fishing reports

[Bill]

Bill is that 54 foot boat out around 100 miles. How far is the path of Erin offshore.

Probably 80 miles out. They were Marlin fishing in a tournament. Back at the dock now it got bad. Based on windy models the hurricane will be closest to Hatteras NC on Thursday. Looks like the eye will be roughly 100 miles off the beach. Much further as it pushes north. I still doubled up my up my dock lines to be safe.

 

[matinc]

Bill curious what structure or current holds the marlin out 80 miles.

 

[matinc]

SD will laying down the chickory kill it?

 

[Bill]

Bill curious what structure or current holds the marlin out 80 miles.

The 100 fathom line (600 feet deep) we call it the Edge, drops off sharply to 2000 foot and beyond. Those fingers coming towards shore are what we call canyons. That’s the structure that holds bait. Squid and small fish.



But it’s not just structure. It’s also water temps and chlorophyll.

Here is a sea surface water temp shot. The orange is the hot water coming in from the Gulf Stream. When you drive from the yellow to the orange there is an instant change in water color from greenish to beautiful blue.

Fish both sides until you find the fish. Sometimes cold side, sometimes hot side. But just like deer they are on the edge.

Sometime there are eddy's or fingers that break off. When the Gulf Stream breaks off and hits a canyon it’s usually lights out fishing.

This late in the summer the water gets blended because of the summer heat in the shallower water It’s usually all green. Then we use chlorophyll shots to find plankton that starts the circle of life. TMI.




A less geeky answer is hot water. Find 76 plus degree water off the edge with bait around and you’ll find Marlin.

 

[Bill]

And that sea surface temp shot shows why the outer banks of NC are so popular. That warm water is close to shore. I’d live there if I could stand living on a barrier island with a huge highway running through it and constant traffic. Life is to short for me to spend an hour in traffic to get 15 miles.

 

[T-Max]

The 100 fathom line (600 feet deep) we call it the Edge, drops off sharply to 2000 foot and beyond. Those fingers coming towards shore are what we call canyons. That’s the structure that holds bait. Squid and small fish.

View attachment 81803

But it’s not just structure. It’s also water temps and chlorophyll.

Here is a sea surface water temp shot. The orange is the hot water coming in from the Gulf Stream. When you drive from the yellow to the orange there is an instant change in water color from greenish to beautiful blue.

Fish both sides until you find the fish. Sometimes cold side, sometimes hot side. But just like deer they are on the edge.

Sometime there are eddy's or fingers that break off. When the Gulf Stream breaks off and hits a canyon it’s usually lights out fishing.

This late in the summer the water gets blended because of the summer heat in the shallower water It’s usually all green. Then we use chlorophyll shots to find plankton that starts the circle of life. TMI.

View attachment 81804


A less geeky answer is hot water. Find 76 plus degree water off the edge with bait around and you’ll find Marlin.

This is the kind of write up that gets me in trouble. I’m headed to a conference today. Guarantee if anyone mentions fishing tonight at the social hour I will regurgitate this answer (unsolicited of course) like I knew it my whole life… Hopefully no actual captains are attending…


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[Catscratch]

Ya, I love that long geeky answer! Makes me want to be an ocean fisherman.

 

[SwampCat]

Ya, I love that long geeky answer! Makes me want to be an ocean fisherman.

I had an offshore capable boat for a few years. I would rather offshore fish than hunt. Katrina took my boat - while it didnt seem like it at the time - best thing that could have happened to me

 

[Catscratch]

I had an offshore capable boat for a few years. I would rather offshore fish than hunt. Katrina took my boat - while it didnt seem like it at the time - best thing that could have happened to me

Lol, I have a little "mini-pontoon" boat with a trolling motor that's more maintenance than I thought it would be. Dad gave me some sage advice when I was younger; if it flies, floats, or fu#$'s... you're better off renting it.

 

[matinc]

Bill so I am curious how fast the current is out there. Do you find it better fishing on north south troll or a east and west troll? I am heading to Lake michigan tomorrow to fish for kings. Will let you know how I do.

 

[Bill]

I had an offshore capable boat for a few years. I would rather offshore fish than hunt. Katrina took my boat - while it didnt seem like it at the time - best thing that could have happened to me

It is if you had insurance on it…..

 

[Bill]

Bill so I am curious how fast the current is out there. Do you find it better fishing on north south troll or a east and west troll? I am heading to Lake michigan tomorrow to fish for kings. Will let you know how I do.

Depends on the wind mostly. But all kinds of things play on the current. Water temp, Gulf Stream moving in or out. salt levels and crap I don’t know about. Typically the Gulf Stream moves from south to north ish. Inshore water moves north to south. The water sometimes acts like wind in the air, If that makes any sense. Underwater weather patterns based on ??? Temperatures maybe.

If we’re bottom fishing at 600 to 1200 feet some days you don’t move fast enough to cover ground. Some days I’m constantly bumping it reverse to slow the drift. When we are fishing the lobster pot bouy’s for Mahi some days the wind pushes the boat opposite of the current. I haven’t figure that one out other than the wind is stronger. N,S,E,W doesn’t matter out there to my knowledge. It’s upstream down stream with the current and we key in water temp and or depth. If your catching tuna in 400 feet of water hold that line were ever it takes you. I’m always watching my water temperature gauge. Trying to find a temperature break. I’ve seen water temps change 10 degrees in a few hundred feet. That blue to green water thing. The kicker is the fish are on one side of the temp break or the other. Wind can move the surface temps away from the actual break. I think that’s why sometime we catch on the hot side and sometimes it’s the cold side.

I’ve never paid enough attention to know which direction produces more tuna. Marlin don’t care, nor do the Mahi. Mahi are either eating everything you throw at them including bare hooks or ignoring you like the prom queen.

I should stop but I like talking about this crap. In a lake you find fish? Structure I guess. In the ocean we find it by all the above. But all the above = life. If we find congregating birds we Stop, if we find whales we Stop, if we find big nasty “not bottle nose” dolphin we Stop, if we find bait on the chart plotter we Stop. If we find all that we’re having a hell of a day…

I’m still learning every time I go out. Someday I hope to be good at this.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Bill so I am curious how fast the current is out there. Do you find it better fishing on north south troll or a east and west troll? I am heading to Lake michigan tomorrow to fish for kings. Will let you know how I do.

When we were fishing in lake Superior a few weeks ago our charter captain said the fish will tell us which way we need to be trolling and he was spot on. Heading east over the spot we rarely picked up a fish, heading west over the same path brought us I would guess 90% of the fish.

 

[Bill]

That’s the direction the school was swimming.

And let me add this Matt. I know nothing about the Great Lakes. But assume they’re deep. if you find everything that should say fish. Bait, birds in the wait, or whatever it is there that’s says fish should be there. Grind that spot out.

I’ve ground out the same 1/2 mile square for hours. Even with my crew saying we need go find the fish. If I have whales, birds and bait the crew can wait. The fish will rise when they’re ready. Never leave good sign to find good sign.

 

[SwampCat]

It is if you had insurance on it…..

I did.

 

[Bill]

I did.

Might be jealous
But my son loves this stuff so I’m in for a bit.