!!!spot!!!
 

I wish I could find some spot! Seriously I went out last night hoping the storm would pass. I ended up soaked and scaring the crap out of my neighbor. We went just a little north of Thomas Point and started fishing around 3:30 untill the storm started brewing. We caught 5 Croaker with 3 at 16"-18". We also saw a few rays swimming around. :D

The bait guy where I get my bait said spot have been scarce this year. It hasnt been worth him setting all his traps. He was looking at getting some from VA this year due to the lack of spot around so far and number of requests. He said they may come around soon though.

The spot might just be late and have really taken a beating the past few years with live lining being so popular. Spot are the rabbits of the water. EVERYTHING likes to eat them. Time will tell..........but the commercial nets and traps tell a pretty big story. If they are not getting them, they are just not here in big numbers..........Gary

Maybe all the cow nose rays ate them :D

I bet those rays are having a BIG impact on the oysters and crabs that are on the bottom. Ray populations are growing every year. No predators and not harvested for anything. They sure can mess up some fishing lines though:eek:..........Gary

Plenty of rays in the EB EVERYWHERE!!

TED

The spot are really not late yet......they usually turn up in numbers around the 2nd week of June......I think a lot of us are over-eager.

That said, I hope I'm wrong, but I'm in agreement with Gary.......we've been beating the spot population pretty hard for the last 5-6 years and I'm not sure it's sustainable.
While it's true that spot have a pretty high mortality rate from natural predators, I think the added cumulative pressure from bait use may be enough to tip the scale.......I hope I'm wrong but food for thought.
We have been taking an extraordinary amount of premature fish for years now, it has to catch up numerically to the breeding population eventually......remember rockfish in the late 70's / early 80's? Size limit 12" and no creel, then size limit of 14" with a 25 creel? And the entire population crashed eventually.
I hope we don't have a repeat.

I half jokingly mentioned taking a .22 with me the next time I go out for a little 'ray hunting. We saw a few on the surface on Friday chomping down on something in the water.

2nd or 3rd week of June and game on. There are a few in the creeks in shalow water.

I am getting out my 14' Carolina Skiff this Week I will let you guys know wher I find them. lets see 6 bucks a fish:D

last weekend buddy at work caught a half dozen at point look out pier. he said they were big 9" fat jumbo spot