[Dave B.]

Forecast as of 4:00 am EST on February 26, 2006
Synopsis
A strong cold front extending across the central waters will sweep se across the remainder of the area early this morning...while developing low pres moves E across the far southern waters. The low will quickly move off to the NE and intensify E of the area today through Mon. A large high pres area will build E into the area tonight...then move S of the region Mon. An E to W stationary front is expected to develop across the central waters Tue...continue on Wed...then lift NE over the northern waters late Wed and Thu. Low pres will race E along the front across the northern waters Thu.


Forecast as of 4:00 am EST on February 26, 2006
Cape Fear To 31n Out To 32n 73w To 31n 74w

Storm Warning
W wall of Gulf Stream 31n 80w...32n 79.4w...33.3n 76.9w
Today
N winds 30 to 40 kt early...except to 50 kt over the Gulf Stream...decreasing to 25 to 35 kt. Seas 9 to 15 ft building to 12 to 19 ft...except becoming 7 to 12 far W portion late. Highest seas E portion and near the Gulf Stream. Showers ending.
Tonight
N winds decreasing to 15 to 25 kt...highest E. Seas subsiding to 5 to 10 ft...except to 15 ft E of 76w.
Mon
Winds becoming W to SW 15 to 20 kt. Seas subsiding to 4 to 7 ft...except to 11 ft E of 76w...highest far E.
Mon Night
W winds increasing to 20 to 25 kt. Seas becoming 5 to 10 ft. Highest winds and seas N.
Tue
W winds 15 to 25 kt. Seas 6 to 10 ft...except 3 to 6 ft far SW portion.
Wed
Winds becoming SW 15 to 20 kt. Seas 5 to 8 ft...except 2 to 5 ft far SW portion.
Thu
SW winds increasing to 20 to 30 kt...then becoming W 15 to 25 kt late. Seas 6 to 10 ft...except 4 to 7 ft W of 77w.

 

[sinker man]

Dave, knowing that you are a tuna kinda guy and that you are always looking for an opportunity to observe and learn things about them regardless of the weather, I'll try and put you in position to do so regardless of the forecast. Check the colors and shading out especially. http://www.mbayaq.org/efc/efc_outerbay/outerbay_cam.asp#
Hope you like it. AL

 

[Dave B.]

Thanx Al, just got your message and will check it out here after typin this.
Man, I havent been fishin in what seem's forever here lately.... I've been watching the weather.. and wow,,, it's tough to get them good days to run on the outside. Between the weather and work... I hoped to get a break, but it's not gonna happen.
Looks like April I'll have a shot to get out and hopefully to get a early spring start.

Saw the weather report today and was glad I'm at work... but wow,, how tough this time of season is to bottom fish...

One thing I did notice on the weather chart, the sea temps just northand a bit east of the FPS's... wow,, looks like great trollin "area"... too bad it's 17 ft seas out there! ha ha ha ha ha ha.....

Thanx Al,, I'll check out the link.

 

[fojoloy]

Dave--- I'm Surprised you haven't offered to take me out 40 miles and release me in my kayak to fish in the 17 ft. seas.

Later, Forrest

 

[Dave B.]

Well, if you "want" to go out in that... I can get you there if the price is right

But I wont volunteer to go, ha ha ha hah a...... Dont think there's enough Dramamine to get me out in that stuff.

Will be headin out in April though, will definately give ya a shout out then (or before if the weather and work sched. permit)

 

[sinker man]

One thing you don't have to worry about when fishing in rough weather is getting volunteers to chum.... .

 

[Dave B.]

He he he,,, ya got that right.. my boss man chums everytime we go out.. Even on a 2 ft day with no wind... Heeeeee haw... right off the side. He took 3 dramamines the last trip out we took months back and hock'd them up. We usually drop the dramamine around Elizebeth town and that gives it enough time to be effective,, but for some reason he gets sick every time no matter how much ginger ale or drama ya give him.

We'd have to hose him off the deck in 17 ft seas.... kinda like one of them hard stuck dried up shrimps left on the deck after a day of fishin.... ha ha ha ha ha ...

 

[sinker man]

I've got to admit, I've chummed a time or two myself but it takes a combination of nasty weather and bad smells. Never let it stop me though. Ususally if I start to get a little case of the queasies All it takes is a little fresh air. It seems that helps more than anything. AL

 

[ParrotHead]

Ginger Ale and saltines! I spent 7 years in the Navy and only got "sick" once. That was a nor'easter of the coast of Hatteras w/ 35' - 40' seas in an LST. That's a 522 foot flat-bottom John Boat. It bobs on top of the water like a cork . Every time I started to get the twinge, Ginger Ale and Saltines saved the day!

 

[sinker man]

It's a little hard not to when you are playing submarine. I spent 4 yrs in the Navy without getting seasick and 4 in the Coast Guard with only a couple of occasions of limited chumming but I have been pretty miserable on a couple of other occasions. I have had the old CG cutter Chilula burried beneath green water during a tropical storm. Not once or twice but nearly every other wave for the whole watch. We rescued some hapless sailboaters who were pretty beat up, out of fuel and had very low batteries. Their radio range was down to 2 or 3 miles when we heard them. We actually had to hunt for them since the didn't know their position and visibility was next to nothing. That was the only time we didn't have a flying bridge watch. We couldn't see didley but we finally got them on radar while they were on a wavetop. Lucky timing with a rotating antenna and the gain turned way down to "see thru the clutter". Anyway as glad as they were to see us we were just as happy to put our stern to the swells for a change. We actually transfered a barrel of fuel in that mess and broke waves for them until they could get inside the reef at Key West. Then we had to turn back around and start all over again. Luckily the freighter we were going after was on the weak side of the storm by then. After a few hrs. they got their loose containers under control and sufficently repaired the damage so that we didn't have to continue steaming into the storm toward them. Then it was on to patrol for square grouper and such. AL

 

[ParrotHead]

It was never the heavy stuff that really got to me. It seems like it was the easy rolling 3-6 footers that would send me running for the crackers. Of course that was mainly in larger vessels. On a 20-40 foot fishing boat, steady 1-3 footers can activate most chuminators. It can hit anyone, I am just luckier than most I guess.

BTW...I saw my share of nose dives on the destroyer I was on. We went thru Fran & Bertha in '96(?). Saw 45-55 footers. They were breaking on the signal bridge & and the sonar dome was coming completly outta the water. That thing cut thru the water like a knife though and road like a cadilac compared to the gator frieghter (LST). I always thought it was cool when you could be weightless one second and your feet weigh 900 LBS the next. Kinda like riding a demonic elevator! Thankfully we never had to pull anyone out of a jam like you were talking about. We always gave the Puddle Pirates (Coasties) a hard time, but the CG guys do a heck of a job. Most of what is done is never heard of by most people. SALUTE!

 

[Dave B.]

First off, a special thanx from me to you guys for "your service".

man, you put me in Beaufort inlet, shut off the motor,, that's all I need to blow.... Shot out a half gallon of gatoraide in a whoppin record 2 seconds I think one time (last time I try to drift for kings around the outside of the that inlet!!!

Saw a huge 6,000 + gallon fuel tank float thru there about 4 years ago....

I always advise dramamine for folks fishin with me that I dont know how they'll handle the "bouncing".. better to be safe than be a curled up steamed shrimp on the bow or in the cabin for 14 hours! ha ha haha... (been there done that one too...)

Nothin worse than getting sick out there,,, usually last thing ya'd want to do is fish... everyone just wants to know,,, "when we headin back??"

 

[ParrotHead]

It's been so long since I've seen big water, I'm likely to be a gatorade fountain myself . I didn't want to come across as a self-proclaimed "tough-guy", just trying to offer a solution/remedy for the queasies. It's always safest to go with the DRAMAmine.