I got to accompany John, a.k.a. Surf Dog, to go surf fishing for rockfish from Sandy Point State Park. This was the first time that I had ever surf fished from Sandy Point in hopes of catching a big rockfish from the ocean during their migration up the Bay. I met John at the WaWa on Route 50 at 5:00am. We went over to Anglers to buy some bloodworms from their fishing vending machine. The quality of the bloodworms was pretty good @ $10.49 for a pack. We then drove over to Sandy Point and followed the signs for small craft launch. The entrance fee into the park was $3.00 or $4.00 I believe per vehicle. The park is open 24 hours for fishermen.
Both John and I was armed with two surf rods each and bloodworms for bait. We walked our gear in the dark over to the beach shoreline where we prepared our rods. John used only bottom fishing rigs with spinners on each hook. I just had plain bottom rig. We used number 3/0 circle hooks. John advised me to bait each hook with 1/2 a bloodworm. I experimented with a fish finder rig on my second rod.
It was dark out there with only our headlamps to illuminate our way. The water was clear and calm. The temperature was 49 degrees when I left home, but it should increase into the 70's. Low tide at Sandy Point was at 8:20am and High tide would be at 2:20pm. In the dark John tipped his rods with little blue battery powered lights. While looking at his rod, I noticed one started to jump. John grabbed his rod and pulled in a 16 inch rockfish. Just before daylight he got another bite. It was an 18 to 20 inch rock. We did not measure them, and the last one jumped out of John's hands. He said the next time he will use the fish lip grippers.. That would be all the catching that we would get for the rest of the morning. I did not even get a nibble. Mike a.k.a. Grady Black, met us on the beach and did a little surf fishing. He too came up empty and left after 90 minutes.
I did see two other 35 inch fish being pulled in on bloodworm from another angler just north of where we were fishing. That was a highlight for me. The wind was nonexistent in the morning, but a cool breeze of 5 to 15 mph started to come in around 9:00am. Grady left and I was not far behind. I left at 11:15am. It was a beautiful morning. I wish I had the kayak out instead with that flat water on the Bay.
Both John and I was armed with two surf rods each and bloodworms for bait. We walked our gear in the dark over to the beach shoreline where we prepared our rods. John used only bottom fishing rigs with spinners on each hook. I just had plain bottom rig. We used number 3/0 circle hooks. John advised me to bait each hook with 1/2 a bloodworm. I experimented with a fish finder rig on my second rod.
It was dark out there with only our headlamps to illuminate our way. The water was clear and calm. The temperature was 49 degrees when I left home, but it should increase into the 70's. Low tide at Sandy Point was at 8:20am and High tide would be at 2:20pm. In the dark John tipped his rods with little blue battery powered lights. While looking at his rod, I noticed one started to jump. John grabbed his rod and pulled in a 16 inch rockfish. Just before daylight he got another bite. It was an 18 to 20 inch rock. We did not measure them, and the last one jumped out of John's hands. He said the next time he will use the fish lip grippers.. That would be all the catching that we would get for the rest of the morning. I did not even get a nibble. Mike a.k.a. Grady Black, met us on the beach and did a little surf fishing. He too came up empty and left after 90 minutes.
I did see two other 35 inch fish being pulled in on bloodworm from another angler just north of where we were fishing. That was a highlight for me. The wind was nonexistent in the morning, but a cool breeze of 5 to 15 mph started to come in around 9:00am. Grady left and I was not far behind. I left at 11:15am. It was a beautiful morning. I wish I had the kayak out instead with that flat water on the Bay.
Comment