Thursday Sept 18

Capt. Ant reports another very solid night at Behemothland.  First the report, then the fish story.  It was a very finicky bite last night albeit a very good one.  We marked huge piles of fish, would make a pass, get a few but it seemed like it was one and done for most the night.  We had one great drift which landed about 10 fish but the majority were 2-3 per while we had tide.  Based on the amount of life, we should have been home early. We never passed a 1.6kt drift which most likely accounted for their lack of aggression.  On the upside we had some big boys.  At least 10 Moo Cows in the 34-38lb class and two Behemoths at 42.4lbs and 41.5lbs.  Eric Redin from Montauk had the pool fish and Dave Depofi from the outskirts of Binghampton had the 41.  Great Job guys!!

So now the fish story.  We have had a visitor from our Florida operation up helping Capt Carl run the Tuna Trips.  Capt. Jerry has been in Montauk for a month.  When he first came up he said he’d like to try a bass trip if he could.  I said by all means but do a Behemoth, that’s where it’s at.  So last night Jerry said, “I’m fixin’ to take the trip tonight to see what its all about.  I said cool…wanna drive:)”  Jerry hung out most the night watching the fireworks from the top deck.  At about midnight, he picked up our galley wench, Frank “the Soup Man” Graci’s rod and wet his line.  Slow drift, not a hook up until I see some commotion in the middle of the boat…yes thats right he fished outside the door.  It was Capt Jerry putting the screws to what was definitely a big boy.  After about a 5 minute battle, Steven Sloane Martinez stuck the gaff in the throat, surprisingly for Steve on the first shot, and lifted the fish, and kept lifting the fish, on his toes to get it over the rail then of course saying as he has done about 10 times in thee trips, “That’s the biggest Striped Bass I’ve ever seen”.    I can’t recall how many “Holy ****’*” were shouted on deck but I assure you there were many including me.  The fish was a beast.  Long, perfectly proportioned, and angry.  It had the shape of a male and was close to 60″.  When the scale read 55.0lbs, the entire boat erupted.  This was Jerry’s first saltwater Striper.  And it couldn’t happen to a nicer, more humble angler.  This is a man who is used to bailing Triple digit Goliath grouper on the Gulfstar and 200+ lb Bigeyes on the Viking Star.  Last night he became a Viking Bass Assassin, and I’m “fixin'” we’ll see some folks from Florida asking about Jerry’s Behemoth Bass Battle for years to come!!  Thank you Capt. Jerry, we knew they were down there, we knew we broke some off over the season, but it was nice for all us Behemothheads to finally see one landed!!!

Oh by the way, tomorrow, we go back at 8p…please make a reservation as we had to turn some folks away last night!!!