Fishing With Bare Hooks

Type: Ocean
Region: Eastern
Location: Offshore of Ocean City Maryland

I just got back from another fishing trip to Ocean City Maryland with a limit of sea bass. I boarded the Morning Star headboat on Friday and we left early for an extended trip. After traveling for 3 & 1/2 hours we arrived at our spot. The day did not start well for me as I hooked a dog shark and waited for the mate to help me get it off. I rebaited and started to catch sea bass. The captain came over to my side of the boat and suggested large silver bare circle hooks. I did not think they would work but they did and I caught at least 7 keepers without bait. Just jigging the hooks a little and then letting them sit would get a bite. This is the first time I ever fished with bare hooks and caught something. After awhile the bite wore off and I started to bait the hooks. That brought the bluefish and I came up with just the head of a sea bass. I let the head of the fish stay on my line and lowered it down only to have a big bluefish grab it and then the fish cut me off. Must have been a big one. The captain of the boat hooked a nice bluefish which he managed to bring in. I continued to fish with the bare circle hooks sometimes with bait and often hooking double header keepers. I limited out by 11:30 AM and the boat limited by 12:00 PM. It took the boat just 2 & 1/2 hours to limit out and weather was calm-a perfect day. I hope this great fishing continues as a limit is guaranteed. Played the fish pool and got beat again with my fish in second place-that is gambling. After arriving back at the dock I packed up the car and headed over to the inlet for striped bass as I had some extra time. The tide was going out and after tossing a bucktail for an hour or so I gave up. There were no bites. Maybe staying for the incoming tide would have been a good idea but it was time to go home.