Fished with Steve B. and his friend Manuel. We launched at Shelter Island around 8:30pm and fished till around 12:30am. It started off really slow. Didn't help I was kicking against the current for almost an hour straight. In that time I had one small mackie that ate a 9" grub. He had heart. I didn't get my first bass till around 10:00. It was short as were the next 4 I caught. Steve was doing o.k. with maybe 4 legals and many shorts. Manuel was on the board with one short. On a side note, this was his first time in a tube. Many people won't even try salt tubing, let alone at night.

We finally headed back to the launch area boats around 11:00. This was when things got fun. Steve started picking away and Manuel picked up a nice 2+ sandie. I had also started a little pick. Then, all of a sudden the bigger fish bit. We were all getting hammered, drag burning hooksets, many break offs. Steve pulled a nice 3 and some 2's. Me, I started to throw the 9" grubs again, got a 6, a 3.5+, two 3's, and a 2.5. It was so much fun, they were chewing the big baits. I just wish I could've got the ones that I missed. These fish didn't budge on the hookset. You'd swing, and all that would happen is that you'd hear line peal off, then if you were lucky your hook was still there. Steve and Manuel finally got cold and headed in, I stayed out to finish my limit. They were the smart ones. The current died, and so did the bite. It was like a switch had been flipped. I finally went in. My final count, 9 legals and 5 shorts. Steve's was something like 6 legals and 10+ shorts. Manuel, 1 legal, 1 short.

It was sweet to see someone just starting out. I'm sure Manuel will be out all the time now. He had a blast, and learned a lot in a short time. He was completely at ease in his new round tube, but I think he'll be getting a pontoon tube very soon.

Amish Ed
You Can't Catch it again if
it's Dead!