With sunny skies and winds slowing dropping, Hurricane Erin is quickly becoming Canada’s problem. But what’s left in her wake is still forcing questions for the boats getting ready to compete in the 22nd Annual VBBT. With Friday designated as a mandatory lay day for everyone, the focus—and the action will be concentrated into two days through the weekend. Whether the fish will be on or off as a result of the storm is yet to be determined.
“The water should be cooler and rolled over, so who knows what we’ve got,” says Capt. Chris Gornell, who runs Fin Planner, a 58 Buddy Harris charter boat based at the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center. “I wish I knew the answer. But I don’t know what to expect. Will it be better out in deeper water where the waves weren’t such a factor? It’s a gamble and hopefully we make a lucky move and go from there.”
Gornell said there had been good numbers of big blue marlin around prior to the storm so he thought there was a good chance of another one being weighed this weekend. The season overall has been pretty productive. Gornell uses Windy weather app, the sea surface temperature charts from NOAA and Rip Charts to try and pinpoint productive water and conditions. He is counting on a clear satellite shot Friday evening to provide more information.
“Hopefully that north wind will shove some fish down our way. It’s probably going to take a couple days for the water to even out. Whether that happens during the tournament is the big question,” he adds.
Capt. Daniel Caison runs a local charter boat, All In, a 60 Blackwell, and he expected the seas to start settling down Friday evening. He and his normal tournament team spent the day getting ready.
“My plan is to keep it simple,” Caison explains. “We pull two dredges, two teaser chains and four ballyhoo, with a pitch bait at the ready. My team consists of the boat owner and his buddies, my regular group. So we’re all experienced.”
Caison said he would be checking sea surface temperatures and other forecasts to look for eddies and breaks that would hold bait. His plan was to go straight east and look around the 50 fathom mark.
“If you find the bait, you’ll find the billfish,” he says. “It’s hard to win a tournament on the first day, but real easy to lose it if you don’t take advantage of your opportunities. It could be either really good or really slow after this storm. Four bites might win it or 15 might. But the key is taking advantage of the bites when they are presented. And the great competition here really makes that more fun.”
After registration was extended until 4 pm Friday, the field is now set. A total of 39 boats will be competing for $453,750 in prize money. For Saturday, boats may depart from any port but must return to Virginia. Lines are allowed in at 9 am and must be out by 3 pm.
So will Erin’s aftermath spur a hot bite? That’s the six-figure question and we’ll have a definitive answer later Saturday afternoon.
Photos courtesy of The Buckskin Billfish/VBBT