# Buxton Day 2



## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

High 9:31 am, Low 3:56 pm. About 62 this morning, 10 to 15 MPH wind out of the west. Seas 2 to 3 feet and calm. I cannot remember such a clear day, even the shoals only had a slight haze to it. Looking at the point, you can't see the waves crashing, that is unusual. Clear water, not crystal clear but as clear as I have seen it in a long time. Didn't bring either thermometer, sorry, but it was easily mid 70's, shorts and bare feet all day. Got chilly on the deck as the sun disappeared, but a light shirt took care of that. No one on the beach with waders, shorts and bare feet is the attire. The puppy had several great romps on the beach and in the surf. But, being one of the deck elites, I did not get my feet wet. At sunset folks have jackets, shorts and bare feet. I'm going to send this off then ice up the bait for the night.

Wet lines at first light. I didn't want to fish earlier in case the rays were still around, it would suck to battle and try to land one in the dark. Did great with the incoming morning tide, right up to almost full high. I saw 3 rays hooked, one landed two broke off. Final tally:

6 species caught today!
9 - bluefish 17" to 19", all but 3, 17". Caught on cut mullet all from first light to when the sun poked up. Great first casts too, to introduce me to the day! I baited up the 9'and 10' poles, then cast them out. 10' almost to the outer bar, 9' middle of the slough. By the time I was spiking the 9'er, the 10 started going off, picked it up and you could feel the bluefish 'slam slam slam' on the line. I started reeling and it felt really heavy, might be a drum. Then the 9 starts bobbing! I put the 10 down against the rail between my legs and pick up the 9. Reeled a bit and had a fish on. I set the 9 back in a spike and set the drag. Reeled in the 10 with 2 blues on it. Hoisted them on the deck, quick measure and back in the sea. Grabbed the 9 and reeled it in, still something on it... Another double! I didn't feel confident hoisting two on the line so walked it down the stairs to the beach and measured, unhooked and released. Used the 10 only for the rest of the bite. Those were my only doubles!!!
14 - Pompano 5" to 7", two 7" the others split evenly. For the morning bite all were caught 5' out from the dropoff, using the 7' and shrimp pieces. I should have landed a ton more, lost bait with biting every cast. It took me a while to find the proper finesse to hook the little buggers.

2 - sea mullet 12" and 11", both still swimming. Caught them on the 7' same place as the Pompano, maybe a little farther out. Can't remember if mullet or shrimp for bait, I was switching back and forth.

2 blow toads, both 7". Same as the mullet, I can't remember the bait but same place, near to the wash!

1 black drum, 8" same place on shrimp.

The morning bite lasted until almost high tide, then turned off for the catching. I was still getting lots of bites on the 7' pole just past the dropoff but couldn't hook anything. Around 1:30 or 2:00 I started catching and having lots of fast bluefish bites in the slough. Couldn't hook one, fast quick bites once, then gone along with the bait. Out of the tally these were caught in the afternoon bite: 2 Pompano, 1 mullet, 1 toad and the B. Drum. I quit around 3:00 or so and had dinner. 5:47 now and I'm ready for bed, sorry. Didn't get much for sleep last night, a few one hour naps but mostly just lying in bed listening to the ocean. My old body is paying for that now.

Fun facts for the day!

Interesting sunrise, and sunset for here. With no clouds on the shoals it was just the bright, shiny orange globe rising and giving it's reflection an orange trail in the waves. Sunset had the shoals haze purple, to red them orange before going to shades of blue. It intensified then faded to grey. Not a blemish in the sky the entire day!

TONS of dolphin around, from right outside the first bar to the second bar. Schools, some large, coming through all day. Watched some feed right in front of the place, just outside the first bar. Three going south, slapping their tails on the surface, the pod coming north. When they met the pod went under, a minute later the surface erupted! LOL!!! Only lasted a minute or so but fun to watch from my vantage point.

Saw two rays jump out of the water, or one ray twice. Right on the first bar, just around high tide, likely just after if I recall. Lots of birds working the high tide, before and after, middle to outer second slough (between the first bar and the second bar). None were a huge feeding frenzy with water breaking and fish jumping though. Using the spotting scope I could not make out any fish breaking water, just TONS of birds hitting it. Many smaller flocks but one was a good 5 fists long.

There is bait in the water! Low tide showed some large schools of glass minnows hugging the beach. Something would chase them above the dropoff now and again but I never got to see what it was, most likely bluefish. There are finger mullet in the surf, not enough to cast net, that I could see, but you would see 5 or 6 jump and run many times.

If Andi or anyone wants more puppy adventures, let me know and I'll post them.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Sounds like a rather nice day!

Have fun and thanks for the update!


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## RevWC (Mar 28, 2011)

Nice.................


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Sometimes on days like that I'd just tie a surf weight on the line, cast it out and sit back and watch day pass me by.

Not a good way to catch fish but a great way to relax and unwind.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

I can remember doing that in designated area where you "had to be actively fishing" to be there.

I did forget the most important part of the post! 2 ounces was holding even by the outer bar.


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