12/5/16: The last weekend for the season was pretty brutal. Saturday they called for 20- to 25-knot winds, we went and actually did pretty well! The bite you really couldn't feel very well due to the fact that 25- to 30-knot wind was whipping through your line, and the fact that the 4- to 6-foot chop with 3-second intervals was beating the boat around like a washing machine, and also with only a handful of fishermen, it was the best trip of the fall blackfish season. Ren Noticy of Barnegat Light, NJ had three nice keepers and won the pool with a 6.5-lber. We came in early to end the misery.
Sunday we had high hopes, only to be shot down again by the blackfish cooperation. The weather was perfect, anchoring conditions were good, the small fish were there, but only a handful of keepers. The Weisz brothers did well with the lions share of the boat's keepers.
We gave it our best shot! The weather is going to change, and it's time for us to wrap the CAIII up for a long winter's nap!
We would like to thank all of you who support the CAIII and still cherish the sport of fishing. We are in for a battle with NMFS and the organizations who have said we are in for big-time cutbacks next season. I hope they can be stopped, the party boat industry is already is serious trouble due to regulations.
Have a healthy and safe holiday season, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Sea you in the spring!
Gina