It's always with mixed feelings that we do our season wrap-up. On the one hand, we get to reflect on so many great and fun memories with our clients, and on the other hand it means a few more months before we start fishing again. So many memorable catches come to mind that we can only scratch the surface! Either way, the Mushin is winterized and we have already started plans for winter-time upgrades.

The season started for us by May with the EXCELLENT STRIPED BASS and COD fishing. We had another GREAT Spring livelining bunker to hungry cow-sized STRIPED BASS to 30+ pounds. Even first time anglers often had no problem filling their limit of STRIPERS! Anglers who prefer artificial baits cashed in on the STRIPED BASS bonanza casting a variety of soft-baits and jigs. Bottom fishermen sailed with us to some of the 20-30 mile wrecks and caught tasty COD - oftentimes by the dozens - as this old favorite has really made a great comeback along our coast. While it's nothing glorious, we had lots of "codfathers" on board who bent rods all day pulling 8 to 20 pound cod and filling coolers.

In June, we continued with the great STRIPER fishing with routine limit catches, and started catching BLUEFISH. However, our attention was divided with the start of MAKO SHARK season and OFFSHORE/CANYON TUNA. By the second week of June, there was warm waters in the canyons and we had banner TUNA/MARLIN trolling, including a very memorable "3-bagger" that included two white marlin (a first for each of the two guys) and a 105-pound YELLOWFIN at the same time. Again, we found alot of quality bruiser YELLOWFIN TUNA and WHITE MARLIN in the canyons during June. We also started targeting MAKO's in June, and had 3 MAKO's during our trip for the Mako Mania 2011 tournament, and took 3rd PLACE with a 219# MAKO.

June also gave us opportunities for BLUEFIN TUNA/MAKO combination trips when anglers trolled or baited BLUEFINS in the chicken canyons. This included trips when we driften "scallop guts" under scallop boats - this is incredible fishing with crazed BLUEFINS - we edge up close to the drifting scallop boat, bait up with scallop guts, strip out 50 feet of line and toss in - and HOLD ON! Often within seconds we had 100 pound BLUEFIN crashing on the bait. Other times gave us "good old fashioned" BLUEFIN trolling with lots of bent rods. After catching their limit and being fulfilled with the BLUEFIN, we would set up on drift in the same area for MAKO! These successful anglers had a dilemma when they got home...MAKO or BLUEFIN for dinner?

July through August kept us busy with more STRIPERS, CANYON TUNA/WHITE MARLIN, and MAKO fishing. How about some big BULL DOLPHIN? We boated over a half-dozen BULL MAHI over 30 pounds this season, including one that pushed 50 pounds featured in The Fisherman magazine. We had Joe Rossi out with his friends and film crew in early-August, and filmed an upcoming show for Joe's Wildside Adventure (FSN/Root Sports Network) where the guys landed BLUEFISH, YELLOWFIN, WHITE MARLIN, MAHI, SWORDFISH, and TILEFISH in one trip - how's that for a CANYON SAFARI?! Other trips that were closer to home put the more casual angler into FLUKE, SEABASS, AND BLUES for our clients and guests, many who were down at the Jersey Shore for vacation, including a family who was vacationing from Brazil who had non-stop FLUKE action!

We had undoubtedly the BEST FALL TUNA CHUNKING in several years! Consistent and solid catches of YELLOWFIN came in the different canyons at night, and we added tasty and colorful TILEFISH on these trips. The TILEFISHING was so consistent that guys requested dedicated trips targeting these deep-dwellers! SWORDFISH up to 150# were added consistently during the night bite. Many of these canyon trips were spiced up with MAKO shark and acrobating WHITE MARLIN and MAHI MAHI. We had back-to-back trips with BIGEYE TUNA, including the season best at 225# (which took 6 guys nearly 2 hours to land!). If the YELLOWFIN bite wasn't enough, we had a PHENOMENAL LONGFIN (ALBACORE) TUNA bite of fat fish up to 70#. How about one day troll trip when we went through 5 dozen ballyhoo along with getting our artificials bit? The guys boxed almost 30 longfin, and lost/released probably 45 more, and spent over an hour battling a 250+ pound BIGEYE, in barely 6 hours of fishing time.

We continued the Fall fishing with some GREAT COD trips to the 20-30 mile range, often averaging almost a dozen keepers (and probably releasing 3 times as many) per guy! We mixed in a couple killer SEA BASS trips and BLACKFISH limits trips, and had STRIPER BEATDOWNS with fast and furious STRIPER jigging off IBSP for 3+ straight weeks.

What a 2011 season! We owe some much to our many clients and friends who have fished with us, whether it was for the first time or the 50th time. We get to meet so many new clients every year, and cherish the relationships we build. As we do our season wrap-up, we look forward to a joyous Holiday Season and a very exciting 2012 season! For those looking for a holiday or other gift idea, consider a GIFT CERTIFICATE for an upcoming trip. Booking for 2012 has started, and we look foward to seeing you soon!