Big croaker, Piney Point, 6/19

[ictalurus]

I'll start with the punchline:

BAM!
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c361/Ictalurus/115_4974.jpg

17.25 inches. My personal best. :clapping2:dancedance:wahoo::clap:

I launched at Piney Point at 9am, which was the beginning of the ebb. The plan was to head out the Stuarts Pier and jig for stripers, ride the tide back in and try for croakers, spot, and white perch.

I started off the day stupidly by clipping my finger with my scissors while cutting up some Fishbites. I actually scissored myself. :52: So I held my bleeding finger over the water and made an offering to the fish gods.

I trolled a big, shallow diving bomber on the way out to pier. Halfway out, my drag starts screaming, and I thought I hit a crab pot line. Then it started to move. I started reeling in something big, and it screamed off again, which meant it was a ray. Stupid rays. I chased it down until tired out and started reeling it to the surface. Then the line snapped as I reached for the lure. That was my second offering to the fish gods. I wished I had a gaff.:censored:

I saw lots of marks in 23ft of water, both croakers/spot on the bottom and something higher in the water column. I noted the area so I could stop there on the way back.

I arrived at the pier, and started jigging a 6" white BKD on a 1 or 1.5oz head. I missed several strikes right off the bat, so I figured I was at least in the right area.

The pier:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c361/Ictalurus/115_4987.jpg

Piney Point Lighthouse:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c361/Ictalurus/115_4985.jpg

I caught the big croaker over a newly discovered false bottom while using the BKD. Just in you forgot what it looked like: :D

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c361/Ictalurus/115_4975.jpg

I lost the BKD to a not-false bottom and dropped down a 5" Gulp jerkshad on a 1oz head. On the first bounce, I caught a 14" croaker. Pretty awesome. The wind and tide were against each other, and I almost broke 2 rods trying to avoid the pier, so I decided to work the outside of the pier. I saw some really good marks out there, too:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c361/Ictalurus/115_4977.jpg

I jigged the jerkshad and trolled my red and white Stretch 15 back and forth. I landed a 15" striper, and that was it. I need more jigging lessons because I know fish were there.

I headed back to the marks I saw on the way out, and caught 3 more 12-13" croakers in short order on Fishbites. I got a couple smaller ones, too. By then, the wind and waves were building, and the action was dying, so I headed to my spot and perch spots, which were more protected.

I missed some spot or small croaker nibbles at the first place, nobody was home at the second place, and I caught a little bluefish on my 3" white twin-tailed grub at the third place. The tide was pretty low, and there was only about 3ft of water at each spot, which is OK in the evening but not at high noon. I called it a day at 1pm.

The water temperature was 78-80* according to my sonar after it equilibrated with the water. Unfortunately, I forgot my salinity meter, but it was 13 at the mouth of the Potomac. We're on the way to a good puppy drum year, I think/hope.

I stopped by the local tackle shop and entered the big croaker contest. I'm at the lead for now. :clapping2: It was a pretty awesome outing.

Today's catch: croakers and blueberries.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c361/Ictalurus/115_4992.jpg

[tmperkins]

Man that is a nice looking fish. Good job!

[mbla]

You're on a roll Bill, congrads..
M.

[Friday]

Bill, thanks for the report.
So croaker do hit Gulp. You did not mention flounder - meaning flounder are not in good number yet. That place was loaded with small flounder. Aggressive flounder again. it happened to me at PLO 2 weeks ago. You did not mention flounder - meaning flounder are not in good number yet. That place was loaded with small flounder last year

I am expectingto see your reports more often from now on.:thumbup:

Joe

[ictalurus]

Thomas--Thanks. That fish made up for a really crummy week.

Mike--It's funny. I go for several years without finding big croaker, then I catch a whole bunch of really nice ones in a row. That's fine by me, and my wife really enjoys croaker.

Joe--Croaker really like Gulp. I was looking over some of my old notes from 3 and 4 years ago when I was first learning to jig for flounder. I caught several 13-14" croaker on Gulp grubs, which I had forgotten about. In fact, I kept having croaker bite off the tails of the grubs, so I switched to the shrimp, which seemed more croaker-proof.

A buddy of mine in Virginia used to target big croakers with bass assassins. I chatted with the manager of the Tackle Box when I checked my fish yesterday. He knows some guys that target the big croaker with BKDs. They look for big aggregations on the sonar and drop down the BKD. They let the BKD hit the bottom a few times before they set the hooks on any strikes. Apparently, they think bigger croaker are closer to the bottom, and you have to get the BKD through the little ones.

I really didn't try very hard for flounder yesterday for a couple reasons. First, I haven't seen many good reports even from people who are good at finding them. So yesterday was a striper jigging trip and spot/perch recon mission. I switched the plan to croaker after seeing all the good marks on the bottom. Second, the wind and current were crazy at the places I usually fish for flounder by the channel markers on the creek side of the bridge. The wind was blowing me in the direction I like to drift only I was going too fast, and the current and waves kept spinning me around. Pedaling into the wind didn't really help because I'd catch an odd wave which turned the yak. I had never seen chop like that there before, but the wind was blowing perfectly up the creek and Potomac and was blowing against the peak current. If I had been thinking, I would've thrown my anchor overboard with the blades folded up and used it as a drift chain. That has worked well in the past, but it didn't occur to me. Also, I could've done some good flounder drifts by the pier because there's lots of drop offs and humps there, but I had stripers and big croakers on my mind at that point. There are a lot of snags in that area, so I'd have to pick my drift line carefully. It would definitely be worth going back there and trying again.

[surfnsam]

thanks for the report Bill, nice croaker. now that my wife is on the mend i have to take a day trip down there. be carefull with those rays its not worth the 7-8 bucks to get flipped or hooked by trebels getting your rig back, better to cut it loose than fight a 50lbs ray next to your yak

[ictalurus]

I hear ya, Sam, and you're right. Normally, I just break the line, but this was a pretty little ray. The wingspan was under 3ft. I got it close to the surface and chased right behind it for a bit, which seems to tire them out quicker than fighting them with the rod. I was going to smack the lure free with my paddle, but the line broke as I pulled along side it. The line was fairly abraded, but I'm not sure how that happened. I don't remember cownose ray skin being particularly rough, but I haven't dealt with one in a while.

Glad to hear you're wife is doing better. Give me a holler if you get down this way.

[ictalurus]

I hear ya, Sam, and you're right. Normally, I just break the line, but this was a pretty little ray. The wingspan was under 3ft. I got it close to the surface and chased right behind it for a bit, which seems to tire them out quicker than fighting them with the rod. I was going to smack the lure free with my paddle, but the line broke as I pulled along side it. The line was fairly abraded, but I'm not sure how that happened. I don't remember cownose ray skin being particularly rough, but I haven't dealt with one in a while.

Glad to hear you're wife is doing better. Give me a holler if you get down this way.

[surfnsam]

thanks Bill willl do