# 2007 Fishing Year In Review (includes Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina Fishing)



## French (Jun 18, 2005)

A Photo Year in Review!

Started off with my first stripers ever (January)
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=669197-R1-02-17A_003.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/669197-R1-02-17A_003.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=669196-R1-00-00A_001.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/669196-R1-00-00A_001.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Tunafish got a keeper in January!
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=669196-R1-01-0A_002.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/669196-R1-01-0A_002.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Got a citation and a mouthful of pop tart vomit on the Rudee Angler
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=CitationBlackSeabass.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/CitationBlackSeabass.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Spring was nice at Sandy Point
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=helping.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/helping.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=AmyStriperJF.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/AmyStriperJF.jpg" border="0" alt="Amy Striper"></a>

<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=bridge.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/bridge.jpg" border="0" alt="baby striper"></a>

but no big ones. Huntsman and AK snuck in and got em while I was being a gentleman. Boo!

Hatteras resulted in doggie city
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=CASTINGATHATTERAS.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/CASTINGATHATTERAS.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=AmysDoggie.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/AmysDoggie.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

but AtlantaKing and Crawfish seemed to have anti-doggie repelant
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=CTDrum.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/CTDrum.jpg" border="0" alt="CT Drum"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=CrawfishDrumMarchHatteras.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/CrawfishDrumMarchHatteras.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Fished the freshwater for my first shad, and a family trip to Smith Mountain Lake
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=969799-R1-08-10A_0091.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/969799-R1-08-10A_0091.jpg" border="0" alt="David Striper"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=DadSmithMountain.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/DadSmithMountain.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=JonathanLargemouth1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/JonathanLargemouth1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Got to see one big slot striper on opening day, but nothing else
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=bamastriperpaxriver.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/bamastriperpaxriver.jpg" border="0" alt="Bama\'s Opening Day Striper, Pax River"></a>

Released a flounder and some blues in Ocean City
in May
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=16inchflounderrt50bridge.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/16inchflounderrt50bridge.jpg" border="0" alt="first keeper flounder"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=blueoceancityinlet.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/blueoceancityinlet.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=blueOceanCity.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/blueOceanCity.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=gotchabluert50bridge.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/gotchabluert50bridge.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Business picked up as cobia season started. Sadly the big chopper blues decided to be faster than the brown bombers.
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=BIPPinRigging.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/BIPPinRigging.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=chillinintheshade.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/chillinintheshade.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=firstblueBIP52007onababycroaker.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/firstblueBIP52007onababycroaker.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=hatterasblueBIP52107.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/hatterasblueBIP52107.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Plugging is a bunch of work
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=pluggersatBIP.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/pluggersatBIP.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Dad lost a king Memorial Day weekend. Jesse picked up a nice cobia on a jig
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=JesseeCobia.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/JesseeCobia.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Glad to see Matt catch his first as well. Lots of kings this June on Bogue, but it just wasn't my year.

July saw a great week at Avalon Pier. Sunrise found my TLD 20 screaming, along with the Moyock Flash. He landed a big jack, while I cut a big jack off at the pier rather than net it.
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=PinRiggingatAvalonPier.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/PinRiggingatAvalonPier.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=fightingbigjack.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/fightingbigjack.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=jack2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/jack2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=jack4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/jack4.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=jack5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/jack5.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Mine decided to fight a bit longer 
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=jack7.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/jack7.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Fall saw a nice drum run at Avalon (I still need to develop the film) a flounder or two, released keeper togs, dad's first saltwater striper, and a good nap.
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=CatchandRelease.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/CatchandRelease.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=keepertog.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/keepertog.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=DadStriperBridge2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/DadStriperBridge2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=rt50striper.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/rt50striper.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=Sleep.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/Sleep.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

I could throw in my first beached 5 foot shark and a keeper from the Tank, but Tuna messed up the pictures! 

A good year with good buds. Hopefully this year, I can:

1) Get my first 30 inch+ rockfish
2) first paper drum from the beach (got one from the pier)
3) first king
4) 30lb Amberjack on a butterfly jig
5) break my 5 year skunk on keeper cobia
6) release a minmum of 6 keeper togs
7) get Julie Ball to "lose the zero, and get with the hero"


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## SeaSalt (Apr 29, 2002)

nice frenchie!


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## squalus (Sep 26, 2007)

Great post!!!

Just one question - Why were you disappointed with the choppers? You said *"Sadly the big chopper blues decided to be faster than the brown bombers."*


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

NEIV164Owl said:


> Great post!!!
> 
> Just one question - Why were you disappointed with the choppers? You said *"Sadly the big chopper blues decided to be faster than the brown bombers."*


You see there are these people that call themselves anglers that think Bluefish are a bore, a nuisance, a waste of time ... 

I love them blues !!!


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## squalus (Sep 26, 2007)

cygnus-x1 said:


> You see there are these people that call themselves anglers that think Bluefish are a bore, a nuisance, a waste of time ...
> 
> I love them blues !!!


Me too!!! Them and Spanish!! Bring it on!


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## French (Jun 18, 2005)

I love the blues, but when 40lb cobia are swimming around and the choppers keep eating your bait, it is frustrating. Jesse plunked a big jig in front of a ray and off goes a 40+ lb cobia... with my little bluefish swiming mere feet away.

In all seriousness, those big blues were fun, but I landed them on 25lb tackle.


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## cocoflea (Aug 1, 2002)

very nice post a year that would make anyone happy nice job!


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## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

Whoa, I got mentioned twice in someone else's Year in Review...


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

Nice summary. Here's another one of you from this past summer.










Jeez, could you at least try to smile once in 2008. The chicks dig it!


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

Here's one more French photo:










I see a vertical smile, but I don't think you'll find a lot of female company like that.


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## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

fishbait said:


> I see a vertical smile, but I don't think you'll find a lot of female company like that.


Dude, that ain't right :--|


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

fishbait said:


> Here's one more French photo:
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Man I love the hat !!!

At first I expected to see this fine young ladd bent over tossing a perfectly legal flounder back into the drink 

you know we kid ya cause we luv ya Frenchy !!


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## fingersandclaws (Oct 17, 2005)

Way to be Frenchtastic!!! I swear, if you release any keeper tog, I'm usin' you for bait!!! Nice pics and nice YIR bud.

BTW, you gonna take that from Fishbait all bent over and what not??? Owned.


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

fingersandclaws said:


> Way to be Frenchtastic!!! I swear, if you release any keeper tog, I'm usin' you for bait!!! Nice pics and nice YIR bud.
> 
> BTW, you gonna take that from Fishbait all bent over and what not??? Owned.


I see a nice sig line in that 

Great review French


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## TunaFish (Aug 16, 2001)

*Lol!!!*

That's pretty good Frenchie!!! Now, do I have to keep reminding you about looking at your pics sideways???


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## Andre (Mar 15, 2003)

Yeah french 
Great YIR


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## Kwesi W. (Apr 14, 2006)

Hey Frenchie, we need to hook up this upcoming season. I like the way you fish.... You seem to be HARDCORE!


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## EDMboarder (Mar 18, 2005)

French looks like you had a pretty good year.


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## fishinmama (Oct 14, 2006)

nice yearly recap French - remember seeing those photos thru-out this past year & enjoying them & your reports -- so nice to now see them all bought into a 'diary of the year' of sorts -- 
in 2008 -- you go get 'em - hope you get everything you have wished for!


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## chump (Jul 18, 2005)

Nice post, Frenchie. Hope to get to fish w/ you more this year.


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## French (Jun 18, 2005)

Ahem......
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=AFISHING.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/AFISHING.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

I will pay good money for actual live action shots of fishbait falling into the drink 




fishbait said:


> Here's one more French photo:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## French (Jun 18, 2005)

chump said:


> Nice post, Frenchie. Hope to get to fish w/ you more this year.


besides whatever trips I can make this spring, I usually make my first run down south either Mothers Day weekend or the following weekend. Usually the first trip is all the bluefish you can catch... big and small, with spanish mixed in. Two years ago, I couldn't buy a spanish, last year my first trip netted a dozen keepers (released or traded for blues for my bait bucket) with lots of big blues hitting live baits. The cobia numbers were way down for Bogue this year, but I had some small ones on the bait before Jesse picked up his on a bucktail. Dad got the first king run of the year on Bogue during Memorial Day weekend.

I am always looking for folks to make the suicide run... $100 for a hotel room and 12 hours worth of gas piles up after awhile.


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## French (Jun 18, 2005)

Only 5 more months until pin rigging season!

WBB fears cobia because cobia eat croakah's!


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## EugeneChoe (Aug 11, 2006)

frechie you are hilarious!


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## chump (Jul 18, 2005)

French said:


> Only 5 more months until pin rigging season!
> 
> WBB fears cobia because cobia eat croakah's!


I'd love to catch me a cobia or a drum, but alas, in this area, they're hard to come by. Don't let FB and FnC fool ya. Oki and I will change their minds soon. Just that we're all family guys and just don't have the time you young whipper snappers have. Making weekend runs down to NC is almost always out for us.


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## French (Jun 18, 2005)

One trip... just one. We may not get (or see) a big one, but you can't beat relaxing in the shade in between pulling in dozens of blues and a few spanish macks!


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

What's the deal on these silly cobia? I thought all species of catfish weren't that healthy for you to eat.  opcorn:


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## chump (Jul 18, 2005)

French said:


> One trip... just one. We may not get (or see) a big one, but you can't beat relaxing in the shade in between pulling in dozens of blues and a few spanish macks!


Hey Frenchie,

Supposedly, the spanish macks run around the bay for a week or two in August. Maybe we can get the blues and spanish then? You'll have to show us the ropes on the spanish though. 

It is really tough, but I'll try to get all of us to take a boy's weekend w/ you sometime.

Thanks,
Chump


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## French (Jun 18, 2005)

fishbait said:


> What's the deal on these silly cobia? I thought all species of catfish weren't that healthy for you to eat.  opcorn:


I wonder which one tastes better?
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=julieballcobia.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/julieballcobia.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

OR

<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=CARP.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/CARP.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


hmmm... tough call!


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## EDMboarder (Mar 18, 2005)

Hey French im down for some weekend runs down to NC, if im not already living there this summer.


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

French said:


> I wonder which one tastes better?
> <a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=julieballcobia.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/julieballcobia.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


I don't think this one can be caught on "light" tackle.  



French said:


> <a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/?action=view&current=CARP.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/frenjr/CARP.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
> 
> 
> hmmm... tough call!


Don't underestimate these drum. They're good fighters and even though they got these disgusting worms in their flesh, I've been told that you can just eat around them. :--| I wouldn't know.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

You HAVE to throw her back ... she is too full of eggs


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## French (Jun 18, 2005)

After my Annual Conference ends in Feb, I will be convening the WBB Subcommittee on Pin Rigging, Energy, and Transportation, Commitee on Marine Conservation to look into the impending cobia situation on the Carolina coast. We in the WBB have a responsibility to the taxpayers to make sure that such a valuable food source commodity does go to waste in these trying economic times.

My duties as Director of Marine Conservation also require me to look into the CnR season at Sandy Point. If there is anybody who can successfully protect the migrant striper population by not catching jack squat, it would be me.


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## boom993 (Jan 16, 2008)

ok


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