Back to Rockfish, 9/23/17

With the outboard motor on my center console currently down and out, I was happy when my buddy Bruce called Saturday afternoon and asked me to go fishing with him.  The WVU football game I was watching wasn't all that interesting, and it was drop-dead gorgeous outside.  Besides, I always catch fish when I fish with Bruce.  He's a real student and technician when it comes to figuring out how and where to fish, sort of the direction I've also been going lately.

This trip was nearly a carbon copy of one we took exactly two weeks prior.  Same place in the Manokin River, same tide, same time of day.  Only two weeks later.  And, the results were nearly the same, only better.  We started casting 4" (not 5" !!) chartreuse bass assassins as soon as we got there, and we caught a couple.  It wasn't until the tide really started flowing out hard that we anchored at the mouth of that same creek, and proceeded to whack the fish all the way until dark, probably 90 minutes straight.  We caught somewhere between 30 and 40 rockfish, mostly between 15-18" (I think one was 18.5", a "heartbraker" as Bruce calls them).  And just like that, it stopped.  Pic below is of Bruce catching one of his many fish that night.

I've got a handle on the outboard woes.  Replaced the water pump and thermostat last week, only to discover the real culprit- a temperature sensor.  Hoping to be able to complete that repair next Friday and maybe get some fishing in on my own boat next weekend.  This is DealIslandRandy- see you next time !