Reel Draggin’ Tackle Fishing Team Report – July 11, 2007
Fishing today Aboard The Muff Diver

Location: Ocean City, Md. - Sunset Marina
Boat: 1984 46' Ocean Yacht
Captain: Aaron Rogers
Mate: Wayne Bradford / Ken Lahr
Reel Draggin’ Tackle Crew: G. Benhken, Don Noyes, Doug Poole, George Hussy, Larry Lindenberger, Jonathan Newell

Details: Left the Ocean City dock at 5:00am headed for the area around the Hambone, about 45 miles ENE of Ocean City. Our plan, get our blue fin limit and push into deeper water and look for yellow fin. Around 7:30 am we set out a spread consisting of:
- 2 lines off of the out riggers Way Way back with Skirted Hoos
- 2 long lines of the riggers with Blue/White trackers & Hoos
- 2 Short lines with green Slammer Bird Bars
-1 Short shotgun Rainbow Bird Bar, running between and behind the short riggers.
- 2 flats that were changed out often, and included Hoos, Jets, and the RDT Sport Dredge

Shortly after lines went in we had a triple knock down, all big fish. One came unhooked, a 46" BFT went on ice and the other was 45" so back he went. Lines in, another pass and another triple knock down, all too small. Re-Set the trap, another pass and this time we only get two lines down, one comes unhooked and the other yields a 47.5" BFT, and on the ice he goes. We are off to a really great morning. The marks are down deep and the next two passes do not yield any hits. We quickly rig a Carolina Planner to our Reel Draggin' Tackle Rainbow Dredge and send it to 40 feet. As soon is it hits depth off it goes and a small 43" BFT is released. We had two more hook ups on the dredge as we pushed off shore looking for YFT and Mahi. Once out of the BFT zone and into the YFT zone, we changed out our spread just a tad. We added another spreader bar, brought in the dredge and put the RDT Draggin Slayer Jets out on the short lines. It didn't take long and we picked up a single Yellow Fin, estimated to weigh about 30#. Re-Set the trap and another pass and the Long Line rigged with a Blue/White Tracker takes off. Is seams fairly light compared to the others, then you see the line coming up and holy crap ... a Sail Fish is doing the tail walk about 50 yards off the transom. We immediately clear all lines, the leader mans ready, the camera mans ready and the crew executes a very quick and flawless Sail Fish release with crew pictures. The trap get re-set and back we go, this pass yields a larger (est 50#) Yellow Fin. Re-Set, and back we go, this time the spreader bars are covered with Mahi and the next two passes yield four nice size gaffers.

It was a great day to be aboard the Muff Diver. The final tally, 14 solid bites, 1 Sail Fish Released, 2 Blue Fin iced, 2 Yellow Fin Iced and 4 Mahi iced. The water was warm all over, 71-74 degrees. The marks were deep and at times it took the dredge or the bird bars to entice them up. The Way back lines took the Blue Fin, the Bars took the Yellow Fin and Mahi. The Sail Fish took a Blue/White Tracker running right next to the Green Slammer spreader bar.

Thanks Capt Aaron and Wayne, its always a pleasure to be aboard your boat.