Assateague fishing trip

[SuRugger]

Hello all,

First, it's nice to be aboard. I've been reading this board for a bit, but have been too busy to sit down, subscribe, and get into it.

That said, I'm doing a bit of surf fishing this weekend at Assateague. Hopefully, we'll get into sharks in the evening.

Anyone been there this season? Any luck?

Also, I'm curious to see what the tropical storm has done to the surf fishing. Can't find many reports detailing one way or the other. Any info you have would be helpful.

[CAST DADDY L]

And Please Take Plenty Of Bottom Rigs Thats All I Can Tell You. And Good Luck :d

[fyremanjef]

Hey Su

Welcome to P&S.

I know that AI action was pretty good earlier in the summer. But yeah, now is the time for sharks and biting flies.

You can do a search on here to find out about AI and other reports.

Good luck.

Jeff

[SuRugger]

If the sharks aren't biting, I'm going to rig up a carrot and go after one of those trophy horses that run around that island.

[shaggy]

Me, looking at weather and all, should be able to hold bottom with 5 - 8 ounces (well, maybe not Sunday, if front comes through). If fishing from the surf, forget the bottom rigs, unless for bait fish, and rig a fishfinder. Need some bigger hooks if sharkin, 10/0 or larger, cut bait. Figure maybe on some smaller equipment, might get some kingfish, but, shark, skate and rays are probably what is in store.

Bugs bad, get some blue Dawn dishwashing liguid, nothing keep all the bugs at bay, but everything helps.

Most of all, have fun, enjoy the Island.

Have Jeep will travel :D

[jerseysalt]

looking to go down sept 19 ....are the bugs gone....been there and they have chased me out..(summer)..and have been there and it was perfect....all depends on the wind.......any thing in the bay there..........any info would be helpfull...jerseysalt....dont forget our brothers on HI

[shaggy]

If winds from the east nor'east, bugs shouldn't be bad. Temps drop make things all the better. Me, September is just the beginning, and may just be out on the sand the 22, 23 and part of the 24 of Septmeber.

PM me if you will be around later that week, maybe we can get together, wet a line (okay, lines) and see what may be around.

Have Jeep will travel :D

[jerseysalt]

shag...will keep u informed.......have to see about the bugs

[SuRugger]

Ok, here's the report from this week's action. I'm almost too giddy to type this, you'll soon see why.

Hit the beach early, around 9 a.m., to scout out a nice spot, preferably a sandbar break with some deep water, and found a nice hole about 1/4 mile past the bull pen. Small breeze off the ocean, kept the bugs away.

Caught a couple of decent Kingfish on the outgoing 2 p.m. tide, and decided to keep them for a bonfire snack and/or bait.

Hightide was at approx. 8:12, and we had a full moon, so we knew the slough was going to be nice and full of water, it was. Two rods were set up for shark, the primary quarry for the weekend, and one for bottom fish.

About 30. min before the high tide, our rod baited with a kingfish head on 30 lb. test, 5.0 hook, and wire leader took off past the sandbar. We had the drag set pretty tight, but whatever it was stripped the rod bare before we could even get it to turn it's head.

Shorty after, the same rig with a kingfish head went on a larger rod tossed out 20 ft. from shore. The results were similar, only this time, the leader had been cut.

This happened two more times, all with the same result: lost tackle. However, the last time out there, we could feel "smaller" bites coming off a slice of kingfish. Tossing the bottom rig out, we were immediately met with a thump, and a 17-inch croaker. We both bugged. I've never even SEEN a croaker that big before.

For the next hour, we dragged fish in two at a time...action was immediate. The bite slacked off around 11 p.m.

When we left the beach, we were adding air to the truck tires when we met a group of fisherman doing the same. After talking to them, we got the same story" hit a monster school of croaker, had a fishfinder out for striper, drum and/or shark, and lost gear everytime. Didn't even move it on it's run.

Wow. I've caught tarpon, and I've never been wowed by the power of a fish like I did on Saturday. We figure it was a(some) big sharks following the croaker close to shore in the trough. Anyone have any idea on what kind it would be? Similar experiences?

My guess would be a big sand tiger or possibly a bull.

[SuRugger]

Reading the Striper Forum, other fisherfolk on AI were talking about the huge, and unexpected, spinner shark run on Saturday night.

The critters were making an air show about a mile up the beach from us before hitting the beach for the kingfish and croaker schools.

[jerseysalt]

dam.iam geting excited about my trip on the 9/19......jerseysalt out

[Flounda]

I'll be there on Labor day weekend.