# Chp 8-1



## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

Left the house at about midnight and upon arriving decided to walk the pier and have a looksie. I noticed the first light was out but the bait and fish were there ... Snappers , Shad , and schoolie Stripers were feeding in the dark right off the beach... Not much else going on till I got to the end and it was a pile up out there and got worse later but croakers and snappers were whats biting but then again no one really flounder fishing either  . Talked with a friend till about 1:30am and was finally fishing at about 2am.... First cast 20" striper second 18' striper and so on and so on till about 4am when I tired of trying to get around them and fun was fun ... It was one after another for 2 hours with a lot of missed strikes as well . Biggest was 26" smallest about 11" ... I had the single 1/4 ounce leadhead still on and didnt bother rerigging so this was a single 1/4 oz with a white 3" pogy ... I used every presentaion I could think of and some on the spot adjustments as well .Tide is halfway out and rolling pretty good so i move in search of a sunrise trout. A few cast in the new spot and wham a 23" flounder and 2 cast later a 15.5" trout ... had another about the same size spit the pogy at my side ... I was making long casts and swimming the bait close to the bottom touching here and there but never stopping .. Started to get all croakers which was fun too but the stripers put a kink in my neck so I move again after the suns up and within 20 minutes everything but the flounder stopped biting ... I got 2 more keepers at 18.5" and 20.5" so I switched to the 3/8 oz and 6" bait swimmer (herring) and second cast pulled a nice fat 24" in and netted promptly ... A few csat later had a nice trout on and go airborn before spitting the hook ... looked to be about 23" ... I snagged a shad and a croaker and missed a few bites and was working inward to call it a day and wham ... Gonna say it was a striper and it would have been my PB but it went straight for the pilings and went in around atleast 2 screaming drag all the way before the sound of the line goes crack and he's gone .... All I saw was the tail but nothing I have hooked this year ... Those huge rays as well nothing pulled as hard and fast as this .. This was about 25 feet from where I taught class to all the stripers earlier. 
Home by 7am...








By hengstthomas at 2007-08-01








By hengstthomas at 2007-08-01


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## SkunkApe (Dec 9, 2006)

*Did it again did ya?*

Damn nice Phat Flatties!!! I'm trying keep up w/ you regarding days/nights on the water, but I don't think I'm making up any ground  :fishing:


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## e-mag (Jun 15, 2006)

nice and fat!i had vehicle problem last weekend so i'm planning this weekend.you look younger with a hat on!!!!!


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

e-mag said:


> nice and fat!i had vehicle problem last weekend so i'm planning this weekend.you look younger with a hat on!!!!!


ROTFLMAO   So Younger with a hat and nicer in person ... I hope you make it the water is clear and we have had 2 windless nights and tonight looks to be the same . Tunafish is trying to join me friday night. Dont forget to call ...


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## lipyanker (May 31, 2006)

Nice job great pics!!!!!!!


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## e-mag (Jun 15, 2006)

tom,count me in for friday night(what time).


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## PJDSR (Apr 2, 2002)

Wow! Great story, great fish. I hate to ask a stupid question, that was at Cape Henlopen? I need to find my way there.


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*Awesome as usual*

Congrats on the catch.


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## Duke of Fluke (May 22, 2002)

nice work


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

PJDSR said:


> Wow! Great story, great fish. I hate to ask a stupid question, that was at Cape Henlopen? I need to find my way there.


The pier in the Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes DE..


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

e-mag said:


> tom,count me in for friday night(what time).


Not sure how long you can take it out there but for best shot at a keeper trout or flatty we need to be out for the sunrise ... best time to get a limit is about 45 minutes after sun up unless its overcast then who knows ... I can only fish till 7am but can usually get a limit by then . I will most likely be out about 11pm but could be persuaded to meet up sooner ... Let me know whats good for you .


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## TunaFish (Aug 16, 2001)

*Woohoo!!!*



hengstthomas said:


> Tunafish is trying to join me friday night.


Ooohh yeah, he's in!!!! PM'ed ya..Awesome looking fishes!!! See ya tomorrow night!!!!


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## e-mag (Jun 15, 2006)

i'll be there early to scope the pier out!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Huntsman (Mar 6, 2003)

TunaFish said:


> Ooohh yeah, he's in!!!! PM'ed ya..Awesome looking fishes!!! See ya tomorrow night!!!!


Don't stink up the place w/ anoter WBB skunk...LOL... enjoy...


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

Nice! Wish I could get out there and join ya! My yak is almost rigged up, so I'll try and come up next weekend.


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