# 4/25 offshore



## uncdub13 (Aug 9, 2003)

With OCP decking kings the past 2 days, i decided to run down to oak island and hit the beach. Forecast was looking perfect..light NE wind switching to SE with a rising tide all morning. Normally dont like to head offshore solo, but ryan was supposed to come meet me after a couple of hours once he got off work (sorry you couldnt make it man). I launched just before the sun popped up, and the water was a sheet of glass most of the morning..










The plan was to drift with live blues and hope for the best. I cleared the breakers and started catchin perfect bait-sized blues every cast. Rigged up two and put two more in the flow-troll. Started to make my way offshore and glanced off to the right several hundred yards to see the surface getting anihilated by some decent sized fish. Headed that way as quickly as possible while dragging a bait bucket and two bluefish. Got close enough to confirm what i had hoped for...atlantic bonito. Those fish sounded before i could make a cast, but i looked about 1/4 mile offshore near the tideline and it was absolute chaos. Started that way until a pretty big chopper blue nails one of my baits. Got him boatside and yanked the hooks to hurry up and get after the bonito thinking the action wouldnt last long.

Finally got in position and it was on. Was able to get extremely close to the action without sending the fish down. After catching a few on the trusty pink maria jig, i broke out the skitterwalk for some real fun. Probably sacrificed numbers by doing that, but what a blast. Had one nail it maybe 10-15 feet off my bow. Tried my best to take some decent self pics while the action was hot..





































I guess it was around 830 or so before they eventually stopped busting the surface. Back to the waiting game. Most of the action for the rest of the morning came from sharks including a little hammerhead. Also saw another hammer a little bit larger before i caught that one.



















The area was loaded with bait and cownose rays, but no kings or cobes this time. Probably would have stayed out there all day, but had to get to work. Didnt get what i was after, but ill take it.


----------



## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

awesome with the bonitos, bet that was hella fun on the light rod


----------



## johnpond (Jan 15, 2008)

how far off the beach were you in minutes? 30 minutes? I live in Ocean City Md and plan on coming within 1 month.


----------



## fishdv8 (Nov 7, 2003)

You have a good eye bro, great report!


----------



## JeepMike (Feb 4, 2008)

holy chit,,, I am buying a kayak tomorrow man... You JUST sold me... Great fishing bro.. thanks for the report!!!


----------



## Hurricane44 (Aug 16, 2006)

Jesus Ryan, you are always on fish man, great report esp. for the guys like me who can only reach the beach once or twice a month! Damn!


----------



## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

Great job. way to go.


----------



## Rockstar (Jun 23, 2004)

Awesome report man, definitely gonna have to make a trip down there real soon.


----------



## Ryan Y (Dec 1, 2005)

*As I suspected*

Nice report man. It was chewing me up not getting out there. More so after about the second call I got from you telling me to hurry.

I would have loved to get a few of those b's for the grill.

ANyhow, We'll do it again.

Also, as I supected this time of year. Your shark was a bonnet head, and its a decent sized one at that. I bet the aquarium would have loved to have it.


----------



## harry buggs (Feb 7, 2006)

Nice job on the bones! One of the finer eating fish, too, I think. Even makes good sashimi . 

I'll 2nd the bonnethead ID. Used to catch 'em down in the keys, and it is good sized. Hammers are straight across, bonnets have that curved prow.

Thanks for the report, good to see a bonito pic again, I miss 'em.

~buggs


----------



## uncdub13 (Aug 9, 2003)

I thought the bonnetheads had a shorter, narrower lookin hammer like this...



















Compared to this..










I've caught a bunch of smaller bonnets, and i thought they all had a narrower head too. That's why i was thinkin some sort of juvenile hammer. Y'all sound like you know though, so i guess i could be wrong.

johnpond, i probably never wandered more than 1/2 mile or so off the hill yesterday, so like 10-15 minutes max.


----------



## J_Lannon (Jul 23, 2003)

Ryan, do you guys eat them?


----------



## Ryan Y (Dec 1, 2005)

*Who knows...*

Ive been plenty of wrong before.


----------



## drumrunner (Aug 4, 2004)

Ive got to go with a scallpoed hammerhead on this one, based on head shape and eye. But I too have been plenty wrong before.


----------



## marstang50 (May 3, 2005)

nice work


----------



## harry buggs (Feb 7, 2006)

I last caught bonnets in the 80s when I was in the Keys, so I may be wrong on the bonnet ID, the 1st pic looked like one but the last one doesn't. Nice catch either way, though .

~buggs


----------



## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

Perty work Ryan.


----------



## uncdub13 (Aug 9, 2003)

J_Lannon said:


> Ryan, do you guys eat them?


atlantic bonito are delicious. a lot of people confuse them with false albacore, but the meat is completely different.


----------



## Dr. Bubba (Nov 9, 1999)

very nice on the bonitos! Look like good size! and I'll second scalloped hammerhead.....


----------



## Sharkbait23602 (Nov 23, 2006)

Do you ever anchor when your out there past the breakers or do you always drift?

Nice post and awesome pics.


----------



## uncdub13 (Aug 9, 2003)

yeah, sometimes. i did for a little while the other day just so i could chill out, eat lunch, and listen to the radio for a while without having to worry about where i was drifting or what my lines were doing. it all depends on what i feel like doing at the time.


----------



## Outrigger (Nov 6, 2006)

*hammerhead close-ups*

Had an unsettlingly too-close-for-comfort encounter with a VW-sized hammerhead while scuba diving off the coast West Palm Beach some years back…a majestic specimen though…I think you mighta brought in a scallop-headed variety of the one I crossed wakes with…great catch!..gotta be one of the pics of the year here on P&S.

http://www.coast-shark.com/ID/sharks/ScallopedHH/


----------



## bcssux (May 23, 2005)

yeah ive caught many a bonnet, and that aint one i don't think. they were all like the narrow headed ones you posted pictures of.


----------



## jay b (Dec 1, 2002)

Pretty work Ryan !! Glad you got into some decent sized fish even if it didn't turn into dinner. No worries though, the Kings and Cobes are waiting !!


----------



## uncdub13 (Aug 9, 2003)

oh one of those bonito made for an awesome dinner. a little soy sauce and some lemon pepper w/ herbs tossed onto the charcoal grill....mmm. i really need to start bringing more ice...


----------



## jay b (Dec 1, 2002)

Never ate any but if they're good like that I'd bet they'd be great smoked !!


----------



## SkunkApe (Dec 9, 2006)

Ryan, 
When are 'ya going fire up that guiding business down there? Put that degree to work!!! 

Skunk


----------



## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

Very cool indeed. Can you share what type of kayak you are using? Thanks


----------



## uncdub13 (Aug 9, 2003)

SkunkApe said:


> Ryan,
> When are 'ya going fire up that guiding business down there? Put that degree to work!!!
> 
> Skunk


i stay busy enough guiding myself and friends..



saltandsand said:


> Very cool indeed. Can you share what type of kayak you are using? Thanks


WS tarpon 120


----------



## red_fish (Jul 22, 2007)

Wasabiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii


----------



## jhmorgan (May 16, 2007)

Great report Ryan. Iv caught both Hammers and Bonnets and my vote is for Hammer....


----------



## fisherman (Feb 20, 2002)

Whoa.


----------



## ShoreFisher72 (Jul 13, 2005)

nice catch man .


----------



## jlentz (Sep 11, 2005)

I am almost positive that is not a bonnet head. Bonnet heads have a more curved anterior.

John


----------

