# AI Report - Sunday



## TunaFish (Aug 16, 2001)

I hoped to get just one chomper blue and any extra would be gravy.

I got to the 4x4 challenged area at 8:00am and as scheduled, Doormat is set up on the left. One other person on the right, leaving me on the spot where I wanted all along (smack in the middle). The tide still coming in brough in tons of grass. Man, it was a gorgeous day!!! Things started off slow as we collected grass with a few skates mixed in. At around 11:00 or so, Doormat decided to pack up and try another venue. As he packed his chair, one of his poles got hit hard. Little over 30'' blue. He quickly unpacked his chair!! 
30 mins later, something strange happened. I reeled in my line and noticed, there's no resistance (I had an 8oz & bait on). I reeled my whole line in and my rig is gone! Funny, I thought, I definately did not pop my line and I did not see my pole get slammed, just few bounces here and there. I retied and casted out. Another 30mins went by and my other pole gets a good hit. Fought it in and got my chomper, a 30 incher. With the line loose, I removed the hook from the fish's lip, then I wanted to tighten my line by reeling it in. I noticed my main line is in the fish's mouth. Now, I thought I'm going nuts. Didn't I just removed a hook from his mouth? We'll, I opened his mouth and saw a hook and the bunker still on it. I re-examined what I had just removed. We'll, that was the "missing" hook from 30 mins ago!! I'll be darned, I just caught this fish twice from both poles!!!

Anyway around noon, Doormat packed it in and the other guy left, so I have the beach to myself. Since, I was doing much, I decided to cast where Doormat was casting. About 15mins later, my RS1569 got the biggest hit I've ever seen. I had to loosen my drag so I can get the rod out of the sand spike. Oh, man, that sucker fought tooth and nail with me. I had to stop 3 times because my arm hurt so bad and I'm sweating like a pig. After 5 mins or so I finally pulled him in. It was a 34'' blue (another PB). Immediately after that, a 31'' blue. Oh, yeah also released a 22'' striper..

After trying to jam the 3rd fish into my 40qt cooler, I could not close the lid. The head kept sticking out of the cooler and inside of my car was getting warm (real sunny day), so I started to get concern about it. At 3:00pm, I decided to pack it in and have the fish cleaned at the bulkhead (didn't want to accumulate more fish scales on my ceiling). I have to say, it was a great day!!!


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## SeaSalt (Apr 29, 2002)

nice report tuna... how you like that rainshadow? I might need a heaver...


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## Donald (Oct 25, 2006)

*Nice Day !!*

Congrats on the great day you had, Man I bet those blues were fun!!! How are you gonna fix them? I usually keep the smaller ones but would like to try a chomper but dont want to waste it. I would have loved to be down there myself but had to holiday visit over the weekend. But I am leaving before daylight to try fishing in south carolina for the week. I am not expecting much action but who knows. I may get lucky or just downright shunked. Well , Happy Holidays to all !!!


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## CrawFish (Sep 23, 2003)

*good job on them fish*

sorry I wasn't able to join you. I know you'd do well. Hopefully next time.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

Great day man ... I hope the end of the week produces for us as well!


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

Perty work there Tuna.


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## TunaFish (Aug 16, 2001)

*Thanks all,*

Donald: Since Doormat taught me how to bleed it, it tastes actually much better than I thought. I filletted it and fried a piece last night and I'll tell you, it was excellent!!

Seasalt: I Love it!!!


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## Doormat (Dec 18, 2006)

I wished I could have stayed a bit longer but I promised the wifey I'd be home by 3:00. Good job on the blues.


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*Nice job*

Congrats on the catch.


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## Fishbreath (Nov 11, 2004)

Super report there Tuna. I'm sure I can echo the thoughts of many on Christmas eve yesterday by saying, "I wish I could get away to AI today, its perfect out..." I guess it was. Way to go man!

The FB


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

Nice job Tuna. Congrats on the great catch. Did you get a citation for the blue? 34" is the mark and Bev is the one to bring it to. I'm looking forward to our next trip.


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## TunaFish (Aug 16, 2001)

*FishBait,*

I didn't know about the citation size. But I did wanted it to be weighed but by the time I got to the store (around 4:30pm) they were closed.

Thanks FishBreath...


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## fishhead (Oct 18, 2004)

Nice report Tuna ... Shaggy gave me a slammer blue bleeding lesson recently ... boy, was that some tasty fish ... fried up with just a little bit of black pepper!

That was the first big blue I can ever remember filleting that was pale blue meat rather than some lame shade of yellowish-red


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## douglarmore (Apr 16, 2006)

*ai sunday*

son in law best friend & the dogs on christmas eve great weather too can't beat it.went to my honey hole someone already there  up the beach igo.couldn't hold with 8&grass haven't seen the grass that bad for a while.well isaid put the rods in the truck try further down the beach glad we moved best day fishing hank caught his best rock of the year &he is frm va beach33".my turn my first keeper rock 28" i wasn't done yet rod bowed up hard could hardly get it out of the spike what a battle 33"blue not as big as my son in laws 341/2" 3 weeks ago will post pics when ifigure it out great day though


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## Big E (Jun 12, 2006)

Great report. Hopefully some time this week.


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## Huntsman (Mar 6, 2003)

*Man ... Great reports*

Good going on Sunday Tuna... Tried to milk out another day from the Mrs' but no go... The subtle laugh as if boi if you go you're in deep nana... lol... 

Glad to see everyone enjoyed the pre-festivities and definitely good reports going into Christmas day. Hopefully, if I can manage, I can get one day out for this week but hey anythings possible.

Nice job of the PB Tuna, hopefully we'll be able to get out there sometime before the snow falls for some striper action. 

The honey hole should still be producing but we'll see. 

Hopefully everyone had a safe Christmas and that leads into an even better New Year's celebration...


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## KT_UMCP (Oct 11, 2005)

Nice going Tuna


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## TunaFish (Aug 16, 2001)

Huntsman said:


> Hopefully, if I can manage, I can get one day out for this week but hey anythings possible.


Like a true fisherman, I think I've heard this from you few hundreds time aready. I thought you were done last month..

Man, this has been a PHENOMENOMAL bluefish year for me. I've been blessed bigtime!! With the air temps being where they are (and will be this week, in the 50's), you just never know. They may hangout just a tad longer and to think we haven't even seen the migrating stripped ones yet (or are we?).


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## Huntsman (Mar 6, 2003)

TunaFish said:


> Like a true fisherman, I think I've heard this from you few hundreds time aready. I thought you were done last month...


Yup.. probably a thousand all ready... But if I can get the ole squeeze play going and sneak out another day, you know I'm gone.   

So right on the temps. I was actually thinking of heading to the southern end of the island to hit the VA side... seems as if that's where they're get'n a lot of striper action... as Anthony showed us last week. 

I was actually tempted to head there on Friday but wasn't sure of the distance and didn't check before I left. Would luv to hit it this week sometime but we'll see.. maybe Friday or Saturday.. depending on how the schedule looks. 

I'll let ya know... but them blues are an awesome fight and catch...


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## Fishbreath (Nov 11, 2004)

Hey guys, if they're still around over New Year's weekend, who's in for a quick trip to AI - maybe Saturday/Sunday?


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## douglarmore (Apr 16, 2006)

*ai trip*

i hope i can squeeze one more trip sat


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## Huntsman (Mar 6, 2003)

heheheh... man... i think i may have to do some shopping to bribe the Mrs'...


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## douglarmore (Apr 16, 2006)

*ai sat*

if i can make it hopefully current & grass isn't as bad.beats working though


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## Teddy (May 14, 2006)

Spent my holiday on AI, Christmas eve outgoing tide during daylight, 2 skates, 1 shark, couple blues, lots of shorts, lots of fun! 1 31in striper, 1 40in striper, Christmas day lots of fish and weather! skates, sharks, 5 blues, 1 19in flounder, 2 seagulls, wind, rain, and Santa came to visit 43in Striper,


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## douglarmore (Apr 16, 2006)

*ai sat*

santa could have kept the wind rain& the 2 gulls


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## PJDSR (Apr 2, 2002)

*Great report, Tuna!*

Headed back down to VA AI for last shot of the year. Will report the results. Hope some of those chopper blues are still in the surf b/c my smoked bluefish was the hit of Christmas supper with the family!


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## French (Jun 18, 2005)

I am thinking AI this weekend.It has been almost 12 years since I went. If any of you care to show the ropes to a first time long timer for the surf, feel free to let me know.


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## Guest (Dec 27, 2006)

I'm thinking AI this weekend too. High tide at dusk, but I don't know about the weather.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

Pauky said:


> I'm thinking AI this weekend too. High tide at dusk, but I don't know about the weather.


From what i am seeing I would try to fish Saturday morning/afternoon before the front pushes in. Wind and waves are favorable on Sat but the seas get a bit rough on Sunday. Still fishable but will require an 8oz to hold. Water should be clear and maintain its above average temperature through the weekend


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## TunaFish (Aug 16, 2001)

In addition to what Cygnus said, all of the fish I caught were either on an outgoing or dead low tide. The majority being dead low tide, I mean way low tide.


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## Guest (Dec 27, 2006)

Cygnus-x1,

What are you looking that will tell you about the waves? I’m looking at www.weather.com and sometimes the weather changes on that.

Tunafish,

Are you serious, dead-low? I was out two weekends ago in the evening at high-tide and did well. If I would have known low-tide is producing, I would have went out this past Saturday.


If things are better for the morning, I may need to get a hotel in OC so I can be out there at sun-up.


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## Sandy Meador (Nov 9, 2006)

*Bleeding Blues*

How are you guys bleeding the larger blues? I'll keep a few small blues to grill in a fish basket each yr., but I love fillets! I'm heading to Hatteras Jan. 6 - 15 and hopefully some of those big blues will blitz! Thanks!


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## Lipyourown (May 11, 2005)

NOAA says it will be ideal at AI for the beachangler:
SAT
E WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 3 FT. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE
AFTERNOON. 

SAT NIGHT
SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 4 FT. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

Course I would check the forecast again a day before I go.


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## TunaFish (Aug 16, 2001)

Pauky said:


> Cygnus-x1,
> Tunafish,
> Are you serious, dead-low?


Absolutely!! And don't call me serious, call me Tuna..  (J/K)

I haven't fish past 4:00pm at AI, so I'll take your word for it. On all of my trips, I caught zilch during incoming and high tide. Things got rolling during outgoing and dead low, like I said before, majority was on dead-low..


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## Teddy (May 14, 2006)

I fished hard four days in a row starting sunup Friday the 22 and the fishing was SLOW until the tide changed from HIGH to LOW. Once the tide got rolling the fishing picked up. The outgoing tide produced the most and bigger fish, the incoming produced shorts skates and sharks grass and seagulls...... Chrismas eve and Christmas Day were my best producers on the outgoing and dead low tides. Bunker fished on FF rigs, very short leaders and #8 Gama circles worked just fine. Had a few blues that cut me on the beach 80lb shocker but they were landed none the less. Be sure to check that leader after every bluefish so as not to lose that monster striper when he hits! Good luck guys, I would tell you where I was fishing but then Id have to kill you!


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## Guest (Dec 27, 2006)

TunaFish said:


> Absolutely!! And don't call me serious, call me Tuna..  (J/K)


Hehe! That reminds me of that old movie from the '80's: Airplane.


Lipyourown--that does look like a decent forcast for fishing.


Whelp, I'll keep my eye on the weather and fish the morning on Saturday if that rain doesn't move in earlier. It'll give me a chance to take some pictures. Any of you guys take pictures besides what you catch at AI? Good place for the serious photographer.


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## Teddy (May 14, 2006)

*Saturday tides*

Morning high 3:46 am,Low 10:45 am, Rain shine getter done! Good luck to all.


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## Jamaican Fisher (Mar 28, 2004)

*Great report...*

That was an excellent report...Tunafish. Your catches for that day was very impressive.Congrats!!!


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## TunaFish (Aug 16, 2001)

*Thanks*

Jamaican Fisher: Thanks for the word..

Pauky: That is one of my all-time favorite movies. I'd watched it more than a dozen times and still roll over on the same jokes. My wife thinks it's the stupidest and corniest movie ever but laughs at me for laughing out so loud...


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## Guest (Dec 28, 2006)

Uh oh, according to weather.com, it looks like it may not rain. Saturday is looking inviting!


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## justinfisch01 (Feb 19, 2006)

Friday looks just as good. I guess I am going to have ot take off work and get down there.!!!!


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## Huntsman (Mar 6, 2003)

Man weather looks good for Saturday... you guys be sure and post to let me know how you do... looks like I may be done for 07....


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## douglarmore (Apr 16, 2006)

*ai. sat.*

i think it looks good for sat. maybe get lucky  caught my first keeper rock & abig blue .now i'm after al mcrenolds record rock fish


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## douglarmore (Apr 16, 2006)

*ai/ sat.*



Fishbreath said:


> Hey guys, if they're still around over New Year's weekend, who's in for a quick trip to AI - maybe Saturday/Sunday?


wife the dogs may be in for sat. morning.hoping nice weather


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## Fishbreath (Nov 11, 2004)

Well, just got back from NJ to visit the in-laws...

I think I deserve a break and a fishing day on Saturday especially with the weather looking so good. Hmmm.....AI state of mind.....


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## CrawFish (Sep 23, 2003)

Fishbreath said:


> Well, just got back from NJ to visit the in-laws...
> 
> I think I deserve a break and a fishing day on Saturday especially with the weather looking so good. Hmmm.....AI state of mind.....


Give me a call, I might join you tomorrow. It's been a while since the last time I fished.  

Anyone else heading out this Saturday, I can only do it one day. How about it Pete?


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## TunaFish (Aug 16, 2001)

*Teo,*

Okay, my arm is twisted enough!! I'll have meet you down there (I'm in Philly now for an unexpected visit of my mother).


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## Fishbreath (Nov 11, 2004)

Teo, Tuna,

I'll give you a call as soon as I get off the phone with the wife.  

FB


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