Report - Virginia Goldens

[Fish Dad]

With a great November weather window, decided to do an overnighter offshore Sunday and Monday. Crewed up with Steve, Kyle, and my son Michael Jr.

Stopped by the triangle wrecks on the way out to try for flounder and bluefish (for bait). Mostly found BSB, all of them would have been keepers but had to release them all (NOAA closed our season north of Hatteras). Steve got one that was very nice.



Do manage some throw back flounder and Michael gets a keeper 22 incher.



But still mostly BSB, all released, so head east. Stop by the Ocean Venture and more BSB but they seem smaller. But the bluefish are there, nice sized ones. Steve looses a potential paper bluefish boat side. Enough messing out, head east.

Get the mouth of the canyon and put the trolling spread out. I knew the troll bite was a long shot but I'm an optimist. Find the warmer water from 60-65 degrees overboard but water is dirty and little signs of life. Troll around until sunset chatting with the Waterman who also overnighted debating on where to set up for the night. Nothing on the troll, few marks. I settle in around the 575 line at 750 fathoms for the night and the Waterman sets up east of us I think around 1000 fathoms. Not a single pull. Reposition at moonrise around 11 pm more inshore around 300 fathoms. Had plenty of squid around the lights at 300 fathoms. Despite the almost no wind the whole night, the Labrador pushes us southward at 1.1 knots so we covered some ground for sure. But not a single pull all night. Nothing for the Waterman either for the night. I was very optimistic the swords would be there but nada.



Slick calm seas all night made for a relaxing night for movies but pretty uneventful. I had both a harpoon and flying gaff on the ready but didn't get to use either. Sunrise we are pretty close to the blueline hole near the 300 line so try there.



Didn't find the bluelines there but was loaded with BSB. Dang...this would have been an epic BSB trip but decide to not keep fishing there as it's just too hard to release nice knotheads.

Head back to the canyon for more dropping. Decide to search out a new golden hole so just find an interesting looking area and blind drop. First few drops were bluefish. Dang, bluefish are already covering up the canyon walls. And small sharks too, not dogs but sharks still. Resposition again for another blind drop in a new area and find the goldens. Nice class of goldens. Work this area for a while to keep 8 goldens to save more for later. Everybody gets a nice sized golden but me as I was the king of the sharks and bluefish.









Kyle even cranks up a double with 2 big ones. (and we are in 90 fathoms, I'm sure he will be sore tomorrow) :clapping2:



Perfect weather, great crew with the goldens saving the day. Having goldens and flounder for dinner tonight.

[conchydong]

Very nice tilefish! I wish our Goldens averaged as large as they do up your way. In S. FL a 25#er is a slob. Those black sea bass look good, too bad they shut down the fishery. We catch little tiny bank sea bass here and they are tasty but very small and hardly worth the effort.

Great work on those tiles.

[Disco Lady]

COÑO!!! Love those pics brotha. Good going on those GT looked like and awesome day out with the boys.

DL,

[Catch-All]

good trip, Mike. Thanks for sharing.

Looks like you planned your fishing and fished your plan.

Catch

[Capt. JJ]

Way to put quality meat in the box gentlemen. Can't complain about beautiful weather and fat tilefish.