a boat flying a dive flag!)
We talked a little and they said the island was covered with spades and tautog. He held up the biggest spadefish Ive ever seen in my life. He also said that there were some 80-100 lb black drum.
After a few more inquiries about visibility, current, depth and temperature, I donned my diveskin to protect from stinging jellies, put on my mask, fins, and snorkel, grabbed my pole spear and jumped in. The water was fine on the surface, but viz was low like 3 feet or less. I swam toward the rocks to get a little shallower, and started diving. The thermocline was about 5 feet down, and it was pretty chilly, but nothing I couldnt handle. The viz also cleared up once I got down through the thermocline. It was about 5-8 feet. I started diving in about 20 feet of water. Id get to the bottom and exhale a little to keep from floating up, then just sit on the bottom as still as I could. Once I was still, the togs came out. Lots of them. Mostly small, but some bigger ones. The big ones always came out just as I was getting air hungry. Eventually I figured out what I was doing and managed to put 4 togs in the cooler. I didnt see any spades, and when I got close enough to the other diver I asked him about it, and he said they had moved on he wasnt seeing any either now.
The cool thing was just how much life is down there. I saw starfish! I saw sea anemones and small sea bass and a bunch of sook crabs big ones! And bunches of tog. I mean, even if I could only see 5 feet in one direction, I was seeing up to half a dozen togs at a time. (I think they just dont bite on hooks well this time of year because theyre full on mussels and arent hungry for crab.)
It was enlightening to see all the fish, and to see that viz isnt as bad as I thought it was going to be.
Later we went to the HRBT and tried to fish under the lights. But even with the tide moving in, we never saw birds really working. Dont know what that was all about . Usually with the ripping current and the lights there are tons of fish and birds. I know there was a lot of bait out there because during the day we saw very scattered breaking fish everywhere at the mouth of the James. I think they were small Macks, because they were arcing through the air. When we cast stingsilvers, tiny baitfish were jumping out of the way of our lures.
Got off the water at 11:00PM.
Thats my report.
