Another Fishing post - will they never end??

I just got to experience my first "Opening Day" in my new state, and I have to say, it IS a rather interesting event. No, not the home opener for the Nats or Orioles (although the Nats do have the best record in the National League at the moment). Not even the Opening Day of Trout, an elbow-to-elbow event held annually in my original home state of PA. Nope - it was my first "Opening Day of Trophy Rockfish" season, and I was there with every other boat in the state that could float. In the Spring, the big female striped bass - or rockfish, as they are known locally - move into the Chesapakes Bay to spawn. The season started this year on April 21, and the limit is 1 per person per day, 28" or bigger. A co-worker had booked the services of Mid River Guide Service - Capt. Bob Wetherald - and had an opening for my son and I. Since Joey's birthday was the 22nd, I thought it would be a great thing to do with him. He had never been on a charter fishing trip, and the Bay can get rough, so I wasn't sure what to expect. (I DO know what to expect from me - I get seasick if it's too choppy) Sat. the 21st the weather called for 5-10 from the S, freshening to 15 from the SW. Thunderstorms building in the afternoon. It certainly wouldn't be glass calm but we were getting an ealry start - meet at the dock at 5 AM - so we could (hopefully) get out and back before I got sick. Capt. Bob had been out the week before - catch and release fishing - and knew exactly where to be to find the fish. We left the dock at Solomons at 5:20 and by 6:15 we had the planer boards out, line set, and were approaching the area holdig the fish.

Joey with his first rockfish

A double At 6:30 we had 3 fish on, fought them to the boat, and put 2 in the fish box. The smaller one was legal but not the size we were looking for. Bob had the fish dialed in, and by 10:30 we were bringing in the lines and stowing the rods for our run back to the dock. All in all we hooked 12 fish, landed 10, and brought 4 back. We could have undoubetly hooked and landed more fish but, as the day progressed, the number of boats increased monumentally. It became a bit of a chore to turn the boat and keep the planer boards out of other folks boards. The timing to return to the dock was perfect. All the ones we kept were between 36" - 39". REALLY nice rockfish. It was my first big rockfish, my son's first rockfish ever, and - I didn't get sick! Neither did Joey. An evening dinner of freshly caught rockfish bites was enjoyed by all!

A nice rockfish for my son

the boat limit

me and Joey with our rockfish