Norma K III

Capt. Tom reported a challenging start to the week aboard the Norma K III, with a couple of shots at fish but no takers. Sea bass provided mixed results, as some anglers headed home with a few keepers while others managed only shorts. As the week progressed, several stops produced the now-familiar pattern of plentiful short sea bass with an occasional keeper mixed in. Porgies helped round out the catch. Toward the end of the week, anglers encountered large schools of bunker with snapper bluefish mixed in, but no striped bass were landed. The crew shifted to bottom fishing, where results remained inconsistent. Some anglers managed five or six keepers, while others finished the day without a keeper in the box.

Capt. Tom said the Norma K III got back on the water Tuesday after the storm and was greeted by flat seas and a nonstop bite. The crew tried a couple of areas, and fish were chewing at each stop, with several anglers reaching their limits by 10 a.m. Wednesday’s action was a step down from the day before, and the bite continued to taper off toward the end of the week. Although readings looked better, the fish simply weren’t cooperating. The crew would find a few fish, put a couple keepers in the box, and then watch the bite shut down before having to make another move. A handful of porgies added to the mix. Areas holding larger fish proved especially challenging, as bergalls quickly stripped baits from the hooks before anglers could get them down to the target species.