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So we planned a trip of surf fishing at AI this week. We left Monday and planned on camping through to Thursday. Drove the 3.5 hours from WV and got to Assateague around 3. Got there set up camp, and were ready to get into some big sharks. That is until I crossed over the sand dunes to the ocean....
I had brought my buddy with me who had never done anything more than bass fishing in ponds, and was really eager to put him on his first shark or ray. But when we crossed that dune the first thing I did was let out a big sigh. Surf was unreal rough. I recognized these same waves from the OBX a year ago when we rolled in right after Hurricane Arthur. Welp we were here. Gotta give it a shot.
Threw out a 4 oz with some fish bites to see if I could catch bait. I knew my weight would be pushed in but was hoping I could pull something as it was. Nope. about 2 minutes later my sinker is about 3 yards off the tide line. Being optimistic I throw on 6. Nope. Came right back in as fast as the 4. Damn. So I put away my bait rod, and rig a bait rig onto my shark rod. Throw out 8 oz, and sure enough I can feel the waves pushing it in. Awesome.
I couldn't even catch bait. None the less did I see how I was going to hold with a big ole fish head. We called it a night and hit OC to check out the pier. Talked to a couple guys out there that had been catching lots of sandtigers frequently but admitted the surf was unreal rough and it'd be tough for a while. Really bummed. Realized it was going to be more trouble than it was worth.
We called it a trip Tuesday afternoon. Was supposed to rain all day Tuesday and into Wednesday. Figured we'd be fighting the elements more than we'd be fighting any fish. And if we did do any fishing it'd have to be off the end of the pier (and there is nothing I hate more than getting into with nasty old pier fishermen who think they've leased a section of the pier).
Sucks big time as this is the last opportunity I had to do some really serious big game fishing before I have to get hip surgery to reenlist. Not going to be able to get into a kayak for awhile starting September (if all goes to plan). But that's how it goes I suppose.
I had brought my buddy with me who had never done anything more than bass fishing in ponds, and was really eager to put him on his first shark or ray. But when we crossed that dune the first thing I did was let out a big sigh. Surf was unreal rough. I recognized these same waves from the OBX a year ago when we rolled in right after Hurricane Arthur. Welp we were here. Gotta give it a shot.
Threw out a 4 oz with some fish bites to see if I could catch bait. I knew my weight would be pushed in but was hoping I could pull something as it was. Nope. about 2 minutes later my sinker is about 3 yards off the tide line. Being optimistic I throw on 6. Nope. Came right back in as fast as the 4. Damn. So I put away my bait rod, and rig a bait rig onto my shark rod. Throw out 8 oz, and sure enough I can feel the waves pushing it in. Awesome.
I couldn't even catch bait. None the less did I see how I was going to hold with a big ole fish head. We called it a night and hit OC to check out the pier. Talked to a couple guys out there that had been catching lots of sandtigers frequently but admitted the surf was unreal rough and it'd be tough for a while. Really bummed. Realized it was going to be more trouble than it was worth.
We called it a trip Tuesday afternoon. Was supposed to rain all day Tuesday and into Wednesday. Figured we'd be fighting the elements more than we'd be fighting any fish. And if we did do any fishing it'd have to be off the end of the pier (and there is nothing I hate more than getting into with nasty old pier fishermen who think they've leased a section of the pier).
Sucks big time as this is the last opportunity I had to do some really serious big game fishing before I have to get hip surgery to reenlist. Not going to be able to get into a kayak for awhile starting September (if all goes to plan). But that's how it goes I suppose.
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